how important is a higher power in recovery?
Guest
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 270
Well done on your 10 days, Instant.
Don't do anything you don't think you absolutely have to do. Which I think is how most people do this.
There are some that don't do much and some who do a lot of things. You'll find out little by little what level of actions will be required for you.
Can get tedious at times, but hang in there.
After an embarassing number of evaluation periods of varying lengths I found I had to do and to continue doing everything, because it didn't matter if I called my little condition alcoholism or nana-wumwum, I kept getting drunk eventually until I had a sufficient solution going for me. Kind of like an alcoholic does. Pretty much exactly like one of those alcoholic people, actually.
Don't do anything you don't think you absolutely have to do. Which I think is how most people do this.
There are some that don't do much and some who do a lot of things. You'll find out little by little what level of actions will be required for you.
Can get tedious at times, but hang in there.
After an embarassing number of evaluation periods of varying lengths I found I had to do and to continue doing everything, because it didn't matter if I called my little condition alcoholism or nana-wumwum, I kept getting drunk eventually until I had a sufficient solution going for me. Kind of like an alcoholic does. Pretty much exactly like one of those alcoholic people, actually.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: New England
Posts: 5,285
Originally Posted by least 
I'm not an AAer so can't speak to that end. I do believe in God but don't rely on him in my recovery and I'm coming up on 18 months sober.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: San francisco,ca
Posts: 112
Originally Posted by endlesspatience
Not to say that's not a debate worth having. But if it's going to slow down my process of recovery, I am happy to leave it to other people for now. Perhaps when I've been sober for a loooooong time, I might want to join in that debate again. But for now, let's just say that handing my will and life over to the power of God as I understand Him sounds like a much more positive step than remaining in the misery of active alcoholism.
I would also like to also say that I think it is good to ask a few questions. But I would stay away from the philisophical stuff. I think it's more important to ask questions like "how do I know if my sponsor is really doing his job right?".
Member
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Durban, South-Africa
Posts: 50
Hello ALL
My opinion is simple.... We all as individuals have our own opinion of a higher power, or lack therof and we are entitled to this. Recovery is dependant upon change and the willingness therof. To achive change we need to recognise a problem and admit to ourselves that we cannot do this on our own. I have relapsed more times than I care to remember and for ME.... my recovery is VERY dependant on my HP.
Ant
My opinion is simple.... We all as individuals have our own opinion of a higher power, or lack therof and we are entitled to this. Recovery is dependant upon change and the willingness therof. To achive change we need to recognise a problem and admit to ourselves that we cannot do this on our own. I have relapsed more times than I care to remember and for ME.... my recovery is VERY dependant on my HP.
Ant
Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lowcountry
Posts: 2,762
Congrats on 11; ...or is it 12 days now !?!
The most important thing I learned in early recovery about HPs or God
....is to rearrange my thinking and realize I'm not God. Drinking, my universe spun around me, it was all about me, me , me. Recovery taught me I'm not the center of the universe,
Not having to carry that load created a sort of lightness, a freedom.
And some much needed humility.
The most important thing I learned in early recovery about HPs or God
....is to rearrange my thinking and realize I'm not God. Drinking, my universe spun around me, it was all about me, me , me. Recovery taught me I'm not the center of the universe,
Not having to carry that load created a sort of lightness, a freedom.
And some much needed humility.
TheMostSordidSpotOnEarth
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ParadiseOnEarth
Posts: 811
Welcome Instant!
Asking questions is great, and this is a really good one.
"We Agnostics" in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous has helped to relieve me of so many of the struggles I had been facing on this subject. You can find "We Agnostics" on pages 44-57 in the 4th Edition of the BB.
So, just how important is a HP in recovery?
Here is some of what the Big Book says on the subject:
Taken from the chapter "We Agnostics"
You can trust this: It works -- it really, really does.
Huge hugs and best wishes to you on your journey!
SIU
Asking questions is great, and this is a really good one.
"We Agnostics" in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous has helped to relieve me of so many of the struggles I had been facing on this subject. You can find "We Agnostics" on pages 44-57 in the 4th Edition of the BB.
So, just how important is a HP in recovery?
Here is some of what the Big Book says on the subject:
Taken from the chapter "We Agnostics"
"If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic. If that be the case, you may be suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer.
To one who feels he is an atheist or agnostic such an experience seems impossible, but to continue as he is means disaster, especially if he is an alcoholic of the hopeless variety. To be doomed to an alcoholic death or to live on a spiritual basis are not always easy alternatives to face.
But it isn’t so difficult. About half our original fellowship were of exactly that type. At first some of us tried to avoid the issue, hoping against hope we were not true alcoholics. But after a while we had to face the fact that we must find a spiritual basis of life—or else. Perhaps it is going to be that way with you. But cheer up, something like half of us thought we were atheists or agnostics. Our experience shows that you need not be disconcerted.
If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact, we could will these things with all our might, but the needed power wasn’t there. Our human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly.
Lack of power, that was our dilemma. we had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power?
Well, that’s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem."
To one who feels he is an atheist or agnostic such an experience seems impossible, but to continue as he is means disaster, especially if he is an alcoholic of the hopeless variety. To be doomed to an alcoholic death or to live on a spiritual basis are not always easy alternatives to face.
But it isn’t so difficult. About half our original fellowship were of exactly that type. At first some of us tried to avoid the issue, hoping against hope we were not true alcoholics. But after a while we had to face the fact that we must find a spiritual basis of life—or else. Perhaps it is going to be that way with you. But cheer up, something like half of us thought we were atheists or agnostics. Our experience shows that you need not be disconcerted.
If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact, we could will these things with all our might, but the needed power wasn’t there. Our human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly.
Lack of power, that was our dilemma. we had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power?
Well, that’s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem."
You can trust this: It works -- it really, really does.
Huge hugs and best wishes to you on your journey!
SIU
instant
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Australia
Posts: 5,711
Potential pitfalls lurk everywhere for me. I have experienced them as being outside myself. The disquiet fluctuates. I see there are other possibilities.........as I embark on day 12.
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