Why ancestral healing is making a comeback

Ye olde may be better than the new and polished. Well, that’s what it seems like if wellness trends are anything to yardstick practices by. Ancestral and ritual based healing is back on the radar for many people who, based on anecdotal evidence and social media posts, said that life is just too manic not to take pause.

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In practical terms, these practices are not one single method but a collection of systems founded in tradition and cultural knowledge. They can include modalities such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, herbal remedies, breathwork, energy based therapies, massage, meditation, and structured daily rituals linked to food, sleep, and movement. Some people turn to tools like crystals or techniques such as gua sha, while others focus on prayer, intention setting, or working with trained practitioners who assess the body more holistically. The common thread is that these approaches look at balance, timing, and the individual as a whole rather than isolating symptoms.

Imanuella Muller from the South African College of Applied Psychology said the move away from optimised wellness was being driven by pressure that has become difficult to sustain. “There is so much pressure to perform and be on all the time, from our workplaces to our homes. This type of living is unsustainable and wellness practices that are constantly high performance can exacerbate that sense of pressure and feel like just another item we have to tick off our to do list,” she said.

Systems rooted in traditional knowledge

She shared that what people are looking for is not more structure, but something that allows them to slow down and reconnect in a way that feels meaningful. “Slower, more ritual based systems of care provide what many people are seeking to experience in today’s hustle culture, rest, and the ability to reconnect with self and community in a meaningful way,” she said.

Traditional medicine is gaining traction. Picture iStock

Muller unpacked how this demand is also linked to what people are experiencing daily in their bodies and minds, particularly in environments that rarely allow for pause. “Practices that emphasise balance, rest and routine offer us an opportunity to pause and catch our breath. These types of practices allow us to experience a sense of predictability, groundedness, calm, and safety, which for many of us is lacking in our everyday lives,” she said.

Anna Mari Viviers of Heavenly Healing in Benoni noted that the return to older systems is also about what people feel is missing in modern healthcare. “People are no longer feeling fully supported by fast, symptom focused approaches to health. They are craving something deeper, something that sees them as a whole being, not just a diagnosis,” she said.

People are craving depth

She said these systems offer something that many people feel has been lost in more clinical approaches. “These older systems speak to rhythm, balance, and connection to the body, to nature, and to something greater than ourselves. In a world that feels rushed and disconnected, that kind of wisdom feels grounding and real,” she said.

Both Muller and Viviers noted social media as a space where these practices are often misunderstood or reduced to surface level engagement. Muller said healing has increasingly become something that is performed rather than experienced. “Healing practices can become identity markers when participating in them signals belonging to a certain group or community. Mental health can decline when practices are only engaged in to keep up or fit in,” she said.

Imanuella Muller of the South African College of Applied Psychology. Picture Supplied

Viviers shared that much of what is presented online removes the depth that gives these practices their meaning. “Social media has a way of simplifying very complex systems into quick, aesthetic habits. What often gets lost is the context. Without that, people may not get the true benefit, or they may misunderstand what their body actually needs,” she said.

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Context gets lost

She noted that there are also risks when people engage without proper guidance or understanding of what they are working with. “Natural substances can be incredibly potent. Herbs can interact with medications, affect underlying conditions, or be used incorrectly. Without proper understanding, people can do more harm than good,” she said.

Despite this, both Muller and Viviers said these practices can support emotional regulation when approached with care and intention. Muller said they offer something many people are lacking in their day to day lives. “Ancestral practices offer a sense of connectedness and identity which so many people are yearning for in today’s digital and technology driven experiences,” she said.

Viviers said the difference often comes down to intention and how deeply people are willing to engage beyond surface level practices. “Real healing tends to be honest and often not very polished. It involves discomfort, accountability, and real change. When it is more about identity, it often stays on the surface,” she added.

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