I was trying to figure out what word most accurately described the crazy that I am today, when I double checked Catharsis and was a little surprised at how the word was originally used...heh.
Using the term 'catharsis' to refer to a form of emotional cleansing was first done by the Greek philosopher Aristotle in his work Poetics. It refers to the sensation, or literary effect, that would ideally overcome an audience upon finishing watching a tragedy (a release of pent-up emotion or energy). In his previous works, he used the term in its medical sense (usually referring to the evacuation of the 'katamenia', the menstrual fluid or other reproductive material). Because of this, F. L. Lucas maintains that catharsis cannot be properly translated as purification or cleansing, but only as purgation. Since before Poetics catharsis was purely a medical term, Aristotle is employing it as a medical metaphor. "It is the human soul that is purged of its excessive passions."...
Since I am riding the Clomid wave today, and instead of making me manic (which I kind of miss by the way), it has caused a bit of the weepies. Right. So Julie's post about her grandfather choked me up. See, aren't you glad you aren't hanging out in my hormone pool today?
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