I learned about backdoors several years ago through a friend and spiritual teacher here in town. Her methods were a bit Zen-like and often unorthodox, yet she brought much to light in terms of shadow material and responsibility levels. She frequently asked this question: "what are your back doors?" Until that time, I'd never even thought about the possibility of a back door!

Now I see how creative I am when running from my shadow and have begun to systematically shut those backdoors as they come into view. Last month I closed three big ones: 1) travel to foreign lands; 2) shopping for Irish real estate online; and 3) leasing a building for my non-existent business! As my teacher said, "We are all experiential junkies!"

Backdoors are escape routes; they are addictive behaviors designed to help us feel more comfortable, distracting us from our truth, whatever that is as it relates to our growth in the moment. Like watching television, compulsive eating , buying books that remain unread, even chatting on the telephone incessantly, we are great at finding many forms of distraction. What are yours?

Since we grow by experiencing and learning new things, how do we continue expanding our minds and abilities beyond what is already known without engaging our inner junkie? I suggest taking a journey inside, moving into the unknown world of your subconscious mind and unconscious emanations. And while none of those above-mentioned potentially addictive profiles are problems in themselves, using them to avoid your thoughts, emotions and physical sensations, blocks you from your greatest adventure. Do you want to go for a ride?

Prior to departure, you will need to ask yourself one question: "Am I using this (whatever it is) to distract myself or avoid my feelings?" The best way to get a real answer is to stop the behavior for a few weeks and wait for what comes up. When it does arise, don't try to package it with ribbons and bows, that's just another back door. Be willing to risk exposing your emotions and receive feedback.

When you feel 'compelled' to do something or are resistant to doing something, try doing the opposite. It's a pretty fun game, albeit challenging, and will certainly bring emotions, body sensations and thoughts up out of the grave for inspection. It will also create internal chaos because you're challenging your entrenched responses and behaviors. Sometimes they may even scare you!

Until you choose a different road, you're just walking in your sleep. Have you ever heard the phrase, "insanity is when you repeat the same behavior, expecting different results?" After the ride begins you might even realize that your spiritual path is actually what keeps you imprisoned as you fly around out of body under the illusion of freedom! Hmmmm.

After the initial chaos is gone, you'll still have "stuff" to deal with. Surprise! In reaction to that stuff, you might form a negative belief, invalidating the experience or making it the cause of great difficulty. That's blame, recognize it for what it is and move on. Sit in your emotional stew for a time and then climb out. This residual entropy may look like an enemy, yet is really a gift in disguise; the result of chaos reorganizing and expanding your known self.

Observe yourself lovingly; this residual stress is just dross and is easily alchemized into gold, or stored as fuel for later use. It helps you become strong and present, better able to handle more of what the world offers, no matter what the consistency. Even though you may experience anxiety along the way, your body ultimately stabilizes, especially with conscious breath.

Still your mind breathing deeply into the empty space you've created. Keep filling the hole with your breath, rather than old memories and emotions. You've just rewired yourself. More scientifically, you've begun to create new neural pathways, leaving old patterns behind to die. This changes your level of response-ability, and enhances your capacity to manifest total freedom. Isn't that why you came here?

Breathing transforms our cells on multiple and very deep levels. Here you'll find a simple and effective breath-work tool, and a special blend of supplemental herbal adaptogens which grow prolifically in the Siberian Tundra...they were born adapting to unknown, stressful conditions.

In your quest for self mastery, you gradually become fully responsible, appointing yourself as creator of your own reality and what you manifest within it. First, it's about practical responsibility for your body, emotions and thoughts, how you interact with people and circumstances. Sustained responsibility is the gateway to higher levels of consciousness and enlightenment. Without it, these places are not accessible.