Buddha’s Alchemy uses ancient and rarely taught healing methods that date back to before Buddha’s time. The system incorporates both physical healing and spiritual medicine, and forms a path of service in Parayana Buddhism. In the Himalayan regions of what is now India, China, Tibet and surrounding areas, rishis, sages, monks, and others who practiced these healing arts traveled back and forth freely sharing teachings and information. The Parayana Buddhist teachings originated in this region, and integrate knowledge and skills from Ayurveda, Chinese and Tibetan medicine accordingly. Jivaka who was Buddha Shakyamuni’s personal physician, is a patriarch of our system, and was particularly skilled in energy medicine.

A siddhi is what would be described in modern day terms as a supernatural ability, or uncommon “power”. Siddhis are often effects that come about naturally as a practitioner develops more intense mind strength and concentration. In his day, Buddha’s disciples commonly acquired these abilities as side effects of the concentration practices that he taught. A practitioner of siddhis, or a person who has naturally acquired these abilites, is called a siddha. Siddhis can manifest in many ways. In Parayana Buddhism, siddhis are developed as a means to heal more skilfully and connect with the ultimate healer – Life Force.

At Buddha’s Alchemy we use a combination of therapies which have been used and taught for many millenia. These include: healing with chi / prana, botanical medicine, nutritional guidance, a form of bone adjustment / realignment that is gentle and effective, tibetan cranial energy work, medical chi kung massage and acupressure, marma point therapy, kum nye massage, meditation and mindfulness coaching, and counselling based on Buddhist psychology.

We can treat a variety of imbalances, from structural misalignments to internal imbalances to stress. Please contact us if you have questions or require more information.

We work between Victoria and Vancouver, BC.  Clinic days in Vancouver are Monday afternoons and Tuesdays. Appointments in Victoria are available Thursday – Saturday.

Contact us here.

We have trained healing professionals from different backgrounds such as nurses, physiotherapists, counsellors, massage therapists, and med students. Techniques and methods from our system may be used in conjunction with other therapies to enhance their effects, or may be used in their entirety together as in Buddhist healing. Chi skills are particularly helpful for improving efficacy of other therapies. We also train motivated and sincere individuals without previous healing experience, and this should not be a barrier to learning this path of service, or learning how to help yourself and friends and family. Sometimes having no predetermined reference point can provide an open, non-judgmental base from which to work.

The training starts with learning meditation and mindfulness as a base for developing chi skills and a deeper intuitive understanding of healing. 9 different qualities of chi and their uses in healing are explored in the first level of training. These first 2 very important topics are not taught in the Buddhist siddhi context anywhere else in North America. The concepts of chi, nerve and blood gates and how to work with them are discussed. Healing with heat and cold, Buddhist medical massage techniques and their applications, and basic nutritional considerations are part of the teachings.

Our healing teachings come from an oral Buddhist yogic tradition. This means that the teachings have been passed down directly from teacher to student over thousands of years. This is an Eastern way of teaching, and is not practiced in Western education.

You will be given direct oral instruction and demonstration from your Master Teacher. You will also be given direct transmission from the teacher to help you “perceive” chi qualities that you may not have been aware of previously. The direct transmission from the teacher is a practice common to yogic traditions, but not known in the West.

We are Buddhist yogins dedicated to spiritual paths of service, and growth. We are not a commercial operation. At this time, our organization is small.

Classes are kept small to allow the teacher sufficient connection with students in accordance with this style of teaching. Our class size has ranged from 2 -12 students for group classes. We also offer private ongoing classes for those who wish to study at their own pace and schedule sessions with the teacher as able.

Group classes are held over a 16 week period, one 2 hour class per week. Students study and practice between classes. This gives the student time to develop and work with core skills.

Private classes are 2 hours per class, and scheduled as agreed upon by student and teacher. They can be ongoing .

We have space for training groups and classes to be held in New Westminster or Victoria BC. We will post publicly and send out announcements if a new group is going to run. If you would like more information, or would like to host/ start a group or take private lesson with Shi Yao Hai, please contact us.

Download healing training information here.

Meditation is a vehicle for mind strengthening. Mind strength is the ability to recognize and transcend habituated subconscious patterns that prevent us from seeing reality as it really exists – in other words – truth. Patterns that we have learned over our life time are responsible for reactive and unskillful viewpoints and behaviours.

We blend meditation and mindfulness together in a graduated fashion so that the student can walk the 2 hand in hand through every day life. This is how Buddha taught his disciples. It is integral to take these practices off of the cushion and make them an everyday baseline for living.

Private meditation classes (or with friends) can be held in New Westminster or Victoria BC. Please contact us for more information.

Buddhist psychology comes from Buddha’s core teachings about how to relieve suffering or stress, and increase contentment and happiness in life. Many students find these classes a good starting point for their studies.

Buddhist psychology classes are offered twice weekly in Vancouver, and once weekly in Victoria. Currently, the Vancouver classes run on Monday and Tuesday evenings, and the Victoria classes run on Thursday evenings. They are sometimes hosted by students who have donated their home space for students to gather for the teachings, The classes are 2 hours in length. Please contact us for further information and directions.