Today’s writing is kindling memories of 1976 when I spent three months in Dharamsala, India where I studied Buddhism, meditation, Thanka painting, and ancient Tibetan Medicine for three months. I met H.H. Dalai Lama, who introduced me to my teacher, Thrangu Rinpoche of Bodha Nath in Kathmandu, Nepal. On return to University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, I wrote my second award winning essay for the Chauncey Leake Essay Contest in the History and Philosophy of Medicine—“Tibetan Medicine: And Ancient System Struggles to Survive.” My interest in writing started as a medical student fascinated with cross cultural medicine. UTMB sponsored a one month study for me to study and write about Curanderismo (Mexican folk healing) at the Mexico/Texas border towns.
During these same years I met my art-mentor, Thomas Downing, a world renowned Washington Color School artist. We began to link the healing power of art as a rudimentary mindfulness practice, predating meditation and yoga by 35,000 years. In 1979, I wrote “Thomas Downing: The Way of the Dot” during my study of Chado (The Way of Tea), the Japanese Tea Ceremony. It was with Tom Downing that I came to see Art and Healing as a singularity—like matter and energy. Tom also introduced me to Andy Warhol in 1976 in New Orleans. Andy invited me to visit him in the Factory when I arrived in New York in 1977. Andy became a friend and inspiration in writing my book THE ART IMPERATIVE: The Secret Power of Art.