Tamaryn, 27
How did you first experience wind and what is your understanding of it?
Wind in stomach causes stomachaches, wind in head causes headaches, wind in bones causes arthritis, basically gotta keep the wind out of the body!
Who told you about wind?
My (Chinese) elders, my tuina (aka chinese massage) therapist, my TCM doctors
Do you believe in it? (Why or why not?)
Yes, definitely. The effects are clear when I DON’T follow the teaching – I get the stomachache/headache/bone ache.
What are some ailments you have that may be caused by wind?
Stomachaches all the time – I eat too fast and ingest wind.
What are the daily rituals you practice on your own for health and wellness?
“Never sit in front of a fan or in air-con when you’re sweaty or wet – wind will get into your body! Drink warm water, not cold. If you put medicated oil, you’re not allowed to wash your hands or get yourself wet for 3 hours after, otherwise wind will get into your bones and cause arthritis at old age. If you have long hair, don’t wash it at night (or make sure you blow dry it immediately), and don’t go to bed with your hair wet, or wind will get into your head.
Eat well in the morning, eat full at lunch, and eat little at dinner （早餐吃得好，午餐吃得饱，晚餐吃得少）”
When did you start practising these rituals in your routine?
Since I was a kid
How did you learn of these rituals?
My elders
Do you think health and wellness is something that you should spend a lot on for it to be effective?
No
Why so?
So much of modern pharmaceuticals are derived from herbs and plants which native communities had been using for millennia to cure similar ailments – companies just isolate the compounds, patent and sell them for billions, while simultaneously discrediting the value of herbalism. It’s classic capitalism and colonialism. Also, e.g. the yoga movement – how it’s been commercialised and divorced from its spiritual roots. Now it’s all about that fit yoga bod, lululemon, “calm oasis” studios at the top of CBD buildings and some really expensive notions of what wellness should be – the complete opposite of liberation from physical attachment. I think we need to stop listening to the big corporations and start listening more to our elders, our own bodies and the plants around us.
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