Lhapa
/ˈlɑː.pə/noun
A Tibetan spirit medium or oracle believed to become possessed by a deity or spirit.
Did you know?The famous Nechung Oracle of Tibet is traditionally understood as a lhapa: a medium who enters an altered state while embodying a protective spirit.
Etymological Timeline
Old Tibetan, 7th–9th Century
Old Tibetan
lha
“Deity, god, or heavenly spirit”
Old Tibetan, 7th–9th Century
Old Tibetan
pa
“A person associated with or characterized by something; an agent-forming suffix”
Medieval Tibetan
Tibetan
lha-pa
“A person associated with a deity; a spirit medium or oracle”
19th–20th Century
English Tibetanist usage
lhapa
“A Tibetan shaman, oracle, or medium”
Modern English
English
lhapa
“A Tibetan spirit medium believed to channel a deity or spirit”