Posts filed under ‘Reflections’
A Dose of Creative Medicine
Recently a friend and I explored a new art store that opened on North Avenue in Baltimore City. Walking amidst the paints, decorative papers, and array of colored pencils, I felt the gentle stirring of my slumbering creative soul. At a time when the word medicine is so strongly associated with ingesting something – natural or pharmaceutical – to reduce symptoms, it is important to remember the other less tangible forms that medicine can take such as a deep breath, an experience in nature, or an out-pouring of thoughts onto a journal page. These experiences are nearly as capable of positively shifting your biochemistry as many drug agents.
Often I “prescribe” the book The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron for patients looking to incorporate creative elements along their healing path. This book was a saving grace to me during my naturopathic medical training, particularly the inclusion of “morning pages” (daily non-judgemental journaling) and “artist dates” (weekly self-adventures that support your creativity). Taking yourself on an artist date is like taking a dose of medicine for your creative soul. Below are a few ideas for exploring the arts in Baltimore:
- Strand Theater Company – A new theater company in Mount Vernon with an emphasis on producing plays by women. www.strandtheatercompany.org
- American Visionary Art Museum – Current exhibit The Marriage of Art, Science & Philosophy. www.avam.org
- The Walters Art Museum – Upcoming exhibition The Saint John’s Bible Feb 15th – May 24th. The first illuminated manuscript of the Bible created since the advent of the printing press 500 years ago. www.thewalters.org
The Art of Healing
I grew up as a dancer. From the moment I learned to shuffle-ball-change in my first pair of tap shoes, my mother had to learn to live with fifteen years worth of scuff marks on the hardwood floors. While I may not have fulfilled my kindergarten dream of becoming a professional ballerina, I still find that most of my days are spent engaged in another genre of Dance – one that changes in rhythm and intensity with age, stress, tension and release. This is the Dance of Healing. Healing is an art as old as humankind and even though the levels of sophistication in medicine continue to grow in directions of precision and standardization, the true art of healing is simple, personal and somewhat mysterious.
When patients come to see me, they often have complex health histories and symptom pictures that may or may not have responded well to traditional therapies. Most patients have already participated in the erratic dance of bouncing from one specialist to another hoping that someone will find the answer for their pain. Amidst the chaos and uncertainties, what most patients simply want is someone to listen to their story. For the first hour of our initial visit, I let the patient direct the dance, letting his or her true essence flow out in the form of story. From there, we begin discussing simple therapies to promote healing and wellness: drink water, rest, breathe, move, eat healthy foods. Simplicity invites more room for connection with nature and inner balance. Being reminded of this capacity for inner wholeness even when surrounded by chaos is part of the healing dance.
( Excerpt from the Mill Valley Cultural Arts Umbrella Magazine May 2008 )
