You’re Not Broken
Until we are able to look into the eyes of another and recognize the radiant perfection at the core of their being, we are not truly seeing them. As humans, we all carry within us emotional wounds that have yet to be healed. We all have patterns—some helpful, some harmful—and traits that reflect both our gifts and our growing edges. But if we identify ourselves or others solely by our limitations or unresolved pain, we are missing the deeper truth. We are seeing through the lens of distortion rather than clarity.
In many traditional recovery programs, there is a strong emphasis on repeatedly affirming one's identity as the addiction. While I understand the intention behind acknowledging our patterns and behaviors, I believe there is a more expansive and empowering way forward. What if, instead, we invited people to affirm the truth of their inherent perfection? What if healing begins not in seeing ourselves as broken, but in remembering we are whole?
This is not about spiritual bypassing or denying the reality of our struggles. It is essential to be honest about the thoughts, behaviors, and addictions we wish to transform. But let us also hold space for a greater truth: that at the core of our being, we are already whole. Already free. Already love.
Another long-standing practice in recovery is to focus on so-called “defects of character” that must be removed. I invite us to consider a gentler, more effective approach. What if what we call defects are actually gifts—just expressed in an imbalanced way? Perhaps they are simply strengths with the volume turned up too high. When we shift the conversation from removal to realignment, we move from shame to self-compassion. And in that, real transformation can occur.
From my perspective, labeling ourselves as broken or defective—especially over extended periods of time—can have a detrimental impact on self-image and slow the healing process. I am honored to be part of a new paradigm in treatment, one that affirms wholeness rather than pathology, one that invites us to live from our deepest truth.
The gift of a spiritual teacher—whether that teacher is a person, a moment, or even a challenge—is that it reflects back to us our inherent perfection. A true teacher sees through the surface, beyond the pain, and directly into the divine spark within. A spiritual teacher is simply someone who has come home to themselves—who knows, without question, that their essence is love, light, and wholeness.
To live an awakened life is to know this truth not only about ourselves, but about all beings. Our wholeness can never be taken from us. It may be hidden or forgotten, but it is never gone. That infinite source of unconditional love within is always present, always available, always waiting to be remembered.
