A Story of Tibetan Herbalism

A Story of Tibetan Herbalism

Imagine being young, at home with your parents. One day, your family is visited by some very important people – and they’re there to see you. After playing a few fun games with these visitors, you learn that the games were actually tests – tests that you passed!

What happens now? Now, you leave your home and family. But your parents are not upset about it. In fact, they are very, very proud and so are you. You have been chosen to begin training for a career of incredible importance and significance both socially and spiritually – you are going to be a Tibetan herbalist, one of the most important positions in your society.

Brief History of Tibetan Herbalism

The primary intention of the Buddhist path is to liberate all beings from ignorance, the source of all suffering. According to ancient Buddhist texts, the Buddha often taught this principle using health as a metaphor. Because Tibetan herbalism focuses so clearly on this aspect of liberation, it is considered by Tibetans as among the most essential of all areas of study.

Although herbal expertise was present in Tibet far longer than Buddhism, Buddhist spirituality brought additional purpose. Along with influences from Ayurveda (Indian), Chinese and ancient Greek, Persian and Central Asian cultures, the Buddhist religion helped form Traditional Tibetan Herbalism (TTH) as it has existed for the past 1,400 years – a system that promotes well-being and a healthy, balanced life.

Traditionally, herbalists study TTH for at least 10 years before becoming professionals. For those ten years, a practitioner lives and breathes their studies, avoiding all worldly distractions – even family. It is thought to take 30 years for a person to master the art of TTH, and historic Tibetan herbalists began their training early in life – often leaving their parents and moving into monasteries for training even before the age of 10 years old.

The Difference is Balance

You know how that bottle of pills you pick up at the pharmacy helps one area of your health, but come with a long list of potential side effects that hinder other areas of health? Not so with Tibetan formulas.*

A Tibetan herbal formula always consists of several ingredients, often more than 20 and sometimes even more than 100! Generally, these ingredients can be grouped into three classes:

  1. A major group that targets a specific focus in the body
  2. A secondary group that supports and sustains the effect of the major group
  3. A third group that helps balance the first two groups of herbs in the rest of the body

In this way, a specific area of health may be addressed, but the health of the entire body is supported.*

Finding a Cause

For a Tibetan herbalist, the purpose behind their craft is not simply to focus on individual areas of health, but to look at each person as a whole and address that person’s entire body, mind and spirit. Additionally, the causes of any imbalances are always considered in formulating the right herbal support.

Addressing the root cause of an imbalance so it doesn’t reoccur? You have to wonder what expensive drug industries think of this approach…

Where to Find Traditional Tibetan Herbalism Today

After the Chinese invasion of Tibet in the 1950s, an exodus of Tibetans followed the Dalai Lama’s escape in 1959, bringing TTH to the rest of the world, in addition to continuing in modern Tibet. The highest concentrations of Tibetan herbal culture can be found today in Tibet, the Himalayan regions, India, Mongolia and Siberia. The practice can also be found in Western countries and, in general, wherever Tibetan communities thrive.

Padma Basic, an Ancient Tibetan Formula

Padma Basic® is based on an ancient herbal formula originally used in Tibetan monasteries.

In the 1960s, Dr. Karl Lutz, then a Senior Vice President at a Swiss pharmaceutical company, learned of the effectiveness of Padma from the Tibetan herbalist refugee who introduced this ancient Tibetan formula to Eastern Europe. Lutz’s “discovery” began extensive research on the properties and benefits of the formula that has continued for over three decades.

More than 35 years of clinical, peer-reviewed research confirm the unique benefits of Padma Basic. Modern scientific studies continue to verify the multiple health benefits of this ancient herbal formula, which has been used for centuries to help people maintain vitality, immunity and overall wellness.*

Padma Basic is still manufactured in Switzerland at a state-of-the-art facility under strict current Good Manufacturing Procedure (cGMP) guidelines.

What is Padma Basic?

Padma Basic contains 19 botanical ingredients along with natural camphor and calcium sulfate, to support healthy immune function, combat free radicals and support cardiovascular and circulatory health.* Based on a traditional “cooling” formula, Padma Basic’s botanical ingredients are rich in active ingredients such as tannins, flavonoids, polyphenols and essential oils which work synergistically to support immunity, promote antioxidant activity, and support circulation and cardiovascular function.* Like all Tibetan herbal formulas, Padma Basic also supports balance and overall health.*

Learn more about Padma Basic here.