From the Vortex Hallway to the Graveyard

Often when encased in a Vortex World, one is reprimanded for speaking out in what is perceived as dissent. By reprimanded, I mean frowned upon by others with a look of pain or one of displeasure. The step beyond that is being avoided in the hallway the next time you show up to an event. But for those who don't act like children and take a chance at conversing with you since they can't avoid you, you may find yourself privy to a mild passive aggressive lecture on how negative murmering isn't healthy and how we need to uphold and support our leaders so to be a good example for those who are younger in the faith than we are. Even if a simple question is posed about the questionable behavior of the Vortex Leader, eyebrows are slightly raised or eyelids lowered and something is mumbled about how it doesn't really matter since those types of decisions aren't any of our concern. All in all, any form of question is perceived as rebellion, going against the flow, and making life uncomfortable for the Vortex Community. After all, nobody likes a wet blanket or a whiner. Unfortunately, no one really wants to see the truth.

However, once you HAVE disembarked from the Vortex Ship, you begin to rapidly learn how much of your God-given Voice had been silenced and how much you HAD allowed someone else to do your thinking for you. Then, out of embarrassment and angst, you begin to be vocal about this to others (who may not be as far along as you in the detox process, or those who happen to be still within the vortex). Immediately a label is slapped on you like 'Offended' or 'Unforgiving' or 'Bitter'. Definitely you are amongst those who have lost their way or, as they say in religious circles, 'Backslidden'.

Today as Pakistan buries their leader, Benazir Bhutto, I can't help but ponder the path of escilation from shunning in the hallway to murder. Why do Benazir's murderers feel justified in taking her life just because she dared to stand up to their imposed oppression? And to what degree do religious and cult-like people feel the right to silence the voice of those who speak up for the helpless? How long before passionate followers of dictators or authorian type leaders take it upon themselves to snuff out the voice of the outspoken even to death? Even if not physical death, think of the many ways death to the outspoken occurs.

Unlike her murderers, Benazir Bhutto cared passionately for her people and not only spoke up for them but backed her words with political action. She was aware she may be martyered for resisting oppression just as her father was killed years earlier. She considered her advocacy her calling and she ultimately died because of it. Returning from political exile to her country to face her enemies for her people, one thing she didn't do-- She didn't allow the intimidation of tyranny to silence her voice. She risked all for the possibility of helping those who couldn't help themselves.

Out of the Vortex

Just getting set up today but just want to say Hi and let you know that we'll begin blogging primarily about emerging from certain dysfunctional organizations, and the stages of detox that have helped us get healed and sane again -- or at least we feel we're on the way to sanity. Maybe we should have called the Blog 'On the Way to Sanity'... but no, enough second guessing! Had enough second guessing for years.

Anyhoo, 'Vortex DeTox' seems to sum up what we came out of -- an extreme vortex that the only way to get out was like jumping off a sinking ship -- and detox, the state we now find ourselves in: learning about what we come out of, what caused us to succomb to someone else's vortex in the first place, and how to be made new and increasingly free from its poisonous tentacles (sounds dramatic, I know!) that could pull us under again if we don't take the time to get rid of it all (i.e. otherwise you just find youself in a similar dysfunctional place and repeat the whole painful mess again).

Sometimes we wonder just how long it'll take to get through the detox process and then in turn what comes after detox? It's always tempting to get ahead of ourselves, so I guess time will only tell. Meanwhile, we'll share a little of what we've learned so far and the new stuff we discover in days to come. We'd love to hear from you so share any of your experiences and the wisdom you've honed through your journey too!

vor - tex:
a state of affairs likened to a whirlpool...irresistible force;
something regarded as drawing into its powerful current everything that surrounds it

de - tox:
remove poison from; "detoxify the soil"
to remove a poison or toxin or the effect of such from: to render harmless