The Buddha's Medicine

The Buddha's Medicine Integrative Ayurvedic medicine focused on accessible, holistic, and individualized care.

Our aim is to bring the Eastern and Western healing arts together in simple, accessible ways. We seek to help prevent imbalance and illness in those who are well, and to support those who feel imbalanced or ill in their recovery. We offer these services as part of a complete healthy living framework as we strive towards this goal:

1) Ayurvedic consultation and treatment

Including the use of organic medicinal herbs in custom formulations, lifestyle and food as medicine, and manual pressure point therapy

2) Thai bodywork

Promoting optimal body clarity and function with gentle pressure, guided stretching, and deep relaxation

3) Yoga

Both the philosophy and practice, using healing meditations, exercises for body and breath, and approaches to self-reflection

A foundation and ongoing training in western medicine sets the stage, helping to fluidly bring the above three modalities into the context of living in today’s world.

“We’re picking up where we left off at the end of Part 1 - what do we do about a system that is busted, and that itself ...
12/31/2025

“We’re picking up where we left off at the end of Part 1 - what do we do about a system that is busted, and that itself needs medical attention? My own view is that it won’t do just to wait around until our elected (or otherwise) leaders do right by us and completely overhaul the existing system. We can - and should - change the paradigm at the community level. And there are a number of ways we can go about that from the ground level up. One way we can accomplish that goal is by taking the middleman (insurance) out of the equation - at the very least, as much as reasonably possible. When an exchange occurs directly between patient and physician rather than going through a middleman like insurance, we refer to this as ‘direct care.’”

Dr. Matt Van Auken, MD, MPH dives into the truths about the healthcare system in his blog “The Direct Care Option: Transparency, Access, Good Medicine”. This is the 2/3 part of his health insurance series! Original article is in our bio!

“I got interested in the power and potency of lifestyle medicine in my early 20s; for me, a regular practice of yoga asa...
12/28/2025

“I got interested in the power and potency of lifestyle medicine in my early 20s; for me, a regular practice of yoga asana and the adoption of a vegetarian diet healed my optical migraines and put my childhood lactose intolerance into remission. Therapeutic elements of lifestyle feature prominently in each plan of care I craft for my patients. So I’ve watched with great interest as fasting - particularly different forms of intermittent fasting, like time restricted feeding - has exploded in popularity. If you scroll through social media (which I do not recommend for just about anyone basically ever), you’ll find yourself fed countless “influencers” through whatever algorithm promoting various fasting protocols as the “ultimate solution” for everything from weight loss to longevity. But as with many health trends, the reality is much more nuanced than the headlines suggest.”

Dr. Matt Van Auken, MD, MPH dives into the myths and fallacies of dieting and fasting in his blog “Modern Fasting Misconceptions”. Original article is in our bio!

“Back when I was teaching yoga more often, I would share stories and things I found inspiring at the beginning of each c...
12/20/2025

“Back when I was teaching yoga more often, I would share stories and things I found inspiring at the beginning of each class. These things were nuggets of truth that might offer a perspective or insight into our shared human experience; our dharma, if you will. One story I shared a lot in those days came from David Foster Wallace. In a graduation speech (https://fs.blog/david-foster-wallace-this-is-water/), he told of two young fish meeting an older fish while swimming. The older fish said something like: “Hey boys. How’s the water?” and swam away. The two young fish looked at each other and one finally said: “What the hell is water?” I share this now, in a therapy blog, because the point still holds. What we acclimate to becomes our truth, and sometimes we do not even know it. What does this mean in the sense of polyvagal-informed therapy? It means that our nervous-systems are in the water. So the question we need to ask is: what water is your nervous system swimming in?

Jamie Van Auken, MD, Registered Marriage & Family Therapist Associate, E-RYT 500 dives into her experiences with nervous system regulation in her blog “Knowing Your Nervous System: Polyvagal-Informed Therapy”. Original article is in our bio!

“One of the communities I serve is perpetrators of domestic violence. Yes, you read that correctly—I work with individua...
12/19/2025

“One of the communities I serve is perpetrators of domestic violence. Yes, you read that correctly—I work with individuals who have committed domestic violence, as part of a rehabilitation curriculum. One of the recurring themes in our conversations is the idea of being “disrespected.” Often, someone will come in and share an experience of feeling disrespected and how they responded. (The response is usually internalized anger at best—or escalation and retaliation at worst.) I find myself asking the same questions again and again: Did that response work? Is this an accurate representation of yourself? Do you think that person respects you more now?”

Jamie Van Auken dives into the complex emotions of disrespect in her blog “The Truth About Disrespect”. Original article is in our bio!

“There’s something tender about this time of year, when the calendar turns and we find ourselves standing at a threshold...
12/14/2025

“There’s something tender about this time of year, when the calendar turns and we find ourselves standing at a threshold, looking both backward & forward.
In Ayurveda, we understand that nature doesn’t operate in straight lines; the seasons cycle, the doshas shift, and our bodies & minds move through rhythms of expansion and contraction, activity and rest. The “new year” isn’t so much a fresh start as it’s another turn of the wheel: an invitation to notice where we are and gently adjust our course.”

Jess Marie, our Practice Manager & Ayurvedic Lifestyle Coach, dives into how to bring the Ayurvedic practice into the new year in her blog “New Years Reflections: The Art of Beginning Again”. Original article is in our bio!

12/12/2025

Laurelhurst is a quiet neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. We wanted to share what a fall day looks like surrounding our clinic. Our patients have the opportunity to enjoy Laurelhurst park before and after their visits - and if they work with Jamie, they may go on a walk during their visits, too!

Schedule a free consultation with either Dr. Matt or Jamie with the link in our bio. See you soon!

“It’s late September 2025 at the time of writing. And the time of writing is an interesting time for a lot of reasons. O...
12/11/2025

“It’s late September 2025 at the time of writing. And the time of writing is an interesting time for a lot of reasons. One of those many reasons is that the face of healthcare in the United States is changing - and in my view, it is not changing for the better. Health insurance premiums keep rising, while coverage gets slimmer and slimmer. Recent changes to federal funding mean that people are losing Medicaid coverage, and Medicare may be next. Americans are more stressed out and sick than ever. There aren’t enough healthcare providers to meet the needs of our populace.”

To learn more about Dr. Matt’s insights into modern healthcare, check out his blog called ‘Beyond the Vaccine Debate: Practical Solutions for Real Concerns’. Original article is in our bio!

“A few years from now, we may find ourselves looking back at this moment and appreciating that collectively, we are in a...
12/10/2025

“A few years from now, we may find ourselves looking back at this moment and appreciating that collectively, we are in a much better place. As I write this piece (early November, 2025), however, our healthcare situation in the United States is looking rather dire, for a variety of reasons. One of the chief contributors to this grim outlook is the cost of care - and in particular, the cost faced by regular, every day people - to get the care they need.”

To learn more about the healthcare insurance crisis, click on the original article in our bio! Dr. Matt Van Auken, MD, MPH dives deep into these concerns in his blog: “The Insurance Crisis and a Return to Direct Care: Why Now is the Time for Something Different”. This is the first of a series, so stay tuned for the next parts!

“When my daughter recently had a dental procedure under general anesthesia, I witnessed something profound about the bod...
12/10/2025

“When my daughter recently had a dental procedure under general anesthesia, I witnessed something profound about the body’s innate wisdom. When she came back “online,” as the anesthesiologist put it, she was deeply distraught — screaming, kicking, sobbing — and clearly not okay. In that moment, she didn’t need my words; she needed me.”

To learn more about Jamie’s knowledge and experience, check out her blog called ‘The Somatic Wisdom of My Daughter’s Dental Surgery’. Original article is in our bio!

Sound bowl therapy is how specific frequencies can promote nervous system coherence and can be very beneficial to those ...
12/01/2025

Sound bowl therapy is how specific frequencies can promote nervous system coherence and can be very beneficial to those with anxiety or chronic pain.

11/29/2025

Take a look around the office! This is a space for growth and acceptance. As our clinic expands, we wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the room where The Buddha’s Medicine came to be.

Schedule a free consultation with either Dr. Matt or Jamie with the link in our bio!

LifeBalance MindBodyMedicine IntegrativeHealth NaturalMedicine AroundTheOffice SafeSpace SpaceForGrowth

Thanksgiving doesn't have to mean abandoning your therapeutic nutrition journey. In fact, this holiday offers a beautifu...
11/27/2025

Thanksgiving doesn't have to mean abandoning your therapeutic nutrition journey. In fact, this holiday offers a beautiful opportunity to honor both ancestral traditions and your body's unique needs. The key isn't perfection, for it's thoughtful adaptation that lets you participate fully while supporting your healing.

If you would like to learn more about it, Jess dives into Ayurvedic sizing for the holidays and provides recipes to use at home. Original article is in our bio!"

Address

Portland, OR

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when The Buddha's Medicine posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category