Peer-reviewed Article by Tenzin Namdul
BMC Health Services Research, 2026
Background Rural, Indigenous, and isolated communities faced unique challenges and opportunities ... more Background Rural, Indigenous, and isolated communities faced unique challenges and opportunities during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Identifying lessons from these communities, which are rarely studied, is crucial for improving future crisis responses similar populations. This study aims to inform similar communities by centralizing lessons learned and improving preparedness for future health crises. Methods We examined three geographically and culturally distinct self-governing communities: a Tibetan Buddhist monastic community in southern India, Alaska Native communities in Interior Alaska, and the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. Through semi-structured interviews conducted from 2021 to 2022 with community members working in healthcare, education, law enforcement, and governance, we analyzed the policies implemented, the decision-making processes behind them, and the psychological experiences of community members during the pandemic. Results The themes identified from the interviews included the creative mobilization of internal resources amid limited external support, such as community members assuming new roles like quarantine enforcement and using shared culture as a resource to change health behaviors. All three communities implemented travel restrictions. Reported stress on a personal and community level was high, particularly due to deaths caused by the pandemic. Conclusions Rural, Indigenous, and isolated communities responded to the COVID-19 pandemic with a range of strategies, including strict shutdowns, travel restrictions, community-driven support, and traditional healing practices. Despite demonstrating resilience and adaptability, they faced challenges such as resource limitations, enforcement difficulties, and community stress, highlighting the need for ongoing support and tailored approaches.
Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of Alzheimer's Association, 2025
INTRODUCTION: This protocol paper describes the methodology used in designing and conducting comm... more INTRODUCTION: This protocol paper describes the methodology used in designing and conducting community-based participatory research (CBPR) to estimate the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) among Tibetan Buddhist monks. The CBPR approach laid the groundwork to examine monastic lifestyles, including meditative and cognitive practices. METHODS: The study used a CBPR approach to examine the prevalence of ADRD and assess lifestyle and meditative and cognitive practices among Tibetan Buddhist monks. RESULTS: The study recruited 205 monks and collected a wide range of data, including monastic lifestyle, meditative and cognitive practices, mental health, sleep quality, physical measures, biospecimens, and other information. DISCUSSION: The study was a first of its kind to use CBPR in estimating the prevalence of ADRD among Tibetan monks. The CBPR approach enabled us to engage with the monastic community at every phase of the study and provided a framework to design culturally sensitive surveys and cognitive measures.
Culture, Medicine, and Psychiatry, 2025
Although tukdam-a meditative state entered through various practices resting in extremely subtle ... more Although tukdam-a meditative state entered through various practices resting in extremely subtle consciousness while dying-is seen to only be achieved by adept practitioners, the philosophy and psychology that underpin tukdam inform Tibetan communities beyond just accomplished adepts and frame the very way death and dying is conceived. Based on an 18-month ethnographic study, this article explores the significance of death as a Tibetan Buddhist cultural-reference that offers a moral heuristic ground for adaptive methods in transforming orientations to self and others and in cultivating compassion and resilience. Tibetan Buddhist practitioners emphasize a strong correlation between a true understanding of self and sustained happiness. This article thus asks a dual conceptual question: (1) Why do Tibetans believe that meditating on death is the key to experiences of well-being in their day-today life? (2) What is the relation between the temporalities of the meditated death and that of the day-today life? Furthermore, the article proposes that Tibetan Buddhist practices that culminate in tukdam symbolize the way death and dying is assumed to be approached more broadly beyond advanced practitioners, and thereby, provides a cultural model for an "ideal" death that guides approaches to dying for oneself and others.
Journal of Asian Studies, 2023
By focusing on the nuances of amchis' everyday activities in some of the most remote and rural vi... more By focusing on the nuances of amchis' everyday activities in some of the most remote and rural villages, exploring their interactions with villagers as well as with local administrations, this edited volume does a wonderful job of presenting the complexities of unprecedented changes happening in the scope and practices of Sowa Rigpa in the Indian Himalayas. It also sheds light on cultural actors that played important roles in facilitating the official recognition of Sowa Rigpa as Indian cultural heritage by the Indian government.
The Frontier, 2021
Dialogue-based learning is an inclusive pedagogy that leverages epistemological pluralism in the ... more Dialogue-based learning is an inclusive pedagogy that leverages epistemological pluralism in the classroom to enhance cross-cultural education, encourage critical thinking across modes of inquiry, and promote novel contributions in applied ethics. The framework emerged from the Buddhism-science dialogue and our experiences teaching science courses for Tibetan Buddhists in India through the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative. Buddhism and science are two modes of inquiry that emphasize critical inquiry and empiricism, yet navigating complementarities and points of friction is challenging. Our proposed framework aims to raise awareness of onto-epistemological assumptions to convert them from obstacles into assets in dialogue. In drawing attention to epistemological orientations, our framework demonstrates that receptivity to other ways of knowing fosters clarity in one's own views while creating space for new and enriching perspectives. In this article, we contextualize the Buddhism-science dialogue, explore the development of our dialogue-based learning framework, and demonstrate its application to a novel exchange about the COVID-19 pandemic. Broader aims of the framework include increasing scientific literacy and advancing transdisciplinary research.
Tibetan medicine offers an ancient, timely model for
the promotion of health and treatment of dis... more Tibetan medicine offers an ancient, timely model for
the promotion of health and treatment of disease by teaching
individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices. This holistic model
consists of analyzing one’s unique constitution and recommending supportive lifestyle modifications. An experienced Tibetan medicine practitioner is the gold standard for constitutional assessment. Because few Tibetans practice Tibetan medicine in the United States, research-based tools with content and criterion validity are needed for self-assessment.
Human & Experimental Toxicology, 2006
Symptoms of mercury toxicity, biochemical changes, and blood/urine mercury levels were evaluated ... more Symptoms of mercury toxicity, biochemical changes, and blood/urine mercury levels were evaluated in a small group of patients. Six patients attending Delek Hospital, Dharamsala, India, taking mercury-containing traditional Tibetan medicine (TTM) (Group I), were compared with three patients taking non-mercury containing TTM (Group II) and healthy volunteers (Group III). Quantitative estimation of mercury ingestion based on chemical analysis was compared with US regulatory standards. Results: Group I were significantly older (mean 55 years9/SE 6.4) range 26 Á 69 years, than Group II (26.7 years9/SE 5) range 17 Á 34 years and Group III (32.5 years9/SE 0.5) range 33 Á 34 years (P/0.05). Group I took TTM on average for 51 months and had a mean of 2.5 non-specific, mercury-related symptoms. Group I had higher mean diastolic pressures (85 mmHg) than Group II (73 mmHg) (P/0.06) and more loose teeth.
Tibetan Medicine and Integrative Health: Validity Testing and Refinement of the Constitutional Self-Assessment Tool and Lifestyle Guidelines Tool
EXPLORE: The Journal of Science and Healing, 2012
Tibetan medicine offers an ancient, timely model for the promotion of health and treatment of dis... more Tibetan medicine offers an ancient, timely model for the promotion of health and treatment of disease by teaching individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices. This holistic model consists of analyzing one's unique constitution and recommending supportive lifestyle modifications. An experienced Tibetan medicine practitioner is the gold standard for constitutional assessment. Because few Tibetans practice Tibetan medicine in the United States, research-based tools with content and criterion validity are needed for self-assessment. To test the validity of and refine the Constitutional Self-Assessment Tool (CSAT) and Lifestyle Guidelines Tool (LGT). Mixed methods pilot study conducted in three phases. Tibetan Medical Institute (TMI) of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Dharamsala, India and the University of Minnesota, a U.S. research University. Six TMI senior faculty; 88 students at the university. Phase 1: TMI faculty evaluated the tools' content validity. Phase 2: 59 students completed the CSAT, had a Tibetan medicine consultation, completed the LGT, and answered qualitative questions. Phase 3: 29 students studying Tibetan medicine followed a modified phase 2 method. Quantitative and phenomenological analyses were performed to investigate the CSAT's criterion validity (agreement of CSAT results and consultations) and refine the tools. The tools were shown to have high content validity. Phase 2 CSAT had 51% agreement and 0.24 kappa statistic, suggesting fair criterion validity. Phase 3-refined CSAT had 76% agreement and 0.50 kappa statistic, suggesting moderate criterion validity. The refined CSAT and LGT in Appendix A and B demonstrate the potential for additional research and use in integrated care.
Religions, 2021
This paper explores how conceptions of death and the ways in which such conceptions shape respons... more This paper explores how conceptions of death and the ways in which such conceptions shape responses to death determine ways of living as well as valued approaches to dying. The paper posits the question: can a fundamental understanding of death contribute to the development of adaptive social traits that lead to more sustainable phenomenological experiences of happiness and flourishing? Employing an anthropological lens, this work starts from the initial inquiry of “what is death?” by looking at cross-cultural historical and theoretical accounts of death and comparing the modern (medicalized) death to the Tibetan Buddhist notion of death. The paper presents conceptions of death in Tibetan Buddhist culture, paying particular attention to how death is employed as an adaptive cultural tool in pursuance of positive behavioral changes and happiness at both individual and societal levels...
Book Review by Tenzin Namdul
Karma and Happiness: ATibetan Odyssey in Ethics,
Spirituality and Healing
Journal of Transcultural Nursing, 2003
Papers by Tenzin Namdul
Effect of Tibetan Herbal Formulas on Symptom Duration Among Ambulatory Patients with Native SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Brain behavior & immunity. Integrative, 2024
Background: Despite abundant data regarding factors that influence COVID-19 symptom severity and ... more Background: Despite abundant data regarding factors that influence COVID-19 symptom severity and need for hospitalization, few studies examine time to resolution of symptoms and potential complementary and alternative therapies that may expedite outpatient recovery. Uncertainty in expected symptom duration and potential missed opportunities to decrease this time persist. Likewise, studies tracking outpatient COVID-19 experiences among marginalized communities are lacking. Objective: To describe the impact of complex Tibetan herbal formula regimens on symptom duration among ambulatory patients with native SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This multi-center, cohort study assessed deidentified data from patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study assessed cases from March 12, 2020 to May 5, 2021 for which vaccinations were not available, and thus reflect native infections. Intervention: Diagnoses were made via telemedicine by a traditional Tibetan medical physician, and herbal formulas were prescribed based on specific symptom presentation of COVID-19 using the personalized medicine approach integral to traditional Tibetan medicine. Results: Of 145 patient cases assessed for eligibility, 86 (59.3%) met inclusion criteria, and 67 (46.2%) had documented symptom resolution. Resolution of symptoms occurred within a median [interquartile range (IQR)] of 11.7 (10.1-13.5) days. The most common symptoms reported were cough and fever. Time to recovery did not significantly differ based on symptom presentation at baseline, except for a couple symptom groupings such as headache and joint pain where recovery time was shorter when those symptoms were present. Conclusions and relevance: Ambulatory patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection receiving Tibetan herbal formulas had recovery from symptoms at a median of 11.7 days, fewer than other published reports in patients following standard of care. The Tibetan approach of targeting treatment based on symptom groups, especially those within classical Tibetan medical nosology, appears to result in quick symptom resolution.
Delayed decompositional changes in indoor settings among Tibetan monastic communities in India: A case report
Forensic science international. Reports, May 1, 2024
Healing at the Periphery: Ethnographies of Tibetan Medicine in India
The Journal of Asian Studies
Systems of Care: Tibetan Medicine
Springer Publishing Company eBooks, Jun 1, 2022
Frontiers, 2021
Dialogue-based learning is an inclusive pedagogy that leverages epistemological pluralism in the ... more Dialogue-based learning is an inclusive pedagogy that leverages epistemological pluralism in the classroom to enhance cross-cultural education, encourage critical thinking across modes of inquiry, and promote novel contributions in applied ethics. The framework emerged from the Buddhism-science dialogue and our experiences teaching science courses for Tibetan Buddhists in India through the Emory-Tibet Science Initiative. Buddhism and science are two modes of inquiry that emphasize critical inquiry and empiricism, yet navigating complementarities and points of friction is challenging. Our proposed framework aims to raise awareness of onto-epistemological assumptions to convert them from obstacles into assets in dialogue. In drawing attention to epistemological orientations, our framework demonstrates that receptivity to other ways of knowing fosters clarity in one’s own views while creating space for new and enriching perspectives. In this article, we contextualize the Buddhism-scien...
Religions, 2021
This paper explores how conceptions of death and the ways in which such conceptions shape respons... more This paper explores how conceptions of death and the ways in which such conceptions shape responses to death determine ways of living as well as valued approaches to dying. The paper posits the question: can a fundamental understanding of death contribute to the development of adaptive social traits that lead to more sustainable phenomenological experiences of happiness and flourishing? Employing an anthropological lens, this work starts from the initial inquiry of “what is death?” by looking at cross-cultural historical and theoretical accounts of death and comparing the modern (medicalized) death to the Tibetan Buddhist notion of death. It examines how the practice of a “medicalized death” has shaped the understanding of contemporary death and the ways in which dying is approached. It employs the hermeneutic of a biopsychosociospiritual death to gain a holistic understanding of human mortality. This analysis, based on an 18-month ethnographic study among a Tibetan refugee communit...
Human & Experimental Toxicology, 2006
Symptoms of mercury toxicity, biochemical changes, and blood/urine mercury levels were evaluated ... more Symptoms of mercury toxicity, biochemical changes, and blood/urine mercury levels were evaluated in a small group of patients. Six patients attending Delek Hospital, Dharamsala, India, taking mercury-containing traditional Tibetan medicine (TTM) (Group I), were compared with three patients taking non-mercury containing TTM (Group II) and healthy volunteers (Group III). Quantitative estimation of mercury ingestion based on chemical analysis was compared with US regulatory standards. Results: Group I were significantly older (mean 55 years9 / SE 6.4) range 26-69 years, than Group II (26.7 years±SE 5) range 17-34 years and Group III (32.5 years±SE 0.5) range 33-34 years (P=0.05). Group I took TTM on average for 51 months and had a mean of 2.5 non-specific, mercury-related symptoms. Group I had higher mean diastolic pressures (85 mmHg) than Group II (73 mmHg) (P=0.06) and more loose teeth. Mean daily mercury intake for Group I was 674 mg, estimated as 10 mg/kg per day. (Established refe...
Diabetes Care, 2001
Acknowledgments-We acknowledge the superb technical assistance of Vincenzo Cinapri and Stefano Qu... more Acknowledgments-We acknowledge the superb technical assistance of Vincenzo Cinapri and Stefano Quilici. References 1. Matteucci E, Giampietro O: Oxidative stress in families of type 1 diabetic patients. Diabetes Care 23:1182-1186, 2000 2. Cutaia M, Parks N: Oxidant stress decreases Na ϩ /H ϩ antiport activity in bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells.
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Peer-reviewed Article by Tenzin Namdul
the promotion of health and treatment of disease by teaching
individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices. This holistic model
consists of analyzing one’s unique constitution and recommending supportive lifestyle modifications. An experienced Tibetan medicine practitioner is the gold standard for constitutional assessment. Because few Tibetans practice Tibetan medicine in the United States, research-based tools with content and criterion validity are needed for self-assessment.
Book Review by Tenzin Namdul
Papers by Tenzin Namdul