In the new millennium, therapies of Indian psychology have gained renewed interest as a distinct and holistic approach to understanding the mind and human behavior. The essence of psychotherapy existed in India since time immemorial submerged in social structures, religion, ancient scriptures, mystics, and alternate system of medicine including Ayurveda, Unani tradition, Siddha and Yoga, and so forth. The popularity of Indian psychology in the West has been driven by a growing interest in mindfulness, meditation, and other Eastern spiritual practices, which are increasingly being incorporated into Western therapy and wellness programs that focus on treating mental disorders and addressing individual problems. Numerous Western psychologists and therapists are beginning to incorporate Indian psychology techniques and principles into their practice. Indian psychology is one perspective in understanding mental health and is not a substitute for modern evidence-based approaches to mental health care.
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Healing is the goal of Indian psychological traditions. Cure is more or less external intervention and the treatment is relatively passive, whereas healing involves more caring and counselling. Healing is more active and the whole process is interactive and integral. In Indian wisdom tradition, cure and healing do not have such a distinction. In Ayurveda, svastyam, coming to self or being in self, could be compared to the concept of healing; and arogyam, balance of gunas or living according to one’s prakrti, physical constitution, is similar to the concept of cure. (Menon, 2005).
From ancient times, our sages have endeavoured to comprehend the workings of the mind and various methods of controlling it. In India, psychology is essentially intertwined into the philosophical and religious traditions, as is widely believed. It combines cosmology, theology, mythology, and philosophy. Several psychological concepts, including mind, cognition, personality, emotions, and others, are thoroughly and sophisticatedly explained in ancient Indian texts. Indian methods to psychology, and more specifically counselling, do exist, as is demonstrated in classical literature. Many experts have recently drawn attention to this issue by showing the similarities between numerous psychological concepts from the west and the theories put forth in ancient Indian scriptures.
There are many psychological theories found in ancient Indian writings and scriptures that can be helpful for understanding counselling procedures. Additionally, India has used a range of culturally appropriate psychotherapy approaches all ages. The Vedas, Upanishads, Yoga, Buddhism, and its various schools may all have a strong influence on the average Indian. The Vedas and Upanishads are the main texts in India that provide knowledge on counselling procedures. The Upanishads explain ideas like perception, consciousness, cognition, and so forth. In particular, psychopathology and mental health issues are described in terms of the imbalance of the Tridoshas and Trigunas. (Kumar, 2023).
A unique and comprehensive approach to understanding the human mind and behavior is provided by Indian psychology. Indian psychology emphasises the connection between the individual and the collective consciousness while drawing on ancient philosophical and spiritual traditions. It also acknowledges the value of mindfulness, yoga, and meditation in fostering mental and emotional well-being. This emphasizes the importance of understanding the human psyche within the larger context of cultural, social, and spiritual factors. (Aakash, 2021). Indian psychology is becoming more and more popular in the West as a holistic and spiritual method of studying the mind and human behaviour, with mounting scientific data demonstrating the efficacy of its techniques. (Kumar, 2023).
A positive trait, enthusiastic parity, the ability to live a full, balanced, and creative life, and the flexibility to deal with life's inevitable challenges are all associated with mental wellness. The Indian society and theory are unique in how they encourage people to build their own autonomy. The system and belief that the human being has enormous potential hidden inside it are shared by Indian psychology study and philosophy. Indian Ancient Psychology studies also contains an endless display of methods for enhancing human awareness. Indian thought is filled with mental concepts that have not yet been fully explored by therapists or in other spheres of daily life. (Sedlmeier & Srinivas, 2016). Ancient Indian thought contains a wealth of mental information that is clear and unpretentious, elaborating on procedures and constructs such as psychological health, attention, feeling, emotions, perceptions, inspiration, self- and personality discernment, and psychopathology and its treatment.