Tibetan Medical Approaches to Understanding Covid-19
A Panel Discussion with Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, Professor Robert Thurman, Eric Rosenbush and Lobsang Tsering
Moderated by Dr. Ben Joffe
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This panel discussion featuring Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Medicine) practitioners and Buddhist scholars looks at the Covid-19 pandemic through the lens of both the medical and spiritual aspects of ancient Tibetan medical practice.
The panelists will explore the concept of “provocation” diseases (Tibetan: dön né གདོན་ནད།), one of the four classes of diseases described in Tibetan Medicine, traditionally understood to be illness brought on by external invisible forces or spirits, and discuss how a deeper understanding of this concept could help us to better understand the complex causes and conditions giving rise to this pandemic and its connection to the greater environment.
Traditionally, different types of spiritual healing techniques have been practiced in Tibet to help pacify provocation diseases, many of which may still be relevant and beneficial in today’s situation to complement the modern medical approach towards managing this virus.
