This recently published volume is an anthology of new and old poems — some familiar and some less so, but all chosen by the editors, who include an NHS GP, to ‘speak to us when we are processing worries or when we simply want to fill our minds with different, more positive thoughts’. The book is designed to serve as an introduction to the ancient art of ‘bibliotherapy’: reading for wellbeing. Does it succeed in its stated intent? The short answer is yes. How does it do this?
The book itself is divided into 12 sections, each of which contains a number of poems chosen to address some of our most troubling moods such as ‘grieving’ or ‘feeling alone’.
One of the most powerful suggestions in the book is its encouragement to read the poems aloud and immerse yourself in its words. This harnesses the power not only of the words themselves but also of your own imagination. Recent findings from neuroscience support this — FMR scans show that the simple act of just imagining compassion activates the soothing and affiliation component of the emotion regulation system of the brain.1
The poems are well chosen to illustrate alternatives to our present mood. An afterword by Mark Williams linking the use of the book to the practice of mindfulness is a very satisfying coda to the whole experience.
All proceeds from the sales will be donated to ReLit, the campaign to alleviate stress and other mental health conditions through mindful reading. All doctors and patients can benefit from ‘dipping into’ this book and I recommend it for all of us who are facing difficult times during the current GP workload crisis. Every waiting room should have a copy.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2016
REFERENCE
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