The Living~Dying Duet: Lyrics from the Dementia Vocabulary
The English Language Doesn't Have Words for What I'm Feeling
As Living and Dying are dancing their duet, their combination is creating new dance steps that neither had danced before. Similarly, as I play music for their duet I need new music that I've never heard or played before. This music needs lyrics, and I found that the English language and the medical profession don't have words for things I'm feeling and experiencing. Here are some examples:
MEE Mild Emotional Enhancement - an increase in Emotional capability corresponding to MCI Mild Cognitive Impairment, a decrease in Cognitive capability. This recognizes Enhancement along with Impairment
Feelingfulness - the act of focusing on feelings, corresponding to Mindfulness the act of focusing on the mind
Rementia - the feeling of Release that the Dementia process brings in the early stages of the process
LifeNoises - things we don't usually relate to as noises -- activities, internet, politics, culture, religion, sports, speeches, entertainment, etc -- that distract us from relating to our own internal Mindfulness and Feelingfulness, our own Authenticity. LifeNoises may be overwhelming for a person with dementia
Gutweep - shedding tears not from pain or sadness (crying), but rather as an expression of strong emotions or connection with a particular situation
deMENSCHia - spiritual/religious references to dementia
The Living~Dying Duet - the view of Living and Dying dancing a duet together, with each affecting the other's usual dance steps. A person plays the music for their own Living~Dying Duet
Vayigosh - to sense a situation and then act to bring positive energies into the situation (e.g. when he saw his friends were bored and unhappy, he vayigoshed and started them singing together) - the word "vayigosh" is taken from the first words of Genesis 44:18
PDS Pre-Dementia Suicide - ending one's life while still lucid in order to not reach a state of full dementia
Expressergies - expressing (speaking, making, writing, etc.) something for the purpose of bringing positive energies into the world
Resonatism - relating to the entire world as resonating energies
Lifestone - using the Tombstone you've created for after your death to guide you in living your life
If there aren't words for these feelings and actions, how can we express and relate to them? The Living~Dying Duet brings a new reality, new dance steps, new music, and new words to our language as well.
I wonder if emotional enhancement naturally occurs as reliance on our cognitions goes down. Elizabeth Kubler Ross talked about the need for balance among intellect, emotional awareness, physicality, and spirituality (broadly defined). And many of us (myself included) have been hyper-focused on the intellectual throughout our lives. Are you noticing a rebalancing going on? How about with the physical and spiritual realms?
Love these words and their meanings. You’re right. We need a new vocabulary. I guess that’s why you’re sharing it!