New Books in Buddhist Studies

The Perils of Tantra, with Susannah Deane

4 snips
Oct 6, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Susannah Deane, a scholar of Tibetan medicine and Buddhism, unpacks the complex interplay of Tibetan "wind disorders" and tantric practices. She explores how mishandled Tantric techniques can lead to mental health issues, revealing insights about losing control over spirits and the social dynamics between religious and medical help. Deane also sheds light on subtle-body systems and their role in Tibetan healing, emphasizing the cultural significance of these practices amidst exile and collective struggles.
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INSIGHT

Wind Bridges Body And Mind

  • Tibetan 'wind' (rlung) blends Ayurvedic vata and tantric prana, linking physiology and consciousness in one concept.
  • This conflation explains why mental symptoms and subtle-body practices interact in Tibetan frameworks.
ANECDOTE

Earthquake Raised 'High Wind'

  • After a strong earthquake in Darjeeling, locals described feeling 'high wind' from stress the next day.
  • This example shows how Tibetans use rlung to explain acute emotional and bodily reactions to trauma.
INSIGHT

Merged Traditions Cause Tension

  • Tibetan rlung fuses two Indian concepts, causing overlaps and tensions between medical and tantric explanations.
  • That fusion makes tantric manipulation of wind a plausible cause of mental disturbance in Tibetan thought.
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