'Viral Times...'
Els De Schaepmeester
Our cat got into a fight a couple of weeks ago (this was before the lockdown).
He’s usually the ‘King of the Neighborhood’, but on this occasion – although he had only minor injuries – he didn’t feel like he had gained the upper hand (or ‘paw’) this time.
In the days following the fight he developed an infection in his mouth. Strangely, this area had not been affected by the clash.
I decided to take him to the vet. She explained to me that the shock of the encounter had caused his immune system to weaken, hence the infection.
Our pet reminded me of what trauma does to a living being. He demonstrated what can happen when we hold on to a shocking event...
What we need during this time of quarantine is the ability to navigate the waters of fear and ride the waves of uncertainty. Fear is a valid emotion and belongs – like any other ‘sentiment’ – to our human experience. However, allowing ourselves to be enslaved by our (instilled) ‘angst’ and to hold on to a prolonged state of panic will not serve our minds and bodies.
Our cat was able to shake off his ‘defeat’ and that’s when he began to heal and feel strong again.
(He seems to be doing even better than before now).
Releasing our stress hormones by exercising, processing our emotions by meditation and other practices, keeping in touch with our loved ones in safe, yet creative ways will strengthen our mental & emotional resilience and will boost our immune systems.
And this is exactly we will need more of in weeks and years to come…
© Els De Schaepmeester
For more info on how to work with me: www.thehouseofhealing.info