sleepie

Hello all.

I am wondering about the higher power concept for those of us who are atheist or agnostic.

I was told once that it doesn't matter what your higher power is. That it could be a chair.

This is above my head.

What's the purpose?

How did that work for you?

TheNatural

I'm an atheist.

I don't buy into the "Anything can be your higher power! Even a file cabinet!" stuff, my mind won't allow me to look past the ridiculousness of that.

My higher power is slightly complicated. My entire life I have been extremely interested in the nature of humanity, and since I was a very young man I have delved deep into the philosophical views regarding why we are who are, and what makes our consciousness unique and special. As I got older I became interested in more than the nature of our consciousness and our humanity, but the nature of the universe itself, in fact, there was a time where I was determined to be an astrophysicist. When I combined the philosophies of the great early existentialists with my growing understanding of the immensity and scale of the universe, I realized how truly lucky I was to be a relative speck in all of existence, and am able to have the cognitive abilities necessary to be aware of it. I feel almost cosmically blessed that the stars that exploded to create the atoms in my body came together in a way to allow me to love, laugh, cry, and share those feelings with others. Alcohol took away a very large portion of my youth, and wasted precious years that I could have spent living out the time I am fortunate enough to have.

When I look at the immensity of the universe, a scale that is literally unimaginable, and am able to understand what a gift it is to be alive, aware, and cognizant, it motivates me to not waste my time with something that will separate me from the joys of this serendipitous existence, and will ultimate end up ending it.

That is my higher power.

Boleo

Today I call myself an agnostic because I have lots of Higher Powers. None of which is the
Good Old Deity that my church gave me.

Gift Of Desperation
Group Of Drunks
Good Orderly Direction
Guider Of Decisions
The Tao, The Way, The Path
Wrtu (Whatever Runs The Universe)

JeffreyAK

Me. I'm the only power who can maintain my own sobriety, and if I ever fail it will because of me. That said, we're social animals and there's nothing at all wrong with asking for and receiving help, from meetings, counselors, family, whatever shores up your personal power.

awuh1

When I came to AA was agnostic and leaning heavily toward an atheist position. I shared this with someone and they asked me if I believed that anything was more powerful than I was. My reply was “sure gravity”. His response was “that’s a start”. It was indeed all I needed to begin.

least

When I first got sober, my higher power was my dogs. I envied their natural ability to just 'be themselves'.

totfit

I don't do AA right now or haven't this past year and just got "again" over a year sober. I am a Pantheist, which is pretty much an Atheist that finds solace in nature. I have been pondering your question just prior to getting it and thought if I were to pray, it would be to "guide". Guide is that small voice inside that gives you the answer, which I often ignored. I think we do have the answers. They are from genetics, evolution, experience and intellect. We often let things get in the way of the answers or just ignore them. This higher level thinking that is always in the background, I would call "guide". The reason I guess is self-explanatory. I think we do have a guide, but it is not supernatural, but a natural part of us that has evolved. Instinct, intuition are other parts of this. Anyway, in a nutshell I guess I would consider this my higher power, if I were considering.

IOAA2

I was convinced that my HP could be many things except me. For awhile my HP was a wonderful sponsor then I felt comfortable with the Spirit of Mother Nature. More than good for me.

BE WELL

INgal

I have a problem with it too, but I try to think of it as that "connection" human beings have with one another; that immediate intimacy when you find someone with a similar temperament, sensibilities, etc. It can be as simple as when I'm reading comments on the HONY (Humans of New York) page on Facebook, and I think "YES! That person "gets" it! I'd love to discuss that viewpoint!" I hope I'm making sense. I may not believe in the typical Biblical God, but I do believe that we have a common bond, and I like to build on that.

sleepie

Thanks for all these great responses, please keep them coming, I am all ears!

PurpleKnight

I don't attend AA and when I tried to get Sober, I changed the decisions I made, the activities I got involved in, the people I hung out with.

Why did I do it? because I was disappointed in the life that I was leading, I wanted to build a life that I could be proud of and be able to look back upon and be content with.

I'm not an active believer in anything, don't have a wife or kids, or anything to be Sober for outside of myself, or at least nothing to draw a reason to do it from in the initial period.

I did it for me, my higher power was simply becoming who I wanted to be away from alcohol, and that purpose gave me the strength to do everything in my power to make it happen!!

Soberwolf

I didnt have a higher power in sobriety as ive always believed in god i wasnt brought up religious wasnt baptised because of religious tensions and my late mother didnt want that for me and my brother

but i have always believed and sometimes that relationship was strained things happen

in sobriety i litrelly see god in action again im not with any denomination my faith is my own and i dont push or preach on anyone about thier faith whoever they are

but i do believe and since getting sober i see it more & more

i also love science and understanding things ive read a lot of richard dawkins and hold no ill regard towards him in fact i think he makes some very valid points but even he cannot disprove god and says hes 99.9% sure god doesnt exist but cant claim 100%

takes a bit of faith so no i dont have a hp in terms of sobriety but i have my faith and ive always had that

freshstart57

It only took a few AA meetings for me to understand that AA's HP could not be my own Creator. And He, being the God of My Understanding, doesn't play well with other HPs, see Commandment #1. My Creator did give me the ability to make my own decisions and to find the tools I needed to enable me to choose. I chose to get and stay sober, and sober for good, so it has all worked out just fine.

ru12

I don't have one. I got myself drunk and I got myself sober.

NYCDoglvr

I'm sober 23 years and an agnostic. My higher power is a sort of nebulous universal love. What's important is I'm not God (a revelation to this alcoholic). Hey, I can't create even one butterfly!

frankh77

My Girlfriend and alcohol.
Good and evil.

anattaboy

Gravity, inertia and occasionally my wife. None of them have anything to do with my choice to be sober. I will add that she likes me sober and I like that she chose sobriety also--a match made in a bar actually but more in the house now doing regular stuff.

LBrain

Make that 4 votes for 'ME' if totfit and RU are 'me' votes.

Actually it is not a vote. It is my reality. My mind, ability to reason and think things out...

When I finally made the decision to get sober, it was all on me. No-one or nothing else can do it for me. As soon as a lot people can come to terms with this idea, the better off they will be - my opinion of course.

LBrain

And the occasional wife or two. Yeah, that too.

sleepie

ru12 and NYC doglover you guys... really resonate. Love everyone's input here.