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Licking the Razor's Edge (2015)

Recognizing the hidden addictions that bind you, … to then set your True Self free

Recognizing the hidden addictions that bind you,
… to then set your True Self free

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In Nature, nicotine is a potent insecticide that protects <strong>the</strong> leaves of tobacco plants. And<br />

yet in <strong>the</strong> human blood stream, it is insidiously destructive. Nicotine has a chemical<br />

signature that is so similar to <strong>the</strong> human neurotransmitter acetylcholine that, once inside<br />

<strong>the</strong> brain, it is allowed to control and increase <strong>the</strong> flow of more than 200 neurochemicals,<br />

most importantly dopamine -- <strong>the</strong> neurotransmitter primarily responsible for<br />

our ability to perceive pleasure..<br />

Also, most cigarette addicts became hooked early in <strong>the</strong>ir lives – many before <strong>the</strong>y leave<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir teens. And what almost none of <strong>the</strong>se children knew when <strong>the</strong>y started smoking was<br />

how extremely addictive cigarettes are. Indeed, studies have shown that about 25% of<br />

today’s smokers started losing control over <strong>the</strong>ir smoking after just 3 to 4 cigarettes, with<br />

almost 50% of <strong>the</strong>m losing that control after smoking only 5 to 9 cigs.<br />

If we are non-smokers, it is time we stopped being critical of those who smoke. It is hightie<br />

we started exuded massive amounts of Compassion for <strong>the</strong>m instead.<br />

And if you are smoker and are reading this now, it is time for you to stop being so hard<br />

on yourself as well. It is high-time that you started Caring for yourself <strong>the</strong> same way you<br />

care for those closest to you.<br />

SMOKING – THE COLD, HARD TRUTH<br />

Even though nicotine is so addictive, and even though our politicians still turn a cowardly<br />

eye to <strong>the</strong> “evil” that is <strong>the</strong> companies still producing cigarettes and encouraging us to<br />

smoke <strong>the</strong>m, every smoker is still a conscious human being — every smoker still has <strong>the</strong><br />

power to choose to quit. And every smoker who does not want to die a painful, premature<br />

death must at some point awaken to <strong>the</strong> fact that <strong>the</strong>y & <strong>the</strong>y alone are responsible for<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir plight – and that <strong>the</strong>y & <strong>the</strong>y alone can free <strong>the</strong>mselves from <strong>the</strong>ir addiction …<br />

It is important for smokers and non-smokers alike to understand that one of <strong>the</strong> major<br />

psychological reasons why smokers continue to smoke is <strong>the</strong>ir patent lack of au<strong>the</strong>ntic<br />

Self-Respect. After all, it is impossible to deeply Respect yourself if you are regularly<br />

committing a slow suicide, which is exactly what smoking is.<br />

“The public health authorities never mention <strong>the</strong> main reason many Americans<br />

have for smoking heavily, which is that smoking is a fairly sure, and fairly<br />

honorable, form of suicide.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut<br />

Of course, everyone has <strong>the</strong> right to live however <strong>the</strong>y choose, and everyone also has <strong>the</strong><br />

right to kill <strong>the</strong>mselves. It might be disrespectful and unkind to <strong>the</strong>ir loved ones to do so,<br />

and yet it IS <strong>the</strong>ir life to do with as <strong>the</strong>y wish, after all.<br />

But <strong>the</strong> real awakener for smokers might very well have nothing at all to do with what is<br />

happening to <strong>the</strong>m when <strong>the</strong>y smoke, but ra<strong>the</strong>r what is happening to everyone around<br />

<strong>the</strong>m as well.<br />

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