Palm/Passion Sunday - Vestibular Sense
As [Jesus] rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.” Luke 19:36-40
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When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, the chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” Luke 23:33-37
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Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Having said this, he breathed his last.” Luke 23:46
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This man [Joseph of Arimathea] went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.” Luke 23:52-53
Today is an interesting day – Palm/Passion Sunday. For folks who won’t be in attendance at a Good Friday service, churches try to find ways to combine both Palm Sunday (which celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem), and also the Jesus’ Passion (his suffering, crucifixion, and death). That way, we arrive at Easter having experienced the whole story and not just having skipped from a triumphal entry to a resurrection.
But combining these two observances into one day can be…difficult. We can feel knocked off balance by the big swing from celebration to suffering and death. And really, I think a lot of the folks who were there likely felt knocked off balance, too. Wasn’t this the same guy who was just performing miracles and being praised? How did all of this fall apart so quickly?
On a day when so much can seem off kilter, let’s take a moment to appreciate the sensory system that helps us keep our balance and posture – the vestibular sensory system. While we may not always be aware of our vestibular system, its sense organs (many are in the inner ear) are always working to keep us balanced and regulated. One way to think about the vestibular system is that it’s like a gyroscope, sensing the movement of our head and helping our body react appropriately (helping us stay upright while trying to put on a shoe while standing on one leg).
The vestibular sense helps us literally maintain our balance. But sometimes we’re feeling more emotionally than physically off kilter, right? The good news is that our vestibular sense can help us with self-regulation, too. (As much as I wish I could simply *think* my way through a problem or difficult feeling, I’m learning that adding physical activity to my efforts can really help my progress.) What a tool for our toolbox on a day filled with such drastic ups and downs.
Invitation: Try one of the “alerting” and/or “calming” vestibular activities listed on this website. What do you notice happening in your body and/or mind?
Prayer: Holy God, whose story encompasses both waving palms and thorny crowns, even and perhaps especially in the times when I feel knocked off my feet, you are there. Grant me peace. In the name of Jesus, Amen.