Sunday, September 27, 2009

Tibetan Medicine

Someone from Stargate Nutrition was interested in hearing about Tibetan Medicine.

Though I did not study Tibetan medicine formally I can share what little I know and have experienced personally about Tibetan Medicine. It has some of the same philosophy as Aryuvedic medicine I would say. It is a more Holistic approach to medicine than is ordinarily found in the western world like much of Asian medicine. For example, when one looks for the cause of an ailment one isn't just looking physically but intuitively and karmicly as well. So this, compared to western medicine is a very unique approach. However, this kind of approach has been this way for thousands of years in most of Asia.

My personal experience with Tibetan medicine was that I was in New Delhi, India with my family in 1986 in January. The five of my family, a friend from Alaska, a 25 year old translator for the Tibetan Lama from Darjeeling had all traveled with from Bodhgaya to Varanasi, then Agra to visit the Taj Mahal and finally to New Delhi. Our plan was to rest up a bit in New Delhi and then to head to Dharmsala, India in Himchal Pradesh State where the Dalai Lama's home is since about 1959 when he left Tibet.

Anyway, in New Delhi my 12 year old stepdaughter got Delhi Belly (similar to Montezuma's revenge) (the runs) possibly from bad water or food(to a western pallet). I asked the 25 year old Darjeeling Tibetan translator to try to get medicine for her. He got something that had morphine in it that she was allergic to and then she went into convulsions. (There were a lot of really strange medicines one could buy over the counter there at that time). Needless to say we and she were pretty traumatized by first having her have Deli Belly and then going into convulsions in the shower.

So, I intuitively decided that the best thing for her would be to get her out of the hot tropical climate and into a mountain climate so her Deli Belly could no longer live. Also, I had heard a lot about Tibetan Doctors and Healers. So we rented a compartment on a train(all of my family) and went to Dharmsala. The Lama translator and our friend from Alaska went elsewhere and we traveled with the Lama on the Train and then Bus to Dharmsala. When we arrived there we were sent to Lady Dolma who was a known Tibetan healer and Doctor who had legends of miracles in her healings.

What I found unusual is what looked like 1 gallon glass Mayonaise jars filled with what looked like large Rabbit Droppings(I used to raise Fuzzy Lops withe my wife as pets). But what we were actually looking at were jars of collected and dried into balls of medicinal herbs collected. So very much like traditional Chinese medicine one eats or drinks these balls of herbs to get over various illnesses.

Just like I intuited within a few days both my stepdaughter and my son who had also gotten ill on the train were completely well in the 6000 foot mountain climate and 20 degree nighttime temperatures. They had been seen by Lady Dolma and given the necessary herbs. So they had been with an intuitive healer and had been given the correct medicine as well. We then bought a kerosene stove to sterilize all our water by boiling it for 5 minutes before we put it in canteens to take with us wherever we went(we each carried a canteen). At that time there was no heating only water and lighting in hotel rooms in Dharmsala and most of the Tibetans were very tough and hardy there and used to dealing with the cold all the time. But we heated our room above 50 degrees to maybe 60 degrees before we went to sleep at night. They had a shower area in the hotel for use during the day which had hot water which was really great too. And another thing I saw all across India then was that Televisions with VCRs became theatre attractions and about 20 to 25 people would buy tickets to movies to watch a particular move on the TV in a public place. Though larger cities had Movie theatres if one lived further out one bought tickets to watch movies on TV with VCR tape players. It was kind of fun watching a Rambo movie at Bodhgaya with other people there for the Kalachakra Initiation. There were many unexpected incongruencies for a westerner all across India then. The unexpected things for a westerner might be different now about 25 years later. My oldest stepson is now 39 and the step daughter and my son are now 36 and 35 respectively.

I also met a Tulku(living Buddha) in Oregon called Chakdud Tulku Pronounced (chalk dude) which I believe means Iron Horse then Tulku means (reincarnated living Buddha).
He was a Tibetan Doctor and he was very helpful to me in my life. However, I never needed to see him as a doctor formally. However, he did counsel me about my practices and my life.

I was able to find the folowing sites regarding Tibetan medicine:

http://www.tibetan-therapeutics.com/?gclid=CPuk3Ym5kp0CFQ0aawod-Ayo_g

http://www.tibetanmedicine.com/

http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/medicine.htm

http://www.dharma-haven.org/tibetan/tibetan-art-of-healing.htm

Another approach to Tibetan medicine would be to receive a White Tara initiation which is the Tara of Long Life practice from an authorized Tibetan Lama that you feel a positive connection with.

For example, Geshe Lobsang Gyatso's specialty was his White Tara Long Life initiation. People would come to him from all over to get this initiation.

There is also a Padmasambhava Long Life Practice if you are a fan of Padmasambhava. Both of these initiations and practices will naturally increase your lifespan and protect you from dangers if properly received and practiced in commitment and sincerity.

In regard to healing there is always the physical component, the karmic component, and the commitment component to help oneself and others into more positives states of enlightenment. As one's commitment and compassion increases it affects all the outcomes of both your life as well as all lives surrounding you and your lifespan and health naturally increases. I have observed personally many near death experiences and often angels will come and extend one's life over and over if they feel you are helping yourself and others into more blessed states of being. It is just in the nature of life and the universe to help you if you are helping yourself and others to higher states of consciousness. Health, wealth and all good things come to such a one who is praying and living for all beings enlightenment.

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