Maharishi Patanjali, in his classic and authoritative treatise on yoga, the ogashtra, explained that all problems start in the mind due to klesha or inborn mental afflictions, which later manifest in the body. This means that if we know how to mind our minds well, we may be able to change our lives for the better. Yoga is a practice rooted in the ancient Indian ethos, which was comprehensively structured by Maharishi Patanjali in the form of the eight yogic limbs or Ashtanga Yoga. Yogic practices can serve as one of the most powerful ways to preserve, promote and manage our mental as well as physical health, enabling us to live a happy and enriched life.

Swami Kuvalayananda, who was the pioneer of yoga research and published research studies in yoga as long back as 1924, believed that yoga practices were ideally suited to bring about a “reconditioning of the psychophysiological echanism.” In fact, he was of the opinion that, “It should be our duty to verify its (that of yoga practices) results and to explore the exact psychophysiological mechanism of the channels through which these results are obtained.”

In modern scientific terms, yoga has come to be recognised as a multi-dimensional mind-body intervention, which combines moderate physical activity through postures, breath regulation techniques, deep relaxation, and meditation. Engaging in these yogic practices comprehensively influences the mind-body complex through various integrative and neuroplastic mechanisms resulting in stress-reduction, improved mood, well-being and quality of life, and greater mindfulness and awareness. 

Stress has been identified as the common risk factor of 75 – 90% of chronic lifestyle diseases, ranging from psychological disorders of depression and anxiety to physiological ones like heart diseases, diabetes, and cancer. In order to counter chronic stress, it becomes critical to pay attention to mental health and related interventions in order to successfully promote resilience and coping capacities.

The universal experience of the recent COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst in bringing the focus on mental health and the necessity of mentalealthcare for individuals and groups. The psychosocial impact of quarantine measures during the pandemic were consistently associated with depressive symptoms, anxiety, anger, stress, post-traumatic s tres s , social i solation, loneliness and stigmatization. The pandemic experience left the world with little doubt that being equipped with the tools to cope better psychologically would help address mental health problems effectively both in times of normalcy as well as crises. Yoga offers such mind tools, and the efficacy of yoga in psychological health has been well documented over the past years. 

Research has made available reasonably robust scientific evidence on the beneficial effects of yoga in promoting general mental health, reducing anxiety and depression, managing stress-related psychological malfunction, managing burnout in healthcare workers, improving quality of life and psychosocial outcomes in breast cancer survivors, besides a few more. The evidence of the positive effects of yoga in facets of normal psychological functioning viz., memory, concentration, sleep, relaxation, coping capacity, mood and emotion management, mindfulness, body awareness etc., as well as in managing impairments in human functioning due to psychological disorders/problems viz., schizophrenia, post-traumatic stress-disorder, substance use disorder, cognitive decline, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactive disorder, etc. has also started accumulating slowly but steadily. 

Yogic techniques have also been used as a potent relief measure to deal with the crippling psychological aftermath of mass disasters like tsunami and earthquakes. Yoga, thus, carries immense potential to provide psychological relief to individuals and communities in uncertain and critical times of loss and destruction, with increased overall health as a bonus. 

In fact, amidst multiple lockdowns and times of work-from-home and self-quarantine during the recent pandemic, there was a rising focus in the general public on overall health and wellness, of which mental health formed an essential part. This increased health awareness saw a surge of yoga practices being offered on online platforms through group and private classes all over the world. Speaks volumes for the general acceptability and popularity of yoga as a useful mind-body technique globally! 

Taking lessons from the recent pandemic, it is high time for the key health organisations in the world to come together to build a sustainable mental health ecosystem for individuals, groups, and for the general public at large. Many governments of the world, including that of India, have already taken important steps in this regard. Yoga practices fit the bill perfectly in offering effective, nonpharmacological, sustainable, economical yet holistic ways to build life skills, enhance coping capacity, provide psychological and emotional resilience, and improve mental and overall health. As yoga, including meditation, has now become a worldwide phenomenon, we can expect that efforts to secure the mental health of people in our human society with the help of yoga can go a long way in achieving a healthy, happy and fulfilling life for humankind.