Liberation from What?

Junk Stock, Omaha, October 2016

“There’s no path to liberation that doesn’t pass through the shadow.”

~Jay Michaelson

Why Liberation?

The word liberation conjures up all kinds of images and emotions. Usually these are positive, but not always. Perhaps when we first hear the word we think broadly about world politics or freedom in general from oppression of one kind or another. But I would like to focus on personal liberation. Why do we need to be liberated and what do we need to be liberated from? At a very basic level, brain injury survivors just want to be free from their injury. We want our lives back. Often during the course of recovery we struggle against our injury and its effects. We just want to be free from the pain, fatigue, and fog. But this very struggle against what is, often prolongs the symptoms we are seeking liberation from. Instead of seeking freedom from our symptoms, perhaps we are meant to seek liberation from the trying so hard, the reaching back instead of moving forward.

The Shadow

I used to define liberation from my concussion as being symptom free. In trying to be strong, I was denying the full truth about my injury. I continually osculated between accepting and fighting it. But all that effort was draining my limited cognitive energy. Why do we struggle so hard against the shadow? We seem to want to avoid any darkness. I discovered, however, that there is peace to be found in the shadows and loving lessons to be learned.

Where Liberation is Found

When faced with difficult circumstances, be it health issues or other life challenges, we tend to seek control. We want freedom from whatever it is we perceive is holding us back, so we fight for it. We struggle and wrestle to break free. When I finally stopped seeking liberation from my concussion, I was able to move forward and heal. I found freedom in acceptance. Sometimes liberation is found in the surrender.

Peace,

Sharon