Judith Klemos

I can’t watch anymore!!!

I first saw this phenomenon about 15 years ago while working in a Psychiatrist’s office that offered Methodone as a treatment for opiod addiction. Methadone, is another opiod!

After this awakening, I began to see this pattern everywhere and most recently in the self-help arena where my interests lie these days.

Anything – and I do mean anything – can become an addiction, knowingly or unknowingly. I have said it for years about the fitness industry. That quite often those most vocal and visible in the physical fitness arena are using physical training as a drug to avoid deep emotional work.

In recent experience, I’ve encountered a teacher who broke me out of a rut pattern of thinking and from which I launched myself into an ever more expansive evolution. However, alongside me I observed those who seem to not recognize that they used old techniques with the new information to achieve yet another continuous loop of highs and lows. This guy now has a huge fanbase…yes, fanbase. That should likely be a red flag. If you have people buying multiple products or watching video after video, its feel good entertainment, not a development tool.

I have had clients who seem to fit this category, even though my work is based on doing deep self-reflective experiential activity. Still, I find some merely seeking personal development as a replacement addiction. They get high on ‘aha’ moments and then really do nothing with the ‘aha’ information and soon they experience the low again. Then they search for more ‘enlightenment’, find their ‘aha’ and are on the upswing again for awhile. Eventually, all they are doing is repeating ‘aha’ moments, which really makes them ‘ah-no’ moments.

As a Medicine Woman, I don’t want to hear that I make you feel better. I want to hear that I showed you how you can make yourself feel better.

Cycling is cycling; and cycling, my friend, is addiction. In successful personal development or emotional healing, you don’t cycle, so much as spiral upwards and outwards when you are expanding. When you are stuck in an addiction cycle you have highs and lows. When you are spiritually or personally expanding, you experience ebbs and flows just like an ocean tide. This is very different from the highs and lows of the addiction cycle.

Its hard for me to watch people go from the early stages of ‘aha’ and skip right to “I’m going to help others have ‘aha’ moments”, because they haven’t invested enough time in themselves to have broken their cycle of addiction, yet.

Take the time to test drive your aha’s. Take them around the block for awhile. Try them on in all kinds of light. Let them stand the test of time.

Let them lead you to bigger ‘ahas’, then bigger ‘ahas’ and when they no longer feel like ‘ahas’ (but rather your everyday life) then proceed on to taking on the role of teacher for others. If you rush it, you are doing yourself and those you encounter a disservice; in fact, you are actually feeding your addiction and avoiding your true growth.

Its SO exciting to be on this path. I get it. But rushing it serves no higher good. This would be like ‘rushing’ to get done with an hour of meditation. 🙂 I used to be like that, too. I remember. I would lie in the tub and think ‘hurry up, relax already!’ It was absurd! Then I did the same with meditation. Measuring my success by the time that passed rather than the quality of the time spent (however long it might be).

I applaud those on this path and those who have the passion to go on to be of service to others. I caution you to do it wisely though. Don’t rush. I’ve been doing this 30 years and I still have aha moments and I will until I die. It was a long time of ahas before I hung my shingle up. I owed it to myself and my daughter (my first student) to really know what the heck I was doing. This has only been a benefit to my many clients.

I love you and only want the highest life for you!

~Jade