I am a firm believer that life is meant to be a fun, exciting adventure. As a lifelong seeker, I have discovered that the spiritual path and the path to recovery are one and the same. I’ve also come to the conclusion that all of life’s suffering is caused by our disconnection from Source.
Maybe it would be helpful to explain how we got to this place and how we can return to our Primal Way.
I believe we are all born into this world as body and soul, both equally important for this grand adventure. At birth, we are pulled from an invisible world of pure energy into this world of form. Even doctors say that between 22-30 days after conception, a spark of life appears from nowhere. This is Spirit embodied in human form. For those who are still waiting for the second coming, this is it! I call this original stage of development our Primal Way.
As spiritual beings on this amazing human adventure, we are briefly aware of both worlds. Sometime during our early development, the Divine part of our nature volunteers to step aside. Yes, the soul will go into hibernation. Remember, man cannot serve two masters and we have much to learn about being human. As a result, we feel alone for the first time. These feelings trigger a primal fear, which quickly leads to the creation of our bodyguard (separate self, mask, facade, ego). We must be single-minded when entering the School of Life. Our survival depends on it. We created this mind-made persona for protection. This bodyguard will be our loyal partner, leading us for many years to come.
Up to this point, everything is unfolding perfectly. The Universe doesn’t make mistakes. The fact that you are reading this means the bodyguard has done his job. You might have some bumps and bruises, but you’re alive! We actually become so accustomed to taking instructions from our loyal bodyguard that we have completely forgotten about our soul, the sleeping giant, who patiently waits to be (re)discovered. Again, have no shame or guilt. This temporary amnesia is all part of a Master Plan. The sleeping giant will awaken when the time is right, but for now, we have much to learn.
Okay, so you might be thinking, nice story, but what the heck does this have to do with addiction? Good question. As we enter the School of Life, we will begin to feel an empty void created by this temporary amnesia. Like an itch you can’t scratch, this void keeps us longing for something more. The longer we linger in this unconscious stage of life, the greater the chance that we will find some external solution to fill the void. Unfortunately, many of these temporary solutions have proven to be very addictive.
I often wondered why some people get lucky and don’t get lured into these addictive behaviors. Maybe I was feeling sorry for myself. Why me? In hindsight, I now see that we are all addicted to something. Although drugs and alcohol are the most obvious culprits, don’t overlook our addictions to food, sugar, social media, shopping, work, video games, etc. All of these behaviors share a common theme. How do I fill the void?
Okay, so this is where the wheels start to come off. This was not part of the Master Plan. The Universe wants us all to succeed. The School of Life was only meant to be temporary. Like any school, we are given lessons every day. If you are too busy to study these lessons, the tests will become more difficult. What the hell has happened to us? When did we become so complacent, comfortable with our discomfort? When did we start to believe the old adage, “Life’s a bitch and then you die?” Although forgetting our Divine nature is a necessary stage in our development, so is remembering!
I know this firsthand. I was one of the stubborn ones, rushing from one experience to the next, never taking the time to look for the wisdom in the present moment. I was stuck on this treadmill for decades. Again, the longer we “linger” in this unconscious stage of life, the greater the chance we will fall victim to an addiction. The pull from that empty void gradually grows stronger.
Using and abusing drugs and alcohol, smoking cigarettes and eating crap food were all part of my painful daily routine. I was constantly beating myself up for having no will power. I saw myself as being weak, which only made things worse. This inner battle will always lead to problems in your outer world. My life was full of anxiety, fear and worry. Health issues, financial stress and failed relationships were the norm.
Once again, hindsight is 20/20. I now clearly see the Universe was simply doing its job. How long this process takes is determined by our tolerance for pain.
This is where the spiritual path and the path to recovery begin to intersect. In a mystical way, pain is good. It will eventually lead us all to look within for answers. I mean this literally. I put my head in my hands and said, OMG, is there more to life than this? These were magic words. Like Ali Baba saying, Open Sesame, doors are opened to reveal hidden treasures. Your soul, that Divine part of your nature, has been patiently waiting for this moment. It was as if I unlocked a door and the Universe kicked it open. The sleeping giant is now awake.
The void has been filled from within. This is the only way to permanently fill the void! The reason addictive substances have so much power is because they work! They temporarily help us numb that empty feeling. Unfortunately, these temporary solutions will always keep us longing for more. To awaken is the only path to freedom.
As I mentioned above, I had no will power. I spent decades trying to overcome my “bad habits.” As I describe in my book, I Am God in Disguise – So Are You, when you discover and surrender to this inner-power, all of your addictions will begin to naturally melt away. No will power required! The void is filled, and the struggle is over. I’m not kidding. It was rather effortless. If I can do it, anyone can! I won’t lie. You might initially feel some panic in the beginning. Oh shit, if I’m hosting God, I better get my house in order. This is a good thing. You will naturally feel the urge to be kind to your body. Remember, you were born into this world as body and soul, both equally important for this adventure. I quickly decided, if I was going to be a vehicle for God’s expression, I wanted to be a freaking Ferrari!
Since I’m not a religious guy, this was weird for me. I was very uncomfortable even using the G-word. The good news: this is an inside job. You don’t need to tell anyone about your awakening. You get to be on a covert mission if you choose. Trust me, when you begin to make positive changes in your life, people will notice. You decide if you want to share your secret.
Although I’m not an addiction expert, I have made some amazing discoveries on this adventure. I feel like I’ve solved that BIG cosmic riddle: What is the meaning of life? I now understand that all of life’s experiences are designed to lead us to discovery, to remember our Divine nature, that sleeping giant who patiently waits to be awakened.
When our loyal bodyguard has the courage to surrender control to the giant, everything changes. The human body is like a powerful supercomputer waiting for instructions. Now that we have returned to our Primal Way, our giant (soul) will now be doing the programming. You will be amazed how quickly the body heals.
Change your mind and change your life.