The temple where you go to vomit. - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

paulg · 07-24-2009, 06:56 PM

This is the story of how I got sober. This place will probably not work for everyone, but it certainly worked for me, and I will be eternally grateful for that.

Wat Thamkrabok - Associated Content

suki44883 · 07-24-2009, 07:38 PM

Interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Gypsy Feet · 07-24-2009, 08:16 PM

neato!!

MycoolFitz · 07-24-2009, 08:32 PM

Very interesting, I did all my vomiting on the other side of recovery at the temple of the porcelen pot.

paulg · 07-24-2009, 11:48 PM

Thanks for your comments. Vomiting was such a part of my drinking life. Funnily enough, I don't remember vomiting once since leaving the temple three years ago.

Still Waters · 07-25-2009, 07:02 AM

Great link, thanks! You have a lot of articles there, that is really cool!

paulg · 07-25-2009, 07:41 AM

Thank you still waters. I added an article today about a monk who really helped me while I was at Wat Thamkrabok. He died a few weeks ago. He was a great friend to us addicts.

Still Waters · 07-25-2009, 07:42 AM

I'm guessing you spoke Thai before you moved there (I didn't read the articles about moving there)?

paulg · 07-25-2009, 08:01 AM

No, I learnt Thai while living here. My first few years in Thailand were spent as a drunk, and I learnt very little other than how to get served in bars.

Still Waters · 07-25-2009, 08:12 AM

How did you end up in Thailand if you didn't speak the language? Just visiting and decided to stay? Is the food as wonderful as I imagine it would be??

I've always wanted to visit that part of the world.

paulg · 07-25-2009, 08:22 AM

It's a bit of a long story. I had been working in Saudi Arabia. I had gone there because I thought the fact that alcohol was illegal would help me to stop drinking. It didn't. I soon got addicted to the illegally distilled stuff. This moonshine was mad-juice. I realised that if I didn't get out of Saudi I would end up dead. I came to Thailand on holiday and ended up staying.

Still Waters · 07-25-2009, 08:33 AM

You have an amazing story Paul, I hope that the rest of your life is as colorful minus the alcohol

paulg · 07-25-2009, 05:34 PM

Life is far more wonderful without the alcohol.

jamdls · 07-29-2009, 03:14 PM

You've got some great stories in there, thanks for sharing, I enjoy your writing.

paulg · 07-30-2009, 03:34 PM

Thanks for that jamdls. I suppose all of us who managed to get sober have earned some amazing stories along the way.

littlefish · 07-31-2009, 12:17 AM

That is really interesting, thanks for mentioning this. I have found that Buddhist ideas are helping me in recovery. Going to Thailand is not feasable for me at the moment, but I have been considering visiting some temples in my area.
Can I ask you what form of Buddhism was practiced there?

paulg · 07-31-2009, 01:34 AM

Hi littlefish, Thailand is mostly Therevada Buddhist, and so is the temple. The monks at the WT are always quick to point out that you don't have to be Buddhist or become Buddhist for the temple to work.

It isn't possible for everyone to go there, and it probably wouldn't work for them all if they did. I was told that the temple is only a small part of the equation. The main thing is having the determination to stop; and you can have this anywhere.

Good luck with your search. I wish you all the best.
Paul

07-24-2009, 06:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
paulg Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phitsanulok Thailand Posts: 39	The temple where you go to vomit. This is the story of how I got sober. This place will probably not work for everyone, but it certainly worked for me, and I will be eternally grateful for that. Wat Thamkrabok - Associated Content

07-24-2009, 07:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
suki44883 Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Somewhere Out There Posts: 9,092	Interesting. Thanks for sharing. __________________ We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words. - Anna Sewell - So oftentimes it happens that we live our lives in chains and we never even know we have the key. - The Eagles

07-24-2009, 08:16 PM	#3 (permalink)
Gypsy Feet mergirl Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Paradise Posts: 3,780 Blog Entries: 4	neato!! __________________ ~Lisa~ ban the deed, not the breed~ three years of continuous sobriety and counting <3 (its a sideways heart!)

07-29-2009, 03:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
jamdls Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Dallas, Tx Posts: 2,152 Blog Entries: 2	You've got some great stories in there, thanks for sharing, I enjoy your writing. __________________ ~~~Judy~~~ "Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up" "With God all things are possible"

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07-24-2009, 08:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
MycoolFitz Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Here, Now Posts: 1,653	Very interesting, I did all my vomiting on the other side of recovery at the temple of the porcelen pot.

07-24-2009, 11:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
paulg Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phitsanulok Thailand Posts: 39	Thanks for your comments. Vomiting was such a part of my drinking life. Funnily enough, I don't remember vomiting once since leaving the temple three years ago.

07-25-2009, 07:02 AM	#6 (permalink)
Still Waters Being Silent so I can Hear Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 2,490	Great link, thanks! You have a lot of articles there, that is really cool!

07-25-2009, 07:41 AM	#7 (permalink)
paulg Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phitsanulok Thailand Posts: 39	Thank you still waters. I added an article today about a monk who really helped me while I was at Wat Thamkrabok. He died a few weeks ago. He was a great friend to us addicts.

07-25-2009, 07:42 AM	#8 (permalink)
Still Waters Being Silent so I can Hear Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 2,490	I'm guessing you spoke Thai before you moved there (I didn't read the articles about moving there)?

07-25-2009, 08:01 AM	#9 (permalink)
paulg Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phitsanulok Thailand Posts: 39	No, I learnt Thai while living here. My first few years in Thailand were spent as a drunk, and I learnt very little other than how to get served in bars.

07-25-2009, 08:12 AM	#10 (permalink)
Still Waters Being Silent so I can Hear Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 2,490	How did you end up in Thailand if you didn't speak the language? Just visiting and decided to stay? Is the food as wonderful as I imagine it would be?? I've always wanted to visit that part of the world.

07-25-2009, 08:22 AM	#11 (permalink)
paulg Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phitsanulok Thailand Posts: 39	It's a bit of a long story. I had been working in Saudi Arabia. I had gone there because I thought the fact that alcohol was illegal would help me to stop drinking. It didn't. I soon got addicted to the illegally distilled stuff. This moonshine was mad-juice. I realised that if I didn't get out of Saudi I would end up dead. I came to Thailand on holiday and ended up staying.

07-25-2009, 08:33 AM	#12 (permalink)
Still Waters Being Silent so I can Hear Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 2,490	You have an amazing story Paul, I hope that the rest of your life is as colorful minus the alcohol

07-25-2009, 05:34 PM	#13 (permalink)
paulg Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phitsanulok Thailand Posts: 39	Life is far more wonderful without the alcohol.

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

07-30-2009, 03:34 PM	#15 (permalink)
paulg Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phitsanulok Thailand Posts: 39	Thanks for that jamdls. I suppose all of us who managed to get sober have earned some amazing stories along the way.

07-31-2009, 12:17 AM	#16 (permalink)
littlefish Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Sweden Posts: 1,216	That is really interesting, thanks for mentioning this. I have found that Buddhist ideas are helping me in recovery. Going to Thailand is not feasable for me at the moment, but I have been considering visiting some temples in my area. Can I ask you what form of Buddhism was practiced there?

07-31-2009, 01:34 AM	#17 (permalink)
paulg Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Phitsanulok Thailand Posts: 39	Hi littlefish, Thailand is mostly Therevada Buddhist, and so is the temple. The monks at the WT are always quick to point out that you don't have to be Buddhist or become Buddhist for the temple to work. It isn't possible for everyone to go there, and it probably wouldn't work for them all if they did. I was told that the temple is only a small part of the equation. The main thing is having the determination to stop; and you can have this anywhere. Good luck with your search. I wish you all the best. Paul