Medicine Buddha

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Even before I knew that I had breast cancer, I had felt ill for months, and when I saw a film from Netflix called The Knowledge of Healing, I knew intuitively that I wanted to be treated by a Tibetan amchi, or physician. All Tibetan amchis are connected to a Tibetan deity named the Medicine Buddha.

His radiant body is azure blue. His left hand is in the meditation mudra and holds a begging bowl full of long life nectar in his lap. As a sign that he gives protection from illness, his right hand is outstretched in the gesture of giving and holds the "great medicine", the myrobalan plant." Men-Tse-Khang

Medicine Buddha

Tibetan medicine recognizes three basic types of illness, the root causes of which are the conflicting emotions - passion, aggression and ignorance. Myrobalan is the herb in the Tibetan pharmacopoeia that can aid in healing each of these three types of diseases. This is like the action of the Buddha of Healing, who has the power to see the true cause of any affliction, whether spiritual, physical or psychological, and who does whatever is necessary to alleviate it. Ven. Thrangu Rinpoche

The Medicine Buddha is one of the five deities I have placed on my meditation shrine. Each morning, I thank the archetype for the precious medicines I have been sent for my healing, and I always make sure to include my chemotherapy as part of those healing elixirs. Then I visualize myself merging into the Medicine Buddha as he relieves the suffering of all beings and radiates compassion to all. I also recite the Medicine Buddha mantra, Tayata Om Bheganze Bheganze Maha Bheganze Radze Samudgate Soha. Although I don't consider myself a Tibetan Buddhist, I find great comfort in aligning myself with such powerful archetypal patterns and practices.

The Tibetan medicine that I get from my Tibetan amchi (physician) comes directly from the Dalai Lama's pharmacy in Dharamsala, where the herbal formulae are handmade according to centuries' old recipes. Amchi's herbs have alleviated intense burning pain related to the cancer that I have been suffering for many months, along with several other problems. When he takes my pulses and looks at my urine he has amazingly perceptive insight into what is going on inside my body. And when I begin chemo, Amchi tells me that his herbs will help my organs deal with the harmful effects of chemotherapy. I'm incredibly blessed to have a gifted Tibetan amchi treating me.

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