An introduction to slave sickness, the cause of work addition, how it might be effecting you and how to heal through it. 

Work addiction and the enabling culture of it is probably the most prevalent and harmful addiction in our modern society. 

And it is ignored. 

It is ignored because it is useful to us and so ingrained in our culture we can not see it, much like a fish who does not see the water it swims in. 

Work is useful, important and beneficial to us when in balance and serving our selves, our environment and our society. 

In todays modern western societies we work for the sake of work, through necessity and expectation. 

We create jobs and work to keep busy, give us a purpose, keep our economies moving into an unrealistic exponential growth ideology as we produce in order to consume more and more. 

People are expected to work and much of their self worth, self esteem and value is very often entwined completely in their ability to work, produce and perform. 

We measure success by our ability to work and even allow each other to suffer and die if this (what is considered a basic function of life and living) is not completed. 

People will give up their entire lives to work, their health, wellbeing, family, friends, community and even their dreams, desires or morality. 

We allow work to be a measure of society, our success and our growth. 

It can be used as a crutch instead of our conscience we use work to define or over ride our integrity and even an excuse to condemn, judge or abuse others. 

In todays world having a job is considered essential, the kind of job we have a measure of our social standing and our work entwined in our identity. 

But where does this work addiction and obsession come from and how did it get so out of control? 

We evolved to work together and support each other in social groups. 

This mutual contribution was essential to our survival. 

Our minds developed so we can better understand what individuals and the group need to survive. 

Our minds are the creation of our requirement to work together. 

It's part of being human. 

To function and better sustain ourselves and each other through considered thought, learned action and communicative contribution. 

This is a natural part of our evolution. 

As is our need for leadership, hierarchy and role taking. 

To mutually organise and use each persons unique skills to better and strengthen the group. 

We know traditionally men would hunt, build, fight and protect. 

Women would cook, raise children, tend the village, make clothes. 

Elders would guide the group, make decisions and tend to (pastor) the group dynamics. 

We evolved and lived this way in many cultures around the globe. 

Our minds and language becoming more and more advanced as we became more and more effective in these small social systems. 

Then we developed civilisation and began building bigger and bigger groups, creating armies, expanding into more and more land. 

Most of us know enough about modern history to understand how we developed civilisation. 

From villages, to towns, to cities, creating borders, defining territory as separate countries. 

Creating allies, wars and expanding across continents learning, growing and developing more and more. 

Work, mutual contribution, pastoring (human personal and spiritual development), expansion and production in order to consume and secure our larger and larger groups became our western development of civilisation. 

Money and power in smaller and smaller groups was the normal we became used to with kings, queens, authority and wealth passing from generation to generation through certain families. 

Until we reached the point of industrialisation, mass production, global economy and slavery. 

Where this culture, with its ability to cross water was able to take advantage of the groups and cultures that did not develop to such large proportions, through force and violence. 

We know the horrors of what happened in the age of slavery and how slavery helped develop our modern, multi cultural, capitalist culture both at home through work houses, factory production and farming and abroad on plantations and the like. 

A huge shock to our collective humanity, a mass trauma and both group and individual violation of our humanity which has been perpetuated to this day despite the premise of freedom. 

Before slavery and capitalism work wasn't forced. 

Of course some people worked hard and for others, weren't always paid well and operated under unfit conditions at times and individuals or families benefitted or suffered within that. 

But what slavery did was establish an unavoidable, violently enforced, mass production, global economic culture. 

Slaves worked wether they liked it or not and those who did not work died, those that did not do well were tortured, even those who did all they were expected died young and broken. 

Individuality, spirit and humanity were ignored, dismissed and reduced to profit in the most brutal of ways. 

Wether slave or master the spiritual, ethical and moral cost of slavery on the soul, body, mind and nervous system was high, radically changing our interactions, responses and culture. 

Slavery was a long time ago now but much like the aftershock or matured realisation of abuse, violence, neglect or trauma it is only now we are becoming aware of and feeling the repercussions of the full extent of the long term damage caused. 

Populations mentally ill, chronically ill, disordered, disconnected, addicted, lonely, leaders who corrupt, control, manipulate, exploit all in the name of normal expectation and profit. 

Our collective and individual anger, contempt and confusion rife as we seek understanding, relief, reconnection while also fearing and resenting each other and our part in the whole affair. 

Huge arguments and ferocious debate around issues that define our class, identity, value in the work world, relief from its demands. 

Gender, race, ability, age all used as both weapons and excuse as we grapple for some sort of status and justice. 

Like personal trauma, any other addiction recovery and chronic health relief there is only one way to heal...to move through it. 

To acknowledge the pain and their causes. 

To feel the effects, pay attention to the problems, consider the solutions and respond in a way that is relevant and honest. 

It seems to me likely we need to accept both the benefits and the harm of our evolved culture from slavery, the depth of the violence and the mutual riches gained at the expense of other. 

Using love, understanding and truth to support our individual and collective healing from both work addiction and slavery sickness. 

A process of authentic connection to self, nature and our sacred existence to bring balance and honest back to the forefront of our existence. 

If you have been effected by or struggle with work addiction or the unfolding realisation of generational trauma and slavery sickness and its effect in your life The Art of Enough programme might support you through this process of healing. 

Send a message to begin the process or read more through my other content.