Tibetan Buddhist Medicine and Psychiatry: The Diamond Healing

Tibetan medicine is a unique and holistic system of healing. It has been continuously practiced for over a thousand years, but has still to take its place in the history of medicine as we know it in the West.

This volume presents for the first time a comprehensive introduction to the arcane Tibetan art of healing. The author has provided a well-documented, original and detailed study of Tibetan psychiatry, the world's oldest system of medical psychiatry. Translated here--for the first time in English--are three fascinating chapters about mental illness from the rGyud-bzhi, the ancient and most important Tibetan medical work. Reproductions of the rare Tibetan texts are also included. Supplementing these translations are extensive explanations of Tibetan psychiatric theory and treatment drawn from the author's research and interviews with Tibetan refugee doctors in India and Nepal. Great care has been taken to identify over 90 pharmacological substances used in Tibetan psychiatric medicines, and these are listed in an appendix along with their English and Latin

botanical names.

Deeply researched and clearly written, this work will be of interest to both scholars and general readers in the fields of Buddhist studies, holistic healing, Oriental medicine, transpersonal psychology, ethnopsychiatry and medical anthropology.

Review(s)

"Based on the holistic Buddhist concept of mind-body, Tibetan medicine is a system of psycho-cosmo-physical healing whose philosophy and healing techniques have much to offer towards the world-wide campaign against disease." TEZEN CHOEDHAK, Personal Physician to H.H. The Dalai Lama

"... a well organized and exceptionally clear introduction to this complex and seemingly esoteric healing system.  The book lays special emphasis on the Tibetan medical approach to mental illness-a form of illness for which it has proven particularly successful..." - Yoga Journal

"...the most comprehensive summary of this tradition yet to appear in the English language... and intelligent, balanced thorough synthesis of information..." - ReVision Magazine

"...intriguing book...Ms. Clifford's thoroughly researched, well-written account would strengthen any library." - Venture Inward

"...an authoritative work on one branch of Ayurvedic medicine" - American Health

"...an important introduction to a rapidly disappearing Eastern medical tradition." - Choice

"...serves to fill a long-felt lacuna in the literature of Asian medicine." - The Johns Hopkins University Press Bulletin

"This volume presents for the first time a comprehensive introduction to the arcane Tibetan art of healing." - International Journal of Humanities & Peace, 1991

"This work presents a clear introduction of this seemingly complex and esoteric system of health." - The Beacon, Nov.-Dec.1990

About the Author(s)