Tending to Ourselves and the World

After spending the last five years deeply immersed in the energetic realms of qigong and Chinese medicine, I returned to college recently to study remedial massage. This shift in focus from our subtle energy pathways to the specific structures of the human body through modern anatomy and physiology, has continued to amaze me about the intricacies of our being.

My previous studies were centred around the concept of Qi, the vital life force that flows through our bodies, and how imbalances can impact our health and wellbeing. This exploration of energy, and the holistic view of our body provided by Chinese medicine, has given me a comprehensive understanding of who we are as a body that goes beyond the physical.

Now, as I sit in anatomy lectures and work with a different level of touch through massage, I am even more in awe of the wondrous organisms we are. Learning about the specifics of how our bones, muscles, nerves, and other systems of the body work together, is adding new layers and deepening my fascination with our bodies.

This blend of traditional and modern perspectives reinforces my belief that a holistic approach to health — one that acknowledges not only the physical but also the energetic aspects of our being — is essential. In fact, it should be foundational learning for us to first understand the universal energy that animates our body, before studying the body's structure and how it functions on a physiological level.

Imagine if we grew up with a deep understanding of how our wellbeing is intricately linked to that of others. How might that impact our actions as we move through life?

The world, much like the human body, thrives on interconnectivity and, just as individual parts of our body miraculously work together to maintain health and balance, so too does society. We function best when we recognise and honour this interconnectedness — especially in a world where systems and structures are set up to keep us divided and isolated.

We are the microcosm of the macrocosm; patterns, behaviours, and dynamics within us are mirrored in our greater reality. By perpetuating the myth of separation, those in authority maintain control to serve their own interests. Recent global events have shown how a united collective can challenge the status quo and threaten the grip of power structures that rely on our fragmentation to maintain control.

Acknowledging the intricate interplay between our inner world and our shared reality reveals how we can begin to challenge and dismantle the structures that perpetuate injustices — and it all begins within. Recognising this has shifted my work away from the idea of 'fixing' our symptoms, to 'tending’ to them.

To tend is to care for, to nurture, and to cultivate with patience and attentiveness. This approach aligns with the principles of growth and healing found in nature, and acknowledges our body’s inherent wisdom and capacity for healing. Tending invites us to respect a natural process, to allow for transformation to occur in its own time.

It’s about creating the conditions for healing to naturally unfold, as opposed to manipulating them.

Similarly, on a global level, the challenges we face as a society and as a planet cannot be 'fixed' without continuous, mindful, and compassionate action to lead us to more meaningful and lasting solutions. Tending encourages us to see our world, and each other, not as resources to be exploited, but as complex, living systems and human beings that require care, attention, and love.

Global tending asks that communities, and countries, work together in understanding our shared responsibility for humanity — and it all begins with the individual; we are the individuals who make up the community. Only when we truly see our interconnectedness with all forms of life, and how our survival and flourishing are inextricably linked to the wellbeing of the collective, can true healing and transformation happen.

By embracing our role as caretakers rather than dominators, we can see the power of small, consistent acts of care — not only for ourselves but for the world around us. Then we can begin to cultivate a world that honours the rhythms of nature, allowing for an organic evolution into a wiser, more compassionate, iteration of life itself.