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SECOND INTERNATIONAL  CONGRESS ON TIBETAN MEDICINE

From Tradition to Evidence: Research & Practical Applications

 

Audio Tapes available at www.conferencerecording.com

or 1-800-647-1100

 


   Short Overview of Program 

     FULL PROGRAM  


November 5 - 8, 2003
Hyatt Regency, Capitol Hill, Washington, DC


 

 

SHORT PROGRAM OVERVIEW

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2003

Opening Lecture: 7:30 PM - Gehlek Rimpoche and Robert A.F. Thurman, PhD - Tonglen Meditation: Transforming Pain and Suffering into Compassion for Healing

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2003

(Early Morning Meditation & Tibetan Yoga Session: 7:00 to 8:00 am)

PLENARY SESSION # 1:  From Tradition to Evidence:  An Overview of Tibetan Medicine in the West

9:00 to 10:30 am

PLENARY SESSION # 2:  Monks in the Lab - Recent Breakthroughs in Mind-Body Medicine and Neuroscience Research 10:45am – 12:15 pm

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 1:  1:30 to 3:30 pm

# 101 - Tibetan Medicine and Mental Health (Part 1 – continued in # 201)

# 102 - Diagnosis: Two Worlds/Two Approaches (Part 1 – continued in # 202)

# 103 - Research Highlights of Recent Clinical Findings: Arterial Disease, Arthritis, Irritable Bowel Syndrome & More (Part 1 – continues in # 203)

# 104 – The Impact of Western Medicine on Tibetan Medicine: How Can Collaboration Work?

# 105 - An Introduction to the Underlying Principles of Tibetan Medicine

# 106 – Movie Session


BREAK-OUT SESSION # 2:  
4:00 to 6:00 pm

# 201 - Tibetan Medicine and Mental Health (Part 2 - Continued from # 101)

# 202 - Diagnosis: Two Worlds/Two Approaches (Part 2 - Continued from # 102)

# 203 - Research Highlights of Recent Laboratory Results: Anti-inflammatory, Cholesterol Modulating Effects, and More   

# 204 – Bon Medicine

# 205 - Issues of Translation and Epistemology in Tibetan Medicine

# 206 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

# 206 – Movie Session

EVENING LECTURE: 8:00 to 10:00 pmTenzin Wangyal Rinpoche - Healing with Form, Energy and Light

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2003

(Early Morning Meditation & Tibetan Yoga Session: 7:00 to 8:00 am)

9:00 to 9:45 am Keynote Lecture:Wade Davis, PhD, National Geographic Society - Sustainability: A Challenge for Traditional Medicine                                                                                                             

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 3: 10:00am to12:00pm                                                                                                        

# 301 –The Future and Sustainability of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Himalayan Continued in # 401, # 501, and # 601)Part 1: Introduction and Issues

# 302 - The Biology and Healing Power of Compassion (Part One – continued in #402)

# 303 - Collaboration or Integration: Different Models and Approaches

# 304 - Web Resources and Documentation of Tibetan Medicine – an Overview

# 305 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

# 306 – Movie Session

 BREAK-OUT SESSION # 4: 1:00 to 3:00 pm                        

# 401 –The Future and Sustainability of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Himalayan Region(Continued from # 301)  

# 402 - The Biology and Healing Power of Compassion (Part Two – continued from #302)

# 403 – Issues of Research Methodology and Tibetan Medicine (Continued in #503) Part 1: Current Standards and Research Models: Theoretical Background

# 404 – Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche – Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep

# 405 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

# 406 - Movie session

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 5:  3:30 to 5:30 pm

# 501 –The Future and Sustainability of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Himalayan Region Part 3: Intellectual Property Rights and Conservation of Traditional Health Knowledge

# 502 – Tara Rokpa Therapy--An Integrated Psychotherapeutic Method Based In Sowa Rigpa

# 503 – Issues of Research Methodology and Tibetan Medicine (Continued from # 403) Part 2: Current Research Projects: Practical Applications

# 504 - Tibetan Medicine and Cancer

# 506 – Movie Session

 EVENING LECTURE: 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm Tulku Thondup: Realizing the Potential to Heal: Buddhist Meditations to Heal Mind and Body

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2003

(Early Morning Meditation & Tibetan Yoga Session: 7:00 to 8:00 am)

9:00 to 9:45 am Keynote Lecture

Robert A.F. Thurman, PhD, Columbia University - Compassion and Selflessness: Vital for Modern Healthcare

BREAK-OUT SESSIONS 10:00 to 11:45 am

# 601 –The Future and Sustainability of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Himalayan Region (Continued from # 301, # 401 and # 501)

# 602 - Tibetan Approaches to Depression

#603 – Teaching and Practicing Tibetan Medicine in the West

# 604 - In Pursuit of Partnership: Philosophy and Practical Applications for Integration Part 1: Theoretical Background  (Continued in # 703)

# 605 – The Healing Power of Mantras

# 606 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

# 607 – Movie Session

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 7: 12:45 to 2:30 pm                                                                                                               

# 701 – Synopsis of Research Sessions (#103, 203, 403, 503): From Tradition to Evidence

# 702 – Women’s Health Issues

# 703 - In Pursuit of Partnership: Philosophy and Practical Applications for Integration   Part 2: Practical Applications (Continued from # 603)

# 704 - Chronobiology Workshop: Modulation of Body-rhythms via Meditation Techniques

# 705 – Tulku Thondup – Boundless Healing

# 706 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

# 707 – Movie Session

GEHLEK RIMPOCHE – MEDICINE BUDDHA TEACHING

3:30 to 6:30 PM

Dinner Break

Medicine Buddha Teaching Continued and Closing Ceremony: 8:00 to 10:30 PM

 

 Back to top

 

 FULL PROGRAM

(Please Note: the Sessions are final, however speakers and titles might still change. The Program will be periodically up-dated)

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2003

Opening Lecture: 7:30 PM - Gehlek Rimpoche and Robert A.F. Thurman, PhD - Tonglen Meditation: Transforming Pain and Suffering into Compassion for Healing

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2003

(Early Morning Meditation & Tibetan Yoga Session: 7:00 to 8:00 am)

PLENARY SESSION # 1:  From Tradition to Evidence:  An Overview of Tibetan Medicine in the West9:00 to 10:15 am    75 min

Moderator: Woodson Merrell, MD, Executive Director, Beth Israel Continuum Center for Health and Healing

-       Dr. Pema Dorjee, Men Tsee Khang, India, Personal Physician of HH the Dalai Lama – Opening Statements  and Message from HH the Dalai Lama

-      Leslie Blackhall, MD, University of Virginia School of Medicine - Tibetan Medicine, Defining a Medical Tradition 

-      Herbert Schwabl, PhD, Padma, Inc., Switzerland - From Tradition to Evidence, the Evolution of Tibetan Medicine in the West

Break: 10:15 – 10:30 am

PLENARY SESSION # 2:  Monks in the Lab - Recent Breakthroughs in Mind-Body Medicine and Neuroscience Research10:30 am – 12:15 pm 

Moderator:  Nancy J. Pearson, PhD, National Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine - National Institutes of Health

    -       Herbert Benson, MD, Harvard University - Physiology and Biology of g-Tum-mo Yoga, Recent Research

-          Michael J. Baime, MD, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine - Brain Imaging During Tibetan Buddhist Sadhana Practice - Will the Real Vajrayogini Please Stand Up?

-          Margaret Kemeny, PhD, University of California-San Francisco - Balancing the Emotions: A Psychologist Speaks in Dialogue with Buddhism

-          Alan Wallace, PhD, Santa Barbara Institute for the Interdisciplinary Study of Consciousness  - A  Buddhist Ideal of Mental Health: Balancing Attention, Emotions and Cognition

-          Max Moser, PhD, Joanneum Research Institute for Noninvasive Diagnosis and University of Graz, Austria University of Graz, Austria - The Dancing Heart in Meditation.

Lunch Break: 12:15 to 1:30 pm

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 1:  1:30 to 3:30 pm                         120 min

# 101 - Tibetan Medicine and Mental Health (Part 1 – continued in # 201)

During the long, intertwined history of Tibetan medicine and Buddhism, Tibetan doctors and lamas often collaborated in healing individuals of mental imbalances. In addition, both traditions are concerned with developing exceptional degrees of mental health. In this section, speakers will focus on specific aspects of Tibetan medicine and mental health, especially in relation to the current theme of positive psychology in the West.

Participants: Alan Wallace, PhD, Santa Barbara Institute for the Interdisciplinary Study of Consciousness (Moderator); Margaret Kemeny, PhD, UC-San Francisco; Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche; Lobsang Rapgay, PhD, UCLA; Gehlek Rimpoche.

# 102 - Diagnosis: Two Worlds/Two Approaches (Part 1 – continued in # 202)

Real patients (Western and Tibetan) to be diagnosed by Western MDs and Tibetan doctors on various topics and diseases: Women’s Health, Digestive Problems, multiple sclerosis, hepatitis, diabetes, mental health. Participants will have an opportunity to observe how the same patients are diagnosed and treated by physicians from two different medical systems.  Patients will be able to compare the differences in approach, and the possibilities of complementarity in the treatment.

Tibetan Doctors: Dr. Choeying Phunstog, Meridian Medical Group; Dr.Tenzing Dakpa,  Men Tsee Khang USA; Dr. Lobsang Dhondup, UC-Santa Barbara; Dr. Pasang Yonten Arya Tendi Sherpa, New Yuthog Institute of Tibetan Medicine, Italy; Dr. Menpa Yangdron Kalzang

Western Physicians: John Pan, MD, George Washington University Medical Center; Michael J. Baime, MD, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine; Nancy Black, MD,  Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

# 103 - Research Highlights of Recent Clinical Findings: Arterial Disease, Rheumatic Diseases, Irritable Bowel Syndrome & More (Part 1 – continues in # 203)

Current research findings support not only the way Tibetan Medicine is used since centuries but also show that it can be similarly effective in diseases of civilisation e.g. atherosclerosis, irritable bowel syndrome, etc.. In this session, researchers and persons involved in these research projects present the recent highlights of these clinical study findings

Moderator: Herbert Schwabl, PhD, Padma, Inc, Switzerland  

-      Herbert Schwabl, PhD, Padma, Inc, Switzerland - Overview and Current Status of Clinical Research

-          Rajabrata Sarkar,  MD, PhD, University of California - San Francisco School of Medicine - Efficacy of Padma Basic for Arterial Disease - Placebo Controlled Double Blind Study

-          Paula de Wys, NSTG, Netherlands - Pilot Study on the Effect of Tibetan Medicine on Patients with Rheumatic Diseases

-          Marianne Suter, PhD, Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland - - Impact of Padma Basic in Atherosclerosis: Mechanistic Approach from In Vitro and In Vivo Results and a Randomized Controlled Study

-          Sarah Sallon, BSc, MBBS, MRCP, Hadassah University Hospital, Israel - Padma Lax and Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Clinical Update

# 104 – The Impact of Western Medicine on Tibetan Medicine: How Can Collaboration Work?

Anthropologists, researchers and Tibetan doctors will present both historical and current examples to discuss the delicate relationship that is being established by these two traditions as they meet and try to establish working collaborative programs.

Moderator: Mona Schrempf, PhD, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

-          Dr. Kunchok Gyaltsen, Kumbum Tibetan HospitalDoes Western Medicine Support Tibetan Medicine or Create Conflict? Perception from the Standpoint of Tibetan Medical Doctors in Tibet.

-          Alex McKay Ph.D, Wellcome Trust Centre, London -  Competition  or  Co-operation?: The  Interaction  of  Tibetan and  “Western”  Medicine, a  Case Study.

-          Colin Millard, PhD Tara Institute of Tibetan Medicine - The Integration of Tibetan Medicine in the UK: the Clinics of the Tara Institute of Tibetan Medicine

-          A. I. Bartanov, MD, Eastern Medicine Center, Buryatia – The Intraregional Specialized Center of Eastern Medicine as an Example of Combination of Different Medical Systems

Discussant: Mark Stibich, PhD, Johns Hopkins University.

# 105 - An Introduction to the Underlying Principles of Tibetan Medicine
Based on a graduate course at the University of Minnesota by bioethicist Miriam E. Cameron, PhD, RN, in collaboration with a Tibetan doctor, this workshop will allow participants who have little or no knowledge of
Tibetan medicine and Tibetan Buddhism to become familiar with the basic principles and how to integrate these principles into personal life and Western healing environments.

# 106 - Movie Session

 “Himalayan Doctors: Tibetan Medicine at the Grassroots 50 min., English, 2003

A film by Andy Maleta, Austrian-born documentary filmmaker. Andy Maleta will be present.

Two traditionally trained Ladakhi doctors (Amchi) work among villagers and nomads, and prepare their own herbal medicine. Ancient knowledge is passed on to the modern world. Can it survive? With comments and one of the last interviews of the late Dr. Tenzin Choedrak.

Break: 3:30 – 4:00 pm

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 2:  4:00 to 6:00 pm                                                                                                  120 min

# 201 - Tibetan Medicine and Mental Health (Part 2 - Continued from # 101)

See description of session and participants # 101

# 202 - Diagnosis: Two Worlds/Two Approaches (Part 2 - Continued from # 102)

See description of session and participants # 102

# 203 - Research Highlights of Recent Laboratory Results: Anti-inflammatory, Cholesterol Modulating Effects, Bronchial Asthma,  and More. (Part 2 – continued from # 103)

Moderator: Herbert Schwabl, PhD, Padma, Inc., Switzerland 

-          Florian Ueberall, PhD, Univ Innsbruck, Austria - Gene-Chip Analysis of Tibetan Formulas

-          Marianne Suter, PhD, Federal Institute of Technology, Switzerland - On Aerobic Life and Free Radical Formation: the Impact of Padma Basic

-          S. M. Nikolaev ,MD, Institute of General & Experimental Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Buryatia – Choleretic Effect of Natural Xantones

-      Vladimir Tarnuyev, MD, The Republican Clinical Hospital for War Veterans, Buryatia -  Research on the         Treatment of Bronchial Asthma combining Tibetan, TCM and Allopathic Therapies.                                                 

# 204 – Bon Medicine

The speakers will present the original Bon medical tradition of Tibet and discuss its relationships with other Tibetan Buddhist medical traditions. The panel will also discuss current research and the status of this particular medical tradition in Asia and in the West.

Moderator: Alejandro Chaoul, PhD Candidate, Rice University

-     Khenpo Tenpa Yungdrung Rinpoche, Nepal - The Bon Medical Tradition or A Historical Account of the Bon Medical Tradition

-          Dr. Thubten Phuntsog, Central University of Nationalities, Beijing - Relationships between the Bon Medical Tradition and the other Tibetan Buddhist Traditions

-          Dr. Pasang Yonten Arya Tendi Sherpa, New Yuthog Institute of Tibetan Medicine, Italy - Bon Medicine: the Lost Culture of Tibet, Lacking Evidence to Repair the History

-       Mona Schrempf, PhD, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin  - What is Bon about? Present-Day Bon Medical Practice.

-         Colin Millard, PhD, Tara Institute of Tibetan Medicine –  Men and To: Two Aspect of Bön Healing

# 205 - Issues of Translation and Epistemology in Tibetan Medicine

Begun during the First International Congress in 1998, this round-table will continue a discussion on issues related to the history and development of Tibetan medical texts, on dating problems, on issues of language, translation methodology, terms, medical concepts and terminology.

# 206 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

Small hands-on workshops (30 to 40 people) with Tibetan doctors currently residing in the United States will provide opportunities to get an introduction into several key components of Tibetan medicine.

A - Essentials of Tibetan Medicine

B - Diet and nutrition:  

C - Diagnosis: Pulse-taking and Urinanalysis  

# 207 - Movie Session

“The Knowledge of Healing”  90 min, English, 1997

A film by Franz Reichle, Swiss documentary filmmaker.

An investigation into the world of Tibetan Medicine. The Swiss-made documentary visits with H.H. the Dalai Lama and his physician, the late Dr. Tenzin Choedrak, in his home-in-exile in the foothills of northern India, and then with Tibetan doctor Chimit-Dorzhi Dugarov in Buryatia (eastern Siberia). Then it moves to the high-tech laboratories of Switzerland, Austria and Israel where scientists are busy analyzing the healing properties of herbs, roots and minerals, the basis of Tibetan medicines.

Dinner Break: 6:00 – 8:00 pm

SPECIAL EVENING LECTURE: 8:00 to 10:00 pm

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche - Healing with Form, Energy and Light

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2003

(Early Morning Meditation & Tibetan Yoga Session: 7:00 to 8:00 am)

9:00 to 9:45 am Keynote Lecture:                                                                                                                      45 min

Wade Davis, PhD, National Geographic Society - Sustainability: A Challenge for Traditional Medicine     

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 3: 10:00am to 12:00 pm                                                                                         120 min

# 301 –The Future and Sustainability of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Himalayan

(Continued in # 401, # 501, and # 601)

As Tibetan medicine and other Asian systems of health become better known and understood in the West, and new research becomes increasingly promising,  we need to address the devastating impact that the escalating need for medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) is having on environmental and biological resources of the Himalayan region and South Asia.  Growing and widespread demand, over-harvesting, ecosystem degradation and deforestation, mono-cropping, and particularly the expansion of unregulated/illegal trade and commercial use of medicinal plants, are just some of the problems that are seriously beginning to threaten the survival and availability of many MAP species in the region. Leaders from a variety of fields and backgrounds (ethnobotanists, conservationists, industry members, government and other stakeholders) will be invited to address issues critical to this topic. A variety of case studies and examples of good working models from throughout the region will be presented, as well as issues of indigenous knowledge and intellectual property rights. Special focus will be placed on the role that the Natural Products Industry can play to protect Tibetan medicinal plants and resources.

Part 1: Introduction and Issues

Chairman and  Moderator: Mark Blumenthal,  American Botanical Council - Introduction

-      Patricia S. De Angelis, PhD - Medicinal Plant Working Group,  US Fish & Wildlife Service –    Sustainability Issues and Challenges

-      Dr. Pema Dorjee, Men Tsee Khang, IndiaThe Men Tsee Khang’s Programs for Conservation of  Medicinal Pants     

-      Dr. Kunchok Gyaltsen, Kumbum Tibetan Hospital – Current Issues of Tibetan Medicinal Plants in  Tibetan Regions Including Harvesting, Cultivation and Protection.

-     Amchi Gyatso Bista, Himalayan Amchi Association, Nepal - Conservation, Education, and the      

Future of ‘amchi’ Practice in Mustang, Nepal

# 302 - The Biology and Healing Power of Compassion (Part One – continued in #402)

It is widely known that Tibetan Buddhism has a highly structured process of cultivating compassion.  The primary goal of many of the meditation techniques of Tibetan Buddhist practice is the enhancement of equanimity and compassion. The capability of meditation practice to cultivate the experience of compassion is just now receiving the attention of western investigators. Equally, the social, psychological, developmental, clinical and health related potential of compassion is also now being acknowledged by a wide range of researchers.  The panel will seek to define compassion, its characteristics, functions and application both in daily life and in possible clinical settings.  Members will also share a wide range of preliminary research in the psychophysiology and application of compassion both among practitioners as well as clinical populations.  They will also explore what might be the next step in the research and also how some of the information from this preliminary research might guide further research. (All titles are tentative)

Moderator: Stephen C. Post, PhD, Case Western Reserve University

-          Robert A. F. Thurman, PhD, Columbia University -  Compassion in Tibetan Buddhism

-          Lobsang Rapgay, PhD, UCLA  - TBA

-          Jerome Stone, MA, RN, California Pacific Medical - Compassionate Intention: The Heart of Prayer and Healing

-          Margaret Kemeny, PhD, University of California-San Francisco – Physiological Measures of Compassion

-          Miriam E. Cameron, PhD, RN, University of Minnesota - Ethics and Compassion in Tibetan Medicine

-          Michael J. Baime, MD, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine – The Uses of Meditation as a Mechanism for Generating Compassion and Healing in Clinical Settings.

-          Alan Wallace, PhD, Santa Barbara Institute for the Interdisciplinary Study of Consciousness – Empathy, Compassion & Human Flourishing   

 # 303 - Collaboration or Integration: Different Models and Approaches

A presentation and discussion of current case studies and initiatives working to establish collaborative ventures and/or integration of Tibetan health knowledge and medicine into primary health care, public health and health education programs. 

Moderator:  Fredi Kronenberg, PhD, Rosenthal Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Columbia University College of Physicians & Surgeons.

-          Ira Zunin, MD, MPH, Hawaii State Consortium for Integrative Health - Care Tools for Integration: A Cross-Cultural Exchange           

-          Amy Banter, MD, Indiana University; Cynthia Husted, PhD, University of California-Santa Barbara - Incorporating Tibetan Medicine Knowledge into Family Practice Residency in Indiana

-          Maura Santangelo, MD, MPH, Seva Foundation - Traditional Tibetan Doctors in Eye Care: an Interdisciplinary Model of Cross-Learning between Western Doctors, Traditional Tibetan Doctors and Tibetan Scholars.  

-          Sienna Craig, PhD Cand., Cornell UniversityThe Himalayan Amchi Association: Professionalization and Change among Practitioners of Tibetan Medicine In Nepal

-          Jennifer A. Seda, MD, Mayo Clinic -  Mayo Clinic and Bhutanese Ministry of Health Collaborative Health Research Program

# 304 - Web Resources and Documentation of Tibetan Medicine – an Overview

-      Jackie Wootton, M.Ed., Alternative Medicine Foundation:  TibetMed - Global Information Resource on Tibetan Medicine.

-       Frances Garett, PhD, University of Toronto – Digital Resources for Research on Tibetan Medicine: the Tibetan & Himalayan Digital Library

# 305 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

Small hands-on workshops (30 to 40 people) with Tibetan doctors currently residing in the United States will provide opportunities to get an introduction into several key components of Tibetan medicine.

A - Essentials of Tibetan Medicine

B - Pharmacology

C – Menopause

# 306 - Movie session

Himalayan Doctors: Tibetan Medicine at the Grassroots 50 min., English, 2003

A film by Andy Maleta, Austrian-born documentary filmmaker. Andy Maleta will be present.

Two traditionally trained Ladakhi doctors (Amchi) work among villagers and nomads, and prepare their own herbal medicine. Ancient knowledge is passed on to the modern world. Can it survive? With comments and one of the last interviews of the late Dr. Tenzin Choedrak.

Lunch Break: 12:00 – 1:00 pm

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 4: 1:00 to 3:00 pm                                                                                                   120 min

# 401 –The Future and Sustainability of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Himalayan Region

(Continued from # 301 – for Description see #301)

Part 2: Case Studies

Moderator: Mark Blumenthal, American Botanical Council

-          Sylvia Salcedo – Tengboche  Medicinal Plant Garden Development  Project/Sacred Land Initiatives

-          Dekila Chungyalpa, World Wildlife Fund – Amchi Program in Dolpo, Nepal

-          Carroll Dunham, Wild Earth, Nepal – Tibetan Medicine¹s growing Popularity: The Impact on Medicinal Plants and Mountain Women of the Himalayas

-          Heather Harlow , M.Sc, University of Hawaii - Ethnobotanical Approaches to the Cultural and Biological Conservation of Tibetan Medicine in Exile

# 402 - The Biology and Healing Power of Compassion

(Part Two – continued from #302 - for description & speakers see # 302)

# 403 – Issues of Research Methodology and Tibetan Medicine (Continued in #503)

Research methodology is a sensitive issue.  While the scientific focus of biomedicine will be presented, this session will also directly address the problems of researching a multi-faceted traditional system of medicine and explore new approaches to more inclusive, culturally effective and sensitive strategies for research.

Part 1: Current Standards and Research Models: Theoretical Background

Moderator: Eric Jacobson, PhD, Harvard University

-          Eric Jacobson, PhD, Harvard University - Overview and Problems

-          Jack Killen, MD, Office of International Health Research, NCCAM/NIH – CAM Research: Perspectives from NCCAM/NIH".

-          Christine Goertz, DC, PhD, Samueli Institute - Prospective Outcomes Documentation Studies [PODS] of Traditional Practices.

-          David Lee, PhD, McLean Hospital - Issues of Quality Control in Tibetan Medicine

-          Rosa Schnyer, PhD, University of Arizona - Bridging the Gap in Complementary and Alternative Medicine Research: Flexibility of Treatment vs. Standardization

# 404 – Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche – Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep

Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, a lama in the Bon tradition of Tibet will lead a workshop on the dream and sleep yoga, also known as the yoga of clear light. Rinpoche will discuss instructions for the practices of the yogas, including foundational practices done during the day.  IN the Tibetan tradition, the ability to dream lucidly is not an end in itself, rather it provides an additional context in which one can engage in advanced and effective practices to achieve liberation.

[# 404 - Diet and Nutrition According to Tibetan Medicine now # 405 - B ]

# 405 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

Small hands-on workshops (30 to 40 people) with Tibetan doctors currently residing in the United States will provide opportunities to get an introduction into several key components of Tibetan medicine.

A - Essentials of Tibetan Medicine

B – Diet and Nutrition – Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo, Shang Shung Institute

C - The Treatment of Asthma in Tibetan Medicine )

# 406 - Movie session: Pema Chodron on Tonglen Meditation “Good Medicine  video

Break: 3:00 – 3:30 pm

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 5:  3:30 to 5:30 pm                                                                                                  120 min                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                120 min

# 501 –The Future and Sustainability of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Himalayan Region

(Continued from # 301 & #401 – for Description see #301)

Part 3: Intellectual Property Rights and Conservation of Traditional Health Knowledge

Moderator: Mark Blumenthal, American Botanical Council

-          Richard Wilder, Esq, Sidley, Austin, Brown & Wood, Washington, DC.- Protecting Traditional Medicine and Intellectual Property Rights

-          Peter DiMauro, PhD, PatentWatch -

-          Mary Riley, PhD, University of Illinois-Chicago - A Potential Model for Protecting Tibetan Traditional Medicine:  The International Cooperative Biodiversity Group (ICBG) and The Traditional Medicine Research Centre (TMRC) in Lao PDR

# 502 – Tara Rokpa Therapy--An Integrated Psychotherapeutic Method Based In Sowa Rigpa

The Tara Rokpa Therapy method was devised by Dr. Akong Tulku Rinpoche, Tibetan lama and physician, first, in the 70's, in response to requests for help especially from individuals suffering mental problems. The Tara Rokpa approach is grounded in relaxation, massage and free art work. It moves on to include autobiographical work in 'Back To Beginnings' which includes direct exploration in 'working with the five elements.' There is a graduated sequence of visualization exercises which help people to come to a less solid experience of the world, including their own psycho-physical being, while dealing with emotional issues in their own terms as they arise. It is a form of mind-training leading towards self-responsibility, compassion and awareness of the primacy of the present moment.

Edith Irwin, MA, Tara Institute of Tibetan Medicine, Edinburgh.  

# 503 – Issues of Research Methodology and Tibetan Medicine (Continued from # 403)

Part 2: Current Research Projects: Practical Applications

Moderator: Eric Jacobson, PhD, Harvard University

-      Vincanne Adams, PhD, University of California at San Francisco - The Cross-Cultural Challenge in Clinical Trials Research

-         Cynthia Husted, PhD, Dr. Lobsang Dhondup, UCSB - Tibetan Medicine Interpretation of Myelin Membranes and Changes in Multiple Sclerosis

-          Maura Santangelo, MD, MPH, Seva Foundation - Collaboration with Traditional Tibetan Doctors: Theoretical Concerns in Designing Outcome Studies in Eye Care

-      Sarah Sallon, BSc, MBBS, MRCP, Hadassah University Hospital, Israel - Mercury in Traditional Tibetan Medicine: Panacea or Problem?

-          Dr. Tenzin Namgyal, Men Tsee Khang (Dharamsala) - Research Project on Diabetes (Type 2)

# 504 - Tibetan Medicine and Cancer

Moderator: Mary Ann Richardson, PHD, National Foundation for Alternative Medicine

-          Dr. Yeshi Dhonden and Marsha Woolf - A Tibetan Approach to Cancer Treatment and Research

-          Lorenzo Cohen, MD, MD Anderson Cancer Center & Alejandro Chaoul, PhD Cand. Rice U. – A Randomized Trial of a Tibetan Yoga Program for Cancer Patients

-          Dr.Pasang Yonten Arya Tendi Serpa – Is There More Breast Cancer in Tibet than in the Past? Breast Cancer in Tibetan Medicine, a Case Report

-          Leslie Blackhall, MD, University of Virginia School of Medicine – On Death and Dying, Guidance from the Tibetan Perspective

-           Dr. Lobsang Dhondup, UCSB, Tibetan Healing Center, San Diego, CA- Tibetan Medicine Interpretation of Cancer, with Case Studies

# 505 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

Small hands-on workshops (30 to 40 people) with Tibetan doctors currently residing in the United States will provide opportunities to get an introduction into several key components of Tibetan medicine.

A - Essentials of Tibetan Medicine

B - Tibetan Stick (acupressure) Therapy

C - Women’s Health

# 506 - Movie session

“The Knowledge of Healing”  90 min, English, 1997

A film by Franz Reichle, Swiss documentary filmmaker.

An investigation into the world of Tibetan Medicine. The Swiss-made documentary visits with H.H. the Dalai Lama and his physician, the late Dr. Tenzin Choedrak, in his home-in-exile in the foothills of northern India, and then with Tibetan doctor Chimit-Dorzhi Dugarov in Buryatia (eastern Siberia). Then it moves to the high-tech laboratories of Switzerland, Austria and Israel where scientists are busy analyzing the healing properties of herbs, roots and minerals, the basis of Tibetan medicines.

SPECIAL EVENING LECTURE: 7:30 pm to 10:00 pm Tulku Thondup: Realizing the Potential to Heal: Buddhist Meditations to Heal Mind and Body

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2003

(Early Morning Meditation & Tibetan Yoga Session: 7:00 to 8:00 am)

9:00 to 9:45 am Keynote Lecture                                                                                                                       45 min

Robert A.F. Thurman, PhD, Columbia University - Compassion and Selflessness: Vital for Modern Healthcare

BREAK-OUT SESSIONS # 6  10:00 to 11:45 am                                                                                            105 min

# 601 –The Future and Sustainability of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in the Himalayan Region (Continued from # 301, # 401 and # 501 – for Description see #301)

Part 4: The Botanical Materia Medica of Tibetan Herbal Formulas - from Pharmacognosy to Quality Control

Mark Blumenthal, American Botanical Council

Herbert Schwabl,PhD, Padma, Inc., Switzerland

Loren Israelsen, LDI Group

Alessandro Boesi, PhD Cand., Shangdril, Centro Studi per l'Himalaya e il Tibet - Società Italiana di Scienze Naturali- The Identification of Medicinal Plants in their Natural Environment by Tibetan Doctors


Francesca Cardi, PhD Cand, Shangdril, Centro Studi per l'Himalaya e il Tibet - Società Italiana di Scienze Naturali  - The Classification of Tibetan Materia Medica and its Contemporary Evolution

# 602 - Tibetan Approaches to Depression

The numbers of people suffering from depression has recently grown at an alarming rate, according to a recently NIH-sponsored study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.  Depression affects the entire body, in particular the cardiovascular system, the endocrine systems, even bone growth leading to osteroporosis, according to the published study. With its deep understanding of the mind and emotions, the Tibetan approaches presented in this session could potentially offer help for this growing epidemic.

Moderator: Lobsang Rapgay, PhD, UCLA

-          Lobsang Rapgay, PhD, UCLA - An introduction to Tibetan Buddhist Meditative based Positive Mood Enhancement Technique with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression and Chronic Pain 

-          Nancy Black, MD,   Walter Reed Army Medical Center – Anxiety’s Antidote

-          Mary Ryan, PhD, UMass Amherst - Treatment of Mental Health Disorders by Tibetan Medicine in Dharmasala, India:  Implications for the West.

-          Eric Jacobson, PhD, Harvard University - Depression and anxiety in Tibetan Medicine: srog rlung

#603 – Teaching and Practicing Tibetan Medicine in the West

The session will focus on issues related to the study and practice of Tibetan medicine in the West, with examples of various initiatives, courses and approaches for teaching Tibetan medicine for Westerners.

Moderator: Kimberly Johnson, MD

-          Brion Sweeney, MD, Tara Institute of Tibetan Medicine - Training Tibetan Doctors for Working in a Western Context, the European Experience

-          Miriam E. Cameron, PhD, RN, University of Minnesota – Developing a Graduate Level Course in Tibetan Medicine

-          Dr. Pasang Yonten Arya Tendi Sherpa - The New Yuthok Institute of Tibetan Medicine in Milano, Italy   

-          Dr. Tenzin Namgyal - The Courses for Western MDs at the Men Tsee Khang, India

-          Sonja Maric, MA, East-West Medical Institute, Germany -  Tibetan Medicine - Ten Years Experience in Education of Western Medical Doctors

-          Malcolm Smith – The Shang Shung Institute in Conway, Massachusetts

# 604 - In Pursuit of Partnership: Philosophy and Practical Applications for Integration

Part 1: Theoretical Background  (Continued in # 703)

-          Isaac Eliaz, MD, LAC, Amitabha Medical Clinic and Healing Center

-          Ira Zunin, MD, MPH Hawaii State Consortium for Integrative Health Care

As Tibetan Medicine expands in the United States and achieves the potential to become increasingly integrated into conventional health delivery, it will gain both credibility and exposure.  Integration brings with it a new set of responsibilities.  For integrative medicine in general utilization is growing and evolving so quickly that the educational institutions preparing providers for licensure are hard pressed to keep up with the trend.  As a result, provider education may not fully prepare its graduates to meet the growing expectations of the public, the medical community or the legal system.

The two parts workshop will cover the following topics:

1.       What is integrative medicine-in-depth discussion of the principles of integrative medicine.

2.       Addressing health and disease- what do we focus on, when and how.

3.       Practical applications in the clinic setting- how do we do it here in the USA.

4.       Practical applications in the clinic setting- how is it done in remote areas of Tibet

5.       Clinical examples

6.       Discuss the extent to which Tibetan Medicine should expand in the West as a separate independent medical model or one that treats in concert with modern medicine.

7.     Explore opportunities and methods for Tibetan Medicine to integrate effectively into the conventional   medical paradigm

# 605 – The Healing Power of Mantras

Mantras have the unique power of bringing about instant mental peace and well being for the practionner. Dechen Shak-Dagsay, a Tibetan living in Switzerland, will discuss and lead a workshop based on her new album “Dewa Che, Universal Healing Power of Tibetans Mantras”, a CD which is touching the hearts of thousands of people all over the world.

# 606 - WORKSHOPS: Practical Introductions to Tibetan Medicine by Tibetan Physicians

Small hands-on workshops (30 to 40 people) with Tibetan doctors currently residing in the United States will provide opportunities to get an introduction into several key components of Tibetan medicine.

A - Essentials of Tibetan Medicine

B - Pulse-Taking and Urinalysis

C - Women’s Health

# 607 - Movie session: Pema Chodron on Tonglen Meditation “Good Medicine” video

Lunch Break 11:45 am to 12:45 pm

BREAK-OUT SESSION # 7: 12:45 to 2:30 pm                                                                                                 105 min

# 701 – Synopsis of Research Sessions (#103, 203, 403, 503): From Tradition to Evidence

Herbert Schwabl, PhD, Padma, Inc., Switzerland; Eric Jacobson, PhD, Harvard University; Vincanne Adams, PhD, UC-SF; Kimberly Johnson, MD; David Lee, PhD, McLean Hospital; and others.

# 702 – Women’s Health Issues

This panel will explore different healing modalities and approaches used for women’s health care based on Tibetan healing traditions..

Moderators: Fredi Kronenberg, PhD, Columbia University; Kimberly Johnson, MD

-          Dr Pasang Yonten Arya. Menopausal Syndrome: Can Tibetan Pills be a Substitute for Hormonal Therapy? The Experience of a Tibetan Doctor in the West

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