Year: 2026 | Month: July | Volume: 13 | Issue: 7 | Pages: 505-509
DOI: https://doi.org/10.52403/ijrr.20260753
Revisiting the Unani Concept of Hawā-e-Muheet through the Lens of Modern Ecotherapy
Aiman Shakeel Ansari1, Tasfiya Hakeem Ansari2, Momin Afeefa Saleem Ahmed3, Aaisha Farheen4, Suresh Kumar Saral5
1,2,4,5Assistant Professor, 3PG Scholar
1,2.3Department of Mahiyatul Amraz, 4Department of Ilmul Saidla, 5Department of Ilaj bit Tadbeer
1,5Dr. Abdul Ali Tibbiya College & Hospital, Katauli, Malihabad, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India,
2,3National Institute of Unani Medicine, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India,
4Eram Unani Medical College & Hospital, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Corresponding Author: Aiman Shakeel Ansari
ABSTRACT
Ecotherapy, a nature-based therapeutic approach, has gained increasing recognition in contemporary healthcare because of its beneficial effects on mental health. The conceptual foundations of ecotherapy closely resemble the principles described in Unani medicine, particularly the doctrine of hawā-e-muheet (environment air). This paper explores role of balanced environmental air in maintenance of mental health through the frameworks of mizaj (temperament) ruh (pneuma) and maskan (dwelling places) in terms of ecotherapy. Classical Unani physicians emphasized the importance of clean and balanced air, greenery, healthy dwelling places, and other environmental conditions in preservation of health and prevention of disease. These concepts closely parallel modern ecotherapeutic approaches that highlight the positive psychological effects of exposure to natural environments. Contemporary scientific evidence also supports the role of nature exposure in stress reduction, emotional regulation, and cognitive restoration. This study demonstrates that ecotherapy represents a contemporary reflection of classical Unani principles and offers a holistic model for mental health promotion.
Keywords: Ecotherapy, Unani Medicine, Hawa, Ruh, Mental Health, Infelat-e-Nafsaniyah.
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