The Root Cause Of All Addictions And Compulsive Behaviors
September 10, 2010 by Akemi · 10 Comments
The pandemic of addiction
How many people do you know who eats compulsively, or work obsessively, or spends so much time on the internet, video game, exercise, and so on to the extent it affects their other aspects of life? Or someone who “can’t live” without daily doses of coffee, chocolate, junk foods, sex, not to mention alcohol, nicotine, or drugs? Or someone who goes from one destructive relationship to another with hardly any intervals? Or someone who shops for the pleasure of acquiring stuffs even though they don’t really need them?
Hello? Are you one of them?
Practically everyone is addicted to something or some behavior patters, often multiple of them.
And even though there are physiological issues, some unique to the specific addiction, the root cause of all addictions is one. Until we face this root cause, we just make lateral move from one addiction to another, for example, a recovering alcoholic pigging out sweets and then becoming obsessive health advocate or “born-again” religious fanatic.
Are we all crazy?
And this, when a good life is quite accessible.
Imagine, for a moment, a mediaeval Viking man in the freezing Scandinavia. He doesn’t have enough foods and fuel, no one in the village does. So the only way they can save their lives, along with their families’, is to go out to the southern, slightly warmer area and assault the people there. Some of them would die in the fight, and leaving home is intrinsically painful, so to ease the fear and the emotional pain, they drink alcohol — it keeps them (temporarily) warm, too.
Back then, no one thought drinking was a problem. The cold and the lack of foods and fuel was the problem.
But we don’t live like that, fortunately. We can have a reasonably safe, comfortable, and healthy life — and yet, we throw ourselves into compulsive behaviors that sooner or later destroy our well-being.
And again, so many of us do this. Ours is the culture of obsession and compulsion. Why?
Sense of not being “enough”
There are physiological causes. For example, I’ve been feeling so much better since I started taking extra vitamins (C, E, B complex) — I feel so “normal” around foods. I was suffering a mild hypoglycemia and that was part of the cause of my sugar problem. Likewise, there may be chemical or hormonal imbalance behind many compulsive behaviors. (So consulting a healthcare professional is an idea — although many doctors, or even nutritionists are not very aware of the issue.)
But the physiological cause is not the whole story. If it were, the rehab should have 100% recover rate. And it doesn’t explain the common switching of addictions.
I think the root cause of all addictions is the sense of not being enough. A girl who doesn’t feel she is pretty and lovable enough may attempt to control her food intake. If it’s a boy, he might exercise endlessly. Or they may retrieve to the fantasy world of video game altogether. Someone who doesn’t feel he or she is good enough may work excessively for achievements. And someone who thinks their life hasn’t been good enough or spiritual enough may become by-gods.
This inner sense of insufficiency is very universal in our society. Even kids exhibit it. And we go into compulsive behaviors either to numb the pain of this insufficiency or to overcome it.
But why are we, I mean practically all of us, feeling insufficient? Does this make sense? Who is enough, then? And what is enough?
The disconnection from the Source
The intellectual answer to these questions is to attribute them to the society’s more. But I think there is even deeper issue.
We are suffering from the disconnection from the Source.
Even though most of us don’t remember on the conscious level, we know we are connected to the life-giving Source. We also remember the connection was more full and complete before. We crave to feel that full connection again. That is certainly “enough” — there is nothing more complete than that.
But because we don’t even know it’s the spiritual level hunger, we look to all the wrong places. The truth is, no amount of money, fame, worldly recognition and power, no level of physical fitness and beauty, no amount of knowledge and academic achievement, nothing — absolutely nothing — can replace the satisfaction we receive when we connect with the Source.
So now we have a choice. We can forever seek, possibly switching the target of our compulsive behaviors from time to time, or we can reconnect with the Source.
Test: doing nothing
If you are still unsure, do a little self-test. Do nothing — for a long time — and watch what comes and goes in your mind and how long you can last doing nothing.
“Gee, I have so many things to do, why am I doing this stupid test of doing nothing?”
“I wonder what (name of someone you know) is doing now.”
“This is waste. What do I achieve by this?”
“And how much more time do I have to do this?”
These are some common thoughts that might cross your mind. They all indicate compulsiveness.
If you are comfortable with who you are, you would notice how sweet the air is. Or the light around you. You would feel joy and peace doing nothing.
How to be aware and reconnect with the Source
And this test doubles as a way to reconnect with the Source. Because it’s all about being aware. Being aware means releasing the mental chatter.
When you are thinking compulsively, you are like in a dream when you think the dream is real. You try many things in the dream. You try so hard. But of course, you get nowhere because you are only dreaming. The cure is to wake up.
You wake up from the human collective dream when you release compulsive thinking (and the behaviors that are promoted by these thinking).
Stop thinking and stand still. NOW.
When you do, you may feel a temporary buzz or pain. That is the dying scream of your ego. . . well, for now. Most likely, it will come back soon enough, so again, you stop and release your mental chatter, focusing on the Now.
Personal endnote
I am currently releasing my urge to reading. Yeah, reading can be an addiction, too. It’s an easy addiction because no one frowns at an avid reader. And I don’t mean I would never read — just as I would eat, I would read. But no more reading to overcome the inner feeling of “I may not know enough.”
Spiritual growth is an oxymoron. All it takes is to be aware, to be aware of my connection with God, or the Source. And that doesn’t take any reading. It takes actually connecting.
Interview With Dr Judith Orloff, Medical Intuitive
February 25, 2010 by Akemi · 3 Comments
What if there was a way to find a disease that is so early in its development stage that even today’s top-notch medical exams can’t detect? What if we could use intuition to find out the hidden emotional causes of a disease? And what if the intuition further helped us determine the best treatment for our ailments?
Today’s interview guest is Dr Judith Orloff, psychiatrist and medical intuitive. She is the author of Emotional Freedom: Liberate Yourself from Negative Emotions and Transform Your Life
1. How did you find your gift as medical intuitive?
My new book Second Sight tells the story of the struggles and triumphs I’ve gone through as I’ve learned to embrace my intuition. As a child I had premonitions about deaths, illness, earthquakes which upset my physician-parents greatly. They finally forbade me to express my intuitions and dreams at home so I grew up believing there was something wrong with me.
It was later, as I write in the book, that I met mentors and teachers who helped me embrace my intuition. I went to medical school on the basis of a night dream that told me I needed to have the credentials to legitimize intuition in medicine.
2. Medical intuition is still a new area and not many people are familiar with it. Will you tell us how it works?
Medical intuition is the ability that I (or other medical intuitives) have to sense physical, emotional, and spiritual issues in the body and it’s energy field. I tune in and pick up impressions, sights, smells, sounds, knowings and senses of energy that give me information.
I am an intuitive empath, who is someone who senses other people’s energy in my body. I’ve had to learn how to not absorb it, but only sense it, otherwise I will get exhausted. I teach these techniques in my book.
3. What do you need to know about the person to do the medical intuitive reading?
Their name.
4. Are there any daily practices you do to keep your intuition sharp and improve it further?
There are five steps to developing intuition that I write about and practice myself. I get quiet everyday to meditate and open to the mystery. I want to feel the presence of spirit and grow larger than the linear mind. This is sacred to me. I am receptive to visions and intuitions that come to me.
I also go into trance every night in the bath tub. Immersing myself in hot water, then letting go, puts me in trance and I am happy and open in a world that is more comfortable to me that the material. Also I listen to my body’s signals all the time.
5. What do you think is the major causes of dis-ease?
Genetic predisposition to certain disease states, stress, poor diet, lack of energetic balance in the body. Sometimes it’s just karma–you do everything right but you get cancer. Then it is always a spiritual lesson to learn about healing on a deep level and open the heart in the midst of physical challenges. Very difficult at time, but a luminous journey. As a psychiatrist and intuitive, I work with people to help them see the light in these states.
6. Do you recommend certain healing modalities?
Energy Healing mixed with intuitive / spiritual psychotherapy and massage or deep body work is a magical combination. Always the focus is on mind/body/spirit.
7. What is your vision of the future of healthcare and the role of medical intuitives?
My prediction is that medical intuition is the new wave of medicine and it will be incorporated into every aspect of healthcare in the next 100 years. I feel so privileged to be a forerunner of this time. My mission is to bridge intuitive medicine with traditional medicine.
My takeaway
I so agree that some health conditions are karmic. I’ve seen them in my Akashic Record Reading clients, who lead healthy lifestyle and still get health conditions. And it takes energy work, not pills, to improve the karmic health condition, I think.
I also resonate deeply that some health challenges are there for the learning. It is only our judgment that make the disease “bad” — the truth is it is a certain condition, and it may well lead us to a higher level of spiritual awareness and love.
Modern medicine has done its wonders, bringing cures to diseases that were formerly thought to be terminal and contributing to the longer life expectancies. However, we are also starting to see its limitations. It has become too non-human, all about exams, pills, procedures. I think medical intuition is something that overcomes this problem.
Bonus: Dr Judith Orloff on the Law of Attraction
How Akashic Record Reading Changed One Woman’s Life
December 4, 2009 by Akemi · 4 Comments
I received a heart-warming email recently from one of my Akashic Record Reading clients. She generously allowed me to share it, so here it is. I’m keeping it anonymous for her privacy. Other than making a few minor editing such as adding paragraph changes and adding some emphasis for online readability, the email is exactly what she wrote. (Photo credit)
“Dear Akemi,
Almost a year ago to the day I had an Akashic Record Reading and I can tell you that my life is nothing like it was just one year ago. I’ve been meaning to write to you about the profound changes that have taken place in my life so it seems like now is the time to do just that.
I’ve always been quite intentional in life, I truly love life, people and this planet to the core and I suppose as a result I’ve been able to move through this world as I need to, with love, honesty and clarity to do things that some would deem amazing, liberating. However, around the age of 27 after coming back to Canada from working in Africa, I began to live by the conventions of society and thus moved further and further away from true myself.
As the years went by I started to feel increasingly ”stuck” (the only way I can describe it), some would call this ‘normal’ existence but I knew better. Fast-forward nine years to when I had my reading with you. I was in a job where I was so miserable and I knew that I was not reaching my full potential as a human being.
In the reading in Nov 08 you mentioned there were people at work that hated me, you also mentioned the 26-27 year old milestone. I was kind of surprised to hear about the people at work but shortly after it became apparent who hated me – my boss started to harass me and it only got worse and worse. I started to have anxiety, digestive issues, and insomnia as a result. After coming very close to being in a terrible car accident in Dec 08, things really started to shift for me. I took Jan 08 off due to stress and took the time to re-evaluate.
I quit my job at the end of March 09, moved, cleared out of my life in all aspects from relationships to ’stuff’ and past emotional baggage. I felt I just needed a full house cleaning starting with every cell of my body to my physical space, job…..everything. In May 09 I started a new job that was way less stressful with a fantastic boss and a 4 day workweek that involved work that I actually enjoyed. Was it my dream job, I would say No, but it was a significant improvement over my previous situation.
In July 09, the issues over the past year manifested physically and I became increasingly ill. I didn’t see this as a bad thing, just a sign that there was more work to be done. I finished my contract, and am taking time off (Sept 09 to now) to focus on deep healing. Natural healers came my way, with their help, self-care, time off, and spiritual practice I can say that I’m feeling way better than I’ve felt in years.
Needless to say, I’m now so at ease with my life, in my body, mind and soul – I feel whole. Not a coincidence that a few months back I met the love of my life (on a River on a warm sunny day…). We are both astounded to have found each other and a love so deep and profound that we are truly awe struck. We speak of starting a family together, an idea that was once stuffed into a little box and buried somewhere very deep after my separation and divorce 4 years ago.
I’m in such a great place, I don’t even have the words to describe how great I feel, and how wonderful life truly is. I’m able to cherish these precious moments and fully accept the gifts that have been offered to me. I would like for people to know that life is so meant to be happy and joy filled, we are not here to suffer. We are here to experience only wonder, abundance, and joy.
I want to extend gratitude to you for helping me to become “unstuck” so I can once again live a life that is truly and utterly full…!
With greatest sincerity,”
Further, upon reading my eBook “Lightworker’s Guide to Self-Employment” (have you checked it out yet? It’s free 
), she is considering on starting her own business. Her second email says,
“Thanks for writing back, I would love for you to share my story on your blog site. Since last writing you looks like I’m going into business for myself! Man, I really don’t have the words for how fast things work out…I’ll keep you posted on that front, really exciting stuff.”
I am so happy for her. It means huge to hear a beautiful story like this from my clients — after all, I started this service to help people.
A note on the clearing process
I think her emails say far more than I can possible write about spiritual healing and Akashic Record Reading, but just an additional note for those of you who may be wondering why she went through seemingly-negative experiences such as harassment at work and physical illness . . .
Sometimes, the reading and clearing opens up your awareness rapidly. I think the harassment was there even before she had the reading with me, but she effectively wrote it off from her awareness. After the reading, her awareness stopped doing that and let her face what it is. Which was painful at the time, but was necessary for her to move forward.
Same with the physical health issue. Before she was covering it up from her own awareness, but the clearing let her face it. And you know it’s better to deal with issues at an early stage rather than ignoring them.
Some other clients have reported that they feel emotional — they feel the old negative feelings welling up in them after the reading. And yet others report some changes in their lives that seem to happen without they doing anything “wrong”. Like sudden lay offs and separations.
And still others experience nothing even remotely negative. It’s all good.
How to handle the clearing symptoms
If you happen to be the one who goes through seemingly-negative clearing process (again, it’s only our judgment that makes us think they are bad and inconvenient. . . they are all good, really). The good news is that, troublesome as they may be, these changes are never too hard to handle. Look how she got the temporary job that allowed her to take some time off for healing. Spirits don’t push too hard, like forcing her to become an entrepreneur when she was not ready yet.
Another good news is that these clearing symptoms pass fast if you let them work out, with as little resistance as possible. This client did an outstanding job in this.
Do you have any questions about Akashic Record Reading? Let me know.
