How does a (spiritual) person go horribly, horribly wrong?

[BlueIris]

A couple of years back, I was acquainted with a woman in my city whom I thought of as a kindred spirit. She had her rough spots, like we all do, (kind of an abrasive personality, among other things) but genuinely seemed to be on a spiritual path to me. Liked crystals and homeopathy. Reiki master. Seemed in touch with that whole "helping others" concept. Trying to educate the world about conservation, the coming energy shock, the need to be environmentally conscious, progressive living, etc.

I admit we lost touch, mostly because she rubbed me the wrong way, but also simply because we stopped hanging out in the same areas and didn't have enough things in common for the friendship to take in a permanent way. I never thought she was a "bad" person, though, merely someone I wasn't meant to keep up ties with.

About a year ago, I ran into her on the street and was a bit shocked by what came through intuitively. On the surface, she looked fine, but what I felt around her was the toxic yellow energy I pick up in the aura fields of substance users, or sometimes, around people whose immune systems have been damaged. It was like a crack in the frame. I was surprised by this, wondering how someone who always seemed so together healthwise, especially WRT her energy, would let herself get to that place. I thought she might be having a health problem or maybe a really, really stressful time overall.

I just found out that she was recently fired for stealing from her employer. Not stealthy embezzlement, either, but actually stealing products right out of the store she worked in. She'd worked there forever, and IIR, the job was a major part of her career and her life. It also seemed to contribute to her spiritual values, because she'd once told me it was part of her desire to educate others about responsible consumerism.

So...what happened? I mean, I know that learning how to do Reiki and saying you want to make the world a better place doesn't mean you won't screw up from time to time, but I can't believe it. She really seemed to "get" it, get what a spiritual perspective is about. How can someone who has reached that point degenerate to such an extreme degree that she starts committing unethical and illegal acts? I have never heard of a spiritual person taking such a swan dive into the deep end like this. It's boggled my mind.

[Celebration]

1. sad

Honestly sometimes a spiritual path can open people up to other dimensions, and some of those aren't pretty! She may have done reiki, etc. but obviously wasn't skilled or focused enough to look within and find the imbalances. A person on a spiritual path is not immune to all kinds of negative energy that is out there waiting to cause people to become unbalanced.

There are lots of people out there that are "not right" and she sounds like one of them.

Anyway, that is my sense of what happened..............

She may have been on a spiritual path, but she obviously had an Achilles heel somewhere, a portal for the negative energy to flow in.....................

[OneGrassRoot]

2. My two cents?

When people aren't honest with themselves, they then can't be honest with others.

Spiritual, not spiritual, fundamentalist, whatever.

It matters not.

Even if someone is on an authentic path, life happens and it's easy to go off track, depending upon one's personality type, support structure (or lack thereof), etc.

I also think that many so-called "spiritual" people aren't honest with themselves and use spirituality -- just as we often accuse religious leaders of doing -- to manipulate other people. I think they may not do this consciously and aren't aware they're doing it, but that's because they aren't being honest with themselves.

I can't tell you how many times I've been involved in projects with spiritual people who will try to gain the upper hand to get what they (ego) want, by saying "Well, my angels or my guides said this is the way it should be."

As though that settles everything, and they are NOT to be questioned.

I call bullshit every time and see right through them.

[BlueIris]

8. I know (and loathe) that type. The self-appointed gatekeeper "spiritualist."

The kind who is mostly out to control others, not pursue a spiritual or humanitarian path.

[OneGrassRoot]

9. Yeah, but the thing is -- as with most who are dishonest...

even not consciously or intentionally -- they start to believe their own BS. In my experience, most of these people don't believe they're manipulating; they've convinced themselves of their all-knowingness, even if they use humble words in interactions.

The lack of humility is evident any time they are countered or questioned; the viciousness and indignation just ooze out of them like an entity in and of itself.

Ick.

[BanzaiBonnie]

10. And if some sort of trauma has caused dissociation

the person can be holding a part of themselves aside, but watch out if that part gets "out of control." Neurobiology is an enlightening field of study.

It's likely that in a few days I'll be blogging on what I'm learning and how it ties with everything else I've studied before.

[OneGrassRoot]

12. You just answered the question at FB. :)

:hug:

[rosesaylavee]

3. If it was substance abuse,

my guess is that the addiction has gotten the upper hand. Even alcohol can change neural pathways and cloud judgment drastically over time.

Hopefully she will find a program or counseling that will help her return to center.

[BlueIris]

11. I know addiction messes up the brain, but I still don't get how it could make someone

start robbing the store she had worked in for the better part of a decade. I also don't understand how someone who found her way to the path would decide to throw it all away like this, even if it happened gradually.

[Fire Walk With Me]

14. "Systematic Desensitization" is a known tool to create incremental separation

from what is known to be correct.

"If a person does a crime once, it is a crime. If a person does a crime twice, it is not so much a crime." -Confucious

Addiction as defined in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous means that the individual has at some point lost all control and only an act of providence may cause any amount of change.

[rosesaylavee]

16. And I have witnessed just the opposite

people who are so messed up and making significantly wrong choices can be turned around with a good 12 step program or the right counselor or medication. Being her friend now would be a good thing for her.

[Ricochet21]

4. IMHO

I think sometimes we forget that we can't be in another's shoes. Sometimes, people are evolving (as we all are) but they come face to face with themselves, and sometimes that's a hard slam that can send them realing. Just like OGR said. It can APPEAR like they are getting a set back as they reel from it all.

Their outer appearance and glow may suffer. But, we have to look deeper; at least now the person is on the same playing court with themselves, i.e., not able to run anymore. Evolution is like a spiral, not a circle, we're always going up (I believe) even it appears like half the time we're going down.

The fact that you ran into her was a miracle for her. Your sight, your blessings, us talking about her are all good signs of her good karma. Perhaps she has several "significant dragons" she must wrestle with at this moment. All is right with the world. Thank goodness she has you for a friend. :hug:

[Fire Walk With Me]

5. From a spiritual perspective, addiction may be an incarnational choice.

Coming in with a great deal of karmic trouble and having the possibility to turn it completely around in a single lifetime, through the 12-Step practice...of course, not everyone makes it. I was taught that Change is the most popular incarnational blueprint, by far.

Also, one may be spiritually developed and still fall prey to the path of the head/ego (versus the heart/spirit). Spiritual growth is usually in direct contrary motion to the desires of the head/ego. Given serious difficulty/opportunity to choose the heart/spirit over the head/ego, some may again fall prey to the easier, dangerous path and simply increase the problem versus clearing it.

[Fire Walk With Me]

6. Also, the phrase "spiritual experience" includes both the negative and positive

so be very careful about what path you begin. Don't get burned!

[get the red out]

7. Pursuing a way of life

Sometimes we can go all out pursuing a spiritual way of life because we want what that looks like to us, but it doesn't mean we actually "get it" inside. Not fully understanding the difference between getting it and looking it seems to happen a lot.

I've seen people who seem to do a lot on their spiritual path, and think about what a dunce I must be plugging away at trying to get kindergarten level connections to the Universe going, then I'll see that person implode and wonder what in the hell just happened. The only thing I've come up with is looking it but not getting it, or getting it to "stick".

On the negative influence side, I believe that is a possibility also. If I think I've gotten "there" in some spiritual fashion I start not thinking that I can be effected by the "negative", or nothing I do will seem to be without a very good reason, no matter what it is. That would be just opening up to bad influences.

[Why Syzygy]

13. aside aha ...

BI, my first thought was provided by my cynical self, as in, HUH? I don't have those expectations of any human I know. I've known too many people to have an illusion of them walking some kind of royal road of purity. nuh-uh . Sorry, I just don't have that kind of idealism any more. It's okay for me to be cynical. I slightly envy Those who are not.

The analogy comes from my family of origin. I was Baptist Preacher's Daughter. :rofl: I had a keen awareness of how the church members perceived us and how things really were at home. Authenticity not allowed! It was a balance of dysfunction. And we girls got a 'naughty' reputation even without being naughty! I wasn't naughty - worse, I was a wild free spirit child :P

And maybe from there is where my well spring of Jade originates.

Shop lifting is a symptom. There are probably many more you know but don't suspect. I've had more than a couple of friends who were involved. And even my ex-MIL and a high school friend's mother! There is a lot more involved in the situation other than one's spirituality.

[Celebration]

15. it is almost

a "double life" thing.....

goodie goodie to the world, but, underneath it all....................

This particular case is hard to evaluate without knowing more. All in all, though, it is not surprising in the least.

[OneGrassRoot]

17. I just saw this quote and this of this thread:

"When someone behaves poorly, it's always because they've forgotten how powerful they really are, how beautiful life is, and how much they're loved. Always." ~ Mike Dooley

[BlueIris]

18. Thanks. Good one. nt