Periagoge
Concept
1 min read

The Three Humors as Body Wisdom

Tibetan medicine's foundational theory of Wind, Bile, and Phlegm as constitutional forces that reveal how the body communicates its needs through imbalance.

Dipa
Why It Matters

In Sowa Rigpa, the three humors—Wind (rLung), Bile (mKhris-pa), and Phlegm (Bad-kan)—are not merely physiological categories but expressions of how consciousness manifests in the body. Dipa Ma's emphasis on stillness and embodied awareness directly parallels the recognition that imbalanced humors create agitation, inflammation, or stagnation. By studying these humors through a lens of somatic intelligence, practitioners develop fearlessness about bodily sensations and learn to interpret them as meaningful information. Each humor corresponds to psychological states: Wind to anxiety and movement, Bile to intensity and digestion, Phlegm to stability and heaviness. Understanding this framework transforms suffering from mysterious dysfunction into readable body language, making healing an act of listening rather than fighting against oneself.

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Dipa
Health & Body
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