Are you truly Sober? Questions.

[RufusACanal]

In this new life, where booze is no longer the master, are you truly sober? Does being sober entail simply the absence of drinking; we have been taught that not drinking alone is not sobreity.

So if just not drinking is not sobreity, what is? Does sobreity hinge on whether I proclaim myself to be so; honesty or dishonesty not withstanding?

What does the term, "the softer, easier way" have to do with getting and staying sober?

Is sobreity acquired through my efforts, is it a gift or is it a combination of both?

Do I deserve sobreity?

How does honesty and sobreity florish together and why?

Where does God enter into this decsion?

Can I be more sober? Who is at fault if I fail in sobreity?

[Emimily]

define "sobriety", because it sounds more to me that you're asking about our recovery.

[Tazman53]

In this new life, where booze is no longer the master, are you truly sober?

Getting there....... the longer I apply the steps to all areas of my life I feel I am getting there, I still have my moments of not being sober in thought, but simply in body, progress, not perfection comes to mind.

Does being sober entail simply the absence of drinking; we have been taught that not drinking alone is not sobreity.

For me I have found sobriety to be more in my heart and my soul then in my physical being.

So if just not drinking is not sobreity, what is?

For me my state of mind and of spirituality is sobriety, a sane thought process and being comfortable in my own skin. Being a part of the world, being helpful to others, being the best person I can be and passing on what has been given to me freely. To be at peace, to no longer obsess for escape from life but to be able to live life on lifes terms.... warts and all.

Does sobreity hinge on whether I proclaim myself to be so; honesty or dishonesty not withstanding?

No my proclaimation of anything means nothing, it is how I walk the walk and not how I talk the talk. Walking the walk is honesty, talking the talk without walking the walk is dishonesty.

What does the term, "the softer, easier way" have to do with getting and staying sober?

Today thanks to working the steps and applying the steps the best I can, the term "the softer, easier way" has changed meanings, today it means that I am no longer fighting "anything or anyone, even alcohol." I am working my program.

Is sobreity acquired through my efforts, is it a gift or is it a combination of both?

A combination, as long as I am working my program as best I can keeping my spiritual condition fit, God will do for me what I can not do for myself.

Do I deserve sobreity?

It is a gift I am given on a daily basis as long as I am maintaining my spiritual condition fit.

How does honesty and sobreity florish together and why?

It took honesty for me to get sober, they feed on each other, the more honest I am the more sober I am and the more sober I am the more honest I am.

Where does God enter into this decsion?

FOr me God was in this from the beginning, he kept me alive long enough to where I could find him and turn my will and my life over to his care.

Can I be more sober?

No doubt in my mind, I strive to continue to progress accepting the fact I will never achieve perfection in sobriety or any thing else.

Who is at fault if I fail in sobreity?

Mine!!!! I make a decision every day, every minute to do Gods will for me, Gods will for me is to stay sober and do his will, he will help me with that as long as I don't decide to do my will, I know that if I start doing my will and not his eventually my will, will lead me back to a drink.

Excellent post Rufus, one that makes one do a bit more self examination.

[tommyk]

Originally Posted by Emimily

define "sobriety", because it sounds more to me that you're asking about our recovery.

I agree.

Sobriety does not equal recovery.

[Jfanagle]

Sobriety is living a life with purpose and direction. That involves asking for direction when I have lost it and a "willingness" to take that direction and follow the same.

If an act of not drinking were enough, then all those times I abstained for a period would have been enough to find sobriety. I firmly believe that a sober life is an on going pursuit of a day better than the one that I lived yesterday. The desire and again the willingness for me is the primary ingredient and a sober life is a continual effort and never seems to be a destination, just an effort that provides the joy of living one day at a time.

Jon

[1963comet]

I just had to look up the word Sobriety because people have different ideas of what it is. I have heard so many say that if not working a program then you are not really sober.

Sobriety- sobriety is the state of not acting out in an addiction.
Sobriety- the quality or state of being sober.

I myself used a different method to recover. So, I had bad feelings of people talking about dry drunk and what not.

I am still learning life skills today even though I have been sober for years.

[Tazman53]

Sobriety- sobriety is the state of not acting out in an addiction.
Sobriety- the quality or state of being sober.

Comet the first definition is sobriety in a physical sense as I see it. The second I feel is more of a recovered definition due to the word "quality" before I finally started recovery I was physically sober many times, but not recovering sober, now I am recovering sober, what a world of difference!

I never found any quality in being sober white knuckling it, just misery!

[RufusACanal]

I am simply asking you to think; there are no wrong answers. Being openminded in this new life means I might want to do more individual research when it comes to semantics; not everyone hears the same thing or believes in the same way and the term sobreity is one case in point.

Instead of recovery or sobreity, I tend to use the term new life.

[miss communicat]

Originally Posted by Emimily

define "sobriety", because it sounds more to me that you're asking about our recovery.

I think this is a very essential question for all of us, the right one to ask into.

For me, in order to get sober and to live a continuously sober life, one that is inspired to stay sober, I need a personal definition of sobriety. One that is not always limited to the literal, dictionary definition, which has all to do with removing the substance to which I am addicted or a serious state of mind.

In fact, the words "sober" and "sobriety" actually are not my favourites for encompassing the new life I live. The serious state of mind in the dictionary definition of sober feels very much like glumness to me. I believe that my true nature is joy not glumness!

So I define sobriety today as becoming more fully conscious, of others, of myself, of God. To be sober, to me, is to establish a new consciousness of personal healing, service and unity, upon which the foundation is that I must not block the channels of this consciousness with alcohol and other poisons.


It is a holistic word to me now. Sober living IS recovery and vis versa.

[tkdan]

Instead of recovery or sobreity, I tend to use the term new life.

I would have to say that is a good description of what I have now. I'm thankful to be in the program. I guess just not drinking could be considered sober but it is not the type of sober I want anymore. I never felt like I was changing for the better or growing in any way when I just did not drink. I know now life is changing for the better because I'm growing spiritually.

[ananda]

OK I'll give it a try although i do see sobriety as meaning NOT DRINKING...but trying not to quibling over words anymore

Originally Posted by RufusACanal

In this new life, where booze is no longer the master, are you truly sober? Does being sober entail simply the absence of drinking; we have been taught that not drinking alone is not sobreity.

I am sober...as said...sober is absence of drinking

now based on what I think you mean...
So if just not drinking is not sobreity, what is?

being awake to life and walking skillfully through my karma

Does sobreity hinge on whether I proclaim myself to be so; honesty or dishonesty not withstanding?

sobriety hinges on weather i pick up a drink...my spiritual path ... i can't really judge how i am doing on this nor can others...I keep walking it the best I can each day.

What does the term, "the softer, easier way" have to do with getting and staying sober?

For me AA is the softer easier way...it isn't really necessary to make it harder, although I often do.

Is sobreity acquired through my efforts, is it a gift or is it a combination of both?

As with anything else in life...i need to put forth "right effort", but many do this and do not get sober...so it is a gift in that respect.

Do I deserve sobreity?

It doesn't really matter and who get's sober isn't determined by deserve/don't deserve.

How does honesty and sobreity florish together and why?
Well....being awake allows me more honesty i think

Where does God enter into this decsion?

what decision? One of my higher powers is the spiritual path that I am on and by being on that path, things change

Can I be more sober? Who is at fault if I fail in sobreity?

can't be more sober, but could be more awake and more often awake. As for fault....That is not a helpful train of thought for me....When I "feel" like I have not done well...rather than looking to blame I look to what can I do "better" today.

Thanks Rufus...you gave me an opportunity to think about spirituality again

[miss communicat]

[quote=ananda;1812508]

can't be more sober, but could be more awake and more often awake.QUOTE]

thank you. that feels true for me, too

[sugErspun]

I think not drinking is just a side effect of something much greater that's going on...

[miss communicat]

Originally Posted by sugErspun

I think not drinking is just a side effect of something much greater that's going on...

now that's interesting. as in, which is the "side effect" and which is the cause: not drinking or the new conscious contact with the higher power?

my very first sponsor told me this is like describing the round side of a ball......i may always want to look for a seam in the round side of a ball and determine that the round side starts "there"....lol!

[RufusACanal]

I have looked for the seam endlessly; what a wonderful description! If anyone wants to get grateful, read the Thomas Covenant Chronicles; not a easy read, but oh so good!