Generate love and compassion, either using the seven techniques of cause and effect, or thinking the following:Love: All sentient beings are deprived of happiness.

A student with a tumor wrote to Rinpoche asking for advice. Their letter and Rinpoche’s response are below.

My very dear Mark,I just sent you some cards. I hope you will enjoy them.

Keep thinking, “This heavy sickness purifies many years, many lifetimes, many eons of heavy negative karma that causes the suffering of the lower realms—hell, hungry ghost, and animal realms—for an inconceivable length of time.

It is better to ask for beneficial practices to perform than cures for sickness, unless, of course, the person’s attitude is to serve others.

Rinpoche gave the following advice to a student with severe arthritis.

A student ;had started menopause and developed arthritis in her back, which produced neuralgia in her arms and legs. The pain was very strong and difficult for her to bear, and doctors advised that she could either have surgery or live with the pain. The student asked Rinpoche what she could do to live with the suffering, and if there were any practices or any other solution to help reduce the pain.

Initial Advice for Long Life and Dispelling Life ObstaclesTake a Long Life Initiation this year.Have the puja ‘Betraying the Death’ performed – this is a method to promote a long life.Make 50 long-life tsa-tsas (or ask the nuns in Aptos to make them

My very dear Helen,

Rinpoche gave the following remedy for arthritis.