The Lineage

The ancient healing lineages of Tibet contain both an oral and a written tradition.

This knowledge has been transmitted both through the monastic, as well as the non-monastic, traditions.

Below are some brief notes on individual Mantra Healing practitioners who form an important part of the lineage which Dr Nida Chenagstang passes on to the students who have the good fortune to study with him.

Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo (1820 – 1892) was one of the leaders of the Rime (non-sectarian) movement. He was a great Buddhist master and scholar, and was highly respected by scholars of all of the Buddhist schools. He wrote various texts on Tibetan Medicine, such as the “rGyud bZhi bsDus Don Nyingpo”( ‘Summarised Essence of the Four Tantras’). He also compiled a very famous book of tantric Healing Mantras, commonly known as “Khyentse sNags Bum” (‘Khyentse’s One-hundred-thousand Mantras’).

Ju Mipam (1846 – 1912) was born in Kham. He was the student of Jamyang Khyentse Wangpo. Ju Mipam started studying Buddhist philosophy at a very young age and became one of the most renowned scholars of his time. He wrote texts about Vajrayana, astrology and Tibetan Medicine, as well as collecting information on folk arts - such as the very ancient form of divination called JuThig (rope divination) - which was in danger of being lost. His works comprise 14 volumes in total.

Ju Mipam is especially known for his works on Tibetan Medicine; in particular, works on urinalysis and pulse diagnosis, as well as a book about Traditional Tibetan Medicine formulae. He wrote an important text commonly known as “Mipam sNags Bum” (‘Mipam’s Book of One-hundred-thousand Mantras’). In this text, he wrote about Tibetan Medicine and the gTerma tradition; he selected and collated many of these important healing mantras. This text has become the most popular Mantra Healing book in Tibet.

Dr Nida has studied the works of both of these great masters; his teachings - and his own Mantra Healing text - are based on the teachings of these two great masters.

Khenpo Troru Tsenam (1928 – 2005)was one of the most outstanding Tibetan Medicine scholars of recent times. He was a highly-accomplished practitioner and lineage-holder within the Nyingma and Kagyudpa traditions, and was a lineage-holder of the Yuthok Nyinthig and all other Tibetan Medical teachings.  Khenpo Trotsenam is famous for having faithfully preserved that aspect of the Tibetan Medicine teachings which details the complex and intricate preparation of the Tibetan Precious Pills (Rinchen Rilbu). In addition, he was the only known person in Tibet to preserve the Sanskrit language studies. He was a great scholar, physician and spiritual master. During his productive and exemplary life, Khenpo Trotsenam was the Director of the Tibetan Medical University in Lhasa, and he is believed to have been a reincarnation of the Medicine Buddha. 

It was from Khenpo Trotsenam that Dr. Nida Chenagtsang received the empowerment of Yuthok Nyinthig, as well as Vajrayana and Tibetan Medicine teachings.

Khenpo Tsultrim Gyaltsen was a very famous scholar and lineage-holder within the Nyingma and Sakya traditions. He was an expert in the studies of Astrology, Tibetan Medicine and Buddhist Philosophy, and was a lineage-holder of the YuthokNyinthig Medical teachings. He dedicated his life to Tibetan Medicine and Astrology and worked for many years at the Lhasa MenTseKhang.

It was from Khenpo Tsultrim Gyaltsen that Dr. Nida Chenagtsang received full transmission of Yuthok Nyingthig, Mantra Healing, Traditional Tibetan Medicine teachings, and Vajrayana instruction.

Dr Nida Chenagtsang was born in Amdo, Tibet. Interested in the traditional medicine of his people, Dr Nida began his early medical training at the local Traditional Tibetan Medicine Hospital. Later he gained scholarship entry to Lhasa Tibetan Medical University and completed his medical training in 1996. Dr Nida gained his practical training at the Traditional Tibetan Medicine Hospitals in Lhasa (Lhasa MenTse Khang) and Lhoka.

Dr. Nida has published a number of articles and several books on Traditional Tibetan Medicine. He has extensively researched ancient Tibetan medicinal treatments, specialising in the revival of external therapies, which has brought him high acclaim in the field of Tibetan Medicine in both the East and the West.

Dr Nida is Director of the International Academy for Traditional Tibetan Medicine (IATTM) and the Co-Founder of the International Ngak-Mang Institutes (NMI), established to preserve and maintain the Rebkong Ngakpa culture within modern Tibetan society. Dr Nida’s teachings are widely known throughout Asia, Europe, Russia, the USA and Australia, where he has trained students in Traditional Tibetan Medicine, Ku Nye Massage, Mantra Healing, Diet and Behaviour, Dream Analysis, Sa Che (geomancy), as well as Birth and Death according to Tibetan Medicine.

All courses, seminars and public talks are organised through the IATTM and NMI.

Fluent in English, Dr Nida is an experienced and knowledgeable communicator with a

sophisticated ability to teach the subtleties of these traditional modalities to westerners.