NEPAL
GENERAL INFORMATION
SPIRITUAL
PURSUITS
Many
travelers come to Nepal for meditation,
yoga, astrology, retreats and to merge
with the mighty Himalayas. Activities
are mainly centered around the Kathmandu
Valley, though Pokhara is becoming popular
with more options becoming available.
The following gives you a guideline
of different spiritual activities and
natural healing in Nepal.
Meditation
Vipassana is one of the most ancient
techniques. Long lost to people, it
was rediscovered by Gautam Buddha more
than 2500 years ago. Vipassana means
'to see things as they really are'.
It is an art of living which frees the
individual from all the negativities
of mind, such as anger, greed and ignorance.
It is a practice which develops positive,
creative energy for the betterment of
the individual and society.
The
path (Dhamma) is a universal remedy
for universal problems and has nothing
to do with any religion. It can be practiced
freely by anyone without conflict with
race, caste or religion, in any place,
and at any time and it will prove beneficial
to everyone.
Astrology
Like the other significant parts of
the Nepali heritage Astrology too links
its origin to the Vedas, the major source
of virtually everything (for the Hindus)
written thousands of years ago.
Mesh
(Aries), Brish (Taurus), Mithun (Gemini),
Karkat (Cancer), Simha (Leo), Kanya
(Virgo), Tula (Libra), Brishchik (Scorpio),
Dhanu (Sagittarius), Makar (Capricorn),
Kumbha (Aquarius) and Meen (Pisces)
are the 12 signs of the zodiac, and
in Nepali they are called Rashi.
In
Nepal the moment a baby is born, the
first thing they do is note down the
exact time of birth. Then it is given
to the astrologer, who according to
the position of the different planets
in the solar system at that precise
moment prepares a Cheena (horoscope).
Cheena is a rectangular chart, which
indicates the degree of influence of
the planets from the solar world on
the people born to a particular Rashi.
Highlighting the positive and negative
aspects of ones life. When Nepali's
are having a difficult time they go
to their astrologer with their Cheena
for consultation.
Astrologers
are also consulted on various occasions
like rice feeding, sacared thread and
weddings. Tika in Dashain, Bhai Tika
in Tihar, including a series of national
festivals, are occasions when the astrologers
are involved in choosing auspicious
hours for these festivities to take
place. When a person dies their Cheena
is taken to the crematorium or ghat
along with their dead body.
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Yoga
Yoga = 'Unity', 'Oneness'. Came from
the Sanskrit word "YOG" which
means "TO JOIN". To many,
the thought of yoga has an image of
postures (Asanas) to develop flexibility,
general body health and awareness. This
is just the beginning. While the main
point is to reach the highest goal of
the spiritual path, practicing yoga
can give benefits to everyone regardless
to their spiritual aims.
The
Eight Fold Path of Yoga looks deeply
into the morality of living. It consists
of: Yama (self restraints), Niyama (self
observances) Asana, Pranayama (breath
techniques), Pratyhara (withdrawal of
the senses), Dharana (concentration),
Dhyana (meditation) and Samadhi (identification
with pure consciousness).
There
is an inter-relationship between yoga
and meditation and you can decide to
focus more on either one or both together.
The Himalayas have played a big role
in self realization. It's isolation
from the world and ideal environment
makes Nepal an ideal place to practice
yoga.
Buddhist
Studies
Nepal is the birth place of one of the
greatest healers known, Shakyamuni Gautam
Buddha. Today in the Kathmandu Valley
many monasteries and schools is where
the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha can
be heard, the same as it was two and
a half thousand years ago.
What
makes Buddhism unique is its scientific
and logical explanation of life, without
an outside creator. The Buddha tells
us we are responsible for our lives
and environment, and that with practical
methods we can achieve enlightenment
in this very lifetime. Buddha's teachings
of peace are practiced as a way of life
and are more relevant today than ever
before. Peace begins from within our
own hearts and minds.
Two
of the largest Buddhist pilgrimage sites
in the world are in the Kathmandu Valley.
Bouddhanath and Swayambhunath Stupas
attract thousands of Buddhists and visitors
each day. Many monasteries and schools
of Buddhism offer teachings for those
wishing for peace of mind and happiness.
In
ancient legends, it was taught that
Shambala lies in the heart of the Himalaya
and the Himalaya lie in the heart of
many Buddhists, where Shambala exists.
To see, experience and listen to the
words of Buddha there are many places
in Nepal and you will not be disappointed.
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Ayurveda
Ayurveda has been practiced in Nepal
since the beginning of time. The Himalaya
is the base of purity, clarity and harmony,
which is the goal of every living creature.
Nepal is one of the richest countries
in flora ranging from tropical to alpine
in such a small area. A lot of the flora
is use for medicinal use and is considered
part of the cultural heritage of the
country.
Ayurveda
is a Sanskrit word meaning "the
science of life" or "a natural
way of living". Ayurveda includes
yoga, meditation and the natural and
spiritual sciences. The objectives of
Ayurveda are the development of awareness
to lead to desirelessness, the promotion
of health and long life, prevention
and curing of disease, and to understand
and to correct imbalances and restore
harmony in the person.
Homoeopathy
Homoeopathy is a system of natural remedies
made from animal, vegetable, and mineral
extracts. These remedies are prepared
so they are non toxic and do not cause
side effects.
Homeopathy
and Ayruveda have their similarities,
but in homeopathy there is an unusual
thing where different medicines are
used often to treat the same condition
in different people, and the same medicine
to treat different conditions. In Homeopathy
it is the patient that the practitioner
looks at rather than the disease or
illness. Ayurveda and Homeopathy can
be used together.
The
Ministry of Health has a homeopathic
division, and practitioners and pharmacies
can be found all over Kathmandu city.
Tibetan
Medicine
Tibetan medicine is one of the oldest
known medical traditions. It is a science,
an art and a philosophy that provides
a holistic approach to health care.
Diagnostic techniques in Tibetan Medicine
includes visual observation, touch and
interrogation.
Visual
Observation : This involves checking
the patients skin complexion, the color
of blood, nails, faces, and other general
conditions. Special attention is looked
at the patients tongue and urine.
Touch
: Pulse reading forms the most important
touching method in Tibetan medicine.
After ensuring an important set of preconditions,
the physician proceeds with the pulse
diagnosis. By placing the three middle
fingers on the patient's radial arteries.
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Interrogation:
Interrogation forms an important
clinical aspect of the diagnosis. There
are three main elements to an interrogation.
Determining the causative factors, determining
the site of the illness, studying the
signs and symptoms; this involves the
doctor asking the patient about what
sort of food and drink they have been
consuming and what kind of physical
and mental behaviors they have been
experiencing.
Tibetan
medicines take various forms, from decoctions,
powders, general pills, precious pills,
and syrups, and are prescribed in small
doses - the emphasis Tibetan medicine
places on gentle treatment.
Faith
Healers and Tantric Healing in the Himalayas
The "Jhankris" are shamans,
who, with garlands of bells around their
necks dance and chant at the beat of
the drum, which they play in the possession
of spirits. The ritual sometimes involves
sacrifice of either a rooster or a black
goat. They are simple people, a broomstick,
some grains of husked rice, a pinch
of ash, incense sticks, water, charged
with tantric spirits is all they need
to come out with a miracle to heal.
India
saw its great tantric period between
the 7th and 13th centuries. The visit
of Padmansambhaba, a great Indian spiritual
master, during the 8th century, introduced
his own type of Buddhism to Tibet After
the 13th century came the Mugal invasion
in India which was responsible for the
tantric cult to come to Nepal and Tibet.
When in Nepal "Gubhajus" who
came from the highest priestly class
of the Newars got his hands on to the
cult. But it was the Lamas from the
monasteries in Tibet who had access
to it. Over the centuries tantrism has
become a big part of faith healing both
in Nepal and Tibet.
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