There’s a BIG lie that’s circulating in the spiritual and new age worlds today. You’ve likely heard it, or maybe you’ve even been on the receiving end of it. Maybe you’ve held this belief yourself. At one point in time I did.
This belief is so damaging and hurtful because it promotes self-blame, judgment, and a sense of helplessness within the human spirit. If you’re anything like me, you’re feeling really DONE with the blame-shame-judge game. It’s damaging not only to our morale, but it literally weakens the immune system and diminishes overall vitality.
Many people today believe that disease or illness is a punishment for a person’s sins, or that it’s a sign of spiritual weakness. The idea behind this belief is that challenging situations in life are a form of punishment.
If only you’d been more committed to your inner work and self-awareness, then you wouldn’t have manifested that illness.
If only you’d had a stronger moral compass, you wouldn’t be facing this disease.
If only you’d done more personal and spiritual work, you wouldn’t be in so much pain.
If only you’d been a better person, you wouldn’t have received this diagnosis.
Can you feel how icky this belief is? This is why I call B.S. on this lie!
This belief turns the disease, illness, or diagnosis into a purely negative thing that you should feel ashamed of. It isolates and casts a negative light on the person who is facing an uncomfortable, and often quite painful, event in their lives. And it denies you of any of the benefits, learning experiences and other opportunities that may arise from going through the challenge itself.
If you’re someone who is going through a physical challenge, illness or disease, the last thing you need is for someone to throw stones at you, tell you it’s your fault (shame you), judge you, distance themselves from you, and make you believe that YOU are solely responsible for creating the distress in your life, while blaming your lack of ethics, awareness, or spiritual fortitude for it.
Yes, there are practical lifestyle choices we can all make to steer our health and our lives toward a healthy status quo. But this belief would have us believe that those who haven’t or don’t ever experience an illness or disease are more spiritually enlightened and evolved than the rest of us.
On the contrary, a truly evolved and enlightened person will look at their ill health as a gift that serves their spiritual path. In many cases, their condition will encourage them to seek further awareness, and to step more deeply into their spiritual growth and enlightenment – all of which would not have had an opportunity to happen had the illness or disease not been present in the first place.
The fact is that there are many things that can contribute to the presence of illness or disease.
Physical, emotional, relational, and chemical stresses that we face throughout our lifetimes take a cumulative toll on our health and contribute to disease.
Perfectionism and unattainable ideals like “super mom”, “force of nature”, and “wonder woman” all set standards that we can never live up to.
Tension on our physical bodies from poor nutrition, chronic stress, hormonal imbalances, injuries and other stressors can predispose us to disease regardless of our religious beliefs, spiritual practices or moral stances.
All of these factors must be considered when we look at the basis of illness and disease. The reason for the appearance of an illness or disease is always complex and there will always be mystery that surrounds it’s origin and reason for being.
Ultimately, the belief that an illness or disease is punishment for our “sins” hinders our potential for good health. I do believe that acknowledging our inappropriate thoughts and actions is important. But punishing ourselves or others for the sins of their past holds them prisoner to things that then cannot be forgiven or transmuted.
If a person has thought or acted inappropriately in the past, there is only one way to go from there: forward! Just as new cells are born every day in our bodies, it’s possible that our minds, emotions and spirits can enjoy the same kind of renewal in spite of our past “misdemeanors”. We would not condemn our physical bodies for past sins, so why would we condemn the rest of ourselves to the same?
When we store the energy of guilt and shame in our bodies, it hinders our ability to truly heal. Our past is where we come from, but it does not determine where we’re going, nor what our future destiny will be.
Illness and disease can actually guide us to pay greater attention to the life force within so that it can manifest, increase, and flow with greater ease in every area of our lives. Instead of shame, blame, judgment and guilt, we can choose to see illness and disease as an opportunity to step into greater realization and love.
Think of the healing opportunities that can come from loving, instead of judging, ourselves when we’re suffering. Consider the healing we can offer to others when we love them through their health challenges, too.
