Climate Change, Adaptation and Resilience through Rajyoga: A Conceptual Review and Research Design

Abstract

Climate change generates not only physical and economic disruption but also profound psychological impacts, including climate anxiety, trauma following extreme events, and chronic stress. These mental health burdens undermine individual and community capacities for effective climate adaptation. Recent researches highlight mindfulness and contemplative practices as scalable, low-cost interventions capable of strengthening emotional regulation, prosocial engagement, and sustained participation in adaptive behaviours. Rajyoga Meditation, as taught in the Brahma Kumaris tradition, emphasizes inner transformation, emotional equanimity, and values-based living. This paper synthesizes existing literature across three domains: 1. the mental health burden of climate change, 2. the role of mindfulness and contemplative practices in supporting adaptation and resilience, and 3. empirical evidence on the psychological effects of Rajyoga Meditation. Building on this synthesis, the paper proposes a theoretical “inside–out” framework linking Rajyoga practice to adaptation outcomes such as psychological resilience, adaptive decision-making, and community cohesion. A pragmatic mixed-methods research design is outlined to empirically test the framework. Finally, the paper offers policy-relevant recommendations for integrating Rajyoga-based programs into climate adaptation strategies and identifies priority areas for future research where direct evidence remains limited.