We have all been touched by a mental health crisis – whether its ourselves, a family member, or a friend. Today Guest Blogger Malaina Jean Poore shares why whom society deems the craziest can sometimes be the most beautiful;
“Today I brought a copy of the book, “Firewalkers: Madness, Beauty and Mystery” to donate to prisoners in my community. The volunteer opened to a random page and read the title, “What happens when you give power to crazy people?” “Oh, no,” she said, “this will never pass. Too radical.”
Firewalkers chronicles the profound, turbulent, spiritual experience of living through a mental health crisis. What our society labels as “mental illness” can be a sacred quest that has the power to enrich us, reveal unknown strengths, and transform our lives.
It’s funny because someone gave power to a group of crazy people and they put a book together of brilliant stories and photographs. They told their stories in their own language about the internal landscape of struggle and brilliance. One person said she didn’t believe she ever had a mental illness. One woman said she felt she had a brain imbalance that she could keep in check with diet and exercise. More than one person talked about their faith and spiritual life. The book manages to inspire without being trite, to give hope and stay down-to-earth. I’ve always been interested in the fringe because its so fun out here! I never had to “come out” as a person with a psychiatric history because I thought that was just implied when you are a creative type. Doing the work that I do forces me to come out again and again, and it makes me people uncomfortable. A dirty little secret in this age of too much information and downright voyeurism.
Cassandra Nudel says, “Could it be that what we are diagnosing as mental illness is in fact a search for wholeness, balance, and meaning in a sometimes painful and irrational world?” I would say yes. That and so many other things. I’m much less interested in labels and diagnoses. I like to hear people speak from the heart about what they’ve experienced. I want to invite you to ask yourself this question and see what comes up.
Malaina Poore is the mama and two and no crazier than you.