Balancing Pain and Illness through Poetry

All Eyes to the Sun © Celeste’s Photography

"Poetry is writing about yourself waiting to see what will show up, the words are the finger points of your soul.”

~Sandford Lyne, author of Writing Poetry from the Inside Out

Maintaining forward momentum in the face of pain, fatigue, and unpredictable symptoms can be challenging. In our book Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, SPRING DEVOTIONS, we talk about inner expression through poetry and how it can help us cope with pain and fatigue. All our books have tips for writing for self-exploration. Poetry is one of those.

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APRIL IS POETRY AWARENESS MONTH

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Poetry is often thought of as the conduit to our soul. For me, writing poetry heightens my senses and provides an alternative path that promotes mindfulness. The words I chose give my thoughts texture, making them palpable, at least to me. Writing poetry provides a beautiful detour, because unlike physical pain and illness, there are no boundaries, no limitations. We have unabashed freedom to explore and express ourselves using colors, shapes, and concepts we might not otherwise. 

I am in awe of the power of randomly chosen words and their ability to bring me peace. Whether I am working through a difficult situation or embracing the wonders of the world, I know when I'm done, I am connected to an inner being I only know through poetry.

I wrote a blog on how to write “I am” poem, which you can use as a template to write your own.

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CREATING AN "I Am" POEM

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I love it when the words fly, coming together effortlessly, but that isn't always the case — at times — I have to put my words aside or work from a different angle. But that's why I love to do it.

I wrote this poem staring with four random words: truth, bird, broken, observe. It went through several transformations before I felt a deep meaning for myself. Some of my poems don't make a word of sense to others, but they don't need to. They are mine, just as your will be yours.

This Is My Truth © by Celeste Cooper

Like a bird with a broken wing,

I can stray off course, my flight pattern disrupted.

Wounded from the fall, I will not judge, because

As a wise owl, I observe, I accept, I understand—

Before I take flight, I need time to mend, plan a new course.

This is my truth.

Imperfection as clear as a broken mirror,

Though broken, goals are transformed.

Seedlings forced into maturity will not thrive.

Accepting that mistakes are the seed, I cultivate.

The broken mirror affords a self-reflection of reality.

This is my truth.

I falter, sometimes wretchedly, but enlightened.

Sweet is the nectar of success—not synonymous to perfection.

Erupting from deep inside a reminder from Edison,

"I did not fail; I found 10,000 ways that won't work."

I accept my imperfections—only then—can I take flight.

This is my truth.

I hope you will pick up a pencil and a piece of paper. Write down some of your favorite words, you can find them in crossword puzzles, a good book, the dictionary, or make them up; that's the beauty of it. Let your mind float and your hands glide across the paper as the words guide you to a new place, a place hopefully free of pain and illness, but if you need to work that out, you can go there too by observing until it dissipates in the background. Just do it.

Additional Reading: Minimizing the Consequences of Pain and Illness by Exploring Your Creative Nature through Poetry by Celeste Cooper

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

“Listen closely; I hear the sweet sound of existence.”

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Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

Making the Best of AFFIRMATIONS by The Pained Ink Slayer

Celeste’s Photography in Spring Devotions©

                                      

“Words of affirmation are powerful.

Words change lives; words and ideas change the world.”
― Bryant McGill

Affirmations are powerful. They tweak perceptions and provide light in the darkness of chronic pain and chronic illness. Following are tips for writing these personal tidbits that promote positive direction.

HOW AND WHY AFFIRMATIONS WORK

A study in March of 2017 investigated “whether patients’ expectation to pain reduction was associated with pain intensity after morphine treatment in opioid treatment-naïve patients with various types of cancer.” What they found is important to understanding how our perceptions affect our ability to cope. Patients with high expectations that morphine would ease their pain had a significantly lower pain intensity experience. Measurable evidence in this study supports the notion that when we expect good, we do better. And that's where affirmations come in. Changing our internal dialogue can have a powerful effect on the way we cope with pain. 

WHAT AFFIRMATIONS DO

·        They encourage positive thinking.

·        They help us express our gratitude.​

·        They present us with purpose.

·        They incite change.

·        They create positive self-awareness.

·        They set examples.

·        They touch our spirituality.

·        They empower us.

·        They connect us to all living things.

EXAMPLES OF AFFIRMATIONS

·        I have no duty to be perfect.

·        I always have options.

·        I am not my mistakes.

·        This is a learning experience.

A few of my personal affirmations

·        Let my spirit be filled with the melody of joy.

·        I embrace detours; they take me to undiscovered places.

·        If I listen closely, I hear the sweet sound of human interaction. 

·        I am sick, I am sexy, I am sixty-ish; I am a scud missile; don't mess with me.

·        I choose my words well and create a voice for the benefit of others.

TIPS FOR WRITING YOUR OWN AFFIRMATIONS

·        Write them as thought they are happening now.

·        Affirm what you want.

·        Keep them short and easy to remember.

·        Keep your favorite affirmations written where you can see them frequently.

·        Personalize them with words such as, I, my, me.

·        Start with thought provoking words that you typically use in your daily life and focus on the goal.

o   I am...  

o   I hear...

o   I see…

o   I feel…

·        Make it positive with words like:

o   grateful

o   smile

o   thank

o   forgive

o   inspire

o   promote

·        Put motion to them with verbs:

o   create

o   do

o   make

o   give

o   follow

o   seek

·        Commit yourself to one affirmation at a time and read it frequently.

* If you have favorite quotes, pick key phrases that bring you in and write it from your personal perspective.

"Defeat is a possibility of try, but to quit scars the soul."

Celeste Cooper, Fall Devotions

​Grab your pen, pencil or keyboard NOW!

Additional Reading:

Pained Ink Slayer Series: Avoiding Lockdown

An autumn overview for Coping with Chronic Pain and Illness

In healing,

Celeste Cooper, RN / Author, Freelancer, Advocate

Think adversity?-See opportunity!

http://www.CelesteCooper.com

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“To unleash victory, I must have an open mind and willing heart, judge not, embrace change, and be a steadfast observer of self.”

  

Learn more about Celeste’s books here. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All blogs and comments are based on the author's opinions and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

Steep Drop-offs: Nagging Pain and Our Sixth Sense by Celeste Cooper

Nagging pain and our sixth sense, are you in touch with your body? Do you listen when your body talks?

Playing to Our Sixth Sense

A sampling of topics found in  Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Spring Devotions

• Listen to what our body has to say.
• Identify new activities, medication, food, or disrupted sleep pattern that could be contributing to our pain.
• Surrender to our sixth sense.
• Know the “yeast beast”.
• SAM-e?
• Sort the mail of our mind.
• Identify and pay attention to perpetuating factors.
• Keep our candles burning?
• Know our body and mind stress signs.
• Surrender is not an option.
• Hellerwork?
• Kindness is an antidepressant.
• Medication safety and reporting.
• Plan-Implement-reevaluate.
• Watch out for steep drop-offs.
• … and much more.

"This, the last of Celeste and Jeff's four seasonal devotions books, may just be the best of all. From its practical suggestions to its inspirational quotes and photos, Spring Devotions offers chronic pain sufferers daily bite-sized, easily digestible tidbits that educate, encourage and empower us to take control of our health and our lives. And as someone who likes to jot down personal thoughts in my devotionals, I especially appreciate the extra space for notes. All in all, Broken Body, Wounded Spirit…: Spring Devotions is a valuable asset for anyone living with chronic pain."

~Karen Lee Richards, Editor-in-Chief, Pro Health

Balancing Chronic Pain in Spring

I thank our readers. It is through your encouragement that I am sustained and lifted up daily. Every time I read a particular quote, a comment from you, a research article or advocacy piece, I think of you!

In healing,,Celeste

"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."

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Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Freelance Writer at Health Central & ProHealth —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about Celeste’s books at her website or find links here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

A Spring Metaphor - Sculpting Our Thoughts on Pain

Though we have an idea of what to expect, spring unfolds differently. This year, we saw new records, and new challenges. In some places, spring came early and gave us a countryside bursting with color and new life, while other places are experiencing a late winter. This change and unpredictability is a metaphor for those of us who live with pain and chronic illness.

Our thought seedlings give life to our spirit and allow us to see challenges as motivators. But, some storms rock the earth beneath our feet. As a migraineur, spring storms throw me to the floor and knock the wind out of me. However, when I stand up again with my partner, challenge -- I will lead; I will rumba in a new direction and thank the spring storm for its nourishment to the earth and for providing me promise of new life. 

I find great strength, comfort, and diversion through poetry and photography, and I am thankful that I have found ways to fill up my thought spaces by writing for others who share this journey with me. The following photo and poem are excerpts from Spring Devotions in the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain series.

               Day 4 – Learning to Rumba to Rumbles

To Rumba with the Universe

by Celeste Cooper

Twinkles of light rumba across the morning dew,

While butterflies dance in the wind.

Tumbleweeds glide across the earth's open fields,

Blown away in time to explore a new path.

Fear cleansed by rain exchanged for the joy of freshness,

The sky opens, the sun bumps against clouds.

Renewal of spirit, the earth in cadence with my wits,

All in rhythm, as if, I rumba with the universe.

Thought Seedlings

Do you rumba? Do you like the name I gave the photo? What would you name it?  

Take a stab at changing up my poem to make it yours. My poems are not perfect, I share them so my readers know they can also express feelings and touch a sense of self. 

"Imperfection is relatable." 

Lauren Conrad

Tell me what you think in your comments, because I love to hear how it speaks from your heart to mine. In healing, Celeste

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Learn more about what’s between the covers of Spring Devotions book edition here. http://www.celestecooper.com/spring-devotions.

Thank you to our readers for your kind thoughts and uplifting reviews of Spring Devotions in the Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain Series. Too all our new readers, welcome.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615958664/

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"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

Celeste’s Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Learn more about what you can do to help your body function to its potential in the books you can find here on Celeste's  blog. Subscribe to posts by using the information in the upper right hand corner or use the share buttons to share with others.

All answers and blogs are based on the author's opinions and writing and are not meant to replace medical advice.  

"Finding Pleasure in Being Present." by Celeste Cooper

 “There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,

There is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society, where none intrudes,

By the deep sea, and music in its roar:

I love not man the less, but Nature more.” 

~ Lord Byron

Spring 

Day Twenty-three

Finding Pleasure in Being Present

It comes as no surprise that when we are sedentary, our mind shifts on its own, and the first place it targets is our pain source. This makes it difficult for us, so let's allow our mind to take a vacation from daily stressors and productivity. Our brain needs calm just like our body.

We should acknowledge our pain because it too deserves tender loving care. Body awareness through mindfulness allows an unbiased assessment. We acknowledge pain's presence, but we step back from it by relinquishing our role as a critic. When we are able to do this, the parts of our brain that are normally ramped up from negative pain dialogue begin to experience neutral feelings about pain.

There is a plethora of information on the techniques of mindfulness. Books by Jon Kabat-Zinn, Bernie Seigel, Neville Goddard, Martha Beck, Thich Nhat Hanh, Deepak Chopra, Wayne Dyer, and other mind-body experts can be helpful. Find information on prayer and meditation practice in the Winter Devotions of the series.  Today, I will recognize my pain without judging it, understanding it takes practice.

Excerpt from Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, SPRING DEVOTIONS found here.  

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"Adversity is only an obstacle if we fail to see opportunity."  

Celeste Cooper, RN

Author—Patient—Health Central Chronic Pain Pro —Advocate

NEW Website: http://CelesteCooper.com

Spring Devotions of the Broken Body Book Series Launches. See what the inside the cover reviewers have to say, you will be inspired.

Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain

SPRING DEVOTIONS

Kindle version live, here. 

Amazon UK Kindle, here. 

Amazon Canada Kindle, here.

Sometimes we feel alone and isolated. Sometimes we forget that for every healthcare provider that doesn't believe us or in us, there are two that do. Following are the reviews that are inside the cover.

As always, there will be a FREE DOWNLOAD for all those who choose to take advantage of it. All we ask our readers is to please go back to the link here , scroll down the page to customer reviews, and hit the:

 "Write a Customer Review" button.

It shows your support, which as authors is important to us; it is what motivates us.

Watch for it!

From "Inside the Cover"

"We are all subject to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune; they are around us, in a space we do not control. This book is a gentle, yet forceful reminder that the best defenses against them reside within- in a space we do control, welling up from resources we can learn to cultivate. Hope here is equally soft and irresistible, much like Spring itself."

Dr. David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP

Director, Yale University Prevention Research Center

"This is a truly beautiful book. It offers healing medicine for the body, the mind, and the heart. It will soothe your body with its many practical tips for minimizing physical pain. It will open your mind to new ways of framing your experience so you can live a full and purposeful life despite your health challenges. It will open your heart to your potential to be kind and loving so you can wrap yourself in a cloak of compassion for yourself and others. This is a book to keep close by, always."

Toni Bernhard, author of How to Be Sick and How to Wake Up

"The spring Devotions is like a relaxing massage for the mind. Filled with comfort and words of wisdom, it is a wonderful journey through the season, providing hope in the power of one’s own ability to travel to a place of healing. I wish I could give a copy to each one of my patients."

Susan Opper MD, Medical Director of Pain Management, Saint Luke's Hospital of Kansas City, Assistant Professor University of Missouri Kansas City

"Celeste and Jeff have produced another gem. For those currently disabled by pain and poor health this is a traveling companion to lighten your load, and it is from someone who is on the same path. Celeste has lifted herself up from her own illness to reach out to others with compassion. Her strength amazes me. She is an inspiration to me. This beautiful book is filled with valuable advice, wisdom, and generosity of spirit. It belongs in the pocket of all who suffer, and all who care for them."

Dr John Whiteside, MBBS, Fellow of the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine.

"Celeste Cooper and Jeff Miller have given us a great way to begin our day. As a chronic pain patient, I take one day at a time facing new changes and challenges. Spring is a season full of new beginnings and opportunities and this book combines stories, pictures, prose, and quotes that motivate us, inspire us, and provoke us to answer questions that challenge us to look both internally and externally. The authors encourage us to journal, and by doing so, commit us to a positive, healthier self. Spring Devotions provides us the necessary tools for our arsenal in the combat against chronic illness."

Melissa Swanson, freelance writer, patient, advocate, moderator of the Facebook group "Fibro Warriors~Living Life", and blogger  

"Broken Body, Wounded Spirit Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain" one of four seasonal daybooks' holistic approach to chronic pain challenges is a powerful tool to everyone dealing with these issues. It is a self-empowerment tool, making you the cartographer in the adventure of your evolving future.

My 20 years of working with people challenged by chronic pain issues have revealed to me just how deeply the mind, heart (emotions), and body are intertwined and how a holistic approach is a powerful one. Often our mind drives us to push, push, push because of old programming in our lives. This habit overrides the body's requirements, and needs to be untangled. This book will support and help you get back in touch with your body', so you can become an 'ally' rather than a brutal taskmaster. You can re-learn how to 'play' with your body, rather than dictating to it. This book's advocacy of Tai Chi is just one of the many insightful and valuable gems it has to offer everyone dealing with chronic pain."

Bill Douglas, author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to T'ai Chi & Qigong," 2009 Inductee to the Internal Arts Hall of Fame in New York, and Founder of World Tai Chi & Qigong Day.

This, the last of Celeste and Jeff's four seasonal devotions books, may just be the best of all. From its practical suggestions to its inspirational quotes and photos, Spring Devotions offers chronic pain sufferers daily bite-sized, easily digestible tidbits that educate, encourage and empower us to take control of our health and our lives. And as someone who likes to jot down personal thoughts in my devotionals, I especially appreciate the extra space for notes. All in all, Broken Body, Wounded Spirit...: Spring Devotions is a valuable asset for anyone living with chronic pain.

Karen Lee Richards, Fibromyalgia Editor, ProHealth, and Chronic Pain Health Guide, HealthCentral

"As a neurosurgeon committed to treating people in pain, I am often consumed with the technical details of interventional procedures. Celeste Cooper and Jeff Miller, in their beautiful book Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain, Spring Devotions, remind doctor and patient alike that true healing comes from the mind-body balance that can only be achieved from within. I recommend this inspirational work to all who deal with pain, especially in circumstances that call for using advanced technological treatments, to help them center the psyche and recruit the spirit in the journey toward health."

William S. Rosenberg, MD, FAANS, Neurosurgeon, and Founder of the Center for the Relief ofPain Kansas City, Missouri

"Too often, we respond to chronic pain is by looking outside of ourselves to find cures, as dictated by our predominant biomedical model, overlooking the innate ability of our bodies to heal themselves, if we just “get out of the way”. This beautiful book is chock-full of guidance for doing just that: accessing the still, small voice inside so it can guide us to healing. It reminds us why we really need to use a 'biopsychosocial-spiritual' model of pain. Thank you for this valuable resource!"

Dr. Bob Twillman, Ph.D., FAPM, Deputy Executive Director and Director of Policy and Advocacy, American Academy of Pain Management, Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Kansas School of Medicine

"The Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy (PAINS) is dedicated to transforming the way pain is perceived, judged and treated.  With more than 100 million Americans living with chronic pain, this book will play an important role in that transformation, especially for those living with pain. 'Spring Devotions' offers hope, inspiration, and education. Thank you, Celeste and Jeff!"

Cindy Leyland, Project Director, Pain Action Alliance to Implement a National Strategy (PAINS), a program of the Center for Practical Bioethics

FOREWORD

"Chronic pain can be devastating and all consuming. In Broken Body, Wounded Spirit: Balancing the See-Saw of Chronic Pain. Spring Devotions, patients will find a way to cope with pain and thrive in spite of it. The lovely quotes, beautiful pictures, and words of wisdom are inspiring. The information and workbook give a step-wise approach for practical ways to lower pain levels and make it more manageable.

Following the daily devotions makes it easier to deal with pain in a thoughtful manner, which does not overwhelm. What is this book about? This book allows us to cleanse ourselves of isolation, rejection, self-loathing, anxiety and a myriad of other symptoms of inappropriate coping. We will embrace change and perpetuate healthy strategies that improve our relationships with others, and give us hope as we bud into a new way of thinking. Read this book and you will."

Dr Robin Miller, MD, Sharecare Editorial Advisory Board Member, Internal Medicine and serves as the medical director of Triune Integrative Medicine in Medford, Oregon. She has produced the award-winning health series, "Is there a Doctor in the House", Â, and is the author of "Kids Ask the Doctor" and the co-author of "The Smart Woman's Guide to Midlife and Beyond: A No-Nonsense Approach to Staying Healthy after 50".