Bodies in Balance: The Art of Tibetan Medicine

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter in a book

Abstract

Early on in my studies I came across the two richly illustrated publications 'Oriental Medicine' (1995) and 'Tibetan Medical Paintings' (1992) published by Serindia. Both were the outcome of collaborative, international projects that were spearheaded by Serindia’s founder and owner Anthony Aris, to whom this edited volume is dedicated. At the time I did not know Anthony, or any of the contributors, nor could I appreciate the enormous effort that had gone into producing these beautiful books. I valued and was deeply inspired by their academic quality and—coming from an artistic and book-loving family—their superb aesthetic design and quality. It was only in the past few years that I could begin to comprehend Anthony’s, and his wife Marie-Laure’s, great effort, vision and achievement in realizing these Serindia volumes.

I feel lucky to have met Anthony for a conversation on the 'Bodies in Balance - The Art of Tibetan Medicine' project, comprising an exhibition at the Rubin Museum in New York, as well as an accompanying publication that aimed to meet Serindia’s uncompromising dedication to scholarly rigour and aesthetic value. During a recent meeting with Anthony I was able to hear for the first time some of the stories behind the making of his two earlier landmark books. They brought home to me the enormous efforts, diplomacy and dedication that had been required to reach the standard that Serindia has been known for since its very inception, and which we still try to achieve today. The following essay, which is the introduction to the Bodies in Balance publication, offers a small token of gratitude for the legacy Anthony has left for Tibetan medical studies and to the 'Bodies in Balance' project which benefited, among other things, from the high quality transparencies of the medical paintings that Anthony secured many years ago in Ulan Ude, at the brink of the fall of the Soviet Union. It is presented with thanks, admiration, and deep respect.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationTibetan & Himalayan Healing: An Anthology for Anthony Aris
EditorsCharles Ramble, Ulrike Roessler
Place of PublicationKathmandu
PublisherVajra
Publication statusPublished - 2015

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