Elisabeth Abeson, a recent graduate of the Ayurvedic Institute, takes an integrative approach to treating her sero-positive erosive Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and is in remission thanks to classical Ayurveda & Allopathic Medicine.Her piece “Integrative Medicine” appears in the Fall 2019 Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine..
The line summarizing Emma Rivera’s poem, “Mi Jardin / My Garden” (Intima Fall 2011) reads, “Nature and its straightforward beauty brings solace in any language.” The poem is published in Spanish, followed by its English translation. While I deeply appreciate the poem for its lyrical homage to life-cycles, I include it here more for its inspiration on a structural level. Written in the native tongue of the author and then translated into English, I appreciate Rivera’s inclusion of each language.
Additionally, I am grateful for Intima’s decision to both metaphorically and physically ‘hold space’ for the author to present her piece from two linguistic perspectives. Two languages yield two gateways for people to enter and connect with the sentiments in the poem and the author herself. Two languages provide two unique lenses through which people can visually access the pastoral scene Rivera shares. And, two languages provide an opportunity to see that there are different, yet equally viable, ways to arrive at the same truth. Rivera and Intima’s deliberate decision to present the Spanish and the English translation under a single co-titled piece seems fitting. Among other gifts it’s given to society, the Narrative Medicine movement has invited us to listen exquisitely to, and acknowledge, uniqueness. After validating that singularity, we feel ‘seen’, heard and honored enough to emerge from isolation to dialogue with others... the first step in cultivating alliances. My piece, “Integrative Medicine”, a photo-installation composed of organic Turmeric on an x-ray of my left hand, aims to do something similar.
Elisabeth Abeson, a recent graduate of the Ayurvedic Institute, takes an integrative approach to treating her sero-positive erosive Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and is in remission thanks to classical Ayurveda & Allopathic Medicine. Her intention is to leverage her background in “cross-sector partnership building for sustainable development” at the United Nations (UN), Multinational Corporations (MNC) & Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) to establish lines of dialogue between sectors of society. Core to her personal mission is working in solidarity with marginalized communities including those who are suffering from illness on the level of body, mind and spirit. She is setting up a practice to offer Ayurvedic Health Counseling & Integrative Health Coaching to those with Rheumatoid Arthritis.
© 2019 Intima: A Journal of Narrative Medicine