What is Temptation?

Introduction

In different words and formats, all religions preach the same concepts. Though I don’t believe that religion is the surefire way to enlightenment, I do find it fascinating to study the different world religions from the eagle-eye, unattached view of the observer.

Temptation is a common theme in many of the most popular religions in the world.

Here’s an introduction to the concept of temptation in a few religions

Islam: We seek Allah’s guidance and protection from Shirk (idolatry), Haraam (anything harmful to body, mind, soul, society), Nafs (desire) and any other ways to stray from the path.
Christianity: We pray for the Lord to “lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”.
Hinduism: We ask Brahman to lead us to the path of Dharma (righteousness and duty).
Buddhism: We follow the Eightfold Path to eliminate all suffering, attachment, and craving.
Judaism: We seek that the Lord lead us to Yetzer Hatov (virtuous inclinations) and away from Yetzer Hara (evil inclinations).

I personally relate to Hinduism and Buddhism the most, and it has been nice to be able to read about my lived experience in some of their texts.

Guilt and shame

The word “temptation” has been triggering for me for most of my life. I get triggered by circumstances that are asking me to feel guilty. That’s why I never fully understood or respected my Romanian Orthodox Christian upbringing, because its teachings, like most religions, revolved around guilt and shame.

Now that I’m going through the process of releasing my guilt and shame, I can make more space for the things that trigger me, one of them being the concept of temptation. When I allowed myself to orbit closer to that concept, I realized that my lived experience was what allowed me to understand it. Repeatedly I realize that the only way to truly comprehend something is to experience it. And that is why I crave and seek out as many experiences as I possibly can.

The concept of temptation in its essence, does not elicit feelings of guilt, shame, or self-hatred. It is a tool that the Universe uses to guide us towards our highest path. Once we realize what we are tempted by, we can use this knowledge as a tool to relocate ourselves and realign on the path of Truth. And by “the path of Truth” I mean the path that makes us feel the most like ourselves.

In my experience, feeling the most like myself is having a clear mind, free of anxiety. Simply being. Experiencing a relaxed body. Not wondering what other people think of me. Being a magnet for all my dreams, simply by existing in my truest self state.

I used to wake up every morning and swear out loud, involuntarily, because I was so unhappy to be awake. It became a reflex to curse existence itself. Only by experiencing that type of pain could I know what I don’t want. I don’t want to suffer. I don’t want to be a victim. How about you?

One day I decided to see what happened if I make a conscious practice of loving myself. My ego tried to fight it but I won the fight. Now, when people smile at me on the street, I realize that its because I was smiling first, and I didn’t even know it. More and more, joyful expression becomes an involuntary action for me. A wonderful gift from my future self.

Self Sabotage

Temptation ties into the concept of self-sabotage.

Have you ever

Drank a can of pop and said out loud, “I know this isn’t healthy, but whatever, I’ll do it anyway”?
Continued a relationship with someone who inspired you to ignore your personal values?
Injured yourself on purpose?
Ignored your intuition for the sake of being loved?
Used substances, work, relationships, sex, food etc to distract yourself from yourself?

There are many ways to say the same thing. The core truth of what I’m expressing in the above list is self-sabotage: knowing that something is unhealthy but doing it anyway.

Fortunately, the Universe sees through the illusion of words. It knows the core truth no matter what flowery stanza is trying to drown it. When the Universe observes that we continue to pursue a path that feels instinctually unTruthful, it will make life more and more difficult. As we stray from the path of Truth and instead follow our temptations, a nagging feeling that something isn’t right will turn into physical ailments, fiery conflicts, and deep, hollow pain. The Universe begins to believe that pain is all we deserve, until we decide to change its mind. And keep in mind that we as humans are the Universe experiencing itself on a 3D Earthly plane.

For those who cannot look at themselves in the mirror, it can be frightening to learn that the Universe only hears the basic truth behind our words. Only the fool cannot admit that he is one.

One of the most important lessons we will learn is to recognize when to stop the degeneration. We have the power to stop before it gets bad, before we get sick, before we crumble. Once we have crumbled enough times, we will finally stand up and say “Enough! I get it now. I’m done being a victim. I know what I want, and what I don’t want. I deserve all of the love that the Universe has to offer and so I will fight for it”.

Truth and the Nature of Reality

For those who live in Truth, it is a relief to know that the Universe only sees Truth.

Ask yourself this:

“If I am the Universe, and the Universe only sees Truth, do I have the natural ability to see Truth?” (Yes).

“If Truth is the path to enlightenment, and I see Truth, then am I on the path?” (Yes).

Once we trust ourselves and realize that we have the power to see Truth, a sort of tunnel vision effect begins to occur in which Truth becomes the only thing we see. We also realize that we have the power to choose what we see. And we understand that what we see becomes our lived experience in the 3D plane. So, with the tunnel vision mindset of only allowing ourselves to see Truth, and by freeing ourselves from the illusions brought by temptation, our reality becomes the greatest expression of Truth possible.

By seeing past illusions and easing into Truth, we are divinely protected, and from what I know so far, there is not much else more heartwarming than living through the experience of trusting that all I can experience is Truth now.

Final Thoughts and Spirit Message

If you’ve read this far, give me a call and let’s talk about it for the rest of our lives. 😊

Here’s your message for today: “You don’t deserve more than them, but you deserve more than than what you’ve been giving yourself.”

Thank you for reading.

Love,

Lauryn