ARTICLE -

Healing The Addictive Mind

By Dr Lee Jampolsky

Even though we may not remember them well, I believe that all of us had moments in our lives where we felt complete and fulfilled, moments where there was no perception of lack, only wholeness and love. In these moments we spontaneously break through the confines of the ego's belief in scarcity and become aware of the truth of who we are. We can bring these spontaneous breakthroughs under conscious control by being absolutely clear about what it is that we want. 

Peace of mind is what I want.This very moment I am full of love.How could I not receive what I wantwhen I ask for what I already have.

One winter day a few years ago I found myself burdened with problems. I felt as though I was locked into a life that was not how I wanted it to be. If I had made a list of what I thought I needed to do before I could breathe easily, it would have been quite a long list. It was a shadowy, misty day, and that seemed to only add to my depression. I was driving to work, preoccupied with all I thought I had to do, when an unusual idea broke through my thoughts: drive over to the beach. I had a busy day ahead of me and ordinarily would have ignored such a thought. But that day was different; I decided to go. When I got there I sat on the damp rocks edging the bay and looked out over the water. Instead of thinking of all I had to do, I allowed the beauty of the winter morning in. All of a sudden there was a dramatic shift in my perception. All thoughts of things I had to do gave way to feelings of completeness in the moment. A healing awareness came over me. There was nothing that I had to do in that moment other than be exactly where I was, experiencing exactly what I was experiencing. I felt full of life and love, and knew, as I sat on the rocks that I needed to accomplish nothing else in order to have peace. All that I needed to do was to allow what was already there to come through. It was as if the sun had come blazing through the winter sky. In a moment's time I had shifted from thinking that it was impossible for me to be happy under the given circumstances to realizing that I could shift my perception and experience the freedom of the present moment. 

The ego tells us that we live in a world where our happiness depends upon getting more. It tells us that how we get more is by doing more. The problem is that the addictive thought system has the philosophy of What You Have Is Never Enough. Once we have what we think we need, then our energy goes into guarding what have and getting more. The love-based thought system recognizes that the ego's thought system is insane, and only leads us into conflict. Abundance is the simple recognition that what is of value does not decrease in value over time, and does not need to be guarded. What is of value grows in value even when it is given away. When we embrace abundance we determine what is valuable in a completely different way than when we view the world through the lens of scarcity.1. The true test of something's value is whether it increases when it is given away. For example, love, kindness, compassion, and caring all increase in value when shared with others. 2. Time does not diminish what is of value. 3. The addictive thought system says, "I must do something else before I can have peace." The love-based thought system says, "In a quiet mind peace becomes known." 4. What is of value needs no defense; peace comes to those who offer peace. 5. Love is drawn to itself. Attack is drawn to itself. What you value is what you choose, and the choice you make determines everything. 6. The key to peace is to give to others what you already have, instead of trying to get what you think you need. 7. Abundance offers escape from the thought that you are not enough through a recognition that you are everything. 8. Abundance sees no value in fear, because abundance recognizes that there is nothing of value that can be lost. 9. When you know that you have love, and are loved, what else would you want to do but share what you have. 10. Abundance values win/win situations. The ego values win/lose situations. It may sound like abundance suggests that people stop work or do nothing. This is not true. I had the good fortune to spend some time with one of the great teachers of abundance: Mother Teresa. She certainly can't be accused of doing nothing. And, at the same time, when she starts up a mission she doesn't think in terms of scarcity, saying, "Oh, we can't do this because there isn't enough money." Mother Teresa knows that loving and kindness are all that is truly important, and that all else falls into place from this. It is not a pretty room or fancy food that creates healing; it is love. Mother Teresa certainly works very hard, but she is working from a place of abundance, knowing what she has to give; not scarcity, wondering what she will lose. The love-based thought system-which includes an attitude of abundance-can truly heal the addictive mind. 

The ego sees problems and obstacles in every situation.Love-based thinking sees opportunities to learn in every situation.Addictive thinking holds onto fear, irrationallybelieving that fear serves some use.Love-based thinking recognizes that healing is releasing fear.Addictive thinking holds onto the negative past, thinking thatgrudges and guilt serve a purpose.Love-based thinking sees that healing is letting go of the past.The ego tells you that seeing lack, fault, or unworthiness insomeone else makes us feel all the more powerful.Love-based thinking states that healing is recognizing the worth ineverything and everybody.The ego equates judging yourself with healing yourself.Love-based thinking equates loving yourself with healing yourself.The addictive mind tells that you are separate and that yourthoughts don't make a difference.Love-based thinking tells you that the most powerful healing forceIs a loving and forgiving thought that joins everyone. 

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