Guns, Murder, and Spiritual Dis-ease

By Dan Farish

If there’s one tiny spark of hope to come from December's mass murder in Connecticut, it is this – we, as a nation, are forced to ask ourselves some tough questions. What would cause someone to walk into a school and murder twenty innocent babies? Why are mass murders a growing trend in our society? While psychiatrists search for personality disorders to explain the (alleged) senselessness, scientists scan DNA for clues, and politicians consider new legislation designed to regulate the problem, here is the ugly truth; we live in a spiritually sick, disconnected, fragmented society where people place far more faith in their guns than they do in one another. This most recent shooting is not an isolated situation, as we all know.

Mass murders are on the rise. Since 1982, there have been at least 62 mass murder incidents carried out with firearms across the country, leaving hundreds dead. But this article isn’t about the pros and cons of gun control, nor is it a mental health debate. This article offers a spiritual perspective as to why people are so lost and offers just one of many explanations as to why mass murder is increasing on a national scale.

Why do so many Americans feel the need to own a handgun? Fear.

What removes fear? Spiritual healing. Faith and love replace fear.

We are a country in desperate need of spiritual healing. I’m not talking about religion. In fact, some of the most dangerous people I can imagine are the religious fanatics that wave a pistol in one hand and a bible in the other. Fear is the reason people feel compelled to arm themselves in their own homes and, with 310 million privately owned firearms in America, we’re talking about a lot of fear. Enormous truck loads of the stuff.

Fear, along with anxiety, depression, addiction, and too many other behavioral conditions to mention here, is merely a symptom of spiritual dis-ease. It is a disconnection from our spiritual side, both individually and collectively. We are a spiritually dis-eased, spiritually bankrupt country. If you don’t believe it, take a look at our elected leaders. The vast majority of politicians care far more about their own self-centered, selfish interests than yours or mine.

What, exactly, is spiritual dis-ease?

The hyphen is important here. Spiritual dis-ease describes a sense of unease (such as fear) within us, a feeling of separateness from others, and even a separation from one’s inner self. It is an uneasiness of the soul – a soul wounded by emotional, physical or sexual abuse, neglect, absentee parents, or other trauma. In its simplest form, spiritual dis-ease boils down to one thing; a blockage of love to us and from us. We avoid our neighbors, curse other drivers, and replace front porches with rear decks to hide from the world.

When we become spiritually disconnected, we turn our back on a very real energy called love. We are wired for love and when we cut ourselves off from love, anything can happen and none of it is good. People turn to pornography, drugs, alcohol, or become workaholics, sleepaholics and shopaholics. Anti-social behavior becomes socially acceptable. Some people even throw both arms in the air, give up altogether, and turn to suicide or murder.

Psychiatrists and mental health professionals use acronyms like ADHD, PTSD, and countless other “disorders” to put a label on the symptoms of spiritual dis-ease. They hand out prescription pills like candy to treat those symptoms. Of course, pills only treat the symptoms and do nothing to address the source of the problem, which is, of course, spiritual dis-ease. There is no chemical remedy for a spiritual dis-ease. Between 2001 and 2010, the number of people swallowing medication for mental health or behavioral disorders increased by 22%. This does not mean 22% more people found themselves teetering on the edge of insanity over the course of nine years. It is, however, a pretty good indication that more people felt the need to fill a quiet, desperate void in their soul. Again, pills treat the symptoms of the problem, not the source. They temporarily numb the emotional pain. We feel nothing, as a result. No pain, no joy, no empathy for others, no real emotions at all.

What is the solution?

Aware of it or not, we are all made of three basic elements; body, mind, and spirit/soul. When one of the three is out of balance, the other two suffer. Guess which of the three is, by far, the most out of kilter in today’s America? The solution is simple. We need to apply faith and love in daily life, rather than place misguided faith in a god called 44 Magnum.

Here are a few steps we can make to move from a fearful, empty, spiritual dis-eased existence to a faithful, fulfilling, contented life.

•    Living in the present moment is one way to overcome fear. Stop what you’re doing, focus on the present, and ask yourself if everything is okay right now. If you’re fearful that someone is going to hurt you tomorrow, that is not only an unrealistic, unwarranted fear, it is also a faithless thought.
•    Apply small acts of kindness in all you do, knowing that your actions, whether positive or negative, have a ripple effect on all of us. Invite a neighbor over for coffee. Volunteer to help others that are struggling in your local community. Smile at the driver beside you at the next red light.
•    Understand that you are part of a very large picture called the universe. You are not a separate, unique, isolated individual struggling alone to survive in a hostile world. Unless, of course, you choose to live as one.
•    Believe in God/Higher Power/Great Spirit/ Divine Love or whatever name you choose to call it. Believe in a power greater than your own, of which you are a small, but important part. Put your faith into knowing that no matter what happens in life, all will be well, whether we wake up in this world tomorrow morning or the next one.

Faith and fear are opposing forces. All happiness results from a flow of love to you and from you to others. All spiritual dis-ease results from a blockage of love to you and from you to others. Lower your guard, lay down your weapons, and embrace life with your God-given arms. Life is that simple.

To learn more about spiritual healing, please visit http://3stepstospiritualhealing.blogspot.com/2012/10/calling-all-angels.html. Be sure to join our mailing list for blog updates, tons of spiritual news and info, delivered directly to your inbox.

A Spiritual Experience Described

 By Dan Farish

It must have been the fifteenth or sixteenth night when the miracle happened. My routine had been the same that night as all the others. I laid in bed reciting the 3 Steps, as I'd done for the previous fortnight, asking humbly and sincerely, without fail. This ritual was repeated dozens of times each night with a few short breaks in between. During those breaks, I’d talk to my Higher Power in a more casual way, describing how my addiction felt like a dark cloud, confiding my fears, and asking for help in overcoming both. I'd been told sincerity counted. I was more than sincere. I was desperate for help.

This one-sided conversation had gone on for two weeks straight and I was starting to wonder if it was a waste of time. Somewhat frustrated, I started to ask myself if God was even listening. I never got the chance to finish the question. Out of the blue something jolted me, causing my entire body to tighten up. My muscles clenched and released, repeatedly and uncontrollably, as if some invisible giant was grabbing me by the belt, lifting ninety percent of my body off the bed and slamming me back down. My chest constricted and my legs froze, thrusting my chest upwards and releasing me again, which must have resembled a seizure. The movements knocked the breath out of me, which was frightening at first. 

But fear was replaced with an energy I’d never felt before. Soothing waves of incredibly powerful warmth and love pulsed through my body, dissolving the anxiety and tension I’d carried for so many years. It felt as if God had walked into the room, laid both hands on me, and penetrated my body and soul with some kind of divine electricity. I laid back and went along for the ride, alternately feeling like I’d been plugged into an electrical outlet and caressed by a warm, loving energy like no other. I can only describe the feeling as having been ZAPPED with the most amazing energy on earth and for which there are no words. It felt like love multiplied by infinity. The experience lasted for somewhere between 15-20 minutes. When it ended, I felt both exhilarated and exhausted. Within minutes, exhaustion won out and I fell into a deep sleep. When I awoke the next morning my addiction was gone. The intense cravings that had driven me to drink for more than twenty years had vanished and haven’t returned even once in nearly two decades.

I’m not quite sure what happened that night, but one thing is certain. A miracle took place. No doubt exists in my mind that a Higher Power not only heard my plea for help, but reached out and healed my soul. Love walked in, grabbed my addiction by the scruff of its dirty neck, and marched it out the door. The inner turmoil and tension that had haunted me for most of my life evaporated in an instant and were replaced by a quiet calmness and inner peace that remain to this day. I know it’s difficult to believe in miracles unless you’ve experienced one of your own. Unfortunately, the only way to describe the experience is by telling it exactly as it happened. It is as it is. Whether or not anyone else believes a spiritual healing actually occurred is their own choice. The fact that the word miracle exists certainly suggests that inexplicable events have occurred throughout history. Some might choose to view my experience as self-hypnosis, or even temporary insanity, spurred by desperation. To me, it really doesn’t matter. The bottom line is that it worked. My addiction was instantly and permanently erased, which was a true miracle, regardless how it came to be.

But you don’t need to be an alcoholic or drug addict to benefit from a spiritual healing experience. People struggling with depression, anxiety, loneliness, PTSD and a long list of other disorders can be healed using a spiritual approach. An open mind, an open heart, and willingness play key roles in a spiritual experience. If you'd like to learn how to connect with your own spiritual healing, click here.

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter to receive fresh, new articles, updates and special offers delivered directly to your inbox. Thanks for joining me and you have a fantastic day!