Hyderabad: In recent decades, psychologists and neuroscientists have begun to look beyond conventional Western therapy models.
Many are taking a serious interest in regional healing traditions, systems of care that evolved within local cultures and persisted for generations.
Combining various practices
These traditions encompass physical practices, ritual acts, movement, music, storytelling and community involvement. Modern research is not merely cataloguing these practices; it is investigating why they work, for whom and how their mechanisms intersect with psychological processes.
Understanding healing traditions through a psychological lens
Regional healing traditions are not merely cultural artefacts; they embody methods of regulation, emotional, cognitive, social, and physiological. Modern psychology asks: Can these methods map onto known mechanisms of mental health and resilience?
Dr Nanda Rao, a clinical psychologist and researcher in cultural psychotherapies, speaking to NewsMeter, explained, “Traditional healing systems often intervene at multiple levels: the body, the mind and social context. Psychology is recognising that human suffering is rarely just neural signalling, it is relational, cultural and lived.”
This shift reflects a broader movement toward contextual and integrative mental health care.
Traditional Indian practices: Mind-body integration
Across India, practices that blend physical movement, breath control, meditation and reflective observation have long been part of wellness systems.
Yoga and breath practices
Yoga’s uptake globally has invited scientific examination. Beyond flexibility and strength, practices such as pranayama (controlled breathing) and dyana (meditation) are studied for effects on stress regulation.
Research frameworks now propose that controlled breathing influences the autonomic nervous system, lowering physiological arousal, the same system involved in anxiety and panic.
Dr Anil Manik, a neuroscientist studying contemplative practices, states, “When you slow and regulate the breath, you directly engage the vagal nerve pathways. That input changes how the brain interprets threat signals. In some ways, this is a bridge between ancient practice and modern neurobiology.”
Ayurvedic ritual and daily rhythms
Ayurveda emphasises daily routines (dinacharya) and seasonal adjustments (ritucharya).
While not originally framed as ‘mental health care,’ many of its routines, such as waking with the sun or oil application (abhyanga), influence circadian rhythms and sensory regulation.
Psychologists are now examining how structured daily rituals can support sleep quality, emotional stability, and disruption tolerance, critical factors in mood disorders.
Indigenous healing systems and community meaning-making
In many indigenous cultures, healing involves community, narrative and ritual participation rather than isolated clinical sessions. Some of the methods include:
1. Collective storytelling and symbols
For example, among some South Asian tribal groups, elders use stories and symbols to communicate concepts of loss, resilience and identity. These stories provide frameworks for interpreting life challenges.
Dr Laya Kumari, a cultural psychologist, observed, “Narrative systems in indigenous cultures do what cognitive therapy does: they reshape meaning. But they do it collaboratively, embedded within shared identity, not just in the individual mind.”
2. Ritual participation and emotional regulation
Rituals such as dance, drumming, communal prayer and seasonal festivals serve regulatory functions. They create predictable sensorimotor patterns and synchronised group behaviour, both of which are known to lower stress hormones and strengthen social bonds.
Modern research finds parallels between synchronous movement and the release of oxytocin, a hormone associated with trust and social cohesion.
3. Sound, music and rhythm as therapeutic tools
Around the world, sound is a central healing element. Chanting, drumming and vocal intonation are core to many regional practices.
Psychologists distinguish several mechanisms through which sound affects mental states:
• Entrainment: rhythmic patterns align neural oscillations, influencing attention and arousal.
• Embodied resonance: low frequencies engage bodily awareness, grounding emotional reactivity.
• Shared sound participation strengthens community attachment, which supports emotional well-being.
Professor Harini Anand, an expert in music and psychology, explained, “Sound affects cognition and emotion directly, without the mediation of language. That’s why music and ritual chant can be powerful for people who struggle with semantic expression, it accesses emotion through the body and brain synchronously.”
Integration into modern mental health frameworks
Modern psychology does not advocate replacing evidence-based clinical care with traditional practices. Instead, researchers explore how elements of these traditions can complement therapy.
1. Trauma recovery models
Some trauma-focused therapies now integrate elements like breath-based regulation or rhythmic movement to help clients shift out of physiological hyperarousal before cognitive processing.
2. Community-based support networks
Traditional community rituals provide extended social support networks. Psychologists recognise that connectedness is one of the strongest predictors of mental health outcomes.
Dr Javed Khan, community psychologist, noted, “Psychology is learning what many cultures knew: mental health isn’t just a personal process. It’s social. Rituals create collective space for processing loss, change and identity.”
What modern research is still untangling
Psychology’s interest in traditional healing raises several ongoing questions:
• Mechanism: Which components of a healing tradition drive measurable psychological change?
• Cultural specificity: Can practices be transplanted without losing cultural meaning?
• Ethics: How do practitioners integrate traditional practices responsibly without appropriation?
Researchers employ mixed methods, qualitative interviews, physiological measures, and longitudinal studies to answer these questions.
Conclusion
Regional healing traditions are more than cultural relics.
Modern psychology is re-studying them to understand how they affect emotion, cognition, body processes, and social bonds. This trend reflects a broader shift toward holistic, contextual mental health care that respects individual experience within cultural frameworks.
The convergence of tradition and science invites a more inclusive view of well-being, one that acknowledges both ancient wisdom and contemporary evidence.
