Join herbalist Todd Caldecott as he shares stories of his travels to Nepal over two decades in his quest to understand and preserve Nepali Āyurveda traditions.
In 2017, he met Vaidya Bishowath, a man who devoted more than 75 years to the study and practice of Āyurveda in the Kathmandu Valley. A fount of wisdom and practical experience, he expressed his desire to preserve and share these ancient traditions before he passed.
When Todd brought a group of students to Nepal to study pharmacy and medicinal preparation, Bishowath carefully supervised the medicine making, ensuring from memory that every step and stage of the preparations were correct.
In 2020, Todd produced an award-winning film, The Healer’s Dream, directed and filmed by Roxana Mares. This poignant film shares Bishwonath’s life and many achievements, his confidence in Ayurveda, and concern for its future due to increasing pressures of population, pollution, and over-harvesting in Nepal. This webinar includes a viewing of this short film.
In this webinar, we will explore:
- The impact of Āyurveda as a healing practice
- The roots of Nepali Āyurveda traditions
- Traditional Āyurvedic medicine-making practices
- The impact of Vaidya Bishowath’s lifelong mission
- How to respectfully adapt these traditions to a Western culture
Todd Caldecott is a clinical herbalist with 27 years of clinical experience and a deep foundational background in medical herbalism, Ayurveda, and other herbal traditions. He is a registered professional member of the American Herbalists Guild and the National Ayurvedic Medical Association and director of the Dogwood School of Botanical Medicine.
He is a published author/editor of many articles, papers, and books on the subject of herbal medicine, health, and Ayurveda, including Ayurveda the Divine Science of Life (2006), Ayurveda in Nepal (2009), and Food As Medicine (2011).
Since 2002, Todd has maintained a close relationship with a group of hereditary physicians located in Kathmandu and incorporates many of their artisanal remedies in his practice. In 2014, Todd was the Visiting Mitchell Scholar at Bastyr University and lectures at conferences and symposiums internationally. Todd lives on a small herb farm, where he also maintains a clinic and dispensary on the Sunshine Coast of BC.
Learn more at https://toddcaldecott.com/