The Healer's Dream

Ayurveda is an ancient tradition of medicine that originated in India, with certain branches established and taught in Nepal. Various regions in Nepal, particularly the Kathmandu Valley, became centers of ancient knowledge where Ayurveda's medical and spiritual traditions are preserved. Bishownath Karmacharya is a vaidya (Sanskrit: वैद्य), or Ayurvedic healer. In addition to the knowledge passed down from his grandfather, he has studied Ayurveda and Sanskrit since he was a young child. He has dedicated his entire life to studying medicinal herbs and making Ayurvedic medicine to heal people. Now in his 90s, he is one of his generation's few remaining Ayurvedic doctors and is determined to keep the tradition alive. He is aware of and concerned about the many challenges that face this ancient medical tradition: the impact of climate change on the herbs, the greed of unethical practitioners, a general lack of knowledge and interest in the herbs, urban development and its impact on the herbs, lack of government funding, and apathy from the new generation. It is his greatest wish to pass on his knowledge

I have been studying Ayurveda and Herbal medicine for the past 12 years. In 2019, after graduating from Toronto Metropolitan University's Summer Film Intensive, I was invited by the Dogwood School of Botanical Medicine to produce, shoot and direct a documentary in Nepal. The goal is to help preserve the ancient medical tradition of Ayurveda. The Healer's Dream combines many of my passions as I use the powerful medium of film to broach holistic healing topics, climate change, greed, and disinterest from new generations.