Archive for September, 2009

Freedom from addiction

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

QUESTION: Masters, I am a functioning alcoholic. I believe this has actually served some purpose in getting me to a certain stage in my life. I need to stop now but don’t want to seek professional help; what can I do?                        ~Sian, UK

ANSWER: Your addiction has been your most important lesson this lifetime. You have gone through all of the layers of grief over your chosen lesson and are now at the final stage of acceptance: congratulations! Having dealt with the initial denial of your condition, you threw off anger at all those who tried to intervene and tell you what you were. Next came the bargaining about it not have an effect upon you since you were able to function despite your condition. Then came the realization of your sense of the loss of control of your life that made you depressed, which took you to your current stage of acceptance.

Your desire to do this withdrawal on your own brings up additional lessons of embarrassment, condemnation, lack of faith in yourself and others. You also find you don’t trust others to handle just your addiction and not mess with the rest of you. Fear abounds.

You must ask yourself: what is the fear? The fear stems from thoughts that there are reasons for your running away and diving into a beverage where you knew you would sink when you got tired of swimming. And there are a number of things lurking in the background that still have to be dealt with, or any run at staying away from booze will end in defeat.

You don’t have to go to a psychiatrist or even a professional, but do spend some time with others who have been successful in turning their lives around. Hear and feel the demons shared by you and many others who have chosen your path.

Until you speak your innermost thoughts they cannot be cleared away. You need help to understand why you are where you are. Running away from help is a denial that you need help. Physical help is the quickest and easiest. Non-physical help, such as your guides, will work if you have the depth of awareness to enter deeply enough inside to reach the triggers for your behavior. If nothing else, seek out a group that can help you get into deep meditation where you may find assistance.

The teacher’s purpose

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

QUESTION: Masters, thank you for creating this site. I am a new member. I have questions about my reasons for being here. As I enter into the spiritual world, my eyes have been opened to all kinds of new possibilities. But I don’t know what my purpose is. I have just recently met a man who is very spiritual. He has been teaching me about the spirit world and talks about God all the time! Was he brought into my life for a reason? He calls himself a stepping stone on my journey. WHY? I was hoping for long-term direction. I don’t want to think there is an end to our beautiful relationship already. We have only just begun! Can you help me answer some of these questions?              ~JoAnn, USA

ANSWER: Opening up to the aspects of self that are within the “spiritual” realm creates feelings that stimulate the very core of the body. Many times, if the first teacher is of the opposite sex, the student associates the feelings with those of romantic love. In a few rare occasions this may be true. In most, the person has been contracted with to enter your life at a time when you would be most receptive to the catalyst that will reconnect you to your memories.

With his guidance you have come to know that you are more than just your physical being. Your body tingles with the energy and excitement surrounding you of which you are now aware. Close your eyes, shut down your thinking mind, open up your senses to the feelings around you, and touch what has been awaiting your awareness. You are a part of all that is. Accept your place in the universe.

This man is a stepping stone to assist your progress into understanding. By awakening your curiosity and intellect to explore what you call spiritual pursuits, he has opened a door that only you can go through. You must figure out the attraction you have for him: Are you attracted to him physically, or as a teacher who allowed you to see your future?

We cannot tell you your purpose because it is for you to discover. He cannot tell you your purpose because he is not privy to it. You have only just begun your journey. If you travel along in someone else’s cart, you do not get a true feel for the road. It is only in walking the path that you feel each rock, cushion, and challenge.

Control dramas abound

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

QUESTION: Masters, I started a job just over 3 months ago and I have a colleague who was transferred from another branch. I have been told that she is conditioned from her previous job to be negative. I am a little worried that I am not able to help her understand that she needs to trust in us, that not everyone is out to get her. Why is my boss always berating me in front of others? He seems so angry with me. I know he has humility problems, but I believe in my heart that he is a good soul. How can I be more understanding towards him and, importantly, not get affected by him? On a personal note, I broke up with my boyfriend about a year and a half ago. Why was I so angry for the whole year? I thought he really questioned my spiritualism, and obviously, I must have failed miserably. Hope you can enlighten me.                 ~Alice, Singapore

ANSWER: There are a lot of lessons simultaneously playing out in your life. Overriding all of them is your own understanding of using your power and freedom of choice. You are overly sensitive to the emotions of other people because you do not understand your own emotions.

Don’t criticize yourself for the way you reacted after your boyfriend left. Being spiritual does not mean you have all the answers to things to make your life run smoothly. It only means that when something is bothering you, it is possible to recognize a life-lesson rather than finding a fault to be corrected. Relax and observe. Your year-long anxiety resulted from reliving confrontations and constantly going back over conversations to see if you could have done something differently. The past is gone. The future hasn’t occurred yet. Live in the now as you play your part in this timeframe. Feel the way your soul responds to the events in which you partake. Choose to continue holding on to the feelings if you don’t understand them, or learn what they mean and move on.

You try to control things around you so you can feel others are learning as well as you are. Let people experience their own journeys. Your colleague and your boss won’t bother you if you accept they have things to learn. They can affect the way you feel about yourself only if you accept what they say as true. Take those derogatory things that are said to you and ask: how do I feel about that? If you know it comes from a soul who is striking out to hold on to control, just let it go. When you don’t react, they will get tired and move on. If you acknowledge what you feel is a truth in their statements, then find out how you can change yourself to be more acceptable to you. You are the only one who should be important in the way you feel about yourself.