Kiya Jackson- Week 7

In the research paper "Spiritual Healing Practices Among Rural Postpartum Thai Women," researchers discuss their observations of postpartum practices of Thai women, which include humoral theory and traditional Chinese medicine. Postpartum can greatly affect the balance of elements. For instance, it can imbalance the air element during labor, the physical efforts imbalances the fire element, excessive loss of fluids affects the water element, and the perineal damage affects the earth element. To restore the balance of the body, women heal the self via the body, mind-heart, and energy.  Healing methods of restoration are done via hot environments and consuming hot things. Particularly, some practices include food practices, lying by the fire, hot herbal bathes, and consuming hot herbal drinks. I thought it was very interesting how these practices were not only used to heal the physical body, but to also protect from harmful spirits. For instance, during pregnancy, they believe that the unborn baby has a spiritual mother. Therefore, there are practices to establish that the born baby is either of the spiritual or physical world. It was very interesting how they maintained and acknowledged the connection the spirt has with the body. I also thought how they perceive the body--as a relationship between the body and elements--was very beautiful. It is focusing on holistic inner healing, while also taking into account the connections the body has with itself and its environment. I agree with how health not only includes the physical, but also the spiritual. I also feel like it can be so easy to neglect or underestimate what women experience from childbirth.




Work Cited:

Elter, P. T., Kennedy, H. P., & Chesla, C. A. (2016). Spiritual healing
     practices among rural postpartum thai women. Journal of Transcultural
     Nursing.

[Elements from "Avatar: The last airbender"]. (n.d.). Retrieved from
     https://www.fanpop.com/clubs/avatar-the-last-airbender/answers/show/294730/
     what-element