In a series of brief articles, beginning below, Pia Mellody illustrates how living The Meadows’ model has brought balance to her life.
In beginning the draft of my fifth book, I find myself continuously re-examining the relationship between body, mind, and spirit. In doing so, I have become even more acutely aware of the spiritual battle that rages between the ego and the soul. This topic becomes more poignant as I watch The Meadows’ treatment model continue to gain worldwide recognition as the “spiritual model for the treatment of trauma and addictions.”
Treatment at The Meadows has always been all-encompassing, addressing the body, mind, and spirit. Treating the body through our Wellness Program contributes to the healing process. Treating the mind through readings, lectures, workshops, and group interactions leads to healing through a shift in cognition’s role in our lives. Treating the spirit is about treating spiritual impoverishment; different forms of spiritual practice include, but are not limited to: meditation, tai chi, yoga, and following 12 Step practices. These, in effect, engage the patient in spiritual balance.
Looking at the role of ego in the spiritual battle, I see it as attached to “I,” “me,” and “my.” Self-examination can reveal how the ego has been destructive in life processes. If the ego is too powerful, the individual cannot see how it’s creating misery. Our treatment goal in this scenario is to get the patient to self-examine what he’s doing via his own self-destructiveness. The ego is attached to the body and naturally seeks pleasure. Our senses lead us to addictive processes and compulsions to seek pleasure and thereby medicate ourselves. When we use substances (alcohol, drugs), processes (sex, gambling), or people (love addiction), ultimately we will experience misery, as we are self-medicating.
When we cover our soul with our ego, we lay the foundation for spiritual impoverishment. We have buried our value, power, and abundance. The soul, in this scenario, plays a pivotal role; it remembers that we – and others – have inherent worth.
As I work on the new book, I will continue to share my thoughts on the rich connections between mind, body, and spirit, as well as show how value, power, and abundance affect individuals and the greater world. In the next article, I will illustrate how to truly heal through the understanding and application of the five core issues.