In my type of work, spiritual coaching and healing, I have to be aware of and address many core beliefs that people hold, especially the ones that tend to limit them in some way, like by creating disease or emotional suffering.
So the experience – or perception – of betrayal is something I come across a lot.
I’ve always thought that betrayal is about a violation of trust. You trust someone to give you love, to be there for you, to look out for you, to be loyal to you, and then suddenly they stop doing it. Voila, you’ve been betrayed.
To heal this perception requires understanding that there was actually a deficiency of trust in the first place, not of the person who betrayed you, but rather of yourself, which manifests as (rather than being created by) someone else pulling the rug out from under you. Another case of “It’s all done with mirrors.”
Recently, however, I came across another definition of betrayal, which really made me stop and think, and that for me has brought the kind of depth to working with this issue that invariably leads to spiritual growth – for my clients and myself. So I’ve decided to share it with you.
The new definition is this:
A person betrays when s/he refuses to accept a gift.
Like you (I imagine) I had to stop and re-read it and think about it. A person betrays me AND, more importantly, him/herself, not if s/he refuse to GIVE me what I want, but rather and ONLY if s/he REFUSES what I choose to give him/her.
Kind of mind-boggling (and counter-intuitive), isn’t it?
If this is true, then WHY is it true? And how do I now think about the other acts – the ones I’ve been calling betrayal?
Here’s what I’ve come to. Please remember – as always – that whatever I say is true for me, and not necessarily true for you. Take what you like and leave the rest. And feel free to leave your comments below with your own truths!
In the definition given above are embedded several fundamental Truths. (I’ve capitalized the word here because I believe these are spiritual laws.)
1. The universe is made of love. And God/Goddess – Spirit – Universal Consciousness or Source (whatever name works for you) wants us – as extensions of itself – to experience this love all the time.
2. We cannot destroy or diminish this Divine love in any way. We can, however, because we have free will, impede its flow, by forgetting that we are made of it and have access to it in infinite supply or in some other way convincing ourselves of the opposite of this.
3. We have everything we need at all times (this is probably a corollary of 2.) To believe otherwise – like that we have lost something essential – is to believe in an illusion, albeit a powerful one.
So…
If no one can take anything away from us, because in Reality we always have everything we need, then no one can betray us by taking anything away from us. (Remember, we’re speaking spiritually here, and spiritual needs are at the root of all others.) We remain connected to one another and to the Source of all our good ALWAYS. As eternal threads in the Divine tapestry of life, light and love, no one and nothing is ever really gone or destroyed.
So, what DOES constitute betrayal?
Well, if Spirit wants us to accept the greatest gift of all – Divine Love – of which all others gifts are extensions and reflections, then a giver is doing God’s will, and so is the receiver, since to receive is an equally important experience that Spirit wishes to have through us. Therefore, to refuse a gift is to deny and betray ourselves, the giver and Spirit itself – since in Reality we are all One – by impeding the flow of Love.
You may find this definition challenging. Take your time in working with it; feel the emotions that come up; allow yourself to work with and gently release the judgments and imprints you may have about what I have written here. I believe it will be well worth your while because this new way of looking at betrayal can empower you, set you free and help you open to receive Love in unending supply .