The North American Branch

The North American branch of the International Shang Shung Institute, located in Conway, Massachusetts, was established in 1994. This branch’s achievements include: an extensive library of educational resources on Tibetan culture, an onsite and online bookstore full of materials on Tibetan culture and the Dzogchen Teachings of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, and many public programs and courses on Tibetan Culture & Art.

In 1996 the North American Branch founded the Vajra Art Guild to create and preserve the works of noted thangka painter Glen Eddy under the direction of Chögyal Namkhai Norbu. Eddy produced hundreds of works on paper and several large scale thangka paintings according to the traditional Tibetan techniques. Additionally, several large Tibetan translation projects have been sponsored, including "The Light of Kailash" by Chögyal Namkhai Norbu and "Elements for the Study of Tibetan Medicine" by Dr. Thubten Phuntsog.

The most extensive project of this branch to date is its four-year medical program based on the curriculum of the traditional medical schools of Tibet. This is the first program in the West to train students in Tibetan medicine.

The School of Tibetan Medicine

Applications are now being accepted for the Fall 2010 Semester, which starts September 7, 2010. 

At the Shang Shung Institute’s School of Tibetan Medicine, students immerse themselves in the study of Tibet’s ancient healing arts. Students enjoy small classes led by distinguished Tibetan physicians of renowned medical lineage. This rare opportunity to study the full scope of Tibetan Medical practice offers students the possibility to become the first Tibetan doctors trained in the West.

In the Fall of 2005, the North American branch of the Shang Shung Institute initiated this four-year program under the direction of Dr. Phuntsog Wangmo. This program is the first in the West to closely parallel the training of a traditional Tibetan physician in Tibet or India. The Shang Shung curriculum, created by Dr. Wangmo, is based on the Gyud Zhi, the four primary Tibetan Healing Science Texts that are used in all traditional schools of Tibetan Medicine. Class lectures cover the texts’ main topics, including general healthcare, woman’s health, pediatrics, toxicology, injuries, provocations, geriatrics, and fertility.

Diagnostic methods of consultation, pulse reading, and urine analysis, as well as treatment methods including diet, lifestyle, herbal preparations, and external therapies are taught in both the classroom and in practical labs. Supplementary topics include Tibetan language, Astrology, Kunye Therapy, Ethics, and History of Tibetan Culture and Medical Practice.

The faculty at the Shang Shung Institute School of Tibetan Medicine are distinguished graduates of acclaimed Tibetan Medical institutions; such as, the Lhasa University School of Traditional Medicine, and Men-Tsee-Khang: the Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Many have had extensive experience practicing traditional Tibetan medicine and pharmacology before and after coming to the West.

For more detailed information on the program or to apply online, please visit:  www.shangshung.org.