 Based on the centuries old Buddhist study of the mind - and directly influenced by the ancient medical science of India, Persia, Greece, and China - Tibetan medicine offers a unique understanding of healing from a spiritual and ecological perspective. The integrity of body and mind is a basic assumption of Tibetan medical science, the practice of which requires that physicians cultivate their minds - through meditation and study - to clearly understand the inter relation of the psychological and physical aspects of health. Tibetan medicine is a traditional system of medicine which has been practiced for over 2500 years and is still practiced today although Tibetans are now in exile. The headquarters of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute are now based in Dharamsala, North India. It is here that ail the Tibetan doctors now receive all their training, and it is also where the medicines are manufactured. The period of training before one qualifies as a Tibetan doctor is for a minimum of seven years. For the student to understand the medical texts a knowledge of Tibetan linguistics, grammar and poetry is required. The first four years of training are taken up with studying the four main medical tantras, or rGyud-bzhi; they are the root tantra, the exegetical tantra, the oral tradition tantra containing methods and instructions, and finally the subsequent tantra. In the fifth year students take exams both oral and written on these four tantras. For the sixth and seventh years students are sent for practical training under a senior and experienced doctor at one of the branches of the Tibetan Medical and Astrological institute. At present there are now over 30 branches in India and Nepal, and in addition to this there are a number of private clinics. Tibetan medicine still survives in Tibet where the Chinese have destroyed so much of the Tibetan tradition and culture. It has survived because it is of great practical help for them. Tibetan medicine is one of the five major sciences, and it is called gSoba Rig-pa, the science of healing. It uses different kinds of ingredients such as herbs, trees, rocks, resins, soils, precious metals, saps etc. However, 95% of Tibetan medicine is based on herbs, and precious metals are used for the seven kinds of precious pill known as Rinchen rilpo. If the physician is able to make the right diagnosis and administer the right medicine, then Tibetan medicine is good for all kinds of illness. However, it has been particularly successful in its treatment of chronic diseases such as rheumatism, arthritis, ulcers, chronic digestive problems, asthma, hepatitis, eczema, liver problems, sinus problems, anxiety and problems connected with the nervous system. The basic theory of Tibetan medicine is to keep in balance the Nyipa sum - they are rLung (pronounced loong), mKhris-pa and Bad-kan. The long-term causative factors of Nyipa sum are the three poisons of desire, hatred and delusion which show how closely connected Tibetan medicine is with Buddhist philosophy. Brief Description of the Nyipa sum The general description of rLung is that it is a subtle flow of energy and out of the five elements (air, fire, water, earth and space) it is most closely connected with air. However it is not simply the air which we breathe or the wind in our stomachs, it goes much deeper than that. rLung is like a horse and tile mind is the rider, if there is something wrong with the horse the rider will not be able to ride properly. Its description is that it is rough, light, cool, thin, hard, movable. The general function of rLung is to help growth, movement of the body, exhalation and inhalation and to aid the function of mind, speech and body. rLung helps to separate in our stomachs what we eat into nutrients and waste products. However its most important function is to carry the movements of mind, speech and body. The nature of rLung is both hot and cold. Tibet, comprises primarily of nomads and farmers who have minimal knowledge of hygiene of sanitation. Therefore, there are these breed of horseback doctors who travel from settlement to the next, curing patients and giving advise. There are four main ways of treatment. Advise regarding the patient's diet, behavior, prescribing medicine, and lastly performing surgery. If the illness is not so serious they need only give advice as to the diet and behaviour. Generally the rLung patient must try to eat food which has got heavy and nutritional potency, such as lamb, butter, molasses, alcohol, milk, soups, chicken, garlic, ginger and onions. The mKhris-pa patient should eat beef; vegetables, fresh butter, fresh low fat cheese, cow's yogurt and buttermilk, drink weak tea, spring water and have less greasy food. The Bad-kan patient should have honey, mutton, fish, barley, wine, ginger decoction and plenty of hot water and cooked vegetables. For behaviour the rLung patient should stay in dark and warm places, the surroundings should be very quiet, and there should be beautiful scenery. He should have good company such as lovers and close friends. The patient should also rest both physically and mentally without any worries. For the mKhris-pa patient's behaviour she should have cold baths and showers, sit in shaded places and walk by the sea and use a cool perfume such as sandalwood. For the behaviour of the Bad-kan patient, he should have lots of sun, warm fires in his home; he should do lots of exercise such as prostrations, walking and running. The third method of treatment is the prescribing of medicine. It can be administered in various forms. In the form decoction, powder, pills etc. For the rLung patient various herbal ingredients are used such as aqullaria agollocha, allium sativum, myristica fragrans, asafoetida, santalum album etc. For the mKhris-pa patient's medicine we use swertia chirata, momordica charantia, holarrhena antidysenterica, aconitum naviculare, ixers gracilis, chrysosplenium nepalense, swertia hookeri and berberis asiatica etc. For the Bad-kan patient's medicine we use chaenomeles, inula helenium, coriandium sativum, meconopsis discigera, punica granatum, kaempferia galanga and phyllantus emblica etc. The filial method of treatment is surgery - divided into mild and rough. Mild surgery for the rLung patient includes massage with year-old butter and oily compresses. Rough surgery for the rLung patient is placing moxa on the selected points of rLung; these are on the crown of the head, the first, fifth and sixth vertebrae of the spinal cord, the sternum, etc. For the mKhris-pa patient mild surgery is sitting beneath waterfall and mild purgatives. Rough surgery for the mKhris-pa patient is blood letting and cupping. For the Bad-kan patient mild surgery is hot fermentations, saunas and mild emetics. Rough surgery for the Bad-kan patient is golden needle therapy and the application of heated surgical stylets. Herbal Tea Pomegranate Ginger Tea RECIPE: Wild Pomegranate Seeds create the distinctive, delicious sour flavor of this tea. According to ancient Tibetan medical texts Pomegranate is the " King " of digestive herbs. Pomegranate is also used as a rejuvenator to build the kidneys' power which helps stimulate the sex drive. Ginger adds zing and stimulates digestion.
Cardamom, Cinnamon and Long Pepper add just the right touch of sweetness and pungency. Seven Precious Decoctions Tea Terminalia chebula Retz. fruit, Terminilia bellerica Roxb. fruit and Emblica officinalis (Gaertn.) fruit are called the " Kings of medicines" in Tibetan Medicine. They are premier nutritive and rejuvenating fruits supplying significant amounts of natural vitamin C. Orange peel adds a light sweetness to the
tea and ginger acts a catalyst for the other herbs. Eagleswood Eight Tea RECIPE: Terminilia chebula Retz. and Saussurea lappa. C.B Clarke are excellent nutritive herbs fortifying the body's cells at a fundamental level. Nutmeg has traditionally been used to calm
the emotions and strengthen the life force. Canaralia Glediata reduces feelings of stress,
worry and anxiety. A touch of Chamomile adds the fragrance and taste of flowers while
calming an overexcited nervous system and digestive system.
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