Wind in the Blood: Mayan Healing & Chinese Medicine

by Hernan Garcia, ANTONIO SIERRA, Gilberto Balam

Wind in the Blood is a detailed look at Mayan medicine on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and its similarities to Chinese traditional medicine. It was originally published in Spanish as a manual for health workers in Mayan areas to bridge the gulf between Western medcal technique and Mayan medical knowledge. Mexican physicians Hernan Garcia, Antonio Sierra, and Hiberto Balam discovered that the similarities between Mayan medicine and traditional Chinese medcine were profound and helpful in their medical work.

Genres: Health, Medicine, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Anthropology

320 pages, Paperback

First published October 22, 1999

Reviews

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pretty impressed at where these doctors were trying to go. I feel like they may have written the book a little bit too early, and relied on wikipedia-like sources for much of their information (as opposed to talking with true masters of the medicine), but other than that, they are getting their point across and it's pretty moving to notice the similarities in the medicines. I feel like the translator did an excellent job.

[David Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping to learn more about Mayan Healing. I already have a background in Chinese Medicine. It appears to be to be 1/3 Mayan and 2/3 Chinese. After reading about a 1/4 of the book I started skipping the Chinese medicine and reading only the Mayan and realized that it is highly repetitious. I am planning to visit the area in October and was hoping for more of an insight into the culture.

[Cintain 昆遊龍 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating, candid synthesis of Chinese Medicine and traditional Mayan medicine, showing the parallels between both systems. Translation of a Spanish-language field manual for Mexican Public Health officials doing fieldwork in rural Mayan populations.