INTRODUCTION
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk’s book, The Body Keeps the Score, proposes that trauma changes both the brain and the body - that traumatic experiences aren't just memories in the mind; they alter the body's autonomic nervous system, often keeping the body stuck in a chronic fight, flight, or freeze state. When ignored, the state of fight-flight-freeze can become chronic and pave way for other mental health challenges. When we ignore symptoms of our mental health struggle, our minds become fuel-loaded forest floors after many years of neglect. We become volatile tinderboxes.
Dr. Bessel van der Kolk’s book, The Body Keeps the Score, proposes that trauma changes both the brain and the body - that traumatic experiences aren't just memories in the mind; they alter the body's autonomic nervous system, often keeping the body stuck in a chronic fight, flight, or freeze state. When ignored, the state of fight-flight-freeze can become chronic and pave way for other mental health challenges. When we ignore symptoms of our mental health struggle, our minds become fuel-loaded forest floors after many years of neglect. We become volatile tinderboxes.
Controlled Burns
(by Chaplain Donnel)
For hundreds of years, Indigenous peoples across North America practiced controlled burning, intentionally lighting low-intensity fires to clear underbrush, stimulate plant growth, and prevent catastrophic blazes. This indigenous practice was stopped by federal fire suppression policies implemented before WW2. Smokey Bear is representative of this era. He says, “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” - assuming that all fires are bad. The result: dangerous dead vegetation accumulated on the forest floor.
Today, integrating these traditional ecological practices with modern forest management is vital to reducing the fuel loads that feed uncontrollable, destructive wildfires. The technique involves controlled burns making small fires in a predictable pattern with very close monitoring of the fire, AND using fire breaks (distance between fires), and water hoses.
The benefits of controlled burns include:
Without proactive intervention, forests eventually become a tinderbox of very volatile fuel ready to explode into an unmanageable wildfire inferno that will cause massive destruction.
The strategy of controlled burns is a good analogy to reflect on our mental health because a parallel phenomenon happens in our brains when we neglect or suppress painful emotional or traumatic struggles. We too end up creating a volatile tinderbox in our mind, body and spirit. Just like caring for the forest, we must implement strategic preventative measures of controlled burns to burn away or reduce accumulated fuel, thereby preventing catastrophic emotional explosions that cause overwhelm in our mind and bodies.
While we may never fully control our mental “wildfires, ” these controlled burns represent our proactive engagement of positive coping strategies, which create a defense against destructive uncontrollable wildfires within us. Just as strategic fire management protects nature, controlled burns for our mental health also prevent mental health wildfires, promoting health, and new growth.
(by Chaplain Donnel)
For hundreds of years, Indigenous peoples across North America practiced controlled burning, intentionally lighting low-intensity fires to clear underbrush, stimulate plant growth, and prevent catastrophic blazes. This indigenous practice was stopped by federal fire suppression policies implemented before WW2. Smokey Bear is representative of this era. He says, “Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires” - assuming that all fires are bad. The result: dangerous dead vegetation accumulated on the forest floor.
Today, integrating these traditional ecological practices with modern forest management is vital to reducing the fuel loads that feed uncontrollable, destructive wildfires. The technique involves controlled burns making small fires in a predictable pattern with very close monitoring of the fire, AND using fire breaks (distance between fires), and water hoses.
The benefits of controlled burns include:
- Reduction of hazardous fuel loading on forest floor.
- Create fuel breaks or buffers that stop or slow spread of wildfire.
- Promotes new growth, recycle nutrients, and reduce invasive species.
- Prevents intense and unplanned fires.
Without proactive intervention, forests eventually become a tinderbox of very volatile fuel ready to explode into an unmanageable wildfire inferno that will cause massive destruction.
The strategy of controlled burns is a good analogy to reflect on our mental health because a parallel phenomenon happens in our brains when we neglect or suppress painful emotional or traumatic struggles. We too end up creating a volatile tinderbox in our mind, body and spirit. Just like caring for the forest, we must implement strategic preventative measures of controlled burns to burn away or reduce accumulated fuel, thereby preventing catastrophic emotional explosions that cause overwhelm in our mind and bodies.
While we may never fully control our mental “wildfires, ” these controlled burns represent our proactive engagement of positive coping strategies, which create a defense against destructive uncontrollable wildfires within us. Just as strategic fire management protects nature, controlled burns for our mental health also prevent mental health wildfires, promoting health, and new growth.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS
- What did you find to be the most important part of the story? What resonated with you?
- What experiences have you had that is close to this story?
- Where do you find yourself in this story? Which part of the story is about you?
- What moments felt like you neglected accumulated fuel?
- What moments felt like you exploded, felt overwhelmed, or unable to control your mind?
- What moments felt like you were strategic and performed controlled burns?
