Poetry and Health
As the third, and final, speaker in Mid Island Elder College’s Fall 2024 Saturday Speaker Series, former Nanaimo Poet Laureate Kamal Parmar will look at the role poetry can play in emotional and psychological healing.
The fall series has been exploring the topic of “Owning Your Health” from different and unique perspectives. For her talk, Parmar will bring a world view of the healing properties of poetry.
While poetry may at first seem a surprising topic in a series about owning your health, Elder College Board President Robin Fisher says Elder College is excited to be exploring the broad range of ways that lifelong learning can help keep people healthy and serve as an antidote to the epidemic of social isolation and loneliness.
Parmar says, “Poetry is one of the unique genres of creative writing that is subtle, magical and reveals the inner voice of the person.” In her talk, she will discuss how poetry has played a role in both emotional and physiological healing, across many cultures in the world, citing examples of how poetry has given a holistic, patient-centric approach to healthcare so that it extends beyond the clinic’s walls.
She says, “Poetry assists us in reaching beyond the boundaries of the mundane, restless world that we are living in now, awakening joy and contentment and a sense of oneness with everyone and everything. Embrace the art of poetry and see how it heals the mind as well as the body, in order to have a wonderful quality of life in your twilight years.”
Parmar has written a number of books, both poetry and non-fiction. As the former Poet Laureate of Nanaimo, she organized readings and panel discussions in the community to create awareness about poetry. It is her view that whether one is a beginner, playing with words or an established writer, poetry is a very powerful tool in combating any ills in us, be it mental, social, emotional or physical.
The talk will take place at 10:00 am on Saturday December 7, at Nanoose Place Community Centre, 2925 Northwest Bay Road, Nanoose Bay. The cost is $10 - payable at the door or by registering at eldercollege.org/membership-and-courses