Our emotional, mental, or physical health, often impacted by familial, societal, or cultural factors, can contribute to this condition. Furthermore, the lack of mindful, self-reflective practices can also trigger this condition. A Pro Tip to alleviate this condition is to practice mindfulness and meditation, allowing for the release of negative thoughts and emotions, paving the what is spiritual malady way for a deeper spiritual awakening. The spiritual malady is the result of my being out of order with my higher power who I choose to call God. I was the director in the drama of life and managing the world so I could get what I thought I needed to feel ok. Fear and resentment dominated my thoughts and I made decisions based on self which caused me harm and harmed others.
- With us it is just like that.” Thankfully, the “spiritual malady” is no longer a “missing piece” of Step One for me.
- Our spirit, on the other hand, makes repeated efforts to convince us to face reality.
- That I don’t want to slowly loose everyone I love and become alone.
- (Although I’m not sure who would ever want to do that!) But for me, I’m allergic to cats and if I did that I’d be in a world of hurt.
- That maybe I should just go to where they are waiting for me.
Journal about how you feel
Strength and the ability to overcome anything that life throws at you is your Divine right. You have a place inside of you that is imperishable, wise, and flowing with power. Please trust this and know that if you tap into your inner Spiritual Warrior, you will be able to handle anything that comes your way. But as horrible as the Dark Night sounds (and it is), it is a crucial part of the spiritual journey – the journey to reconnect with the loving, wise, and Divine part of us that is our Soul.
What are the Symptoms of a Spiritual Malady?
We can experience emotional attacks, assaults, accidents, or abuse that affect our physiology similar to a physical threat or injury. Social threat and injury are other forms of spiritual threat and injury that are particularly toxic to humans. Things like isolation, disenfranchisement, discrimination, and injustice not only influence our mental health but our physical health, as well.
Why is it so dangerous to be self-reliant when suffering from an addiction?
Giving a threatened person safety instead of reason, rationalization, or punishment, is the equivalent of giving a blind person sight. The threatened given safety will see, understand, connect, bond, and thrive. This spiritual malady, or spiritual disconnection, is the driving force behind our addiction and self-destructive behaviors.
So physical cravings are not the primary reason we slip. Well, if you’ve been in Celebrate Recovery or any 12-step program for a while you know that, for most people who are actively working the steps, over time the mental obsession dissipates. I remember my wife Deb coming home from her first Overeater’s Anonymous meeting. “They told me that I will actually lose my obsession with food.” Then she added, “I don’t believe them! ” But sure enough, she followed the program and within a month or two her mental obsession had dissipated. I really like the analogy that the physical part of our disease is an “allergy of the body”.
The Dark Side of Spiritual Healing That No One Talks About
- However, I think that because our bodies and minds are working to protect us and survive, they are going to resist the pain that comes along with spiritual healing.
- You can pray in whatever way you like, as long as you like, to whomever you like.
- Without a connection to a higher power, it can get quite ugly in sobriety.
- This is frequently referred to as ‘breed and feed” physiology, although it is clearly much more than just that.
- And once we take action and put that substance in our system – whether its alcohol, drugs, sugar, or whatever—it sets off a physical craving for more of that substance or activity and we’re caught in a cycle.
- But for food addicts—because of their body’s “allergy” to sugar or processed foods—one Christmas cookie leads to a dozen.
For some, it may manifest as a feeling of being disconnected from others or as a sense of emptiness. For others, it may manifest as anger, anxiety, or depression. The thoughts we have as alcoholics are often insidious in such a way that we can’t tell what is true or false. The AA Big Book talks about this delusion we develop in active addiction.
What is Complicated Grief?
- The first dark twin is what I call spiritualized resistance.
- Our emotional response to criticism, stress, trauma, and grief can build up negative emotions and lead to spiritual malady.
- One of the most important things in AA is finding a sponsor – someone who has been through the program and can help guide you through it.
- I’ve tried to become more spiritual but all I think now is that I don’t want to stay on this plane of life anymore.
How do I handle my spiritual malady if I don’t believe in God?
