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image we have created about who “cure” is perfect for acute illnesses: in the two traditions. In Western
we are. Of course, meditation will you get a pneumonia and then you psychiatry, we talk a lot about all
not cure all of us from cancer, and get cured from it. For this, western the different psychotherapeutic
because we are ordinary beings we medicine is extremely efficient. But approaches to mental suffering,
still need the help of medicine to for chronic conditions, I prefer to use like the psychoanalytic approach or
treat our illnesses. However, Dharma the word “recover”, or “heal”. Chronic the cognitive behavioral approach
practice can help us to calm our conditions put us in situations where even thoughthere have been
minds, especially in this stressful we are forced to look at the causes many conflicts between those
modern world, take the time to look of what went wrong. Someone different approaches. However,
inwardly and get to know our true with cardiovascular disease might scientific studies show again and
nature better. Then we can learn realize that he had a very bad diet again that there is no superior
to understand what’s best to take for many years and a very sedentary psychotherapeutic approach. The
care of ourselves, what type of food lifestyle. Taking some pills against best results are obtained when the
is good for us, when and how to do hypertension will not resolve the quality of the relationship between
physical exercise, who to consultor underlying problem. A change of a therapist and his patient is very
when to take a rest. When we get to lifestyle is very much needed if he high. The more a patient trusts his
know ourselves better, on a mental wants to recover from his health doctor, the better the prognosis
but also on a physical level, we learn issues. Reducing stress might also be will be. We could call this the
to understand what is good for us required for that person. The patient placebo effect, but it is there and
and what is not and resultantly has an ultimatum: he must also take often even working better than the
become more compassionate and care of himself, increase the quality medication. We therefore emphasize
gentle. In the end, it is all about of the diet, reduce activities to do that therapists and doctors should
finding our own Buddha nature, things more slowly. In this way, he cultivate enough empathy.
that is inside of us, and this Buddha keeps control over his own health
nature is our best doctor. We are the and the heart can be protected. In Tibetan medicine, there is a
one who in the end needs to heal and strong emphasis on the doctor
no one can do it in our place. On the other hand, sometimes cultivating a compassionate mind.
certain pathological issue may The stronger the compassion of
According to Buddhism some emanifest and crystallize in the the doctor, the stronger the effect
illnesses that are caused by one’s body; giving rise to certain types of of the treatment will be on the
past karma cannot be cured. In cancer. If it is left too late then it may patient. Therefore, Sowa Rigpa
your practice as a doctor how be difficult to reverse the natural practitioners start their day with
would you approach this? course of things. In this unfortunate spiritual practices to strengthen
instance, ultimately it would become their compassionate mind. This
I’m a psychiatrist working mostly a question of cultivating enough in turn will increase the quality of
with people who suffer from chronic resilience and helping the patient relationship with the patient and in
psychotic disorders. It is often said to find ways to value life while the end be beneficial for him.
that you can’t cure from a psychotic preparing for a peaceful death.
disorder. And this is what I see in Another example is the idea that it
my practice, my patients are not What are the areas you find is not the pain that makes us suffer,
cured from psychosis. This could similar between Western but the defense mechanisms we
be very depressing. Even though I medicine, especially psychiatry, develop in order to avoid the pain.
don’t see people getting cured, I do and the Tibetan medical One of those defense mechanisms
have patients who recover very well treatment of the mind? is denial. We just deny there is a
over the years. This idea of “cure” problem and act as if everything is
doesn’t work for chronic conditions There are many similarities fine. It is this denial that will make
like psychosis, cardiovascular between both although the language us sick and develop mental health
disease, diabetes etc. The word used is just often quite different symptoms, not the pain itself.