Indigenous Healing Practices and Their Relevance in Contemporary Mental Health Care

Stress has emerged as a pervasive global health issue affecting individuals across all age groups, leading to significant physical, psychological and social consequences. Rapid technological advancements, academic pressures and evolving lifestyles have contributed to increasing levels of chronic stress, which is associated with anxiety, depression, cardiovascular diseases, and diminished overall well-being (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020). This paper presents a comparative analysis of traditional stress management methods-such as yoga, meditation and indigenous healing practices—with modern approaches including pharmacological treatments and psychotherapy.
Traditional methods emphasize holistic well-being by integrating mind, body and environment, whereas modern approaches primarily focus on symptom management. Drawing on secondary data from peer-reviewed journals, books, and empirical studies published between 2020 and 2026, this research highlights the effectiveness of both approaches. Findings suggest that traditional practices significantly reduce stress levels, enhance emotional resilience and improve quality of life. Furthermore, integrating traditional and modern strategies provides a comprehensive, sustainable, and cost-effective solution for stress management.

Stress, Yoga, Meditation, Indigenous Practices, Holistic Health

1. American Psychological Association. (2022). Stress in America report. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Baldwin, D. S., et al. (2014). Evidence-based pharmacological treatment of anxiety disorders.International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, 17(2), 179–192. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Bandelow, B., Michaelis, S., &Wedekind, D. (2017). Treatment of anxiety disorders.Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 19(2), 93–107. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Black, D. S., &Slavich, G. M. (2016).Mindfulness meditation and the immune system.Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1373(1), 13–24. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Brown, R. P., &Gerbarg, P. L. (2005).SudarshanKriya yoga.Journal of Alternative Medicine, 11(1), 189–201. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Chiesa, A., &Serretti, A. (2010).Mindfulness-based stress reduction.Journal of Alternative Medicine, 16(5), 593–600. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Creswell, J. D. (2017). Mindfulness interventions.Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 491–516. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Creswell, J. D. (2021). Mindfulness interventions.Annual Review of Psychology, 72, 473–501. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Davidson, R. J., & McEwen, B. S. (2012).Social influences on neuroplasticity.Nature Neuroscience, 15(5), 689–695. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Field, T. (2016). Yoga research review.Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 24, 145–161. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Goyal, M., et al. (2014). Meditation programs for stress reduction. JAMA Internal Medicine, 174(3), 357–368. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Goyal, M., et al. (2022). Meditation programs for psychological stress and well-being: A systematic review. JAMA Internal Medicine, 182(4), 357–368. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Hofmann, S. G., Asnaani, A., Vonk, I. J., Sawyer, A. T., & Fang, A. (2012).The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy.Cognitive Therapy and Research, 36(5), 427–440. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Kabat-Zinn, J. (2013). Full catastrophe living.Bantam Books. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Khalsa, S. B. S. (2023). Yoga as a therapeutic intervention: A bibliometric analysis. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1182345. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Khoury, B., et al. (2015). Mindfulness-based therapy meta-analysis.Clinical Psychology Review, 33(6), 763–771. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Lazarus, R. S., &Folkman, S. (1984). Stress, appraisal, and coping.Springer. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. McEwen, B. S. (2017). Neurobiological and systemic effects of chronic stress.Annual Review of Medicine, 68, 1–15. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Moszeik, E. N., et al. (2025). Yoga Nidra and cortisol reduction.Journal of Mental Health Research. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Pakulanon, S., et al. (2024). Effects of yoga interventions on stress and mental health: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 47(1), 112–125. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Pascoe, M. C., & Bauer, I. E. (2015).Yoga and cortisol levels.Psychoneuroendocrinology, 68, 270–282. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Patel, V., et al. (2022).Integrating traditional and modern mental health care.The Lancet Psychiatry, 9(3), 190–202. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Patwardhan, B., et al. (2015). Ayurveda and integrative medicine.Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 6(4), 227–232. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Riley, K. E., & Park, C. L. (2015). Yoga and stress outcomes.Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 38(3), 439–452. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Sedlmeier, P., et al. (2012). Effects of meditation.Psychological Bulletin, 138(6), 1139–1171. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Selye, H. (1956). The stress of life.McGraw-Hill. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Sharma, H., & Clark, C. (2021). Contemporary Ayurveda: Medicine and research in Maharishi Ayurveda.Elsevier Health Sciences. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Sharma, M., et al. (2020). Integrative approaches to stress management. Journal of Holistic Health, 12(2), 101–115. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Streeter, C. C., et al. (2012). Effects of yoga on the autonomic nervous system.Medical Hypotheses, 78(5), 571–579. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Tang, Y. Y., Hölzel, B. K., & Posner, M. I. (2020). The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation.Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 21(4), 213–225. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Waldram, J. B. (2013). Indigenous healing practices.Medical Anthropology Quarterly, 27(3), 277–295. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. World Health Organization. (2020). Mental health and psychosocial considerations during stress. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• The Impact of Ownership Structure on Dividend Payout Policy of Listed Plantation Companies in Sri Lanka
• Urban Sustainability in North-East India: A Study through the lens of NER-SDG index
• Performance Assessment of Predictive Forecasting Techniques for Enhancing Hospital Supply Chain Efficiency in Healthcare Logistics
• The Fractured Self in Julian Barnes' Postmodern Fiction: Identity Crisis and Deflation in Metroland and the Sense of an Ending
• Impact of Flood on the Employment, Labour Productivity and Migration of Agricultural Labour in North Bihar