Treating your own psychology, history, and patterns as legitimate subjects of deep inquiry rather than sources of shame to avoid.
Sor Juana approached knowledge with curiosity and rigor, treating complex subjects as deserving of sustained attention. Recovery requires developing similar scholarly attention toward yourself. Addiction often teaches shame-avoidance: don't look too closely, don't ask uncomfortable questions, distract yourself. Real recovery invites curiosity about your own inner world—your triggers, defenses, values, wounds, and strengths—as worthy material for serious investigation. This is not narcissistic navel-gazing but ethical self-study. When you approach your psychology with Sor Juana's intellectual humility and rigor, you stop treating yourself as a problem to solve and start treating yourself as a complex person to understand. This shift from shame-avoidance to compassionate inquiry fundamentally transforms recovery work.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
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