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Laments, Psalms, and Contemplations
for Global Healthcare Workers

There are times when the intensity of human suffering we attend to is heart numbing. There are moments when we understandably fear but need to buckle up and manage a crisis. And, there are soul wrenching decisions we abhor to make. In all of this we wonder...where is God? What on earth is he doing? How do we reach out when what we have to offer is not necessarily "nice." This blog is trying to find a voice, steeped in the tradition of biblical faith.

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Contemplation

4/3/2020

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Contemplation is not my specialty, but I know something about neuropsychology and also the Bible. When our brains deal with trauma or are just plain overstimulated, it's the emotion brain (limbic system) that runs the show, and our executive brain (frontal lobe) is so-to-speak "off-line." When Jesus walked with his traumatized, grief stricken, and confused disciples to Emmaus, he reasoned some with them, but mostly cared for their bodies and their emotion brain: He walked with them. He talked about familiar bible passages they knew from childhood and which they had probably shared with each other during the three years they spent together. However, even this did not "click" until Jesus broke the bread and shared the wine. They could easily remember the bread and the wine from the precious time they had together during the last supper. It was something they could see, hear, touch, taste, smell and which they associated with Jesus' love and nearness. When he engaged all of their senses they were finally able to recognize him, and enjoyed the heart connection with him again, which they so desperately needed. Our emotion brain can be aroused and also calmed by means of threatening or assuring sensations. In contemplation, we can choose to engage our senses, just as Jesus did with bread and wine, as we consider assuring biblical truths. Combining our senses with reflection, this truth comes to life not only for our understanding, but also for our emotion brain, and  can further calm and engage us during emotionally troubled times. 
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    Editor and Author
    Frauke Schaefer, MD - family physician, who served in Nepal, then turned psychiatrist and counselor to support those in high stress environments.
    This blog seeks to capture various voices from global settings. 

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