One of the realities of human suffering is the sensation of time passing us by. It is one of the pains of being alive and aware of it. Oftentimes we live on autopilot, bored with our present circumstances and rushing through life to the next good thing we have scheduled. When times are good we can experience the anxious feeling of attachment, knowing that, like all good things, it can’t possibly last forever.
As mentioned before, naturopaths are not necessarily defined by our toolbox of modalities. What, then, does define us as a profession? As we witness a rise in the demand for complementary and alternative medicine, and with it, the rise in something called the “Holistic Medical Doctor”, what sets naturopathic doctors apart?
Colombian food mainly consists of: white rice, a large portion of bland, unseasoned, tough meat, potatoes and a “salad” (which means one leaf of iceburg lettuce and a pale, sad tomato slice).
This morning I dropped J off at the airport as he caught the 8am flight back to Bogotá, Colombia. These past two weeks, where I showed him a bit of my world, after sharing his for two years, in both Bogotá and Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, were a whirlwind of activity. He met all of my family and enjoyed all the great things that Toronto has to offer.
After drinking Caribbean tap water for about 6 months in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, I ended up with an amoebic infection. Not having a decent healthcare plan in Colombia I had to content myself with visiting the local pharmacist to help me deal with my problem.
I was first brought to this little pocket of African culture in the city of Toronto by my good friend, K.
There’s always been something about the idea of Art Therapy that drew me in. I’ve always had a passion for creative expression and believe, based on my own personal experience, that the very nature of creating a work of art carries with it rich therapeutic value. While in Colombia this past summer when I had the opportunity to organize a series of weekend activities with the foundation I was volunteering with, Fundamor, a home for children with HIV/AIDS, I knew that an art therapy activity would have to have a central role in my plans.