Eliot Tokar is a NYC based practitioner of traditional Asian medicine. He
has studied Tibetan medicine since 1983, and is one of the few people in
North America to have received extensive clinical training in this field;
additionally, he is trained in Chinese medicine, acupuncture, and
traditional Japanese natural therapies. During a period from 1983-1986 Mr.
Tokar studied at the American Institute of Buddhist Studies and received
private instruction from Dr. Yeshi Dhonden, former personal physician to H.H.
the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet. Since 1986 Mr. Tokar has been an apprentice of
the incarnate lama/physician Dr. Trogawa Rinpoche, president of the Chagpori
Tibetan Medical College in Darjeeling, India. Mr. Tokar has also received
regular clinical and textual instruction from his senior colleague, Dr.
Trogawa Rinpoche's senior Western student, Shakya Dorje.
In addition to his practice and studies Mr. Tokar has lectured on Tibetan
medicine, natural medicine and alternatives in healthcare at Princeton
University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, the Columbia Presbyterian
Hospital, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the American Medical
Student's Association's Annual Convention, the New York Botanical Garden,
New York's Asia Society, the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services,
The First International Congress On Alternative And Complementary Medicine,
The First International Congress on Tibetan Medicine, and the 1999
Alternative Therapies Symposium. In 1998 Mr. Tokar conducted a nationwide
educational lecture tour in conjunction with the release of the film The
Knowledge Of Healing, a documentary on Tibetan medicine. In 1999, he
conducted the first online lecture and chat on Tibetan medicine on America
Online
Mr. Tokar currently serves as an advisor to the American Medical Student
Association's Interest Group on Humanistic Medicine. He served on the
Steering Committee of the Roundtable on Traditional Medicine at Columbia
Presbyterian Hospital (1996-97). In addition, he has acted as a consultant
on Tibetan medicine to the database project of Columbia University's
Rosenthal Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine and to the
Science Attaché of the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi, India. Mr. Tokar
organized the 1997 visit to New York City of H. H. the Dalai Lama's Men-Tsee-Khang
(Tibetan Medical and Astrological Institute). He serves on the Board of
Directors of the Shang Shung Institute in Conway, MA.
Mr. Tokar's publications include 'Between Heaven and Earth: An Introduction
To Various Philosophies And Approaches To Medical Care' (Annual Publication
of the American Medical Students Association's National Project on
Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Washington D.C.:AMSA, 1998) 'Tibetan
Medicine: Ancient Wisdom. Modern Healing. Future?' (NEWS TIBET, New York:
Publication of H. H. the Dalai Lama's Office Of Tibet, Winter 1997), a book
review of Asceticism And Healing In Ancient India: Medicine in the Buddhist
Monastery (TRICYCLE: The Buddhist Review, New York: The Buddhist Ray Inc.,
Spring 1992). His publication 'Building A Means of Discourse For Integrative
Medicine: A Tibetan Medical Perspective on Irritable Bowel Syndrome'
appeared in the October 1998 issue of the journal Alternative And
Complementary Therapies (Larchmont, NY: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.) and his
article "Seeing To The Distant Mountain: Diagnosis In Tibetan
Medicine" appeared in the March 1999 issue of Alternative Therapies In
Health And Medicine (Aliso Viejo, CA; Innovision Communications). He has
been featured in the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, The Village
Voice, Yoga Journal, and The New Physician. His new web page
www.tibetanmedicine.com is dedicated to bringing the voice of practitioners,
students and scholars of Tibetan medicine to the internet.