Dharma Singh Khalsa MD
Artist Bio:
Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D. was born in Ohio and raised in Florida. He is a graduate of Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska. Dr. Dharma received his training in Anesthesiology at University of California Medical School San Francisco, where he was Chief Resident. He has always had a strong interest in Alternative Medicine, as shown by his completion of the UCLA Medical Acupuncture for Physicians course and his study of Mind/Body Medicine at Harvard Medical School. Beyond that, Dr. Dharma has studied, practiced and taught Kundalini Yoga and Meditation under the direct guidance of his teacher, Yogi Bhajan, Master of Kundalini Yoga and White Tantric Yoga for over 20 years.
Dr. Dharma is the founding director of the Acupuncture, Stress Medicine and Chronic Pain Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine's teaching hospital in Phoenix, Maricopa Medical Center. Dr. Dharma is founding member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. He is also a diplomat of the American Academy of Pain Management. His own experience with the type of Medical Meditation presented in this new book goes back to 1978.
After finishing his anesthesiology residency at the University of California, San Francisco, he moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, for his first hospital position. A practitioner of basic yoga and Transcendental Meditation, he saw and ad for a yoga class in a local alternative newspaper and responded to it. It would totally transform his life. "It was a session in Kundalini Yoga and Meditation as taught by Yogi Bhajan," he recalls. "I experienced a very elevated state, mentally, physically and spiritually, which felt very healing." He continued this practice almost daily for two years and also became interested in the religion that is often associated with Kundalini Yoga, Sikhism. Kundalini Yoga and Sikhism both originated in India, but yoga is an ancient science and Sikhism is a religion. Before deciding to adopt Sikhism, he sought the advice of the fabled Yogi Bhajan, whom he'd never met. Over the next two weeks, a series of extraordinary experiences with Yogi Bhajan resulted in his conversion to Sikhism, the adoption of his new name and the donning of the Sikh's traditional white turban, which helps keep the Kundalini energy elevated. The modern teaching of Medical Meditation dates back to Guru Ram Das, a 15th Century Master who begun the tradition of passing the teachings down from master to student. This tradition continued until 1969 when Yogi Bhajan brought the principles to the West for the first time, teaching them openly in the United States.
Now, Dharma believes, it is the right time for a greater popularization of these principles and techniques. "People want to move from information to experience. They want to feel and heal. They want their spirit attended to, not just their body. More and more, people are beginning to work on the subtler energy systems of their body where true healing can occur."
"People are in a lot of pain, experiencing a lack of vitality and progressive illness. Rather than spending tons of money on drugs and medical supplies, I hope this book will convince readers that they can do something simple and well-studied, with no side-effects or costs, to help heal their afflictions and enhance the quality of their lives. I'd like everyone to start meditating, and I hope this new book will help."
For the past eight years, Dr. Dharma has been the President and Medical Director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation in Tucson. The Alzheimer's Prevention Foundation is the only non-profit complementary medical program in the world researching the prevention and reversal of memory loss. His first book Brain Longevity: The Breakthrough Medical Program That Improves Your Mind and Memory was released by Warner Books in May 1997. It is now in its fourth printing. Brain Longevity has been translated in ten languages and was a runaway best seller in Brazil. Dr. Dharma's second book The Pain Cure: The Proven Medical Program That Helps End Your Chronic Pain was released by Warner Books in May 1999 to advanced praised as one of the best books ever written for the general public where pain is an issue.
Dr. Dharma currently writes, teaches, and has a consultation practice in Tucson, Arizona. He also leads workshops at Miraval, Life in Balance Resort in Tucson. He advices people to "Wake Up To Wellness", instructing them to start their day in a positive way by carving out time for meditated peace at the beginning of each day.