#50 Sabine Wilms on Translating Classical Chinese Texts, the Freedom from Denial, and Seeking Virtue

Pacific Rim College Radio

The world of Sabine Wilms is filled with benevolent sages, ancient scripts, magical herbs, and goats, and it is my absolute pleasure to bring you into this world during this episode. Like the sages that she translates, Sabine is a rare being that radiates light, love, and generosity. Try not to be enchanted by her enthusiasm for life and her mission and you will likely fall short.

For the Chinese Medicine enthusiast, for the first 24 or so minutes of this conversation, we geek out on some esoteric Classic texts that Sabine has translated, including a little-known medieval text. For those without a Chinese Medicine background, you might want to gloss over this intro section, but the remainder of the episode is a must listen for anyone.

Sabine and I plunge deep into Taoist practices and philosophies around concepts such as virtue and family reverence. We also look at a branch of Chinese healing that does not involve needles or herbs or nutrition but instead only verbal, heart-centred communication. This part of Chinese Medicine is largely inspired by the teachings and work of Wang Fengyi, and a few years ago, an immersive retreat into the teachings of Wang Fengyi forever changed Sabine’s life. We also pick up some threads of conversation that I had with Heiner Fruehauf on the value of blaming no one and instead always taking personal accountability.

Before wrapping up we circle back around to Sabine’s translations and the publishing company that she founded, Happy Goat Productions. Through these publications she has helped preserve and give new life to many texts and teachings that perhaps would have never made it to the English-speaking reader.

This conversation with Sabine Wilms was so much fun to record, and I have no doubt that you will find ample appreciation for her work and her way of being.

Please enjoy this episode of Pacific Rim College Radio with Sabine Wilms.

Episode Links:

Imperial Tutor

Books by Sabine Wilms at Happy Goat Productions

Learning Links:

School of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine at PRC

Online Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine courses at PRCOnline

Student Clinic at PRC