BEYOND A DEPENDENCE ON GOD

DEAR FRIENDS -- These thoughts have arisen in contemplating the philosophy behind  books like "The Secret", which seem to make a god out of the "omnipotent mind". As I said in my blog "Is 'The Secret' a 'Spiritual Distraction?'", I believe that this philosophy is largely an illusion and serves as an emotional defense against painful feelings such as fear and helplessness.
Responses by Kim and Old Soul to my blog about "The Secret" -- which centered on appealing to God or The Universe for support -- led me to see the similarity between all philosophies which look to a force beyond ourselves for relief from suffering and ultimate answers.
While I believe that there is a mysterious force of love and life that unites us all, I also believe that one's greatest potential for happiness lay in seeking to connect ever more fully with oneself. The following words reflect my personal quest for spiritual independence and maturity.
The similarity between asking God or the Universe for help is they come from the same attitude of dependency. That is, at least in that moment, we have lost faith that we can find what we need within ourselves -- from our own body, heart and soul -- to master the problem we face and grow from it. The problem may be internal, in the form of pain we cannot bear. Or it may be external, a situation we cannot seem to change. In a way, we mirror the attitude of children who reach out to a parent for holding when they are overwhelmed by their fear and frustration. The source of relief and support is felt to be a force that is larger than us rather than through a growing connection to the strengths that ultimately must be found within us. Once we become adults, emotional security, inner peace and the capacity for joy are best found from a growing trust in ourselves, and not from a transference of our childhood dependency from our parents to a God-Father figure or Universe-Mother figure.
If you see where this is leading, you will understand my view of the philosophy in "The Secret" as a distraction or even impediment to spiritual maturation. On a deep attitude level, an adherent to this way of thinking wants to see the world as a Mother's breast that will endlessly fill their inner emptiness with milk -- if only they can think perfect thoughts all the time! But the problem is the desire to relate to life as a child, rather than facing the challenge of independence -- which involves filling up on your own love, strength and energy. In other words, claiming and becoming all of yourself! 
People generally cry out to God/Universe when they are in more fear or pain than they can stand. As a therapist, I have seen that the true and lasting cure for deep inner pain is to embrace it and completely express and release it. When this is achieved the person feels a soul-deep inner peace. Their inner state of happiness is restored, even if -- and this is crucial to understand! -- the external situation hasn't changed. This gives one the opportunity to awaken to a basic spiritual insight -- that our inner state need not be dictated by outer circumstances. And, equally important, the person finds that they have the capacity to turn within and set themselves free. They feel more independent. They have more faith in themselves and are are more self-connected. By not reaching to connect with an outside force -- God/Universe -- but instead struggling to reach within, they have both grown and claimed more of their own core strength.  
A great definition of spiritual growth is increasing one's capacity to feel peaceful and happy, regardless of external circumstances. Many people believe that this can only be achieved by a dependent attitude toward a force larger than themselves -- God/Universe. But in my view, spiritual maturity calls us to greater independence, where we work to transform our fearful reactivity and open to our own core energies -- love, joy, aliveness. And the ability to do this ultimately depends on our love for and belief in ourselves. One cannot fully connect to oneself without unconditionally loving oneself!  
What I'm pointing to is a spiritual adventure based upon putting your ultimate trust -- in yourself! In the strength and wisdom in your own body and soul. The more you turn within, in the face of struggles and crisis, to awaken the strength you require, the stronger that trust in yourself grows. And with that trust in yourself comes a peace with yourself and your life that cannot be provided by a reliance on God or the Universe. Faith in yourself is the greatest faith of all.