Every so often we all need to withdraw
Sometimes it is because we need to recover after a powerful (and most likely, painful) time of learning. Sometimes it is a need to get away from an emotionally draining world, where pain and anguish are force-fed to us by the media, and by people who drain our energies due to their own lack of connection.
Spiritual retreats are often looked upon as the way to go. Some people who are less spiritually-aware might go to talking therapies; some may subconsciously turn their pain inside and develop illness (then take time out to see a doctor, maybe get medication or even choose to self-medicate ..) It’s all a way of taking time off to recover.
At times like these, I believe what we really need to do is just go inside – because this is truly where our suffering comes from, and where it can best be healed. We really do create our own story.
Every person has their own story ..
Everyone has their own perception of reality, and that perception will create a repeating pattern – a cycle of their own story recreating with different actors and slightly different story lines. These will play out time and time again throughout our lives until we truly ‘GET IT’. We may see it, we may think it in our mind, but until we feel it in our heart (our magnetic centre of attraction) we will not release its grip, and our story will play over and over like a long playing record.
Its hard to watch this pattern in other people when you are aware of what is happening. You know you can have no influence over the decisions others make, and yet you see them playing the same song over and over. Sometimes you watch your own record playing, and you cannot seem to cut the power – it plays out in front of your very eyes, as you search your mind for answers.
Feeding our addictions
Many people don’t realise that we can get addicted to more than drugs such as alcohol, nicotine, and other escapism such as gambling.
We can also get addicted to feelings, emotions – either positive or negative. We get addicted to feeling needed; we get addicted to being treated badly.
We can also get addicted to the chemicals that are released into the body as we experience life – chemicals like cortisol, a powerful hormone that our bodies release when we are under stress.
Basically if something feeds the story, it feeds the addiction.
I have learnt much in my life that supports my path as I see it. Many have different pathways, and many will see things differently. This is more than OK. But to me, the answer to everything is not outside yourself – it is always on the inside.
Take hold of the responsibility that you create your own story
Understand that we all see everything with a different perspective, our own perception created by our very own long playing record. If you need time to recover, love yourself and take that time. Withdraw, retreat and find what it is within yourself that you need to release, but do so believing and knowing that its OK. You will be looking after yourself, and then you will be ready to gather that love for yourself, and release your best, most beautiful and greatest song to date….. You are the recording artist after all!
Resource: A great film to learn more about emotional addictions and how they affect us is What The Bleep Do We Know