Healing and Medicine

Medicine - holistic understanding of body and mind - was an integral part of the curriculum at Nalanda. Following this tradition, Deer Park has started to offer workshops in various branches of healing and physical culture.

In June 2008, we held a 5-day intensive workshop on traditional Chinese medicine. Under the guidance of Melitis Kwong, a Chinese medical practitioner with over 15 years’ experience, students were introduced to the Chinese healing system, through both lectures and hands-on acupressure workshops.

From September-October 2008, Deer Park offered classes in classical yoga and ayurveda (traditional Indian medicine), led by Ani Pema Chodron (Dayananda), who has been practicing and teaching these disciplines for nearly 40 years. Participants in her month-long hatha yoga course, which was offered in conjunction with the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali philosophy course (see ‘Philosophy’ section above), learned to harmonize body and mind through combining mindful breathing with the practice of asanas, pranayama and meditation.

At the end of October, Ani Pema led a 5-day intensive practical workshop in yoga, ayurveda and healing, in which participants learned a personalized program for maintaining physical and mental balance, according to their individual constitution.

In December 2009, we will be holding an intensive 4-day workshop on 'Wisdom in Healing’, offering an overview of Ayurveda, Chinese and Tibetan medical systems, as well as a dialogue between practitioners of these three systems.

Taichi and yoga classes have also been offered in conjunction with other programs held at Deer Park.