From Scriptures to Science: Exploring the Role of Mantra Meditation and Mindfulness in Mental Health

Description

Meenu and Sandeep Singh (Department of Applied Psychology, GJUS & T, Hisar, Haryana)

The paper will center on mindfulness and meditation as a tool for promoting mental health and well-being in the Indian spiritual societies. The Indian culture has the theories of meditation and awareness, which are a thousand years old, as a means of self-realization, moral living, as well as mind control. They have been written down in the form of Patanjali in his book of Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upanishads. These are the ancient customs that are very effective even in the current scientific environment of the present-day world. Mantra meditation and mindfulness have been discovered to enhance mental clarity, emotional balance, and cognitive flexibility. Empirical research indicates that meditation positively impacts brain functioning, especially those that are involved with self-control, emotional control, and stress management. They are also successfully applied in treating such mental disorders as depression and anxiety, stress, chronic pain, and PTSD. In addition, mindfulness-based interventions are demonstrated to increase focus, compassion, and psychological well-being in education, work, and social life. By combining what the Indian meditative tradition has learned and what modern psychology and neuroscience have learned, a holistic and culturally sensitive approach will be developed, which will respond holistically and cross-culturally to mental health. As emphasized in this paper, the Indian meditation traditions are not only spiritual practices but also scientifically-oriented methods of achieving mental stability and well-being of the entire person that can be made available in the modern mental health system.