And many spiritual leaders would argue that a life without commitments is a life without meaning. So what do Americans do to fill that void? They take on another addiction -- which leaves them feeling even emptier -- and the vicious cycle begins. Some activists even claim the result of living in such a morally-vacuous, alienating, consumer-driven culture is an entire nation suffering from "a collective wounding" (Shaw, 2008). Author Chellis Glendinning wrote in 1994 that our primary needs are "those we were born to have satisfied: nourishment, love, meaning, purpose and spirit. When they are not met, we turn to the 'secondary' sources, which include 'drugs, violence, sex, material possessions and machines.' Eventually we become obsessed with the secondary sources 'as if our lives depended on them.'" (Shaw, 2008)

Behind the Mask

"Anyone who knows anything of history knows that great social changes are impossible without feminine upheaval. Social...
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