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WORLD ANTHROPOLOGICAL UNION

CONGRESS 2024​

Paper

Spiritual Healing and Mental Health: Story from Kerala

presenters

    Vishal V Kamath

    Nationality: India

    Residence: India

    Presence:Online

Keywords:

Mental Health, Spiritual Healing, Temple Healing, Kerala

Abstract:

The idea of exploration of Psyche and Mind has always been found in Indian Knowledge Systems. Right from Vedic Period to the modern days. This paper explores how indigenous spiritual healing methods are used to treat Mental Health. The paper is focused on the secret healing practices performed at Chottanikkara Devi Temple of Kerala. The paper is heavily a library-based research article, it starts with exploring the idea of Mental Illness among the locals, including patients and the priests who cures the Mental Health Patients. It moves on to the actual healing practices that take place at the temple and concludes with the effects of such practices. The huge gap between the knowledge available on mental health and the implementation of it in the daily treatment is a matter of concern. This paper is an attempt to highlight the need to use the ancient or indigenous traditional knowledge about mind and Psyche in treating the mentally ill people.