Tibetan Medicine Balances Mind, Body, Spirit and Environmental Elements

I enjoy reading and writing about global medical traditions because they offer different perspectives for understanding health — such as the importance of the seasonal cycle in Ayurvedic Medicine from India or the Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasis on balance. An ancient healing tradition that is not as widely known as those is Tibetan Medicine, which is very “of the moment” with its connection to the five elements — earth, water, fire, wind and space.

To find out more about this ancient form of healing, I called Phuntsog Wangmo, TMD, president of the American Tibetan Medical Association and director of the Shang Shung Institute’s Traditional Tibetan Medicine Program in Conway, Massachusetts. She explains that at the core of Tibetan Medicine is the concept that the body, spirit and mind are interconnected and that illness results from an imbalance among them. Also relevant is their interaction with the external environment.

ELEMENTS & HUMORS

The central concept is that there are five elements that exist in the world and our bodies, which directly affect health — earth, water, fire, wind and space. Each corresponds to a body system, for instance, water relates to the body’s fluids… fire is expressed in its metabolic functions… wind is involved in all types of circulation… earth corresponds to the stable body parts, including bones and muscle… while space has to do with the body’s cavities.

Additionally, there are three systems, called humors that control body processes:

  • Wind — circulation and nervous system impulses. Balance is characterized by mental focus, ease of movement and efficient elimination of impurities. An imbalance can cause symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia and mental instability.
  • Bile — energy and digestion. In balance, bile brings determination and proper digestion as evidenced by a glowing complexion. Fevers, sharp pain and headaches can indicate an imbalance of bile, which ultimately may lead to anger, aggression and hatred.
  • Phlegm — or the body’s fluids, bring good judgment and a sense of calm. Symptoms of imbalance can include loss of appetite, nausea, depression and laziness.

No single element or humor is more important than another, notes Wangmo, emphasizing that it is the totality of the elements and humors, how they come together and how they are balanced or imbalanced in an individual that is the essence of understanding Tibetan Medicine. Imbalance is usually caused by disruptions, internally and externally.

WHAT HAPPENS AT A VISIT?

The initial visit always begins with an in-depth interview to help the practitioner find what your imbalances and disturbances may be. Usually these are rooted in incorrect diet, unsuitable behavior and/or general unhealthy lifestyle. Next, a Tibetan medical practitioner looks at the interplay between environmental factors, your body and mind, and where illness and mental distress may result. If you have headaches, for example, the practitioner may ask you to describe the nature of your pain… then will ask about a host of possible contributing factors such as time of onset… when, what and how much you ate before it, and also how your body responded to the meal… your mood… and the emotional tenor of the day. Gathering these details helps in understanding and treating the unique “whole” of you, Wangmo explained.

Next comes a simple in-office urinalysis, with the practitioner observing the color, odor and, after vigorously shaking the sample, the sediments and number, size and persistence of bubbles in the urine. He or she then evaluates the 12 organ positions of the pulse. The purpose is to measure pulse strength, speed and quality, all of which helps define and locate the illness. The exam concludes with a check of the color and coating on your tongue and eyes.

TREATING THE ILLS

The first step in treatment is addressing diet and behavior factors. Due to our overscheduled lives, Wangmo says that many Westerners have imbalances in the wind (often resulting in mental imbalance) and fire (leading to lots of digestive issues). To help correct mind issues, she might suggest adding ginger, garlic, leafy greens and pomegranate to the diet, as well as warm, heavier foods such as lamb. For digestive problems, her suggestions would tend toward light foods. She tempers her dietary advice according to the season, the patient’s personality and age and where the patient lives — people in cold climates might be advised to use warming spices, for example.

With regard to lifestyle, she observes that our Western tendency to worry and overcommit causes yet more imbalances in, once again, the wind humor. And so in addition to dietary changes, Wangmo teaches relaxation methods — for instance, a variety of breathing techniques. To balance the elements, she guides patients with specific suggestions about breathing such as to picture certain colors while inhaling and others while exhaling. Other techniques include meditations geared to the specific nature of problems, counseling, and working with patients to restructure daily habits, including exercise, sleeping schedules, food selection and timing of meals.

Often the combination of changing diet and lifestyle is sufficient to resolve patients’ problems. When it is not, though, practitioners of Tibetan Medicine next turn to some of the huge number of herbs, minerals and animal substances available to them, and again individualize a combination to your needs. They may also add a variety of physical techniques as well — acupuncture, massage, cupping (applying a container with heat inside to create a vacuum effect to draw out harmful fluids) and moxibustion (applying a heated herb to certain points in the body).

HOW TO FIND A TIBETAN MEDICAL PRACTITIONER

At this time there are only a few people practicing Tibetan Medicine in this country — Wangmo estimates around 50. However the Institute that she heads has a four-year medical school and is graduating its first class — of seven mostly American students — in 2009. The only other major schools are in India and Tibet. No licensing yet exists, but the American Tibetan Medical Association (ATMA) is working toward that goal. In the meantime, if you want to consult with a practitioner trained in Tibetan Medicine, visit the Shang Shung Institute Web site: www.shangshung.org. There are a number of other Web sites that also list practitioners in the US, including that of the ATMA.

Treatment under Tibetan Medicine may be highly individualized, but the practice has a message for everyone. Balancing our bodies, our minds and our spirits with the environment helps to maintain excellent emotional, mental and physical health.

Related Articles