#233 Reading as Ritual: How Books Support Grief and a Sensitive Nervous System

In this episode I'm reflecting on my relationship with screens, rest, and the quiet ritual of reading. I open with an honest look at my own winter screen habits and what it felt like to step back from Netflix and return to books. From there I explore why reading matters so much right now, and why fiction, romance, and healing stories in particular are having such a significant cultural moment.What I cover:Why audiovisual media can be dysregulating for sensitive and neurodivergent people, and what reading offers as a gentler alternativeThe beauty of reading spaces, pink bookshelves, and healing fiction as nourishment for the grieving bodyFour reasons fiction is so powerful right now: narrative repair, imaginative justice, emotional rehearsal, and representation as regulationPractical ideas for building a gentle, sustainable reading practice including the Fable app, Libby, and why one page always countsWhy romance is one of the fastest growing publishing genres globally and what that tells us about what we collectively need right nowHere is the link to the free Creative Grief Club, which includes monthly Zoom sessions and the book group on Fable: https://griefmagic.com/free/Thanks for listening!Love,Yarrow