Magical movements ('phrul 'khor): Ancient yogic practices in the Bon religion and contemporary medical perspectives

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dc.contributor.advisorKlein, Anne C.en_US
dc.creatorChaoul, Marco Alejandroen_US
dc.date.accessioned2009-06-04T08:35:45Zen_US
dc.date.available2009-06-04T08:35:45Zen_US
dc.date.issued2006en_US
dc.description.abstractMagical movement is a distinctive Tibetan practice of physical yoga in which breath and concentration of the mind are integrated as crucial components in conjunction with particular body movements. Present in all five spiritual traditions of Tibet---some more prevalent than others---it has been part of their spiritual training since at least the tenth century C.E. Focusing on the magical movement from the ancient Bon tradition's Oral Transmission of Zhang Zhung and its contemporary representatives and lineageholders, this dissertation will include textual translation and analysis as well as ethnographical research reporting how it is used in Bon lay settings and monastic curricula today. In particular I will use a commentary by the famous Bonpo scholar and meditator Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen, who allegedly attained the rainbow body in 1934 (a sign, in the tradition, of the highest contemplative state). He was also part of the non-sectarian ( ris med) Tibetan movement of his time. Although this aspect does not transpire in his Commentary, I feel that Shardza's example is present as an inspiration to the spirit in which I relate to the context of the practice and material contained in his text. Examining the use of the subtle body in magical movement and the understanding of "magic" in that context, I propose that here magic can have the external meaning of magic, the internal meaning of medicine and the most internal or secret meaning of mysticism. Thus, these magical movements provide the yogin or practitioner an opportunity to break through or go beyond the limitations of the body and to bring forth the mystical experiences together with the magical and healing aspects. Finally, tracing the migration of this practice to the West, both in dharma or Buddhist centers and the contemporary Western medical settings, I report some of the benefits of using these mind-body techniques as part of a CIM (Complementary and Integrative Medicine) treatment for people with cancer. This may allow magical movement to participate in a larger dialogue, one that extends the conversation to the fields medical humanity and integrative medicine, among others.en_US
dc.format.extent292 p.en_US
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen_US
dc.identifier.callnoTHESIS RELI. 2007 CHAOULen_US
dc.identifier.citationChaoul, Marco Alejandro. "Magical movements ('phrul 'khor): Ancient yogic practices in the Bon religion and contemporary medical perspectives." (2006) Diss., Rice University. <a href="https://hdl.handle.net/1911/18880">https://hdl.handle.net/1911/18880</a>.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/18880en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.rightsCopyright is held by the author, unless otherwise indicated. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.subjectReligionen_US
dc.subjectCultural anthropologyen_US
dc.subjectRehabilitation and therapyen_US
dc.titleMagical movements ('phrul 'khor): Ancient yogic practices in the Bon religion and contemporary medical perspectivesen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.type.materialTexten_US
thesis.degree.departmentReligious Studiesen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineHumanitiesen_US
thesis.degree.grantorRice Universityen_US
thesis.degree.levelDoctoralen_US
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophyen_US
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