COCKROACHES IN HEAD is an autobiography written by Aodh Macky. The author reveals his five years of service in the French Foreign Legion and his first-hand experience of overcoming Schizophrenia. A spiritual search was the result, leading him on a personal journey inwardly and outwardly. That journey was one of self-discovery, self-empowerment, and self-acceptance of his place in the world. Many books have been written about the Legion, but here we see a different approach. We get an insight into the mind of a young man who loses little by little all hope, not only in the foreign legion but in society and mankind as a whole. Once out of the legion, his own identity must come crumbling down in the form of deep psychosis, before he can see clearly again. When describing his struggle through a period of mental illness, he takes a unique perspective. His non-conventional understanding of his own diagnosis of mental illness helps us to see that for recovery to occur, we must listen to the wisdom of our heart and the wisdom of our ancestors who were connected intimately with the Earth. His self determination to take full responsibility and authority over his own life makes this powerful first-hand account of Schizophrenia by a living expert stand out among others. Without the use of medication, we can boldly and truly say that this man has found his cure. Rarely, does an author lay bare his soul for scrutiny. Aodh leaves little untold and opening up about his own inner struggles, gives an honest account of his painful but necessary journey towards a greater peace of mind. By embracing his vulnerability and putting his story out there, he offers the light of hope to many others who may feel damned and hopeless with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia. He even hints that there was no true illness to begin with but an exposure to brutal situations in a materialistic world that has no time for spirituality; a world running from the unknown essence of its being. Having lifted the veil of illusion that once blurred his vision, his outlook on life has changed completely. With the knowledge, experience and wisdom that we are something greater than what we were raised and taught to believe, he is compelled to share his story. Aodh reveals through his own struggle to integrate and accept his calling, the spiritual nature and power of the wounded healer recognised by indigenous peoples accross the world; from the Celts to the Berbers, from the Amazonian tribes and native North Americans to the Maori and the Aboriginal people of Australia. This is an autobiography with the potential to touch many souls and bring hope. Namaste.
