Issue 10 March 2011 “
Quantum
Consumerism doesn’t apply only to material things. It’s about the intangibles as well, such as self-esteem and even love.
business person, artist, mother or father, friend– again, whatever–has nothing whatsoever to do with how much stuff you have or what the stuff you do have costs. As long as the lines of cause- effect are clear about why you want what you want, there is less possibility that the drive for more and better is a shadow part of yourself, an “almost addiction.”
Consumerism doesn’t apply only to material things. It’s about the intangibles as well, such as self-esteem and even love. Where “more” and “better” often do represent our shadow is in our relationship consumerism. This can be the relationship to the self or our relationships with others. When we feel less than, we often fill the perceived inner void by looking to others to make us feel better, especially when it comes to love relationships. Thus, our shadow needs get projected out onto others. The result can be the never-ending search for the “perfect” partner, the string of affairs, the continual feeling that there is someone out there–a lover, friend, potential mate–who is better than the one we have. Instead of constant spending on new things, in relationship consumerism there is a constant sense of dissatisfaction and even a need to create dramas with people, which can generate the same kind of distraction and the same high as having a new car, house, the latest gadget, or whatever turns you on.
More is better also translates into the “almost addiction” of achieving status and success. Only it’s no longer a matter of keeping up with the Joneses. These days it’s about blowing them out of the water! Everything has become supersized. To get heard and seen through the media hype these days, businesspeople, advertisers and even the producers of the nightly news shows have to go big or stay at home. Dazzle us–or we won’t notice. Shock us–just don’t dare to bore us. We can flip the channel, click the mouse, scroll past
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the screen. Our attention span is short and our expectations huge. None of us is immune to this new reality–success is mega, or it’s not success. Our very standard of measurement has become blown out of proportion. And this mindset has infected our personal lives as well. While there is something to be said for our having big dreams, there is also something to be said for our regaining our balance. To begin to do so, we can become more aware of our ever-expanding needs for more, bigger, better–for excess. The spiritual truth is that when we love ourselves, when we feel full within, we have everything we need.
The Answer Is Out There Somewhere Don’t read anymore of this article! Really! If you take anything I say in this next section to heart, then you won’t be facing this next “almost addiction”–that of not trusting your inner wisdom and always seeking answers outside of yourself.
So you’re continuing to read? Okay, then, I’ll start with a story. It’s from the Peruvian Andes and was told to me by a shaman there, about an apprentice who spent a solitary night in a cave while undergoing an initiation into the Mystery Way. During that night, spirits appeared and asked the apprentice, “Who are you?” He answered in many different ways–saying his name, identifying his role as an apprentice, linking himself to his family of origin–but none of the answers satisfied the spirits. Finally they said to him, “See, sometimes even you do not know who you are. But Spirit always knows who you are.”
If you’re like me, then there have been times when you not only didn’t know who you really were, but you lost your connection to Spirit and so felt alone and adrift. When that happens, we tend to look for answers–any answers! And we
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HEALTH
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