Indo-Tibetan Philosophical and Medical Systems: Perspectives on the Biofield
Authors
Shamini PhD
Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego; and Center for Integrative Medicine, University of California San Diego; and Consciousness and Healing Initiative (Dr Jain)
Jennifer PhD
Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco (Dr Daubenmier)
David PhD
Consciousness and Healing Initiative; and Visual Institute of Developmental Arts and Sciences, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Bologna, Italy (Dr Muehsam)
Lopsang PhD
University of California Los Angeles (Dr Rapgay)
Deepak FACP
Chopra Center for Well-Being, Carlsbad, California; and Kellogg Foundation; and Department of Family and Public Health, University of California San Diego (Dr Chopra)
The word biofield is a term that Western scientists have used to describe various aspects of energy and information fields that guide health processes. Similar concepts and descriptions of energy and information patterns exist in various cultures and have guided whole systems of medicine such as Ayurveda and Tibetan medicine. This article describes Vedic, Jain, and Tibetan philosophical and medical systems' concepts of consciousness and subtle energy and their relationships to health processes in order to foster deeper crosscultural dialogue on the nature of the biofield. Similarities and differences within the 3 traditions are noted, and suggestions for considering these concepts to extend current biofield research are discussed.
Key Words: Biofield, Tibetan, Vedic, Jain, consciousness
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