The Concept of Resilience in Indian Psychology: Perspectives from Yoga

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19705153

Ram Kirti Singh and Nehalata Singh (Department of Psychology, D.D.U. Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh)

Indian psychology gives a unique perspective on resilience, which is crafted by indigenous philosophical and spiritual techniques like those established in Yoga and the Bhagwad Gita. This review paper gathers previous empirical and theoretical knowledge regarding resilience in Indian Knowledge System, with a strong focus on yoga. Generally, resilience is defined as the capacity to adapt and prosper when encountering difficulties in daily life, which has emerged as a vital theme in modern psychology. This review paper combines recent theoretical and empirical research (from 2015 to 2024) within the scope of the Indian Knowledge structure related to resilience. We look through how yogic practices and Indian philosophical beliefs encourage psychological resilience with the help of modern terminology such as emotional management, neurophysiological regulation, cognitive reframing and finding meaning by using over 25 references, including systematic reviews and conceptual analysis. The wind-up from this review reveals that the yogic approach regulates self-regulation, balance (samatva), and inner strength by giving preferences to some yogic practices in our daily life routine-asana, pranayama, and meditation, which support emotional strength and flexible coping mechanisms. Studies on this topic show that students, health professionals and individuals with long-term illnesses got long term positive effects on their physical and mental health with the help of yoga-based techniques. These techniques positively affect their mental well-being, reduce stress, and encourage productive coping strategies. The assessment highlights the potential of Indian psychological models to enrich traditional resilience research, fostering culturally sensitive methods for addressing mental health.