Are you an optimist?
Are you a person who always sees the potential in others?
Are you a person who trusts people, until the opposite is proven?
Do you consider yourself to be a spiritual person?
Have people told you, or are you aware, that you are a little bit naïve sometimes?
If so, you might be at risk
You might even, at times, be in danger
Especially when you are surrounded by people who call themselves spiritual

The spiritual community is full of optimistic people
People who have let go of the establishment
Who have let go of old beliefs
Who have great ideals and dreams
People who are very sensitive
And have a deep desire for peace, truth and harmony

These people often experience reality as harsh
Hence, they long for kindness, empathy and compassion
They long for beauty and true connection
They long for community, healing and happiness
And they believe that to be possible

Guess what?
This deep longing is exactly your weak spot

I find it hard to tell you
But your longing for peace and harmony
Your tendency to always see the good in people
Can be abused
Can be taken advantage of
Can be used against you

There are wolfs in sheep clothes
There are snakes in disguise
Especially in the spiritual community
They present themselves as healers, friends, shamans and teachers
And they will use the truth against you
If you feel they are lying, they will tell you they are only mirroring you
If you tell them that what they do or say makes you feel uncomfortable
They will tell you they are not responsible for your triggers
And that you are about to learn an important lesson
Thanks to them

These people will always twist everything around
They will always blame you for whatever they do to you
They will always say it’s your fault, because you create your own reality
They will lie with the truth

These people will take advantage of your kindness
Your innocence
Your sweet tendency to always see the good in people
They will take your money, your love and your body
They will enter a relationship with you
They will move in with you
They will eat you alive
If you let them
All under the disguise of love and light

If you say you need space
They will say: but we are all one
To them that means: what is yours is mine
If you say they are crossing your limits
They will say there is something wrong with your limits
If you don’t want to have sex with them
They will say you are sexually inhibited
If you say you don’t want to be around them
They will tell you that you are socially handicapped

They are in the spiritual community, because there are so many easy targets there
For a predator, the spiritual community is like a haven of sheep
Naïve people are so easy to manipulate
Kind people are so easy to manipulate as well

Because you don’t want to hurt someone
You don’t want to be rude
You don’t want to be harsh
You don’t want to let anybody down
You feel everybody deserves a chance
Everybody is a victim of the circumstances
Everybody is here to learn
So, who are you to judge, right?
Who are you to tell someone to fuck off?
Who are you to decide you don’t want that person in your life?

But who are you not to be?
You have the right to claim your own space
You have the right to choose the people you want to be with
You have the right to say no
You have the right to say: until here and no further
You have the right to change your mind
You have the right to say: sorry, but I changed my mind
First I wanted to be with you
And now I don’t

You don’t need to blame that person
You don’t need to judge that person
It has nothing to do with that person!
You can just say: this is my space and I don’t want you to be in it
Thank you very much

And if that particular person doesn’t like that
Or doesn’t accept it
And creates a story about your spiritual development
Or rather, your spiritual shortcomings
Telling you there is something wrong with you
Telling you, you should do this or that
Telling you, you are not a real Buddhist, Taoist or spiritual person
When you dare to reject him
Then that person is actually manipulating you

You have every right to say: fuck off
Have some empathy for yourself
Have some self love
Have some self care
Listen to your energy body
Listen to your heart

Be brave enough to be selective
Be brave enough to protect your own space
Be brave enough to choose the people you want to hang out with
Because they make you feel good
Don’t doubt yourself
Don’t believe the stories that say you should love and embrace everybody
No!

There is no space in your heart for the whole world
You are not enlightened
You don’t have to be!
You can just be who you are
And you can trust the purity of your body, your soul and your heart

Trust yourself
Trust yourself
Trust yourself

Sanne Burger
sanneburger.com