Doing good well (Karma Yoga, the path of selfless action): Psychotherapeutic lessons from the East

Dhyana yoga, the path of meditative being: Psychotherapeutic insights from the east

Eastern spiritual traditions offer insights into the mind-body approaches to enhance health and well-being. These insights focus on self-awareness (the path of knowledge), intrinsically motivated and selfless action (karma yoga) and on faith and compassion (Bhakti yoga). Yogic meditative practices (Dhyana yoga), developed by ancient Hindu and other eastern traditions, are effective tools to implement these pathways to well-being. They involve ethical behavior (yama and niyama), bodily postures, breath-related, and/or other meditative approaches for mastery over the physiological and psychological processes within an individual. Meditative practices require practice (abhyasa) as well as detachment (vairagya), so that the 'ego' of being a 'doer' does not become a hindrance in achieving inner transformations. In this paper, we review the eastern concepts on the nature of these techniques of inner well-being, and then place them in the context of emerging insights in psychology on these behavioral practices. Meditative practices include focused attention (FA), open-monitoring (OM) and transcendental meditation (TM) approaches. We outline current emerging neuroscience findings that suggest somewhat distinctive correlates of these mental states with neural oscillations and brain circuits. These approaches may also be differentially effective across medical and psychiatric disorders. We review gaps in knowledge and offer a framework for further research in developing these interventions, especially as applied in the areas of positive psychology and psychiatry.

Multigenerational resilience: A novel theory on the psychological transmission of resilience and the role of culture and spirituality in indigenous communities: A narrative review

Resilience is widely studied as an individual psychological trait; however, its intergenerational transmission through cultural and social mechanisms remains underexplored. This narrative review synthesizes existing research on Multigenerational Resilience, focusing on the roles of cultural traditions, spirituality, and social networks in indigenous communities. Drawing on psychological, anthropological, and ecological perspectives, this study introduces the Multigenerational Resilience Theory (MRT), which conceptualizes resilience as a dynamic, intergenerational process reinforced through oral narratives, collective rituals, and shared belief systems. The theory highlights three core mechanisms: cultural transmission, social cohesion, and active adaptation, which enable communities to maintain resilience in the face of social, environmental, and political challenges. By integrating insights from resilience theory, cultural transmission models, and social support frameworks, this review offers a novel theoretical perspective that bridges individual and collective resilience. The findings contribute to resilience studies by emphasizing the necessity of culturally embedded approaches in fostering psychological well-being and developing targeted interventions. Future research should further explore empirical validation of MRT across diverse indigenous populations to refine its applicability and impact on social policies and mental health programs.

Leadership and Karma: doing good or doing well?

Modern management has much to learn from ancient wisdoms. Management structures based on corporate trends were transferred from business to services such as healthcare to promote cost-efficiency and productivity. In this article, I argue that the short-term approach of corporate leaders being brought into healthcare for 'transformation' has led to a trail of service dismemberment with no discernible clinical gain for those we seek to serve. Bhagwad Gita, the ancient Hindu scripture on right conduct, is an exemplar of how the primary aim of leaders should be to provide better service rather than serve personal interests or those of the 'business' of healthcare.