Healing from the Source: The Science and Lore of Tibetan Medicine (Paperback)

by Yeshi Dhonden (Author)
Key Phrases: natural liberation, six bardos, decomposing phlegm, The Four Tantras, Alan Wallace, Snow Lion (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Dhonden's introduction to Tibetan medicine originated as a series of lectures, and 15 percent of it consists of questions and answers. Dhonden stresses that the medicines of Tibet and China are radically different from Western medicine, and that after the Chinese Communist takeover of Tibet, the conquerors began making and selling Tibetan remedies elsewhere in Asia as their own. The image of the tree of medicine, with manifold trunks, branches, and leaves, provides the conceptual skeleton for Tibetan medicine. Other major concepts are that the body contains three humors and five elements that affect its problems and their treatments, and that the three primary causes of disease are attachment, hatred, and delusion. The four immeasurables (i.e., the good guys) in the Tibetan system are loving kindness, compassion, empathic joy, and equanimity. In addition to such systematic explanation, Dhonden touches on Tibetan ideas about the proper conduct of life, medical education, and medical ethics. William Beatty

Review
"I am very happy to learn about the publication of Dr. Yeshi Dhonden's book on Tibetan medicine--Dr. Dhonden is one of the most experienced practitioners of this system." --His Holiness the Dalai Lama

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 228 pages
• Publisher: Snow Lion Publications (May 25, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1559391480
• ISBN-13: 978-1559391481
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #559,852 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #76 in

  Books > Professional & Technical > Medical > Alternative Medicine > Holistic Medicine

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable contribution to Buddhist studies/Tibetan medicine, June 4, 2000

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Dr. Yeshi Dhonden's Healing From The Source provides a fine presentation of the theory of Tibetan medicine, using over fifty years of the author's teachings in the field to impart the basics of holistic Tibetan medicine. This blends a spiritual perspective with a view of Tibetan healing processes.

40 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars YOU DO HAVE BUGS! (but don't worry about it if you behave), November 25, 2000

By	Bill Butler (Tarzana, Ca. USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This book is a complete masterpiece. Dr. Yeshe Dhonden will explain to you the nature of Health and all that name implies. He is the father of Tibetan Medicine. He was His Holiness the Dalai Lama's personal physician. His incredible insights are easy to understand and make this book a "Must Buy" for anyone who wants their family and themselves to remain happy, healthy, and wise! The man is incredible.

You will need to buy and study the book. But I will give you a brief "run down". Phlegm, bile, and wind are the three Tibetan humors in us which regulate our health. If they are perfectly balanced, one is in super-human health. The primary factors in governing the humors are behavior and nutrition. Good behavior is the most important and consists of following the ten positive actions and avoiding the ten negative actions. I can't go into these in a review, but they are "non-killing", "non-stealing", and so forth. By hurting others, we crack our own heads. The humors become imbalanced, and then bugs or small organisms invade the body and cause cancer and other diseases. These bugs are the primary cause of diseases. But not the sole cause. My mother had these bugs popping out of her (six out of seven can be seen with the naked eye). Half-a-dozen doctors believed her mad. As did all of her loved ones. Dr. Dhonden suggests to physicians that they do not go immediately to surgery because these bugs might spread and cause mastasis.

Without knowing anything about Tibetan Medicine, my mother would give herself a self-massage. These bugs would pop out of all pores of her skin. Dr. Yeshe Dhondon, in this book, gives a more thorough analysis. The seven kinds of organisms are in the air. We ingest them with the lungs. They go into the bloodstream and then inhabit in our bodies. Then they spread to all areas. It is not these organisms or "bugs" which cause the disease. It is if these organisms are sick. And they are frequently sick because of pollution and the impure foods that we eat. So "sick bugs" are the cause of both cancer and AIDS. Good behavior and pure foods can help us to prevent many horrible diseases. This is why this book is such a gem. If you are a Seven-Day Advantist Christian, you are probably during pretty good prevention! The ten commandments and vegetarianism come pretty close to a comprehensive "health plan". So this book is simply an incredible introduction of Tibetan

Medicine for everyone! No one is excluded. If I get angry right now, the humor of "bile" will increase. This will increase the habitation of these organisms. That is, making a safe refuge for them to multiply. Impure foods (the Tibteans do not prohibit beer or even meat in our diets) will increase their number. They will spread throughout the body. A tumor may result. This is why good behavior is so well-emphasized. Because of the physical-mental changes that result in the body which are "emotionally charged" by doing certain actions. This is not a "moral judgement". If you slap your spouse with a blank mind, the imbalance might not occur (or occur very little!). But if you slap your wife with a mind full of rage, then the imbalance will occur. Dr. Dhonden will explain to you these ten unskillful actions. So buy this book. And get and stay well. Take care.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great entry level book into Eastern Medicine, January 8, 2007

By	C. Goldblatt "cadillaccory" (tempe, Az USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great book for someone who knows very little about Eastern Medicine, like myself. This was an introductory book for me and I have gained invaluable insight towards a Buddhist Healer's viewpoint of medicine and disease. His viewpoint's are definitely an eye opener, and give a very different perspective towards illness than Western Medicine provides. I am not in the medical field, but I have gained much knowledge as a result from reading this book. Highly recommended if you are into Tibetan Buddhism or just Medicine in general.