laughed so hard
i healed myself
—Terri Guillemets
laughed so hard
i healed myself
—Terri Guillemets
I shook off the house like a hooded cape,
And came out, free, into the March-blown street…
At a lash of the gale, at a sight of the cloud-tattered skies,
As a coat discarded,
I shook off civilization
And became wild,
And my naked soul raced the clouds,
And the flavor of the Earth was fresh and primitive…
—James Oppenheim (1882–1932), War and Laughter, 1916
her smiling girl-heart danced
behind the grey, grey hair
—Terri Guillemets
scrambled blackout poetry created from Enid Bagnold,
it’s not that the people
with nice shiny attitudes
haven’t been banged up —
but they buff out their
dings and scratches with
gratitude and positivity
perspective and grace
resilience and courage
with purpose and faith
—Terri Guillemets
After reading countless health books over the past couple of decades, I can tell you it pretty much all boils down to this: Eat plenty of veggies, work, play, rest, and don’t worry.
—Terri Guillemets
Transform FEAR into —
curiosity, love, kindness, humor, hope, joy, knowledge, focus, laughter, awareness, wonder, willpower, wings, experience, faith, fervor, challenge, gratitude, encouragement, enlightenment, goodwill, action, learning, beginnings, opportunity, aim, determination, adventure, character, smiles, hard work, independence,
—Terri Guillemets
You don’t always have to pray for something, or to someone — you can just simply pray.
—Terri Guillemets
“Having devoted the greater part of my life to visiting and studying the various Native Races of North and South America, and observing the healthy condition and physical perfection of those peoples in their primitive state, I believe I have discovered the cause of numerous health problems that exist in our civilized communities. I believe, and feel authorized to assert, that a great proportion of the diseases prematurely fatal to human life, as well as mental and physical deformities, and destruction of the teeth, are caused by abuse of the lungs, in the
“Quiet and natural sleep is the great physician and restorer of mankind; but the habit of sleeping with the mouth open is destructive to the human constitution. Man’s cares and fatigues of the day become a daily disease, for which quiet sleep is the cure; and the
“There is no animal in nature, excepting Man, that sleeps with the mouth open; and with mankind, I believe the habit, which is not natural, is generally confined to civilized communities, where he is nurtured and raised amidst enervating luxuries and unnatural warmth, where the habit is easily contracted, and in sudden changes of temperature, even in his own house. Through the enjoyment of his artificial comforts and pleasures, he is destroying his teeth, his good looks, and often his life, in the thoughtless departure from natural simplicities and instincts. Man, who suffers under many ills in life, should take care that his lungs and teeth, however much abused during the day, should at least be treated with kindness during the night. Breathing should be done as Nature designed it, through the nose.
“There is no perfect sleep for man or brute, with the mouth open. When you close your eyes to sleep, close your mouth too, only to be opened after your eyes and ears in the morning. Though the majority of civilized people are more or less addicted to the habit of sleeping with the mouth open, few will admit that they are subject to it. They go to sleep and awake, with their mouths shut, not knowing that the insidious enemy, like the deadly Vampire that imperceptibly sucks the blood, gently steals upon them in their sleep and does its work of death whilst they are unconscious of the evil. Every physician should advise his patients, and every school its pupils, and every hospital, regiment, nursery, and mother should attempt to stop this unnatural and dangerous habit.
“If I were to endeavour to bequeath to posterity the most important Motto which human language can convey, it should be in three words:
—George Catlin, The Breath of Life and Shut Your Mouth, 1860s, abridged
It’s not all about healing yourself — it’s just as importantly about letting yourself heal.
—Terri Guillemets
Our bodies run on the fresh green fuel of the land.
—Terri Guillemets
For happy health, fuel yourself with dreams and greens.
—Terri Guillemets
Do not take anything for granted — not one smile or one person or one rainbow or one breath, or one night in your cozy bed.
—Terri Guillemets
If you plant junk food in your body garden, how do you expect to harvest health?
—Terri Guillemets
Health is a relationship between you and your body.
—Terri Guillemets
The wisest one-word sentence? Breathe.
—Terri Guillemets
Try not to worry, as it’s sticky and hard to scrub off.
—Terri Guillemets
good health, yes, is partly genes
really though it’s more about greens
and other types of healthful things
—Terri Guillemets
Many of us have become deaf to our own bodies, which is why we are
—Terri Guillemets
Wellness is the art of healing before you’re sick.
—Terri Guillemets
You are as important to your health as it is to you.
—Terri Guillemets
Each morning begins with the triumph and celebration of waking to a new day and the blessing of being able to get out of bed. What better way to start the day than with a success like that?
—Terri Guillemets
Tea is a magical calming elixir — like, as if coffee had a therapist.
—Terri Guillemets
Why throw trash into the treasure-house of your body?
—Terri Guillemets
If you can’t get quiet enough to hear yourself, your life is too loud.
—Terri Guillemets
Our bodies let go when it’s time to let go — it’s called death. We ought to let go of the little burdensome things each day — that’s called living.
—Terri Guillemets