Fever: A Descent from Spirit?

We were sitting at the dinner table the other night listening to Ambiana's Music Together CD when she started doing, unprompted and for the 1st time, the hand movements Colleen does for one of the songs. Since her fever broke a few days ago we have noticed also her communication skills have improved both with words and with gestures. It seemed to us that our little smoo had emerged from the fever more intelligent and with more skills. Then Colleen read in one of her books on Natural Child Care that it is a little known but common occurrence for young children following fever to exhibit new skills and abilities.

It made us wonder...just what is a fever? Our culture treats it as an illness which must be remedied and suppressed; all kinds of medications are given for reducing and suppressing fever. This we do not agree with as we believe that fever is the body's response for dealing with infection and illness...but what if it is more than that?

What if Fever is a transformative process guided by Spirit descending into the body and energizing the vital chi which manifests as Heat? Rather than suppress fever (which also suppresses the immune system which in turn leads to an increase in auto-immune diseases) we should honor it as transformation and growth is occurring. By ensuring the child is comfortable, well hydrated and in a soothing and nourishing environment (certainly not the emergency room of the local hospital) we let the fever run its course mindful of the presence of Spirit inhabiting and transforming the body and the healing and growth taking place.

A radical departure from our cultural beliefs for sure but then again isn't a radical departure from our cultural beliefs needed in so many aspects of our lives? Look at our culture...it disparages Nature, wages war on the feminine, on indigenous culture and belief, leaves toxic landscapes in its wake and is materialistic, shallow, narrow-minded, wasteful, greedy, power hungry, aggressive, violent and murderous.

By perceiving fever as a sacred and spiritual event we break free of the hold anxiety and fear have over us. Anxiety and fear are two of the major tools used to control us and by re-claiming our authentic power via a re-imagining of fever we take a step away from mental slavery toward freedom and authentic being as Humans-in-Universe