http://www.care2.com/greenliving/what-are-you-addicted-to.html
What are You Addicted to?
Admit it. There must be something. Addiction may sound like a strong word, something we tend to associate with hard drugs or alcoholism, but in reality we all have addictions. Some of us are addicted to overeating, others to surfing the internet or watching television. Some of us are addicted to shopping or overworking. The form our addictions take may change, but in reality all addictive behavior stems from the same need: the need to distract ourselves from what we are feeling inside.
The sense of incompletion is something our society has decided to ignore. Instead of trying to find fulfillment within, we spend our lives accumulating, obtaining, trying to hide the sense of dissatisfaction beneath sensory stimulation and gratification. The problem is, these experiences can cover up the truth momentarily, but they cannot make it disappear. When the high has passed, we crash down again. Ultimately, we must turn inwards and deal with the pain inside if we want to feel permanent relief.
The reason we have such difficulty being with ourselves is that we have lost sight of our true essence; what I call love-consciousness. Love-consciousness is the experience of absolute freedom and joy that lies within all of us, but that due to all the things we have been through in our lives, has become hidden from view. It lies beneath layers of self doubt, resentment and frustration, accumulated through the disappointments and traumas of a lifetime. It hasn’t gone anywhere; we have simply become distracted, so accustomed to looking outside of ourselves for completion that we have forgotten where to find it.
The only way to heal addictive behavior is through love of self. Just as non smokers quickly gain weight, cutting away the leaves of a habit is not the solution; new foliage will grow back soon enough. If you want to be free of addiction, heal the root. Go inwards and fill the emptiness with love. Then your addictions will fall away by themselves, for there will be no hole left for them to fill.
Isha Judd is an internationally renowned spiritual teacher and author; her latest book and movie, Why Walk When You Can Fly? explain her system for self-love and the expansion of consciousness. Learn more at www.whywalkwhenyoucanfly.com.
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8 comments
add your comment »Making herbal smoothies in the morning; the Internet; playing Scrabble with my computer; hiking; Trader Joe's cream-top yogurt; any kind of cheese; coffee; being out in the sunshine; garage sales; reading thrillers; various Latin/Portuguese folk music; royal jelly and honey.
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hmmmm...checking emails
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Overeating, television, and negativity. But I am working on it. Praise love for this moment in it's perfection, Thank love for my human experience in it's perfection, Love creates me in my perfection, Om unity.
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Coffee in the mornings? Checking email first thing. Playing solitaire at night to empty my mind for sleep? Addictions or routines?
EATING... must have a sweet after a meal. Eating for comfort... yes, addictions, because they are destructive!
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If there were another person who was intelligent, warm, loving, kind, sexual and nice, I could find myself addicted to them. Doesn't exist here. YES there is such a thing as an addictive personality. The opposite of a balance one.
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Great topic, I used to say that I did not have an addictive personality? duh? what is that? laughing now.
Based upon what I have learned, I had the just the opposite. I had to face me, and in that deep inward journey, I saw lots of addictions. My greatest trick, was to switch one addiction for another, and manged for a while to keep me in a state of denial, that allowed me to live in a pretty miserable life. (why did I want that?) Finally I got sick and tired of being sick and tired, and made some important changes in me.
I faced the me that I was hiding from all along, found that I could love myself, and progressed on to loving relationships outside of me. I must admit that I still spend too much time on the Internet. That is progress from where started.
Life is a beautiful journey and I agree, filling the hole and we become whole!
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chocolate caffeeine and the internet.
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Good question.
Paasionate & addicted to Hersheys Treasure chocolates & Gold Peak bottled tea. Damn yummy!
Plant trees for life..........
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