The 7 Deadly Sins are written about in The Bible but they are also referred to in various forms in other religious texts. They are just as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. These 7 Deadly Sins are the route of all sin. What is a sin? A sin is an act or a thought that doesn’t serve you. A sin may be an act against another, but ultimately it is an act against yourself, because whatever we give out comes back to us. These 7 sins will sabotage you, your creation abilities, your abundance, your relationships, your health and your happiness.
The 7 Deadly Sins are
1. Pride – Ego
2. Covetousness – Envy
3. Wrath – Extreme Anger
4. Gluttony – Greed in what you consume
5. Lust – Extreme sexual desire
6. Sloth – Laziness
7. Avarice – Greed
Sadly, we are living in a world right now that idolizes many of these sins, a world that twists the truth and disguises these sins as being ok, even cool. The 7 deadly sins are the work of the ego. The ego tempts us constantly into ego thinking and ego actions. So let’s explore each one of these sins, and the truth that will set you free.
Pride
I’m sure you’ve heard the old saying “pride cometh before a fall.” When you’re not in pride, you cannot fall. The deadly sin of pride is the egoic need for recognition, t to feel superior, to look perfect, to appear strong. Pride is the opposite of being humble and vulnerable.
Many of us equate “humble” with “less than”, “powerless” and even “poor”, but this isn’t true. The great spiritual leaders – Buddha, Jesus, Lao Tzu and many more – were powerful people but they were humble. In our modern world, who do you admire more? Oprah Winfrey or Kim Kardashian?
Being humble doesn’t mean that you cannot aspire to your dreams and to success. It doesn’t mean that you cannot live an abundant life. Being humble means keeping your ego in check. Being able to laugh at yourself sometimes. Being humble requires us to work on substance and not image, to refrain from boasting and seeking attention, and to give and not expect any kudos for the giving.
The ego believes that it has to protect itself. It creates an outer shell of image in the belief that if you look perfect or appear a certain way, you’ll be loved and accepted. The opposite is actually true. If you’re in pride, you’ll attract those who are also in their pride, those who won’t accept you for who you truly are. When you are your true and humble self, you will attract those of similar vibration, and that is where true love exists.
Affirmation: “I now let go of pride. It is safe to be humble. It is safe to be vulnerable.”
Envy
We all feel it sometimes because we’re human but envy does not serve you in any positive way; in fact it will eat you alive and destroy your hopes and dreams. Envy happens when someone else has what you want, which reinforces the fact that you don’t have it, which then creates toxic feelings towards the other person and towards yourself. It may be a beautiful home, the perfect partner (they don’t exist), a successful career or anything that you would like to have but don’t have.
The ego responds with envy, in the belief that “if they have it, I’m never going to have it.” And this ensures you’re never going to have it, because you’re now in a lack vibration and spilling over with toxic emotions which means that the very thing you’re desiring will not come to you.
But here’s the truth that will set you free. If someone has what you want, it’s a sign from the Universe that you’re getting closer to having it too. Yes, that is correct. Whatever is in your field is possible for you to have too. If it’s not in your field, it’s not a possibility at the moment. And yet we sabotage this sign through the emotion of envy.
To manifest anything, we must be in the vibration of peace and love and goodwill. We must wish for others what we wish for ourselves. So if someone has something that you want, say (either to yourself or to that person if appropriate) “I am so happy for you! Because I want this too, and you having it means that I’m going to have it too!”
Affirmation: “I now let go of envy. Anyone who has what I want is showing me that it’s on its way to me too. And I am so happy for that person.”
Wrath
Wrath is extreme anger, and I’m sure if you’ve been at the receiving end of extreme anger, you know how it feels, and just how frightening it is, and how it can destroy your trust in relationships. Or you may become extremely angry yourself, and in the moment it feels really good to vent, in fact the ego will have you convinced in that present moment that you are absolutely right to vent your anger. In that moment you feel powerful. Later on, the feelings of regret, guilt and shame will start to creep in.
Anger is a resistance to what is, and we all feel angry from time to time. Anger is an emotion, but that’s not the deadly sin. It’s what we do with that anger that makes it a deadly sin. Wrath is anger partnered with egoic self-righteousness. It destroys relationships, it destroys love. People with chronic anger problems push people away, and they may find themselves alone eventually.
So if you suffer from wrath, I highly recommend (a) a meditation practice, to bring awareness in and (b) to work on that awareness and observe what triggers you. If this has been a problem for a long time, you may need to get professional help to manage your anger. The emotion of anger isn’t the problem, it’s how you choose to express it that can be the problem. You can express anger in destructive ways – ie. shouting and lashing out at other people, or you can express anger in constructive ways -remove yourself from the trigger, breathe through it, punch pillows, scream in the car. And seek professional help if this is a long-standing problem.
Affirmation: “I now let go of wrath. It’s ok to feel angry, but I choose to express my anger in constructive ways, and not destructive ways.
Gluttony
Gluttony is trendy right now. The term “foodie” never existed until a few years ago. Food has become the new religion. While it is good to enjoy food, this can easily tip over into the deadly sin of gluttony. If we Idolize food, we turn into gluttons which has a disastrous effect on our health. The adulation of food and food addiction is extremely common. Eating so as to stuff down emotions is a common but destructive way of self-soothing. People in the western world have never been more overweight than now, and diabetes and heart disease are rife. We are constantly being tempted by delicious food which is so easily available.
By contrast, studies have revealed that during the Great Depression, the American population was healthier than ever, and during World War 2 and the following years of rationing in the UK, the population was far healthier than they are now.
Until recently, most human beings experienced both feast and famine, so our bodies thrive when they are well nourished AND experiencing times of no food (ie fasting).
When it comes to eating, we must remember the Universal Law of Balance, which deems we must seek balance always. When we choose the middle way, we are in our full power (You can read all about the universal laws in my book The 25 Universal Laws).
Affirmation: “I now let go of gluttony. I consume healthy life-giving food in balance. I eat to live and not live to eat.”
Lust
Lust is a strong sexual desire. We are human, we have sexual desire, but just like gluttony, if that desire gets out of balance, we can cause a lot of harm. Sex addiction is a common term now. It didn’t used to be. Porn on the internet is readily available. It’s turned sex into a commodity devoid of love and intimacy. When you’re having sex without love, you’re on the slippery slope of lust. When you’re having sex on your own with the internet on a regular basis, you’re on that slippery slope of lust too. Lust is an addiction. The more you get, the more you want it. But like a drug, you need more and more of it to get the intense sensation you had first off. Lust has become normalized, but it’s harmful. And it’s harmful for several reasons:
Firstly, there is a very real phenomenon now for people who have used porn on a regular basis – they’re unable to enjoy normal loving intimacy with a partner because they’ve become desensitized. They’re so used to “getting off” on strong sexual imagery that they can’t enjoy the normal intimate act of sex.
Secondly, if you choose a partner because of lust, it’s unlikely to be a good long term partnership. There are many other things required for a good relationship – such as friendship and shared values. A relationship based solely on lust is like a house built on sand. It will eventually collapse.
And thirdly, if you don’t choose to control your sexual desires, you’re likely to cheat on your partner, to use others for sex and generally hurt people. Lust, like gluttony, can feel really good at the time, but the fulfillment is very short-lived. Just like eating a whole chocolate cake, it’s only later that you face the karma of your actions. And the karma that you must face through being unfaithful and hurting people will be painful – just as painful as the pain you inflicted on other people. This is the Universal Law of Karma.
If you suffer from sex addiction, there are support groups available. Some are based on the AA twelve step program.
Affirmation: “I now let go of lust. I love and acknowledge my sexuality, and I express it in healthy and constructive ways.”
Sloth
Sloth is laziness, the reluctance to work or to make an effort. Sloth must not be confused with the paralysis that many people experience with depression. Depression is a mental illness and the paralysis that often accompanies it is a part of the illness. One of the worst things you can say to somebody who is depressed is that they’re lazy, or urge them to get some exercise and they’ll feel better. That rarely is the answer for someone experiencing paralysis through depression.
The deadly sin of slothfulness is different to the paralysis from depression. The sin of slothfulness is just that – plain laziness and the “couldn’t be bothered” attitude. Without action, nothing of any great value is going to happen in your life, because here on the Earth plane, life requires action. The Universal Law of Action deems that we must take action towards what we want, and when we do, the Universe takes us seriously and works with us.
As human beings, we thrive when we have a sense of purpose and something to do. We are here “to do”.
Slothfulness most commonly comes about through addictions – such as video games, internet surfing, drugs and alcohol, and gambling. These things will sap you of the desire to work and to do.
In the book the Prophet, Khalil Gibran writes:
“You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.
For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life’s procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite. …
Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.
But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth’s furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born,
And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,
And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life’s inmost secret.
…And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.
Work is love made visible.”
Please do not confuse work with workaholism, which is an addiction to work. Work, whether it’s paid work or a hobby or a passion, is a necessary element to living a fulfilling life.
So if you suffer from sloth because of an addiction, deal with the addiction. There are support groups these days for almost every kind of addiction. Use the Universal Law of Action and TAKE action to help yourself out of sloth. You want your life to expand and not contract.
Affirmation: “I now let go of sloth. I now choose to take action in my life. When I take action towards what I want, the Universe takes me seriously.”
Avarice
Avarice is greed, and it can affect you in a multitude of ways. It comes from the belief that “there is never enough” of anything. The ego mind is programmed to keep you wanting, to keep you feeling that somehow you aren’t enough and that you haven’t done enough, achieved enough or got enough. Avarice has you believing that there’s always something missing and that when that “something” is acquired, you’ll be happy and complete.
The ego likes to remind you that you haven’t achieved your goals and dreams yet, that you haven’t done enough on your to-do list or that certain things in your life have to be fixed before you can be happy.
The ego mind convinces us that once we get “over there” where the goals and dreams are achieved, the to-do-list is ticked off and everything is “fixed”, we can finally be happy … which is NEVER the case. Because the ego mind will kick in with more avarice!
Transcending avarice is more important than acquiring or achieving, because avarice creates misery! And don’t fall for the ego mind’s trick of having you believe that by transcending avarice, you won’t achieve or acquire anything. You are actually far more likely to achieve and acquire what you want when you LET GO of avarice!
So how do we counteract the avarice that exists within our minds? And the 6 other deadly sins, for that matter.
1. Keep up your meditation practice – you cannot transcend that which you are not aware of. With regular meditation you WILL become more aware and able to observe yourself.
2. Become aware of when you are experiencing thoughts of avarice, envy, gluttony or any of the others and notice how you feel (you won’t be feeling good).
3. Acknowledge the thoughts and the feelings, and be kind to yourself. We’ve all got deep ego mind programming to transcend.
4. Practise gratitude.
Affirmation: All is perfect and as it should be in my world right now. I am enough and I have enough.
