Embodied Rituals and Healing Practices in Turkish Health Culture: Implications for Contemporary Healthcare Environments
Elif Özgen
OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine March 2, 2026 DOI: 10.21926/obm.icm.2601010 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Mysticism |
| Keywords | Embodied cognition Performative utterance Turkish Practice theory Health care Aesthetics Conceptual framework |
| Key points | Argues that embodied ritual and movement practices rooted in Turkish health culture provide a conceptual basis for human-centered, healing-oriented spatial approaches within contemporary health structures. |
Abstract
Throughout human history, movement has functioned not only as a physical activity but also as a ritual, considered a healing practice linked to meaning-making and social balance. Bodily performances and ritual-based practices—such as folk dances and mystical rituals—have historically supported the physical and emotional integrity of individuals. This paper examines the historical continuity of movement-based performative practices in Turkish health culture through religious and mystical rituals, folk dances, and music-associated healing traditions. The present analysis is structured around the relationships among ritual, movement, healing, and space, employing a conceptual, historical-comparative, and interpretive framework that draws on performance studies, health anthropology, art therapies, and architectural theory. The historical trajectory—from ancient rhythmic body practices to the multisensory spatial arrangements of Seljuk and Ottoman hospitals, and to contemporary complementary health approaches—reveals the continuity of healing through bodily experience and spatial interaction. Findings indicate that ritual components such as rhythm, repetition, breath, and centering can inform design strategies that promote sensory regulation, body awareness, and emotional balance in contemporary wellness spaces. Spatial elements, including music, soundscape, natural light, and rhythmic circulation, are highlighted as influential in shaping the healing experience. This interdisciplinary inquiry argues that embodied ritual and movement practices rooted in Turkish health culture provide a conceptual basis for human-centered, healing-oriented spatial approaches within contemporary health structures, emphasizing analytical design principles rather than reproducing cultural practices as a descriptive background.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on mysticism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The mystical mind: probing the biology of religious experience | 2000 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Religious and Mystical Experiences as Artifacts of Temporal Lobe Function: A General Hypothesis | 1983 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy | 1993 | Edited collection of essays | |
| Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century | 2020 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mysticism and schizophrenia: A phenomenological exploration of the structure of consciousness in the schizophrenia spectrum disorders. | 2016 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |