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Rachel
Waller in a nutshell
Rachel's idea of a perfect life would be to hang out with her husband all
day, grow her own vegetables, make her own clothing/furniture/tools and live
off the grid without any modernity whatsoever.
A semi-feral pack of children might just top things off nicely.
Whenever possible, Rachel avoids driving the car. She keeps her phone
switched off when not at work and has a blanket over the TV.
Borneo
Growing up in Kuching was a far cry from an equivalent childhood in the UK.
Borneo in the 1970's, 80's and 90's was a strange mix of tribal culture and
modern Asian lifestyle.
Rachel's first home was an enormous manor house located in the outskirts of
the jungle, occupied by almost every branch of one huge extended Chinese
family.
There were animals kept out back, a swamp and a dirt road that led to the
nearest town.
This was Rachel's mum's side of the family: Chin.
Kayan
On her dad's side of the family, things were even more distinctly tribal; a
people who hunted, killed and kept themselves isolated in the deepest
mountain regions of the jungle.
Rachel's dad did at one point work in a bank...
Henry Kajan Anyie is locally known for constructing and playing an
indigenous musical instrument called the 'sape'.
Childhood
Rachel is eager to please, amiable, friendly and curious.
As a child she picked things up quickly, studied hard and made rapid
progress in school.
Her education included:
All UK academic subjects
How to identify fresh food at market (fruit, veg, meat)
Basic electrical work
Basic plumbing
Basic car maintenance
Basic DIY
Malay language
Hokkien language
Hakka language
English language
Studious
Between the ages of 13-17 Rachel studied taekwondo, gained a black belt
and became the President of the club at her school.
At the age of 17 Rachel won the prestigious Shell Scholarship which enabled
her to move from Borneo to West Malaysia in order to study at Koleg Tuanku
Ja'afar: the top international school.
Rachel became Head Girl.
She passed her exams with excellent grades and moved to Durham to study
Geology at the University.
The King and I
Rachel met the King once whilst at school.
She was required to dress in full traditional Kayan costume.
The King asked Rachel which country she was from. Rachel said,
"Yours."
UK
After University Rachel managed to persuade Shell that she was not cut out
for the oil industry.
Rachel moved to Keswick to work at an Outdoor Retreat Centre where she took
school children on long walks in the hills as a Youth Leader.
She then moved to Liverpool to work as a School Chaplain, then to Newcastle
in 2005 in a similar role; gaining a Permanent Residency Visa along the way.
Once in Newcastle, Rachel met her husband...
Newcastle
Realising that taekwondo was no longer something she wanted to do, Rachel
looked for another martial arts outlet and tried Newcastle Tai Chi in 2007.
As part of the Mc generation I am as guilty as anyone of wanting everything
now, and being very demanding in terms of my own needs, of looking straight
to the highest teaching and grasping after it. It’s interesting to reflect
after the introduction that this is clearly the opposite approach that is
required by a martial art like bagua, and then it follows that an
introduction to bagua at this time may simply be utterly beyond our
capabilities. As Adam Hsu says in his book, The Sword Polishers Record,
‘kung fu literally means time and hard work, there are no shortcuts.’
Certainly bagua cannot be seen, as perhaps it could be argued some other
aspects of martial arts are, as simply another medal to pin on the chest of
ego.
(Graham)
Wedding
Rachel got married to Sifu Waller in 2010.
Their wedding was low key and inclusive.
Eschewing the typical paraphernalia commonly associated with a wedding,
Rachel designed the service and arranged for her friend to be the organist.
There was no best man, no maid of honour, no bridesmaids, no special roles,
no official photographer, no gifts, no meal, no disco, no speeches, no
dance, no exotic honeymoon...
Even the rings were modest: titanium - for impact durability.
Focus on the real
Sifu Waller and Rachel were only really interested in being married, not the
wedding day. The wedding ceremony was for them.
Guests were encouraged to please themselves. There was an optional pub meal
afterwards for people that wanted to chat and celebrate. Ironically, the
guest feedback was very positive...
Many guests felt that the wedding was genuine, welcoming, earnest and real;
they felt privileged to part of the event and had a really good time.
Married life
Rachel loves being married.
Since her job involves helping others all day everyday... the weekends and
evenings are private opportunities to enjoy one another's company without
the need to assist/educate/support other people.
Sifu Waller and Rachel relish having fun together and make the best use of
each day.
Work
Rachel works a 37.5 hour week for a
charity.
It often involves extracurricular commitments.
By being organised and discerning, Rachel manages her time skilfully.
She gets to fulfil her work responsibilities, train qigong, taijiquan,
yoga, pursue her hobbies/interests and still have quality time
to spend with her husband.
Home training
The home routine followed by Rachel takes
around 2-3 hours to complete.
On a weekend she complements this with lengthy walks in the countryside with
her husband.
Whenever possible Rachel undertakes partner training with Sifu Waller in
order to receive corrections, partner practice and learn new skills.
Study
On a daily basis, Rachel reads from a pile
of 5 taijiquan/spiritual/pop psychology/martial principles books.
She also reads recipe books, gardening books, art books and anything else
that takes her fancy.
The internet is used mainly for research and study.
Discussion
Throughout the day Rachel enjoys
intellectually stimulating conversations with Sifu Waller concerning things
he is reading/considering/exploring along with matters that arise from her
own research and training.
Martial
artist
Although Rachel really enjoys teaching tai
chi for health/fitness, her main interest is the martial training.
Taijiquan is Rachel's primary concern; she seeks to gain
high-level skill.
Rachel has already learned the pattern for all of the forms in the
syllabus.
Tai chi for health/fitness teacher
Rachel went from being a tai chi student to a tai chi for health/fitness
teacher; working steadily through the qigong exercises, partner drills,
principles and forms.
The Tai Chi Union for Great Britain endorsed her
qualification and listed Rachel on their website as a teacher.
Hobbies and interests
Rachel has many hobbies and interests.
She is particularly fascinated with photography and nature; combining the
two whenever she can.
TV and technology would prevent Rachel from enjoying her interests, so she
only watches a limited amount of pre-recorded DVDs per week...
Movies
Although Rachel doesn't watch broadcast TV
she does enjoy watch a movie.
Sitting and watching a film is the ideal opportunity for a cuddle and (if
lucky) a sly snooze.
There are over 900 DVDs in Rachel's library.
Studio Ghibli films are amongst her favourites; particularly My Neighbour
Totoro.
She really likes musicals and comedies but loathes corny or vulgar humour.
Marilyn Monroe is potentially Rachel's favourite actress; but only the
comedy roles.
Ofuro
Rachel dreams of owning a Japanese soaking
tub; a deep barrel-shaped bathtub designed for relaxing in rather than
getting clean.
The bather showers and cleans themselves before entering the ofuro.
How to Take a Japanese Bath by Leonard Koren details the steps involved in
Japanese bathing.
Japanese culture
Asian culture interests Rachel a great
deal; particularly the pursuits of modern Japanese women.
Healthy living
Rachel avoids additives, preservatives,
chemicals and shop bought products whenever she can.
She prefers to make everything from scratch: food, skin care products, hair
products...
Keep it light
Rachel is really not interested in funky
conversations about medical problems, gossip or politics.
Intellectually stimulating topics are fine.
Silence is preferable to boasting/bragging/competing.
When faced with a bore, Rachel is apt to withdraw her attention without
causing offence.
Sense of humour
Rachel likes to have fun and is very playful.
She is not terribly interested in being serious; recognising that everyday
life brings with it so many bona fide concerns already.
Adding unnecessary mental clutter would be unwise and unwelcome.
Sci-fi
Babylon 5, the short stories of Philip K Dick, Ballard, Gibson, Star
Wars, films of the 1950's - now... you name it.
A big fan of Star Trek, Rachel particularly likes William Shatner as
Kirk, Leonard Nimoy as Spock and Patrick Stewart as Picard.
She admires Gene Roddenberry's commitment to female and racial
representation.
Gul Dukat, Garak and Quark are amongst her favourite Star Trek characters.
Rachel doesn't like the intellectually deficient shows and movies produced
by J J Abrams.
Her enjoyment of other sci-fi shows is determined their content; and Rachel
is quick to switch off any program that fails to engage.
Collecting
Rachel has a modest collection of World War 2 German fighter pilot watches.
She owns a range of EDC gear; multitools, gadgets, axes, camping equipment,
hiking goods and knives.
Her collection of Japanese bishoujo statues (Rachel:
Bishoujo statues capture the flirty vivaciousness of youth with their
dynamic poses, strong female poise and naughty expressions)
is quite impressive.
Unusual cooking equipment, Chinese, Japanese and Polish traditional crockery
have been collected over a number or years.
Fashion?
Rachel has no interest whatsoever in UK fashions or trends.
She buys clothing that takes her fancy.
Her main influences are Swedish explorer styles, Japanese niche fashions
(e.g. mori), recycled technology and Korean feminine clothing.
On feminism
Rachel: Feminism is not about gender,
race or gay/straight. It is about equal rights, pay & opportunity. Sexes =
male or female. Equal = same. Men & women are not the same. We have
biological differences: chromosomes, reproductive organs etc. Gender =
masculine or feminine. Gender accentuates & strengthens our sex
(male/female) i.e. femininity celebrates & values 'womanhood'. A woman who
dresses & acts in a masculine way may look like a man but her genes are
still female. Emulating men betrays her sex.
On womanhood
Rachel: I read a post by a woman that
said how women must learn to think like men. Huh? How demeaning! What next?
Grow a penis? Terms such as 'gender spectrum' are bandied around these
days... How absurd! Emulating men doesn't make us strong. We are already
strong. We are free to express our own sexual agenda. Our femininity. This
is where our power resides: in being a feminine woman.
On femininity
Rachel: Be feminine. Copying men
devalues and betrays your own sex. Integrity comes from being true to
yourself. Men who dress like women are called 'transvestites' and laughed at
by women. What should you call a woman who dresses, moves and behaves like a
man? Revel in femaleness; accentuate it, embrace it, enjoy it! Female
self-assurance and confidence are good. Femininity is an art and we cannot
just assume that we possess it. Study, research, insight and practice make
us stronger as women and quite distinctly female. Women can be strong,
intelligent, resourceful and impressive. In a female way.
On gender
Rachel: Gender = masculine/feminine;
behavioural traits designed to harmonize with, accentuate and enhance the
difference in sex. To be a stronger woman, be a feminine woman. Use your
femininity to shape/manipulate attention and consciousness. Dressing like a
man is akin to saying that men are better than women. In what way is this
true?
On representation
Rachel: Female stereotypes, ideas,
values, perceptions and conventions regarding women and their various roles
in society were created and sustained by men. Women are not damsels in
distress. We are not in need of saving. We dress and behave as we do to
enhance our beauty, our stature, our power. Nothing is done to impress or
titillate men. Those days are over.
On Japanese style
Rachel: I like Japanese Mori (forest)
Girl & Natural Kei fashions... loose dresses, long skirts, mid-length
skirts, smock blouses, A-line dresses, ponchos, boleros, cardigans,
oversized sweaters, lace, linen, crochet, knit, brown leather boots and
accessories...
Taoist
Rachel is very Taoist in her attitudes and behaviour.
Trivia
Rachel:
Was born in 1978
Is very brave
Obsessed with pu erh tea
Slept so much as a baby that her parents thought she was ill
Is XS size in UK but more akin to Medium in Borneo
Is five feet tall
Hates to run and would rather amble
Is very patient; even to a point where any 'normal' person would probably give up
Cooks really tasty food
Favourite movie: Moana
Once fractured a bully's ribcage without even trying to or realising it
Is a bit crazy
Has a lovely singing voice
Can perform a very sexy tribal dance featuring large feathers
Can play a number of musical instruments
Stops what she is doing when listening to people
Quite happy to make all meals from scratch
Her hairdresser loves the fact that Rachel uses all natural products
Is sincere
Normally makes the best use of her opportunities
Was once in a marching band
Thinks deeply about things
Is very playful
Likes comedies
Lives very much in the immediate moment
Spends forever in the shower
Spends even longer in the bath
Can't stand slugs
Has an unbelievably massive stock of tights and stockings
Isn't easy to annoy
Likes to walk outdoors
Doesn't like wandering around the shops
Loves growing vegetables
Has no interest whatsoever in sport of any kind
Loves to see examples of shen
Gets excited by high emotion scenes in movies/TV shows where the hero uses his power or does something 'cool'
Likes discovering wild mushrooms
Very good at crochet
Loves music
Is willing to endure hardship without complaint
Doesn't resent people
Is grateful
Abhors politics, news, current affairs
Doesn't really care for alcohol
Refuses to dye/colour her hair
Has never tried cigarettes or drugs
Cultivates insight
Likes to dance
Interested in spiritual matters rather than religion
Very adaptive
Can sew with uncanny accuracy and neatness
Prefers savoury food to desserts
Likes musicals
Is never mean spirited
Has no interest in prestige/status/fame/popularity
Likes old movies
Is passionate
Doesn't typically like martial arts movies or violent films
Supportive
Never mentions taijiquan to people she meets outside of class
Feels no real compulsion to argue or debate
Loves to have fun
Prefers not to cause conflict or hassle for people
Likes craft projects
Doesn't talk unless she really wants to
Never watches broadcast TV and doesn't even have an aerial
Undertakes as many professional training courses as she can fit in
Good at improvising
Likes to buy goods with a view to them lasting indefinitely
Politely declines as much as she can
Is very eco
Will never patronise or demean someone
Enjoys trying food from other cultures
Thinks that technology is deforming the human body
Doesn't follow fashions, trends etc
Loves heat
Loves matcha tea
Never inflicts her problems on other people
Finds it easy to get along with people
Likes being outdoors, away from people, pollution, cars and houses
Loathes 'fashion technology': smart phones, kindle, video games etc and would never buy one
Doesn't compete
Never complains about being tired
Is fastidiously anonymous
Would rather let a person think what they like than necessarily correct them
Likes woodland animals
Is a very competent, resourceful driver but hates driving
Loves to be cuddled
Has only been married once
Rachel's on-line presence only exists for the purpose of the class
Values the little things in life
Can occupy herself indefinitely
Likes to figure things out
Adventurous
Has a modest but impressive collection of Kayan cultural artifacts
Thinks that technology is making people stupid
Page created
18 April 1995
Last updated
02 January 2021
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