justdave

(reposted in the 'Step 2' forum also)

I've never been a spiritual person and definitely don't buy into 'standard' Christian ideas. So, I have been having a hard time with the 'higher-power' concepts so crucial to AA.

However, this guy got me thinking:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R2dNwih-1s

Here's some of my thoughts -

The Theory of Relativity teaches us that at the speed of light, from a photons point of reference, time and space do not exist, only 'now'. Our consciousness processes light at the speed of light, therefore from our conscious point of reference time and space do not exist either. Everything we 'experience' is just stored memories. For example when you look back on your life and say "Where did the time go?", it didn't go anywhere - it doesn't exist from a conscious reference point. We live our whole lives, point A to point B, in a single pinpoint of 'time'.

Another 'mind blowing' concept I read today explains that our consciousness or 'I-ness' does not exist in our brains. We perceive it to be in our head, somewhere between the center of our sensory organs - the eyes and ears. If our brains were located in our torso, our perception would be that our conscious exists in our heads still.

I think I'm onto something. The study of light, its relationship with the rest of the universe, and our own consciousness is the gateway to discovering a 'higher power' for me. Standard concepts and teachings of religion I'll never fully agree with. Those are concepts of the material world, created by Man. 'God' is something far more vast, far greater and possibly something I cannot fully comprehend.

Since I am sober, I have been able to think about such ideas for the first time in years. I welcome your thoughts on this.

Music

You know Dave, when I read posts like yours I remember how I was when I came to AA. Didn't know any higher power but me and my fellow man and didn't want to know any. I used to listen to guys like in the recording and think he's really smart until I tried to stop drinking and couldn't. Time after time I tried to stop just like in the 3rd chapter in the Big Book. I used most of those methods and some I drempt up and nothing worked. I came to AA and my first sponsor told me to go stand in front of a mirror and if after a few minutes looking into the mirror, I couldn't reach the conclusion that there had to be something more powerful than what I was looking at, I was sicker than we thought. Jerry said just try asking something, anything to help you stop drinking. So, I tried it for one day and I didn't drink. So, I tried it for a few days and I didn't drink. So here I am over 12,400 days and I still haven't taken a drink. I had to face the fact that there are some things that just can't be explained so that man can understand and whether or not there's a God is one of those things. Bottom line is I'm a lot happier, more free and more at peace with myself than I've ever been just because I decided to believe there has to be a "supernatural" being I choose to call God who's in charge and if I just attempt to follow His instructions no matter how feeble my attempt may be on any given day, the question of whether there is or isn't doesn't matter any more. I just believe there is. The sooner you believe the happier, more free and more at peace you'll be. I promise. JUST GIVE UP.

keithj

Wow, that was pretty thoughtful. Sounded kind of hard to me, though. I can really over-complicate this thing, trying to find an understanding or a name for a higher power. I came to AA as a staunch atheist without any concept of a higher power. My thoughts on working Step 2 came from the BB. "Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?" I answered 'yes' to the willing to believe part, and moved on to Step 3.

quote aabb1st

AW2486

Heard one guy share on this.. his sponsor asked him to write down ten of the most powerful things he could think of.. after he was done his sponsor asked him if his name was on it.. he said no.. his sponsor shook his hand and said you just took step 2.

Kadybug

Becoming willing to believe ... that's the ticket. Whatever or whoever that Power is, he/she/it is most definitely more powerful than I am - I've never created a cosmos, for example, and couldn't. Further, I know that this human power (me) and lots of other human powers I know and respect could not "fix" my alcoholism - but evidently God could, and He did. I only had to let Him do it.

justdave

I think I had too much caffeine this morning LOL.

If the purpose of Step 2 is to realize a higher power than ourselves will restore us to sanity, then I have, just haven't figured out what 'It' is exactly.

On to Step 3.

BadCompany

Problems arise when the finite views of man are elevated as the primary arbiter and the sole interpreter of infinite realities. Once we understand there is something beyond our horizons, whatever that might be, we come to understand, and come to believe.

Time for step three.

LexieCat

Yeah, I have no clue what "It" looks like, personally. I do know that "It" works, when I trust "It".

Music

Doesn't matter what "it" is Dave. As long as you can be at peace with the idea and "it" helps you to stay sober, that's all that counts. As I said in my post, I came to AA not believing. I like to think I've grown a little since then. You know, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. I've gone back to church which is another thing you won't hear too much about at meetings. But, I figured I went to AA to stop drinking and to be around people who knew what to do so if I want to grow spiritually I should do likewise and go where there are people who know what to do. It worked again today!!

laurie6781

You know I had no idea about "God" or a Higher Power when I got to AA. I was a really 'lost' soul, especially after living the last year and a half of my life on the streets.

So, by the time I got to step 2, my sponsor had me look up the definition of 'insanity.'

"the repetition of acts or actions expecting different results."

Hmmmmm. Now I had to 'come to believe that a 'power' greater than myself could restore me to sanity.

Well, lets see, that Group Of Drunks I called my "Home Group" had certainly already helped quite a bit to help me become 'civilized' again and stop being the 'animal' I had been living on the streets. So, I could believe that they were a power greater than myself ......................... and it was on to Step 3.

It worked for me, maybe it can work for you also.

Love and hugs,

AW2486

Important thing is we are not "it"