About

Why Anima?

I seriously agonize for hours over things like usernames, email addresses, and blog titles. I'm a textbook INFP, so God knows everything has to have some deeper, philosophical, cosmic meaning and internet identities are no exception. I chose "Anima"after much deliberation because, well, it's so me. It's a Latin word that in its most simple definition means "life"---but not in the sense of the better known word "vita", also meaning "life." Vita is the word used to title ancient biographies; it connotes the actual linear timeline of one's life. "Anima" is an enlivening force, the soul, the breath of life. In psychology, it is that part of the psyche that is focused inward, that connects to the subconscious and the hidden. It is an ambiguous thing that isn't easily tied down, and that pretty well describes what this blog is all about.

What is this blog all about?

Anima is a place for all my creative energies and output that don't fit neatly anywhere else. Here I'll be writing mostly about dealing with depression and anxiety, but also bits about my writing projects and some theological stuff as well. For me, these things, though seemingly separate, are all interconnected. Life is one big web and the different "compartments" of our lives aren't compartments at all, but threads that intersect and intertwine. This blog is the place where all those threads meet.

What's this about depression and anxiety?

I live with depression and anxiety. It's kinda lame, but also makes for interesting material, so I figured hell, why not write about it? Mental illness in general is a really interesting topic for me, and one I genuinely love to write about because there are so many opportunities to let people know they are not alone, and to erase the stigma associated with mental illness. Also, sometimes, it's just plain funny in a dark, absurdist, Neil Gaiman-y sort of way.

What else do you write?

I mostly write poetry and fiction. My poetry is free-verse and doesn't really fit into any specific genre, but it's mostly about my personal experiences. To get a good idea of what I write poetry-wise, my biggest influences are the French Symbolists and spiritual writers like Rumi, Hafiz, Gerard Manley Hopkins, and Kahlil Gibran. As far as fiction goes, I tend to lean toward the dystopian. Right now I've got a dystopian Southern Gothic novel in the works, but I'm also considering writing short stories and flash fiction as well. My biggest influences there are Aldous Huxley, Neil Gaiman, and classic fairy tales and ancient myths.