Healing & Reconnecting with Something Peaceful


writing to each other, to the invisible Higher Powers, to the spirits of the people lost, to the bereaved. I'm not sure why, but something about the written word stopped the barrage of media images, gave us a chance to take in the reality, take in some silence, some down time, some thoughtful "what now?" time.

And what kind of writings have we seen? We've seen the tear filled posters with photos and writings of the bereaved as they posted signs, hoping against hope to find someone alive. We've seen the notes attached to vigil altars from anonymous authors who wish to send healing words out into the world. We've seen poetry rolling in to KotaPress from authors trying to get some kind of handle on this "new reality." We've seen places like Suite101 quickly offer forums for people to write and connect with each other.

It amazes me. And yet I know on a deep level that Poetry Therapy works this way. The words work on us. The sacred space between the thought, the commitment to paper, the reading outloud of the words-- this is healing ground. And it's healing ground for EVERYONE! So how do you use it for your own healing now? Well, here are some ideas:

1) Consider the poetry of Ruth Gendler from her collect "The Book of Qualities." Read some of these excerpts. Sit with them. Read them outloud to yourself, or your cat, or your roommate or partner. Write a response to it.

From "Terror" by Ruth Gendler

"Terror knows she can control the
body by controlling the mind. When people are in
states of confusion, Terror's propaganda passes for
truth.

Terror came to our meditation class for a while. It
was hard to breathe when she was in the room.
However, she never stayed long. After a few minutes,
she always opened her eyes. She knew if she sat
really still she would scream."

Or how about this from "Grief" by Ruth Gendler

"Never have I heard such sounds of weeping as when
Grief found out her son had drowned. She screamed
and howled. She stamped her feet and smashed her
pots and bowls. She ate with all her fingers. She tore
at her hair, and it grew wild and matted. She wandered
from place to place with no sense of where

The copyright of the article Healing & Reconnecting with Something Peaceful in Poetry Therapy is owned by Kara L.C. Jones. Permission to republish Healing & Reconnecting with Something Peaceful in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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