In Search of the Medicine Buddha: A Himalayan Journey [Paperback]

David Crow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 29, 2001

The colorful adventure story of an American practitioner of Chinese medicine who travels to Kathmandu in search of medical and spiritual knowledge.

In 1987 David Crow journeyed to Nepal in search of teachings in Tibetan medicine and Buddhist meditation. For the next ten years, he studied with many teachers. Using his newfound knowledge, Crow opened a clinic in Kathmandu and another in a small mountain village, where he treated beggars from the street as well as high abbots of monasteries. This colorful and captivating story interweaves medical teachings with insights into Tibetan Buddhism, evoking the beauty and wonder of a faraway land. Bibliography. Index.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In a blend of medical anthropology and autobiographical essay, Crow introduces the reader to Tibetan and Ayurvedic medicine as taught to him by leading Tibetan and Nepalese physicians in Katmandu in Nepal. The book also weaves together Buddhist philosophy, Nepalese culture, and a bit of history but focuses primarily on various aspects of Sange Menla, the Medicine Buddha (the manifestation of healing in the Buddhist religious pantheon). Crow, a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist, examines such topics as herbal remedies, alchemy, women's roles in Ayurvedic medicine and in Buddhist culture, massage, meditation, and the use of mercury as a highly effective but very dangerous healing agent. Crow's book begins with his journey to Nepal in 1988 but does not provide many chronological reference points thereafter. The author also does not clearly explain the relationship between Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine and does not provide a systematic examination of either healing tradition. The book is certainly interesting and provides valuable information but really seems better suited to popular reading than serious study. Recommended for larger public libraries.DAndy Wickens, King Cty. Lib. Syst., Seattle
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

In 1987 Crow, a serious student of spiritual healing, left behind his successful acupuncture practice in San Francisco to travel to Kathmandu to pursue the path of the healer in Buddhist and Hindu culture. In this exhaustive study of the complexities of Ayurvedic medicine, the author chronicles his decade of study with Nepalese traditional doctors and explores the depth and mystery of Tibetan healing practices. In Ayurveda, almost anything can be made into medicine if purified to its essence; even poisons such as mercury are made into powerful remedies through the process of transmutation. But the mythological source of all Tibetan medicine is a spiritual deity, the Medicine Buddha. Crow believes Ayurveda is the medicine of the future and the antidote to disease caused by our increasingly toxic world. This important treatise on ethnomedicine shows that the roots of "alternative" therapies are deep, and that secrets of healing with alchemical knowledge have barely been explored by practitioners in the West. David Siegfried
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 350 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (March 29, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585421073
• ISBN-13: 978-1585421077
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #443,357 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Can't say enough about this book, March 28, 2007

By 

PhantomLeaf (LA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Search of the Medicine Buddha: A Himalayan Journey (Paperback)

The perspective and insight that this books contains is overwhelming. The content was great, but what struck me most was the nature of the author. He has such an incredible respect and love for the Earth, other cultures, and human beings. If the world was full of David Crows, we'd be in good shape. I recommend this book for the fascinating look at Tibetan medicine, but even more for the spiritual development that Mr. Crow inspires.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Rare Treasure of Medical Lore and Travel Mystery, October 24, 2002

By 

Roar Bjonnes - See all my reviews

This review is from: In Search of the Medicine Buddha: A Himalayan Journey (Paperback)

David Crows book is a must read for anyone interested in herbal medicine, Eastern philosophy, and their relevance in todays hectic world--especially for those interested in the ancient yet highly topical teachings of Ayurveda.

This book is urging us to create a new renaissance in healing, but it is not another superficial New Age book. This book is written with care and depth of heart by someone who is not interested in simple answers to complicated questions. I was struck by the authors integrity and ability to make sense out of such diverse yet interrelated topics as herbs, healing, culture, sustainable economics, and ecology. The authors central theme is that we need to both revive and advance herbal medicine and our own sense of sacred environmentalism in order to live in harmony on this troubled earth.

In Search of the Medicine Buddha is not only a book about herbal medicine but also about the need to renew our ageold spiritual connection to plants. Moreover, the book is refreshingly honest, rich, and poetic in its descriptions of Nepali and Indian culture. Highly recommended for anyone interested in creating a richer, more fulfilling and balanced life for themselves and all other living beings!

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Spiritual Paths, June 12, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: In Search of the Medicine Buddha: A Himalayan Journey (Hardcover)

As a physician with over 20 years of clinical experience in alternative medicine, and nearly 30 years of serious spiritual practice, I highly recommend this book for healers of all types, patients, Buddhists, and those interested in the journey from the old way of thinking to the new.