When the Road to Recovery and the Spiritual Path Merge…
No Willpower Required
As a lifelong seeker, I have discovered that the spiritual path and the road to recovery are one and the same. I’ve also come to the conclusion that most of life’s pain, struggles, and suffering are caused by our disconnection from Source. Yes, we’ve become disconnected from our True Selves. The good news… when we learn to reconnect, the void will be filled and our addictions will naturally fade away — no willpower required.
I believe we are all born into this world as body and soul, both equally important for this amazing adventure. At birth, we are pulled from an invisible world of pure energy into this world of form. Seriously, no hocus-pocus. Even doctors say, sometime between 22–30 days after conception, a ‘spark of life’ appears from nowhere. This is Spirit embodied in human form.
As spiritual beings on this amazing human adventure, we are briefly aware of both worlds. However, during our early development, the soul must go into hibernation. Man cannot serve two masters and for now we must learn about human nature. Our survival depends on it! As a result, we feel alone for the first time. These feelings will trigger a primal fear, which quickly leads to the creation of our Bodyguard (separate self, mask, ego). This is all part of a Master Plan — NO MISTAKES. We created this mind-made persona for protection. The Bodyguard will be our loyal partner for many years to come.
Up to this point, everything is unfolding perfectly. Again, the Universe doesn’t make mistakes. The fact that you are reading this means the Bodyguard has done his job. You might have some bumps and bruises, but you’re alive! We actually become so accustom to taking instructions from our loyal Bodyguard, that we have completely forgotten about our Soul, the Sleeping Giant who patiently waits to be (re)discovered. Have no shame or guilt. This temporary amnesia is all part of the Game Plan. The Sleeping Giant will awaken when the time is right, but for now, we have much to learn.
You might be thinking, nice story, but what the hell does this have to do with my addictions?? Good question. As we enter the School of Life, we begin to feel an empty void created by the absence of the Soul — our better half. We are unconscious during this stage, meaning we are unaware of this Sleeping Giant. Like an itch you can’t scratch, this void will always keep us longing for something more.
The longer we linger in this unconscious stage of life, the greater the chance we will find some external methods to ‘fill the void’. Unfortunately, many of these temporary solutions have proven to be very addictive. I had often wondered why some people get lucky and don’t get lured into these addictive behaviors?? Maybe I was just feeling sorry for myself. Why me? In hindsight, I now see that we are all addicted to something. Although drugs and alcohol are the most obvious culprits, don’t overlook our addictions to food, sugar, social media, shopping, work, video games, etc. All of these behaviors share a common theme… How do I fill the void?
Okay, so this is where the wheels start to come off. This was not part of the Master Plan. The Universe wants us all to succeed. Although forgetting our Divine Nature is a necessary stage in our development, so is remembering! The School of Life was only meant to be temporary. Like any school, we are given lessons and tests every day. These lessons are designed to strengthen and guide us to eventually reconnect with our True Selves. If you are too busy to study these lessons, the tests will become more difficult — more painful. What the hell has happened to us? When did we become so complacent, comfortable with our discomfort? When did we start to believe the old adage, Life’s a bitch and then you die?
I’ve learned this firsthand. I was one of the stubborn ones, rushing from one experience to the next, never taking the time to look for the wisdom in the present moment. I was stuck on this treadmill for decades. Again, the longer we linger in this unconscious stage of life, the greater the chance we will fall victim to an addiction.
The pull from that empty void gradually grows stronger. Using and abusing drugs and alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and eating crap food were all part of my daily routine. I was constantly beating myself up for having no willpower to overcome these habits. I saw myself as being weak, which only made things worse. In addition, this inner battle will always lead to problems in your outer world. My life was full of anxiety, fear and worry. Health issues, financial stress, and failed relationships were the norm. Once again, hindsight is 20/20. I now clearly see the Universe was simply doing its job. This suffering was all part of the Master Plan! How long this awakening process takes is determined by our tolerance for pain.
This is where the spiritual path and the road to recovery begin to merge. In a mystical way, pain is good. It will eventually lead us all to look within for answers. I mean this literally. I put my head in my hands and said, OMG, is there more to life than this? These were magic words. Like Ali Baba saying Open Sesame, doors were opened to reveal hidden treasures. Your Soul, that Divine part of your nature, has been patiently waiting for this moment. It was as if I unlocked a door and the Universe kicked it open. The Sleeping Giant begins to awaken. The void will soon be filled from within. This is the ONLY way to permanently fill the void! The reason addictive substances have so much power is because they work! They temporarily help us numb that empty feeling. Unfortunately, these temporary solutions will always keep us longing for more. To AWAKEN is the only path to freedom.
As I mentioned above, I had no willpower. I spent decades trying to overcome my “bad habits.” As I describe in my book, AWAKEN the SLEEPING GIANT, when you discover and surrender to this inner-power, all of your addictions will begin to naturally melt away. This is one of the many rewards of surrender. The void is filled and the struggle is over. You become content and at ease. I’m not kidding. It was rather effortless. If I can do it, anyone can! You will naturally feel the urge to be kind to your body. When you become self-aware of this dormant power that’s been patiently waiting to be discovered, you become fully human! Body and Soul reunited. You are now whole and complete. And the way I see it, if I’m going to be a vehicle for God’s expression, I want to be a freaking Ferrari:).
Since I’m not a religious guy, this was weird for me. I was very uncomfortable even using the G-word. If this also describes you, please substitute any word you like (spirit, soul, higher-self, Universe, Creator, Life Force). The good news — this is an inside job. You don’t need to tell anyone about your discovery. I know how uncomfortable it could be to talk about this stuff. You get to be on a covert mission if you choose. Trust me, when you begin to make positive changes in your life, people will notice. You decide if you want to share your secret.
Although I’m not an addiction expert, I have made some amazing discoveries on this adventure. I feel like I’ve solved that BIG cosmic riddle, what is the meaning of life? I now understand that all of life’s experiences are designed to lead us to discovery, to remember our Divine nature. When our loyal Bodyguard has the courage to surrender control to the Giant, everything changes. The human body is like a powerful supercomputer waiting for instructions. Now that the Giant is our new Programmer, you will be amazed at how quickly the body heals.
with love,
Craig
Craig Kolavo is the author of Awaken the Sleeping Giant, and the founder of AwesOm Life and Together We Are Strong. Learn more at www.AwesOmLife.com and www.TogetherWeAreStrong.com .
