Impressions of 53rd Wellbeing Tibetan Medical Camp, November 9 – 11, 2016 at Centre for Social & Political Art (CSPA) at Sylviander House

Looking forward to the 12th Wellbeing Camp at Sylviander House, something special was waiting for us …

As always Sethu Das and Eswar Anandan arrived a day before with organic vegetable and rice, then being busy with last preparations. On that evening we get to know about the surprising decision of the government, all 500 and 1000 Rupee note were declared invaluabale from midnight on. We have not yet any idea, what could this mean for practical life. 

Next early morning the tibetan team arrives with the night train from Bangalore: Dr. Dorjee Rapten Neshar, Dr. Tamdin Sangmo, Sonam Wangmo, Yeshi Chodon, Tenzin Gesar.

Tenzin Gesar is new in the team and here at Sylviander House for the first time. From now on he will do the work of Tenzin Dhonden, who shifted to Delhi. 

After a short rest, then breakfast and morning prayer in Dr. Dorjee Rapten‘s room, consultation starts. (To see on youtube: Tibetan Morning Prayer for the Medicine Buddha, https://youtu.be/mM9dfvm_4PI)

Some patents are already waiting in front of the house. 

While Dr. Dorjee Rapten sees the patients in his room, Dr. Tamdin Sangmo has her consulting room on the other end of the verandah. This room we use sometimes as massage room for our guests, but nicely decorated for the Wellbeing Camp, nobody would assume.

5 times a day we meet together in the kitchen, for breakfast, morning tea break, lunch, afternoon tea break, dinner. As usual Lilama will do the cooking. For volunteer Victoria this camp most probably will be the last for a longer time – in few weeks she will fly back home to Canada.

That‘s why she wants to make an interview with Dr. Tamdin Sangmo for her studies, who speaks about her way to tibetan medicine, experiences with patients and the healing herbals. 

Before the medicine will leave Dharamshala, monks bless the medicine with prayers for the long journey … 

Later Dr. Dorjee Rapten comes for treating a woman, who suffers painful back problems … 

… but through this treatment she improved a lot.

In the evening there is a meeting to discuss the latest news, which creates some difficulties for the camp, since all 500 and 1000 Rupee notes have no more value since midnight, which was announced 24 hours back only. On the coming days, banks would be closed, even no ATM would work. 

Of course, the patients had no choice, they would come with old notes. Somewhen we got to know, that it was allowed to pay with old notes for hospital, medicine and transport.

Since this demonetisation was meant against black money and terrorism, people accepted this inconvenience patiently. So the camp went on smoothly and somehow we could manage …

This family – farmers from the mountains – had to drive by car around 5 hours to reach here. For the children it would be the first time in life to see the sea – after the consultation they will walk down to the fisherman beach. 

The little son suffering of a weak immune system, has been in hospital shortly before, but doctors there had no idea about the reason and were giving allopathic medicines. 

I always like to watch the consultations, when Dr. Dorjee Rapten is fully concentrated while reading the pulse of a patient. Listening to it in 3 different levels seem to draw a holistic picture in his mind, where he can see the physical conflict. In this case he suspects the cause of the problem during pregnancy time … 

Also his mother consults the doctor – she has nervous complaints since teenage time. 

For those, who are not able to walk, we provide a wheel chair. But sometimes Dr. Dorjee Rapten listenes to the patients‘ problems and reads their pulse outside in the garden. 

Before Victoria will leave, we need to have a picture together – in the background a painting from Alexander, Subhrada dancing Mudyattam, shaking the hair, which was once practiced by the Paraya to heal women who couldn‘t get pregnant. 

(More about to see on youtube »Searching for the Dancing God«, http://youtu.be/sQm_mJ2KFMA)

Oh happy day! Birthday cappuccino with 3 flowers from the garden for Dr. Dorjee Rapten …

Of course we sing happy birthday in all variations and of course the birthday prince enjoys this celebration …

For the tea break in the afternoon I‘ve prepared a cake: Apfelstreuselkuchen! Apple crumble cake! This is a classical recipe from Germany: A shortcrust, many slices of apples on it and crumbles …

Best to eat when the cake is still warm. Wisely I‘ve baken 2 cakes!

Everybody takes 2 pieces!

Then the wellbeing camp goes on …

Next camp will be around end of december 2016.

The 53rd Wellbeing Tibetan Medical Camp organised jointly by ‘Friends of Tibet Foundation for the Wellbeing’ and ‘Men-Tsee-Khang’, the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute of His Holiness the Dalai Lama took place from November 9-11, 2016 (Wed-Fri). The venue for the medical camp is Centre for Social & Political Art (CSPA), Sylviander Land, Chettikad Beach Road, Alappuzha, Kerala, India. 

- Registration by SMS: 9400354354, 9061354354

- Registration by Fax: 011.47615142 

- Registration by Email: wellbeing@friendsoftibet.org 

- Registration Online: www.friendsoftibet.org/wellbeing/

- Google Map Directions to CSPA: https://goo.gl/Y2mMA0