 I spend my days in a mystery Made of flesh and bones Held together by woven fibers And the wetness of life. A Body Mystery Written May 13, 2023 Categories
0 Comments
 Søren Clementine Palmer Content Notice: Suicide, Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Demons As I sit this morning with my kitten Morrow on my lap and with the birds singing outside, I recall a passage in an ancient text about a man named Saul who had an evil spirit come upon him.[1] To find relief from the evil spirit, Saul listened to David play music from a harp. In a similar manner, as I listen to the birds outside, the demons plaguing my nervous system are exorcised from my body. The demons I face are legion, demons of stress, anxiety, depression, overstimulation, escapism, nihilism, and so forth. Relief, for me, comes in many forms: bird songs, walks along river trails, sitting outdoors in my rocking chair as I watch the pecan tree’s leaves dance in the breeze, or sitting quiet as Søren purrs happily on my chest. Recently, I read an article about the beneficial and calming effects on our nervous systems that walking alongside a body of water can bring.[2] Nature is one of our best therapeutic relationships. For me, birds have been one of my most treasured therapeutic relations. Another therapeutic relationship just climbed up on my chest to say good morning. Søren, my tabby, feline, family member, is happily purring as he grooms the hair on my hand. Like nature teaches, relationships require reciprocity and balance for growth, healing, and thriving to exist. So, I return the love I receive from Soren by scratching his head and cheeks as he smiles and purrs with satisfaction. Søren was one of my first therapeutic relationships, which I acknowledged and recognized as such. I have often wondered if he knows what he’s doing when he lays on me and purrs. Does he know he has helped heal wounds I thought would never mend? Does he know how he has prevented me from dying by suicide? Does he know how he has saved me time and time again from a rising panic attack? Does he know? Regardless, I am grateful this morning for the bird song; rivers, streams, and ocean waves; and for the rhythmic purrs of my feline family member. [1] 1 Samuel 16:23 [2] Bird Song Therapy; Walking in Nature; Walking Beside Bodies of Water Categories |
RSS Feed