The point is not merely to stress the importance of compassion.  I think you sense this already or else you wouldn’t be interested.  What we need to find out is how to actually become more compassionate.  We know that compassion is important, but how do we actually make it more readily available?” Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche

On his first visit to Scotland Chökyi Nyima Rinpoche gave a public talk on Medicine and Compassion. This topic is very helpful and relevant for doctors and caregivers as they are faced daily with suffering and death and need to balance modern medicine’s emphasis on technical and scientific achievement with a renewed focus on the needs of the patient. The subject is more widely covered in a book Medicine & Compassion : A Tibetan Lama’s Guidance for Caregivers, by Chokyi Nyima Rinpoche with David R. Shlim, M.D., which represents a Tibetan lama’s advice to harried caregivers.

It is also part of the charitable aims of Gomde trust to address issues relating to health. In the Trustee Report the further details are given on the following charitable aims:

Aim: Supporting the overall wellbeing of body and mind by promoting meditation and healing practices as traditionally practiced in the Himalayan region.

The links between body and mind are well known, but authentic teachers of the traditional techniques and methods of meditation are not widely available. The Trust is in a position to invite such teachers and meditation masters. This is a great support to any member of the general public interested in finding out about and practicing meditation.

Promoting the benefits of meditation, stress control and mental relaxation should lead to an increased awareness of human cognitive power and methods to change old, destructive habits and emotional negativities. In general, the practice of meditation leads to greater mental freshness, happiness and contentment. As more people become informed about the benefits of cultivating positive and compassionate attitudes in meditation, they will be less vulnerable to the health risks of stress and tension.

In the future, if means allow, the Trust is also aiming to encourage a wider understanding of the value of the natural environment for our future well being, as stated in the Trustees Report:

Aim: Increasing awareness of the value of native and Asian medicinal plants, and further conservation efforts wherever they are endangered.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly 80% of the world’s population relies on herbal medicine.  The Tibetan medical tradition has a rich, detailed and ancient knowledge of the uses of medicinal plants. A 17th-century pictorial, medical book systematically records the healing properties of over 2,000 plants and states that locally grown plants and native species are the best medicine for local people. For instance, willow bark is known in both Tibetan and Western herbal traditions to be an analgesic and as a natural ingredient is the source of aspirin. It is important to suport the preservation this wealth of knowledge for future generations.

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