A Sense for Reading the Atmosphere
Anthropologist and Producer of sensorium
Maybe One Can See the Wind
Usually, we think of air as being invisible. And even if we can
feel the wind on our skin, we are not conscious of air pressure
or changes in the atmosphere. However, some people -- in particular
yachters, glider pilots, surfers, all those who are active at
the interface of air and water -- have the ability to more concretely
sense invisible winds, air currents, and low pressure troughs
as a tangible reality.
As my friend Nakamura, an architect and yachtsman, says, air is
a concrete force, something you can "see." Like water, air flows,
rises and falls: its density, weight and velocity are constantly
changing, resulting in thermal whirlpools and turbulence.
There is a "heavy wind" and a "light wind," the latter dispersing
into rising air. A small change in atmospheric pressure not only
affects the air but also causes the those on a boat etc., to feel
as if the water itself has become heavier or lighter.
Also, there are certain people who can physically sense when a
high or low pressure front is passing. Just as there is high and
low ground in landscapes, there are highs and lows in the atmosphere,
which these people can experience as an actual sense and not just
abstractly in the form of a barometric chart.
The Cultural Value of Sensory Resources to Perceive the Form of
Environmentally interactive work-ware such as surfboards, yachts
and gliders are not merely sports equipment, they are also expert
media for developing highly sensitive and holonic sensors of the
macroscopic and invisible realm of the weather and the atmosphere.
And as the experiences of these gifted people increases and becomes
more mainstream, the "weather sense" of us ordinary people will
most probably gradually change.
Since antiquity, wind has been called by a variety of names. In
Japan, in particular, there are traditionally more than two thousand
words, including regional and seasonal variations and derivatives,
for different kind of winds. The proliferation of names indicates
a sensitivity to wind -- proof of a highly developed sensibility
toward that invisible, intangible object, and an inclination to
perceive it as something real and substantial.
In literature, too, there are key seasonal words such as "kochi"
(east wind), or "kogarashi"(a biting winter wind). This symbolises
the environmental and atmospheric awareness and a deeper awareness
of life itself of the Japanese people.
The large number of phrases in Japanese that deal with the rain
such as "shigure" (autumn shower) or "harusame" (spring shower)
-- just like the Inuit who have a large vocabulary to distinguish
and describe snow -- indicates a cultural sensitivity to nonconcrete
aspects that surprises me.
The Rediscovery of Our Weather Sense
It might seem difficult to revitalize such a sensibility within
the context of our contemporary urban lives. But in reality, each
one of us possesses wind-detecting sensors. You may not be a glider
pilot or a yachtsman, and you may not have more than one or two
words for the wind, but you are unconsciously affected by the
"mood" of the air, and you certainly feel the subtle, seasonal
changes of weather you are exposed to.
In fact, our physical condition changes dramatically according
to changes in air pressure. When, for example, a weather front
passes through a given region, many people suffer headaches and
Traditional medicine in China, India and Greece paid great attention
to the relationship between human physiology and such environmental
factors as seasonal changes and the weather, developing a rich
base of knowledge for considering the body. Also in the modern
era, physiometerological sciences have been established that study
the physical effect of atmosphere and weather on the human body.
In every region and culture of the globe there are certain patterns
of thought concerning weather and health. People around the world
have detailed mental maps of the relationship between our physical
constitutions, illness, and the regional climate.
People might say that in a certain season if a wind blows from
a certain direction then such-and-such an epidemic will come;
or if such-and-such a person has a particular constitution, he
or she had better be careful during a given time of year. They
are a kind of physiometerological chart.
In Europe and other countries, warning were once issued about
the probability of catching certain illnesses during specific
seasons and weather conditions. These might be called "Body-Weather
To view the sky and to understand the wind is profoundly and intimately
related to knowing oneself. In this sense, the ancient art of
environmental detection and forecasting by observing the sky and
the air was a truly pragmatic approach to health.
Winds give rise to visible and tangible phenomena and movements,
and through them, we become aware of other levels, invisible and
intangible, of the Earth's life and of our own lives.
This is why, since ancient times, the wind has been perceived
as a premonitory sign telling us of the advent of deities and
spirits. As an invisible energy, the wind awakens our extra sensorial
Wind is more than a physical phenomenon. More than anything else,
it is a messenger carrying information. That is why people once
considered it essential to listen to its subtle, near-inaudible
Can we redesign our sensory devices so as to develop the appropriate
sensibilities for perceiving the air and wind? It is by no means
an abstract or esoteric practice: every human being is capable