#146 The Privilege of Wellness with Acupuncturist Russell Brown

Today on the podcast, we have acupuncturist Russell Brown; Founder of Poke Acupuncture LA, with over 15 years of experience practicing this ancient medicine with exquisite finesse. Using his distinctive voice and gentle wisdom, Russell advocates for a realisation of the constraints and meritocracy of the current whitewashed, capitalist-driven wellness industry. Russell is an educator and a brilliantly poetic writer who brings forth the kind of gentle healing one's soul longs to fall into at the end of the day. As a practitioner of acupuncture, Russell operates through the subtle energetic realms of Chinese medicine with ease, translating the insightful metaphors of this ancient knowledge into soothing remedies for the intensity of modern life. In this episode, Russell offers his nuanced perspective on the invention and westernised packaging of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the existence of cultural appropriation and privilege within the wellness industry, and how conscious social activism lies at the confluence of these topics. Tahnee and Russell discuss the Eight Extraordinary meridians, constitutional energy and life trajectory, The Five Elements, and the type of strength required of practitioners to support their patients through healing.    Tahnee and Russell discuss: -The Wei Qi. -Yuan Qi (source Qi). -The Five Elements. -The eight extraordinary meridians. -Doing the work of social activism. -The whitewashing of the wellness industry. -Stomach 36 and our relationship to nourishment. -The importance of creating and nurturing as humans. -The history of Traditional Chinese Medicine communism. -The institutionalisation and education system around TCM. -Becoming very clear on your perspective as a practitioner.   Resources: Poke Acupuncture Instagram Russell's website - Poke Acupuncture Subscribe to Poke Acupuncture Substack    Check Out The Transcript Here: https://www.superfeast.com.au/blogs/articles/the-privilege-of-wellness-with-acupuncturist-russell-brown-ep-146