This year, I am very excited about new teaching opportunities! During my meditations this winter, I gained several insights and one of them was that I needed to be teaching more about the diversity of Ayurveda and Indian philosophy. As soon as I had put this intention out into the ether, I was given opportunities and space to teach. The immediacy of this result was impressive. Anthony Lane Hinkle, the founder of Tranquili-Chi Center, offered me the last Wednesday of every month to teach a class of my choosing. I could not have been given greater confirmation that my insight was accurate. I am feeling so blessed to have such trust instilled in me as to give me free reign over my class topics. I have come up with some classes that will be truly unique and fun.
Another insight from my meditations is that people could benefit from my knowledge and from hearing my story. I feel a little egotistical saying that, but a trusted friend told me several years ago, "Michelle, you don't realize what you know."
Following those words many years later, I have decided to step into my power and share what I have learned. I am incredibly lucky to have been educated by internationally renowned scholars in religion, Western science, and Ayurveda. I have always felt like it seems self-righteous to tout my teachers, but it recently occurred to me that people might like to know why I know what I know...and why my knowledge is so diverse. I am a person who has always followed my opportunities as they present themselves. Some people plan a career trajectory in college and allow that to be their guide. Those people follow a logical progression of college courses that lead to their intended career. I am not one of those people. When I was younger, I envied the organization and foresight of these individuals who possessed such clear direction. Now that I have found a career that allows me to integrate all of my knowledge into helping others heal, I realize that my seeming lack of direction was actually my gathering expertise in all the necessary areas.
I am going to make other postings with more details about my journey. In this context, it makes more sense to focus on my education in Eastern philosophy and religion. I was fortunate to receive my education in these topics by some of the most respected scholars in the world. I was taught much by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, who provided me with an education about the history of Islamic thought and the many influences of Persian culture on Western nations. I was given an irreplacable education in all things Indian by Alf Hiltebeitel. If you Google either one of these men, you will see the vast influence they have both had in their respective fields. I was also educated in Tibetan Buddhism by Reverend Dr. Ani Kunga Chodron, which led me to some priceless experiential knowledge that I will be sharing during my first Wednesday Workshop.
This is not to downplay the excellence of my other teachers. The list of influential people in my educational path is long enough to bore most people. In the Western world of Ayurveda, everyone is concerned with authenticity. This should be a concern, being that your Ayurvedic practitioner needs to be someone you can trust. But what I am referring to here when I say "authenticity" is the difference between Eastern knowledge from the East versus a Western person reading a book and deciding that they will become a practitioner of Ayurveda. Since Ayurveda is a science, no one should be claiming to be practicing it unless they have had another practitioner teaching them. Science courses all have lab components because practical knowledge is necessary.
Knowledge in the East is passed down both academically and experientially from teacher to student. No matter how much you read, you will never be able to equal the knowledge gained from one-on-one teaching by a professional. People want to know whether I am practicing "authentic" Indian Ayurveda. I can honestly say, thanks to my many teachers, that my foundation of knowledge is authentically Indian. I studied Ayurveda academically at George Washington University, and experientially was supervised by Ayurvedic professionals. Most of my teaching in Indian philosphy was given by scholars native to Eastern countries. One cannot truly practice Ayurveda without understanding Indian philosophical perspectives because Ayurveda is mind-body medicine.
I have combined my knowledge of Ayurveda with my experience working in a Western clinical setting, my education in music, art, human anatomy and physiology, medicinal chemistry, environmental science, public health, and religion. This combination of diverse knowledge is what allows me to look at each person in my office individually, assess what is happening with them, and to look beyond purely physical origins of disease. My education in environmental science enables me to investigate environmental causes of illness. It is my background in religion that allows me to help people bring spiritual practice back into their lives, according to their tradition. My education in the fine arts has allowed me to understand how music and art can be used to facilitate healing with my patients. My knowledge of biology and chemistry aids my assessment of each person as well as my treatment recommendations. All of this knowledge is what I am planning to pass on, in "bite-sized" pieces, to others during my Wednesday Workshops.
This month, on January 29, I will be teaching Tibetan Buddhist Practice. Tibetan Buddhism is a subject that is very dear to me. I am a published author on Tibetan Buddhism and my work has been internationally recognized. I was privileged to study Tibetan practice under Ani Kunga Chodron and Lama Kalsang Gyaltsen of Sakya Temple. It is not often that one gets personalized teaching from a Tibetan Lama, and I will always be grateful for it.
I have realized over the years that while many people know who the Dalai Lama is, familiarity with Tibetan practice often ends there. In this Wednesday Workshop, I will describe the origins of Tibetan Buddhism and teach the basics of what it is like to actually practice it, including a mantra to the medicine Buddha. I will share my experiences studying under Tibetan monastics in the lineage of Sakya Trizin.
This class is intended as a learning experience for anyone who has ever been curious about Tibetan Buddhism. No previous knowledge is required. For those who are more experienced or who are academically inclined, they will benefit from learning about the practice of Tibetan Buddhism versus academic study, and I will provide everyone with references for further reading.
Topics covered include:
- the Bodhisattva Vow
-the origins of Tibetan Buddhism
-basic Tibetan philosophy and beliefs
-traditional Tibetan meditation
-Tibetan mantra
-an insider's perspective on Tibetan Buddhist practice
-Tibetan gods, goddesses, and Buddhas
I will be bringing with me the sacred text that is taught in Tibetan monasteries during the first year of study.
This class will be from 6-8 pm at Tranquili-Chi Center (http://www.tranquili-chi.com/) and the learning investment is $35.
Please register by January 28 by calling me at: 703-475-9642 or my emailing me at: [email protected]. For those who are on Facebook, contacting me on the Health Revolution Ayurveda page will be fine, as long as you give me some way to reach you by phone or email.
If anyone would like a schedule of all Wednesday Workshop classes, please contact me.
I hope you can make it!
Best,
Michelle
Another insight from my meditations is that people could benefit from my knowledge and from hearing my story. I feel a little egotistical saying that, but a trusted friend told me several years ago, "Michelle, you don't realize what you know."
Following those words many years later, I have decided to step into my power and share what I have learned. I am incredibly lucky to have been educated by internationally renowned scholars in religion, Western science, and Ayurveda. I have always felt like it seems self-righteous to tout my teachers, but it recently occurred to me that people might like to know why I know what I know...and why my knowledge is so diverse. I am a person who has always followed my opportunities as they present themselves. Some people plan a career trajectory in college and allow that to be their guide. Those people follow a logical progression of college courses that lead to their intended career. I am not one of those people. When I was younger, I envied the organization and foresight of these individuals who possessed such clear direction. Now that I have found a career that allows me to integrate all of my knowledge into helping others heal, I realize that my seeming lack of direction was actually my gathering expertise in all the necessary areas.
I am going to make other postings with more details about my journey. In this context, it makes more sense to focus on my education in Eastern philosophy and religion. I was fortunate to receive my education in these topics by some of the most respected scholars in the world. I was taught much by Seyyed Hossein Nasr, who provided me with an education about the history of Islamic thought and the many influences of Persian culture on Western nations. I was given an irreplacable education in all things Indian by Alf Hiltebeitel. If you Google either one of these men, you will see the vast influence they have both had in their respective fields. I was also educated in Tibetan Buddhism by Reverend Dr. Ani Kunga Chodron, which led me to some priceless experiential knowledge that I will be sharing during my first Wednesday Workshop.
This is not to downplay the excellence of my other teachers. The list of influential people in my educational path is long enough to bore most people. In the Western world of Ayurveda, everyone is concerned with authenticity. This should be a concern, being that your Ayurvedic practitioner needs to be someone you can trust. But what I am referring to here when I say "authenticity" is the difference between Eastern knowledge from the East versus a Western person reading a book and deciding that they will become a practitioner of Ayurveda. Since Ayurveda is a science, no one should be claiming to be practicing it unless they have had another practitioner teaching them. Science courses all have lab components because practical knowledge is necessary.
Knowledge in the East is passed down both academically and experientially from teacher to student. No matter how much you read, you will never be able to equal the knowledge gained from one-on-one teaching by a professional. People want to know whether I am practicing "authentic" Indian Ayurveda. I can honestly say, thanks to my many teachers, that my foundation of knowledge is authentically Indian. I studied Ayurveda academically at George Washington University, and experientially was supervised by Ayurvedic professionals. Most of my teaching in Indian philosphy was given by scholars native to Eastern countries. One cannot truly practice Ayurveda without understanding Indian philosophical perspectives because Ayurveda is mind-body medicine.
I have combined my knowledge of Ayurveda with my experience working in a Western clinical setting, my education in music, art, human anatomy and physiology, medicinal chemistry, environmental science, public health, and religion. This combination of diverse knowledge is what allows me to look at each person in my office individually, assess what is happening with them, and to look beyond purely physical origins of disease. My education in environmental science enables me to investigate environmental causes of illness. It is my background in religion that allows me to help people bring spiritual practice back into their lives, according to their tradition. My education in the fine arts has allowed me to understand how music and art can be used to facilitate healing with my patients. My knowledge of biology and chemistry aids my assessment of each person as well as my treatment recommendations. All of this knowledge is what I am planning to pass on, in "bite-sized" pieces, to others during my Wednesday Workshops.
This month, on January 29, I will be teaching Tibetan Buddhist Practice. Tibetan Buddhism is a subject that is very dear to me. I am a published author on Tibetan Buddhism and my work has been internationally recognized. I was privileged to study Tibetan practice under Ani Kunga Chodron and Lama Kalsang Gyaltsen of Sakya Temple. It is not often that one gets personalized teaching from a Tibetan Lama, and I will always be grateful for it.
I have realized over the years that while many people know who the Dalai Lama is, familiarity with Tibetan practice often ends there. In this Wednesday Workshop, I will describe the origins of Tibetan Buddhism and teach the basics of what it is like to actually practice it, including a mantra to the medicine Buddha. I will share my experiences studying under Tibetan monastics in the lineage of Sakya Trizin.
This class is intended as a learning experience for anyone who has ever been curious about Tibetan Buddhism. No previous knowledge is required. For those who are more experienced or who are academically inclined, they will benefit from learning about the practice of Tibetan Buddhism versus academic study, and I will provide everyone with references for further reading.
Topics covered include:
- the Bodhisattva Vow
-the origins of Tibetan Buddhism
-basic Tibetan philosophy and beliefs
-traditional Tibetan meditation
-Tibetan mantra
-an insider's perspective on Tibetan Buddhist practice
-Tibetan gods, goddesses, and Buddhas
I will be bringing with me the sacred text that is taught in Tibetan monasteries during the first year of study.
This class will be from 6-8 pm at Tranquili-Chi Center (http://www.tranquili-chi.com/) and the learning investment is $35.
Please register by January 28 by calling me at: 703-475-9642 or my emailing me at: [email protected]. For those who are on Facebook, contacting me on the Health Revolution Ayurveda page will be fine, as long as you give me some way to reach you by phone or email.
If anyone would like a schedule of all Wednesday Workshop classes, please contact me.
I hope you can make it!
Best,
Michelle