E.WagnerHolisticHealth

     Blog # 14: The Role of Creativity and Self-Expression in Healing

To round out these seven blogs on hypnosis, self-hypnosis, and meditation, I believe that it is important to mention how creativity and inspiration can enhance physical, emotional, and mental well-being.  At one point, I suffered with physical and emotional pain stemming from many things, including my father’s death.  Mining life for inspiration and sharing through creative outlets helped me more deeply than anything else during this difficult time.  Of course, I did get lots of rest, ate wholesome food, practiced qi gong exercises, and received regular treatments which included chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, homeopathy, and flower essence therapy.  Two of the other things that helped me were spending time in nature, and writing. 

Because of my love of nature and writing, I facilitate a nature writing group at North Park Village Nature Center one Sunday each month. The nature writing group is open to whoever feels drawn to it.  Each month we share writing and walk in the nature preserve.  I hope that the group has been helpful to many of the people who have participated over the years. 

Below, you can read writings of some of the people who have attended this group.

                                                     Blue #4

By Robert Lawrence, this poem was published in Exact Change Only, winter 2013 edition

When I feel blue,

I receive the most acute comfort

from listening to the rough twang

and painful times of down-home blues.

Sky-blue is simultaneously

cell membrane thin and depthless.

Red is a warm color;

blue is a cool color (blue

walls can lower blood pressure)

but blue flames burn much

hotter than red flames.

I summon these paradoxes

after storm clouds have cleared

and a blue star shines high

over glistening snow crystals.

                                          Elder Home Visit:  Alice

                                              By Ilda Castellanos

Alice, how are you?

It’s so good to see you.

I sing you “Somewhere Over the Rainbow”,

You say “that’s a nice song.”

Your love, John, is happy to see you.

Your Lynn, your first born, is delighted to see you.

You serve up delicious pickled beets with onions

That you made just for us, which we snack on before

I teach you how to play skip-Bo.

“Not a fun game,” you say,

But you try a few games.

“How are things with you,” you always say

After you greet me,

After you tell me to take off my coat

And get comfortable.

                                    On a Winter Path  

                                    By Betty Jacobsen

on a winter path

my foot catches on a small branch

frozen upright in the snow

I fall face forward

onto the icy earth, then turn

and lie gazing upward

beneath a darkening sky

under a looming cloud of gray

In the apiary nearby hives hum quietly

with the winter work of bees

dying drones cast out

from the honey of sweet companionship

gasp and struggle beside me

on the cold white ground

their life force spent

in the act of procreation

the frigid air is thick with portent

hung with prescience

heavy with augury

something’s about to happen

spring

or an awful storm

I hope you enjoyed these poems.  People have brought short stories, essays, articles, journal entries, blogs, songs, and even excerpts from novels to our group.

Starting next month, the next seven issues of this blog will cover detoxification and nutrition.

This blog’s offer:  Come join us at our next Nature Writing Group on Sunday, May 19^th from 11 am until 1 pm at the Nature Center in North Park Village, at 5801 North Pulaski, in Chicago.  Feel free to contact me with questions about directions.  As always, please share this blog with others.