Ancient Tibetan teachings tell us that merely seeing an image of the Medicine Buddha--or even hearing his name--holds the power to heal. Now, acclaimed musician and former Buddhist monk Nawang Khechog invokes the blessings of this potent deity on his new recording, Music As Medicine. Nawang is one of the few Tibetan musicians today who has received the blessing transmission of these teachings--and shares them here with the outside world as a catalyst for transformation.

On this all-new album, premier native American musician R. Carlos Nakai joins Nawang Khechog as a special guest artist to create a cross-cultural "apothecary" of soothing melodies and healing chants to infuse this universal energy within anyone who listens.

With Tibetan flute, long horn, and overtone chanting; native American flute and drum; universal horn; and calming chants to restore balance and health.

Music as Medicine, Nawang Khechog with Carlos Nakai, Sounds True, CD, 68 min. $16.98

Born in Tibet,Nawang Khechog spent his earliest years as the child of nomads. In his boyhood he first learned to play the bamboo flute,an ancient instrument popular in rural villages throughout Tibet. After the brutal subjugation of Tibet by Chinese Communists in 1949, Nawang and his family escaped to India. There he studied meditation and Buddhist philosophy, a path he followed as a monk for eleven years - four of them as a hermit. In 1986, he emigrated to Australia where he first performed,and his recordings achieved bestseller status. Nawang is best known for his collaborations with Kitaro, including a world tour and performances on Kitaro's Grammy-nominated Enchanted Evening and Mandala albums. His live performances with Philip Glass, Paul Winter, Laurie Anderson, Paul Simon, Natalie Merchant, and Baba Olatunji have received international acclaim.