Chiu-Nan Lai

Chiu-Nan Lai (雷久南, Mandarin / pinyin: "Lei Jiunan") is a Taiwanese-American cancer researcher and alternative health guru, whose interests include qigong, the health danger posed by cellphones, and the cancer-fighting properties of wheatgrass. In 1994 she founded a Singaporean organization called Lapis Lazuli Light (琉璃光), in order to promote her views. She is also a well-known teacher within the FPMT, a Tibetan Buddhist organization. (The phrase "Lapis Lazuli Light" is an allusion to Medicine Buddha.)

Biography

Lai was born in Tainan, Taiwan. [ As reported on the Lapis Lazuli Light website. ] Her father, Tung-Ming Lai (c. 1923 - 2005) was a Hunanese immigrant to Taiwan. He received a Ph.D. in agronomy from Michigan State University around 1967, at the age of 44. He (like his own father) was a follower of Tibetan Buddhism, and at some point became a student of Lama Zopa. He was also an enthusiast for alternative health causes such as "vegetarianism and organic farming, or creating protective electromagnetic pollution devices" [ from his obituary in "Mandala," source linked below. ]

He married Lai's mother, Chin-Yu Lai, circa 1949. The couple had six children (the others being Susan, Chiu-Mei, Lhundrup Chosang, Chiu-Mi, and Bethanne), several of whom (like their mother) would become involved with the FPMT. [ From her father's obituary. ]

Lai received her BS from the University of Hawaii; a Ph.D. in Chemistry from MIT in 1977; and spent ten years at the University of Texas at Austin researching the effects of wheatgrass on cancer. [ This information is as given on the Lapis Lazuli Light website (except the date of her dissertation).]

A longtime Buddhist practitioner, Lai often teaches for groups within the FPMT. She has served as director for one of its centers, the "Land of Medicine Buddha" in Soquel, California, as well as on the FPMT board of directors. [ From her father's obituary. ] Her religious worldview combines Tibetan and Chinese Buddhism with New Age interests.

Books

*"Natural Food and the Health of Body and Mind: Raw Food--the Fountain of Youth." Torch of Wisdom Publishing House (Taiwan), 1974.
*"Ultrasonic investigation of critical phenomena in triethylamine-water mixture." Ph.D thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Dept. of Chemistry), 1977.
*"Electrochemical and theoretical studies of oxidation-reduction reactions of platinum (II) and (IV) complexes." (Dean prize for undergraduate research).
*"Life-Energy Activation Program." 1994. (28-pp., spiral-bound)
*"The Pursuit of Life"(身心靈整體健康 英文版). Lapis Lazuli Light: 1993.
*"Make a Healthier Choice" (大大自然健康食譜 英文版). Lapis Lazuli Light: 19??
*"Dr. Lai's Health Tips" (雷久南健康隨身書). Lapis Lazuli Light: 2003.
* 回歸身的喜悅
* 回歸心的喜悅
*(translator) "Liao-Fan's Four Lessons." Torch of Wisdom Publishing House (Taiwan): (n.d.)

References

External links

* [http://www.lapislazulilight.com/profiles/drLai.php Lapis Lazuli Light] , Lai's organization.:* [http://www.lapislazuli.org/TradCh/englishBooks.html Chinese-language subpage]
* [http://www.mandalamagazine.org/2005/december/obituaries.asp Obituary for Tung-Ming Lai] from "Mandala," an FPMT organ.