Sexual Abuse and Essentialism

SEXUAL ABUSE Having been sexually – as well as physically and emotionally – abused can create a lot of junk in our heads and baggage in our lives. We need protection, protection that was not given to us and that we could not provide for ourselves. As a common result, our souls are left barren and our selves are left in ruins. Having been robbed of our most precious essentials – our dignity and sense of self -- we often look to accumulation as compensation and protection. ACCUMULATION We accumulate relationships that confuse us and bring us down; failures and wrong turns that reaffirm our worthlessness; and material possessions that promise security and freedom from spinning our wheels and mercilessly pounding ourselves from the inside out. The moment may come when we realize accumulation is not the answer and only serves to bury us deeper in our darkness. SPACE & TIME What we seem to be missing is space and time. Space to breathe. Space to think. Space to counter confusion and clear our heads. Time alone. Time to process with minimal interruption. Time to learn to just be without external pressure. Space and time to decompress: to slowly let it all out – whatever IT is; to reconnect to ourselves and figure out who we are, what we’re made for and what makes us tick; to slowly build up knowledge, reflection and courage; to discover our personal truths; and to accept, embrace and begin to express our identities and what our souls long to stand for. We need space and time to unwrap the unique package that is who we are and slowly gain the strength to introduce it back into the world – should we choose.