Subservience comes in many forms, and disempowers the individual because they become used to the thought that power and happiness lie elsewhere, whether it be in the form of some deity, religious leader, cult, or addictive substance. It’s no coincidence that alcoholics become born again christians, or those who are already christians become caught up in abusive relationships or addiction. They’ve been programmed to feel small, to feel sinful, shameful, and sometimes even masochistic. Their true sovereignty is fear: fear of death, fear of god, fear of themselves even.
When you recognise your own unique divinity, you become god of yourself, and your only sovereignty is vitality. We’re brought up to think of being healthy as “not being sick”, but health should be seen as something which can always be improved, and not just physically, but psychologically too. Any act that is done for the sake of one’s vitality is an act of self-love and empowerment, and is the pathway to maturity. The natural result of this will see you having a positive effect on those around you, and wanting to share your vitality with them, not by way of preaching, but by way of simple everyday life cultivation and encouragement.
Just to recap, here’s the Unithou definition of Vitality:
Vitality:
– The capacity to live, grow, or develop.
– Frequency/quality of meditational practice, as well as flow of meditational
focus from moment to moment.
– Physical and psychological health/vigour.
– Intimacy with, amount of, and circulation of H.
– Power to overcome/endure/embrace/joyfully participate in adversity/suffering.
– Sense of lightness, detachment and good humour.
I agree with your article on some levels. I agree that self-love is essential to any kind of psychological recovery. Yet, at the same time, becoming God oneself is exactly what gets a lot of addicts into or continuing on their active addiction. The twelve-steps stress the importance of a God outside of oneself, while the big book still describes an inner untapped resource that may be what you are describing. Very interesting.
I enjoyed your post,
Emily F.
(feel free to check out my blog at http://www.writingforrecovery.wordpress.com)
The problem with this approach though, is that it fails to empower the individual, as it is just swapping one external addiction for another. Just think – would a god disrespect his own divinity and surrender his power? It all comes down to the subservience (s)he was programmed with, and longs to evolve beyond – replacing one kind with another simply stunts the evolution of the individual, and hence, society also.