Search

To keep the original wisdom tradition from the Himalayas alive, it takes more than just a trip to Mustang or the digitization of ancient Buddhist texts. Rather, an experienced master is needed to transfer the contents into today's world in an understandable manner and even more importantly to create a tangible experience. Western medical practitioners can benefit greatly from Eastern healing traditions, be it in terms of a holistic perspective, the underlying attitude towards patients or the way they deal with their resources. This paper describes the different aspects of a complex project and the resulting challenges and insights. For a better overall picture, the content and results from the teachings of a Buddhist master, the interview with a Tibetan doctor and the workshop with participants from healing professions are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First, demographic aspects and the focus of research of studies on the Tibetan Diaspora are presented in relation to other, general studies of diasporas. Then, the notion of "Tibetanness" is analyzed and. against this background, traditional Tibetan attitudes, the relation of adaptation and integration, and also the idea of "limited integration" in the Tibetan case. Then, the discourse on the Tibet question (by, and about Tibetans) and the present situation of information are briefly portrayed. This includes the influence of the western, or, "Orientalist" discourse. Following this research methods regarding the Tibetan Diaspora are described (as in Capper, Kohut) as well as major complexes of Tibetan identity in the Diaspora are described: health, partnership, marriage and sexuality, the body, and generally coping strategies and the notion of "religio-political" identity. Finally, changed identities in the Diaspora are dealt with. and future research is addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]