Author Description

Sowa Rigpa Points: Point Study in Traditional Tibetan Medicine is a comprehensive manual of point study according to Sowa Rigpa (Traditional Tibetan Medicine) that is unlike any other and opens up a doorway into the study of this profound medicine that was not previously available. The Four Tantras (Gyud Zhi) teaches four methods of treatment: Diet, Lifestyle, External Therapies, and Medication. Today many modern Tibetan physicians focus on the fourth, the use of herbal medicine, as the principle method of treatment, while placing much lesser emphasis on the external therapies. Because of this, the wonderful and highly effective tradition of Tibetan external therapies, such as kunye massage, acupuncture, moxibustion, hormé, cupping, compresses, stick therapy, etc, is not widely known and available and is even at risk of being lost. Dr Nida Chenagtsang, recognizing their incredible value has done extensive research on these therapies and has ensured that they continue to be of benefit to patients in these modern times by teaching students how to practice them safely and effectively. All of the these therapies depend upon the knowledge of points. Without knowing the precise point location and therapeutic benefits of each point, one's treatment cannot be of maximum effectiveness. Together with Dr Tam Nguyen, a Western medical doctor who has deeply studied Sowa Rigpa and integrated it into her clinical practice, they created this book, a detailed map of the points used in acupuncture, moxibustion, and venesection according to the two principle root medical Tibetan medical texts, the Gyud Zhi and the Somaradza. It is an indispensable guide to any student or practitioner of Sowa Rigpa. For practitioners of other healing modalities, such as Chinese acupuncture and various massage therapies that also rely upon a point and meridian system, this book provides a fascinating comparative study and can offer a new and alternative approaches to one's already existing practice.<