Healing

I have just come back from a month-long trip to Nepal - primarily Kathmandu and the Khumbu valley. Whilst my initial focus was on trekking and mountaineering, you cannot escape the spirituality of the Nepalese people and along the journey I began to think that part of what drew me to Nepal and the Himalaya was a desire to heal or maybe be healed.

When I talk about healing it is in relation to the suffering we experience in life and of course this comes in many forms - physical, emotional, mental and spiritual. I probably need a few more blog posts to dig into where my suffering lies!

Healing lies at the heart of Buddhist philosophy, reflecting a holistic approach that intertwines physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Rooted in the Buddha’s teachings, the concept of healing transcends mere physical recovery, addressing the deeper afflictions of the human condition—suffering (dukkha) and its causes.

At the core of Buddhism are the Four Noble Truths, which provide a blueprint for understanding and overcoming suffering. The Buddha’s recognition of suffering as a universal experience, paired with the belief in the possibility of liberation, places healing at the foundation of spiritual practice. The Eightfold Path, a practical guide to ethical living, mindfulness, and meditation, serves as the method to achieve this healing. These teachings emphasize not only alleviating pain but transforming the mind to foster resilience, compassion, and wisdom.

The Buddha himself is often regarded as the "Great Physician," offering teachings as a cure for the afflictions of greed, hatred, and ignorance—the "poisons" that perpetuate suffering. This metaphor extends to Buddhist practices such as meditation and mindfulness, which are seen as tools to cleanse the mind, nurture emotional stability, and cultivate inner peace.

In Tibetan and Nepalese Buddhism, healing takes on a deeply symbolic and ritualistic form through the veneration of the Medicine Buddha (Bhaisajyaguru). Known as the embodiment of healing compassion, the Medicine Buddha is invoked in prayers, chants, and rituals to address physical illnesses and spiritual imbalances. His mantra, "Tayata Om Bekandze Bekandze Maha Bekandze Radza Samudgate Soha," is recited to invoke healing energies and create harmony.

Healing in Buddhism also reflects interconnectedness. By cultivating compassion and loving-kindness, individuals contribute to the healing of others and, by extension, the world. This principle aligns with the Buddhist belief in interdependence—our well-being is inherently tied to the well-being of others. I like this philosophy.

In Nepal, healing practices are deeply integrated into daily life. Rituals at monasteries, offerings at stupas, and the vibrant tradition of thangka paintings portraying the Medicine Buddha remind practitioners of the transformative power of spiritual healing.

For Buddhists, healing is not an end in itself but a pathway to awakening. It is a journey of addressing the root causes of suffering, cultivating compassion, and living in harmony with oneself and the world. This approach offers timeless insights for anyone seeking balance, peace, and resilience.

There is something here for me in the teachings of the Buddha around healing that I need to explore further. That sentence in itself is a strange one for me to write as I am a committed atheist and a sceptic of most things bearing a ‘spirituality’ label. Yet, something brought me to Nepal beyond what I thought - for just trekking and mountaineering.