How the Search Began
I have a non-traditional education based on Buddhist philosophy. Despite this more supportive approach, once I began to work as a counselor, I still became dissatisfied with traditional psychology. Diagnosing clients and/or using cognitive behavioral therapy often does not help them create lasting change. I noticed that it often does not lead to an increase in quality of life or the resolution of peoples’ “issues.” As I continued studying beyond the 12 step programs I participated in and my education in psychology, I began to see the sages of the East as the real originators of psychology. They had already seen past the human condition to states far beyond what Western psychology seems to think possible. The key difference is that Eastern traditions de-emphasize the human ego rather than build it up as in Western psychology. All speak of the world as Maya or an illusion, resulting in Samsara or suffering as the object of our perception. When we are under the illusion of Maya, it seems as though samsara or the world is reality. When we try to change this reality by changing our ego, minds, or thinking, we may appear initially to have some success, but suffering continues. The sages of the East seem to have a much easier time. They speak of their experiences of happiness, peace, and joy that seem inaccessible when we try to change our thoughts or behavior using traditional psychology. A quote from Silence of the Heart, Dialogues with Robert Adams illustrates this perfectly.
“So there are two ways of seeing this world. One is Maya, the grand illusion. You want nothing to do with this. This is what creates problems. This appears to create animosity (hatred), sorrow. But then there is the real world. The world of the Self. The world of Bliss. The world of total joy, unalloyed peace, and happiness. This is what you really are. This is your real nature, your swarupa. You have always been this, and you will always be this. Forget about the past. Do not worry about the future. Have total faith, total joy, in yourself. Only when you can understand yourself as All-Pervading Consciousness can you possibly understand that all the universe is an emanation of your mind. Everything you see comes out of you.”
Discovering the 7 Life Addictions®
During meditation, I slowly began to notice seven main illusions. As I explored this further, I realized we tend to give energy to these illusions leaving us feeling depleted or falsely entangled. When we engage with the world by objectifying our reality (Samara), we can become trapped into thinking and living in ways that are not supportive. I call them addictions not to be harsh or judgmental but to point toward how much we give our power away to illusion. Addiction and illusion have a lot in common. When we are “addicted,” we are under the illusion that something or substance or activity fulfills us. It may appear to satisfy us at times or for a time, but eventually, not only does it fail us, but we are left feeling empty and lost. I settled on the term Life Addictions® because we tend to think we get fulfillment or satisfaction from the world we can only genuinely get from within.
Finding the Most Effective Solution(s)
I began to explore these illusions and how they seem to take hold in our lives. I quickly realized I only saw the problem or the issue at hand, but I had not fully identified a solution or remedy. At first, I was frustrated, but then I was introduced to The Sedona Method® (TSM). As some of you may already know, it has become the primary system I use to teach people how to live beyond Life Addictions®. TSM is a powerfully simple set of tools we can use to help us reconnect with the naturalness of simply being. And in that natural state, we can sense that changeless awareness that all illusion appears in or on. We begin to explore the Ultimate Solution, as many saints and sages call it. We use words to refer to things beyond words which can get tricky, but luckily Lester Levenson and Hale Dwoskin have developed useful and effective questions to assist us in this process.
“The real addiction we all have is to suffering.”
Hale Dwoskin,
creator of The Sedona Method®
I went through a stage where I thought the Living Beyond Life Addictions® system was useless after discovering TSM. Now I am revisiting that conclusion and finding value in this approach, especially when combined with TSM as the solution or primary tool to see beyond all illusion. Awareness itself, when it shines its light upon any illusion, will take care of releasing any trapped energy on its own. Awareness is always here and available to us. We simply need to notice it! (Actually, it is here even when we aren’t noticing it!)
Paramahansa Yogananda
I recently attended the Sedona Method Advanced retreat. On the first morning before the retreat began I did a brief meditation. I set an intention to use the week of the retreat to explore whether or not I should use this system The previous day I had cleaned up the usual paperwork pile that sat just next to me. It had grown past my comfort zone. In the same area, I also had a section of material from visiting the Lake Shrine created by Paramahansa Yogananda in Pacific Palisades, CA. I had even purchased his Home-Study Series but somehow had reversed the house numbers on my address.so I had only received 2 of the 12 lessons. Without a thought, I picked up one of the lessons sitting near me during the retreat, and I was surprised to find Yogananda’s version of this system! He calls them “Satan’s Principle Delusions and How to Overcome Them.” First, I felt better about using the word addiction! Then I remembered I had asked for support to see if this system was usable or valid! It seemed I had received that support!
Getting Started…
I welcome you to join me in exploring Living Beyond Beyond Life Addictions®. And I thank you for being willing to open to seeing beyond the illusions that keep us from experiencing the Freedom we already are! When we engage in this process together, it helps us all even more.
I look forward to working with you!
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