Projects from Shenpen Germany

In the mid 1960s, the Indian government offered several areas in different parts of India to the exiled Tibetans in order for them to settle down. These Tibetan refugee settlements offered a great opportunity to found a new home far from their homeland, to preserve the traditional way of life and to practise their own culture. In the Karnataka state in Southern India alone, around 50 000 Tibetan refugees live in several such settlements. The youngest and so far least developed of these is Dhondenling, 4-5 hours by car South of Bangalore. It was founded in 1974 and spreads over 12 square kilometres of land. Official figures record 5600 people living in this area although unofficial estimates are closer to 7000.

Poverty, poor health, and limited educational prospects are the main problems in the Tibetan refugee settlements in India. Tuberculosis is a wide spread problem and leads to even greater hardship in the confined living quarters of often large families.

The Dzogchen Monastery, under the direction of His Eminence Dzogchen Rinpoche, is the spiritual centre of the settlement. It is from here that the residents hope for advice and material help if the need becomes overwhelming. Rinpoche’s charitable projects are planned and handled by the Dzogchen Shri Senha Charitable Society (DSSCS), which Rinpoche founded in 1995 as charitable society in India. In the past, the DSSCS renovated for example the local school, which is attended by 800 children, built an Old Peoples’ Home and two new Kindergartens. On the international level, DSSCS is supported by Shenpen.

Shenpen Deutschland supports Dzogchen Monastery itself through monk sponsorships and also supports the following current projects of His Eminence Dzogchen Rinpoche:

Vidyadhara (Sanskrit) means "knowledge holder". The Vidyadhara healing projects incorporate the spiritual wisdom of the ancient authentic Dzogchen tradition into the healing process. That way, the therapy can indeed tackle the root of the problem.

Vidyadhara Healing Clinic (VHC) at Dzogchen Monastery

The Vidyadhara Healing Clinic (VHC) will improve the health care in the Tibetan settlement for the whole population and of course also for the Indians in the area. At the moment there already is a temporary health centre at the monastery where medical volunteers have been offering various services (general practice, acupuncture, homeopathy, ostheopathy, massages etc). The now planned new clinic will offer comprehensive services and be equipped with X-Ray, ECG and a dental unit in order to offer minor surgery and dental care. Treatment by general practitioners and dentists will continue to be complemented by alternative healing methods like acupuncture.


New file system at temporary clinic	Young monks at the entrance

Tongue diagnosis at acupuncture camp 2003	Waiting area

Dzogchen Rinpoche, through integration of his own spiritual and healing tradition, has come to appreciate authentic healing methods from other traditions. During his travels and teaching over the years he has met with diverse groups of medical practitioners from around the world and has come to appreciate and see the benefits of a range of healing systems.
The benefits of Western and Eastern medicine can be made deeper and more powerful if combined with the Dzogchen approach. Methods of healing like yoga, meditation and acupuncture have become well-known but for some the methods themselves have become the main focus. However, in order for these methods to be truly healing and effective, they must incorporate a spiritual dimension.

An accomplished spiritual practitioner can diagnose not just the physical symptoms but also their root-cause. The same disease in different patients may be treated in the same way, yet one patient may recover fully whereas another may not improve at all or indeed get worse.
Although there may be physical causes, a holistic treatment will not just provide medicine or physical therapy but will address changes in behaviour and mental and physical habits. VHI acknowledges every person as unique, with an individual history and set of circumstances. Clients will be guided, consulted and offered a variety of different therapies applicable to their personal situation and history.

VHI wants good health to be the responsibility of both practitioners and clients. The atmosphere of VHI should be positive and the individuals treated should also become more useful and bring the good atmosphere to others. People who come to VHI may leave their mental and physical sickness and negative energy behind them. At VHI healing and spiritual practices will be carried out continually to purify negative energy and maintain the environment of health, well-being and wisdom.

The VHI site was chosen after a long search for its good feng-shui. It has a positive feel and peaceful atmosphere. The ground is rich in quartz and has its own water supply. The VHI plans are to create a variety of peaceful garden areas around buildings for different treatments and activities, as well as a public café/restaurant.