Mindfulness in Ceremony
Mindfulness or contemplative practices are contemporary terms for a range of practices, traditions, rituals, or ceremonies that focus on cultivating presence, stillness, awareness and compassion. Contemplative practices emanate from numerous cultures across the globe that often overlap or share commonalities with Indigenous traditions. These practices have shown promise in supporting healing from acute as well as historical and intergenerational trauma.
Health Benefits:
Stress reduction
Community Wellness
Community Connectedness
Spirituality
Mental Health
Health Condition:
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
Cultural disconnection
Stress
Method of Use:
Ceremony
Storytelling
Mindfulness/Meditation
Cultural Narrative
Several community members described the importance of presence, awareness, and reflection as a way to connect with cultural traditions and a sense of self and identity. One community member and elder described smudging with plant medicines as a way to center and invite presence, saying, “When we smudge ourselves; when we put the smoke over ourselves and cleanse ourselves energetically with the smoke, what it does is help to root us to an artifact that reconnects us with the sense of who we are.”
Another community member described smudging as both a prayer and a way to practice mindfulness and reconnect with Indigenous ancestral traditions. Specifically, she talked about how important it is to have self-awareness about anxiety and to use mindfulness techniques like breathing and slowing down.
This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information should not be considered medical advice. Please consult your clinician before using any remedy. This is especially important if you are pregnant, nursing, or have any medical conditions.
This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This information should not be considered medical advice. Please consult your clinician before using any remedy. This is especially important if you are pregnant, nursing, or have any medical conditions.
References
To MN, Beltrán R and King K (2026) Contemplative practices for healing historical trauma among BIPOC populations: a scoping review. Front. Public Health 14:1834789. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1834789