Dear Friend,
you say:
>I am trying to free myself from years of addictions,
First, thank you for your lovely e-mail.
Next. We are all addicted to something. In fact, we are all addicted to
almost everything! Practically every single action word and thought comes
from an addicted space in the mind – in an attempt to avoid this very
moment, just as it is.
So, one of our main addictions is not to be living in this very moment.
We will do almost anything not to experience this moment just as it is.
We keep looking ahead – not just months weeks and hours, but the next
moment. Anything rather than being just in this actual moment just as it
is.
If you feel as though you would like a deeper experience of what I am
attempting to share, try this:
Turn off everything in the house (except the fridge.)
Going to your bedroom, lock the door, close the curtains/blinds, put on a
blindfold, and sit. And sit, and sit, and sit.
(Don’t lie – or you will go to sleep.)
What you will almost certainly experience is – the mind.
The mind now has your complete and total attention.
If you tell yourself you should not be listening to the mind, the mind
will start to talk to you about not listening to the mind. Whatever you
think, that is the mind.
That is how come we don’t want to be in the moment just as it is – the
mind is torturous. As you may have experienced with your experiment,
we will do almost anything not to be in the excruciating experience of
the undiluted mind.
Next thing. If we want something, anything, enough, unconditionally, we
have got it. The key is, enough, unconditionally. In other words when it
is our absolute in–every–moment priority.
I do realise that we are all unique, and some things are easier for some
people than other people, and, I think anything is possible for anybody if
they want it enough.
I know several people who have come off heroin.
My favourite story about this is Miles Davis – the jazz trumpet player.
His story is, he went to France and was welcomed as celebrity.
When he got back to America his playing was so far ahead than the
not–very–bright American, he couldn’t even get work.
(Haven’t been able to work out why he didn’t go back to France.)
He got so depressed he went into his room and started shooting up heroin.
I think I remember that he did that for 10 years!
One day he decided he had had enough, so he went to his father, told
him he was going into the spare room and he was not to be disturbed.
I don’t remember how long it took, but when it came out he was clean.
He wanted it enough, so he did it. So can we.
The key is, wanting it enough. Easy? No. And no excuses are valid.
I read your e-mail with interest and a lot of love.
You really do deserve a much longer reply, and, I have talked about this
so, so many times that it no longer flows through as it used to.
I wish you, and all of you reading this who are in a similar situation,
the very best with your voyage. I think it is entirely up to you – how
much of a priority it is in your life. Either way, don’t take it too
seriously.
I am sending you all lots of love…