I’m currently reading a memoir by one of my favorite authors, Linda Hogan. (Her novel Solar Storms was stunning.) Hogan (of the Chickasaw lineage) begins her memoir telling us the story of a clay woman she fell in love with in a museum gift shop. The figure was made from clay, embodying Hogan’s spiritual connection to the earth. She had the figure shipped to her home, but it arrived broken. Despite Hogan’s efforts to fix the clay woman, it remained chipped and un-whole. At first Hogan was disappointed, but then she thought, “Yes, the woman who watches over us is as broken as the land, as hurt as the flesh people. She is a true representation of the world she flies above.” Thus begin the lessons in Hogan’s book, The Woman Who Watches Over the World as she searches for “doctors” outside the medical system—human, animate and inanimate alike—and discovers a healing that isn’t free from pain but invites kinship and love to hold our collective brokenness.
Nature has always been one of my greatest emotional healers. Being out in sylvan lands or by the sea calms my nervous system like no other. I feel nurtured. Safe. Protected. If I don't go for regular walks outside, I get anxious and out of sorts. Everything just runs smoother with Mother Nature in my life. And yay for these chronological chapters!!! Thank you!!!!
I absolutely agree. I've met some people in my life who grew up in cities and find nature to be scary. I even remember one colleague who had to sleep with the television on when we were on location in a rural setting. Windows closed, no breeze or birds. It frightened her! I'm so glad I'm wired in the opposite way. Now put me in a city and I'm a hot mess. ;)
P.S. THANK YOU for your generous upgrade and support of this work. What a treat to discover in my inbox this morning. xo
It brings such joy to read that you, too, are a fan of Linda Hogan. Thank you for sharing here in the context of healing. In my work with persons struggling with health, we begin with the question: why is the body expressing as (fill in the blank) at this time?
The body speaks in metaphor, much like a poem, and is always giving us cues about our life; our life-force within always tilting toward the blossoming of our being. I refer to this approach to healing as a “philosophical physiology.” Wisdom is at play in the body itself, and the whole of our life. Which means that pain (physical and heart break) is written into the fabric of wholeness . . . and healing--as you and Linda Hogan so beautifully touch upon here. A philosophical physiology also understands that grief itself has a physiology to be cared for and that healing is not mind over matter but heart and body in harmony.
Oh! Did you read Solar Storms? Hogan's language arrests me.
And speaking of language, I need to read and re-read your second paragraph here. So much truth! "Philosophical physiology" is a perfect way to describe my own physical experiences and how my body is constantly mirroring and leaning me into deeper truths. In just a few chapters of the memoir I visit my first diagnosis at the ripe age of 21 and I'm quite certain it was a physical manifestation of grief. Grief, calling out from my cells to be cared for and nurtured.
Circling back to you on this topic Renée! I just posed this grief/illness connection to my unfixed community over on IG and am not surprised by the immediate response. Would you like to set up a zoom chat in the coming weeks to discuss a way we might explore this topic more deeply? I’d be honored to collaborate with you!
Jenna, I wanted to circle back and let you know I posed a question to the Unfixed community over on Instagram about personal connections between grief and illness. Turns out, we’re not alone. It would appear that this isn’t an uncommon experience.
Thank you so much for keeping me in the loop! 🤗♥️ I'd love to be part of the ongoing conversation. I'll look for you on IG and chime in. I'm so touched by this. How many might be helped simply by talking about this?! When I was going through it, my doctors absolutely dismissed the idea that it was grief related and just kept saying the illness had no known cause. If I can help anyone feel less alone in their experience, please count me in!
I did read Solar Storms and have recommended her books to an untold number of people.
And on grief: yes, "calling out from my cells to be cared for and nurtured." Grief has a physiology. We can see this in dogs hushed by the loss of a caregiver or other animal companion. As humans, especially in the West, we try to plow beyond it, keep going, but a dog will rest and let the loss have a say and then, when the time comes, get up and trot along. What a gift that you intuited this need for care at a young age.
The healer on my mind is Medium writer Soojin Jun. I’m looking forward to sharing her voice on my next newsletter. It was such a treat talking with her last month — in-person! She’s a pharmacist who's passionate about patient safety, trauma-informed care, and healing the healthcare system.
I keep coming back to nature, slow mindful walks and taking a moment every day when the sun sets, and listening within. When I forget these things my body reacts instead of just following along on what I want. It is not always enought, but it goes a long way.
Something about your pause as the sun sets really feels important. It’s not just a mental pause, but a deliberate tuning in to our animal body, the part that quiets and settles as evening approaches. Thank you for this.
Nature has always been one of my greatest emotional healers. Being out in sylvan lands or by the sea calms my nervous system like no other. I feel nurtured. Safe. Protected. If I don't go for regular walks outside, I get anxious and out of sorts. Everything just runs smoother with Mother Nature in my life. And yay for these chronological chapters!!! Thank you!!!!
I absolutely agree. I've met some people in my life who grew up in cities and find nature to be scary. I even remember one colleague who had to sleep with the television on when we were on location in a rural setting. Windows closed, no breeze or birds. It frightened her! I'm so glad I'm wired in the opposite way. Now put me in a city and I'm a hot mess. ;)
P.S. THANK YOU for your generous upgrade and support of this work. What a treat to discover in my inbox this morning. xo
The pleasure is all mine 💗
Kimberly,
It brings such joy to read that you, too, are a fan of Linda Hogan. Thank you for sharing here in the context of healing. In my work with persons struggling with health, we begin with the question: why is the body expressing as (fill in the blank) at this time?
The body speaks in metaphor, much like a poem, and is always giving us cues about our life; our life-force within always tilting toward the blossoming of our being. I refer to this approach to healing as a “philosophical physiology.” Wisdom is at play in the body itself, and the whole of our life. Which means that pain (physical and heart break) is written into the fabric of wholeness . . . and healing--as you and Linda Hogan so beautifully touch upon here. A philosophical physiology also understands that grief itself has a physiology to be cared for and that healing is not mind over matter but heart and body in harmony.
With love,
Renée
Oh! Did you read Solar Storms? Hogan's language arrests me.
And speaking of language, I need to read and re-read your second paragraph here. So much truth! "Philosophical physiology" is a perfect way to describe my own physical experiences and how my body is constantly mirroring and leaning me into deeper truths. In just a few chapters of the memoir I visit my first diagnosis at the ripe age of 21 and I'm quite certain it was a physical manifestation of grief. Grief, calling out from my cells to be cared for and nurtured.
This was so true for me too. Decades ago I went into organ failure and I'm certain it was a result of unexpressed grief.
What an interesting thread to follow. I'd love to know how many people also experienced this. Perhaps a future prompt!
I would be delighted to co-create a discussion or offering to readers on this topic. It is at the heart of my work.
Circling back to you on this topic Renée! I just posed this grief/illness connection to my unfixed community over on IG and am not surprised by the immediate response. Would you like to set up a zoom chat in the coming weeks to discuss a way we might explore this topic more deeply? I’d be honored to collaborate with you!
Kimberly,
I'm delighted to read your message this evening! Thank you for sharing this with your community and the invitation to zoom. Let's do so!
Email me? reneeeliphd@gmail.com
Looking forward!
Jenna, I wanted to circle back and let you know I posed a question to the Unfixed community over on Instagram about personal connections between grief and illness. Turns out, we’re not alone. It would appear that this isn’t an uncommon experience.
Thank you so much for keeping me in the loop! 🤗♥️ I'd love to be part of the ongoing conversation. I'll look for you on IG and chime in. I'm so touched by this. How many might be helped simply by talking about this?! When I was going through it, my doctors absolutely dismissed the idea that it was grief related and just kept saying the illness had no known cause. If I can help anyone feel less alone in their experience, please count me in!
Jenna, what you share is profound, both the body's expression and your recognition.
Kimberly,
I did read Solar Storms and have recommended her books to an untold number of people.
And on grief: yes, "calling out from my cells to be cared for and nurtured." Grief has a physiology. We can see this in dogs hushed by the loss of a caregiver or other animal companion. As humans, especially in the West, we try to plow beyond it, keep going, but a dog will rest and let the loss have a say and then, when the time comes, get up and trot along. What a gift that you intuited this need for care at a young age.
This is so beautiful, Renee!
This is beautiful. I have become my healer. The best way to go. I including all of life 🙏
"I have become my healer." Such a simple, yet profound statement. So much wisdom in this!
The healer on my mind is Medium writer Soojin Jun. I’m looking forward to sharing her voice on my next newsletter. It was such a treat talking with her last month — in-person! She’s a pharmacist who's passionate about patient safety, trauma-informed care, and healing the healthcare system.
Oh! I’m really looking forward to hearing this interview. Sounds like a fascinating woman.
I keep coming back to nature, slow mindful walks and taking a moment every day when the sun sets, and listening within. When I forget these things my body reacts instead of just following along on what I want. It is not always enought, but it goes a long way.
Something about your pause as the sun sets really feels important. It’s not just a mental pause, but a deliberate tuning in to our animal body, the part that quiets and settles as evening approaches. Thank you for this.
Also, thank you for the link to your chapters!
Yes! As many forms of healing as there are breathing bodies on this planet I suspect.