Class of August 2013 - Part 16
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,359
Thanks Dee.
I have begun my yoga teacher training program. I absolutely love working with others to hep them experience what has been so profoundly positive for me.
Venecia - I agree there is by an large more positive in the World today than say 50 years ago - I should have mentioned that. I read that our body takes in 20M bits of sensory data per second but our minds can only process 4,000. So this means we can only understand 0.02% of what is occurring around us. So what does this mean? If we are looking for the negative in life we will attach to the negative data floating around us. If we see the positive we will largely see only the positive. We make up our own experience for the most part.
So how does this reconcile with my last post? Awareness, I have found has been the first step in making change. Awareness must be met with equal action or it results in apathy. I need to be vigilantly aware of my ego. Its not bad or good. It just is. But when I identify with my ego, I must understand this is illusory and not reality.
For me part of getting better meant changing everything I thought I knew. I literally threw out the playbook that I had lived by and have created a new one. Its an amazing adventure thus far.
I have begun my yoga teacher training program. I absolutely love working with others to hep them experience what has been so profoundly positive for me.
Venecia - I agree there is by an large more positive in the World today than say 50 years ago - I should have mentioned that. I read that our body takes in 20M bits of sensory data per second but our minds can only process 4,000. So this means we can only understand 0.02% of what is occurring around us. So what does this mean? If we are looking for the negative in life we will attach to the negative data floating around us. If we see the positive we will largely see only the positive. We make up our own experience for the most part.
So how does this reconcile with my last post? Awareness, I have found has been the first step in making change. Awareness must be met with equal action or it results in apathy. I need to be vigilantly aware of my ego. Its not bad or good. It just is. But when I identify with my ego, I must understand this is illusory and not reality.
For me part of getting better meant changing everything I thought I knew. I literally threw out the playbook that I had lived by and have created a new one. Its an amazing adventure thus far.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Sonoran Desert & Southeast Asia
Posts: 6,561
That's great to hear JD. I am working on my 9th step.. my amends.. starting with a letter to my father, apologizing for not being present when he died, due to my active alcoholism. I have lived with that regret for over twenty years now. There's others of course, most of the damage I did being from my behavior in relationships.
I'm wrapping things up here in preparation for my trip back to SE Asia next week, for the winter. Finished the kitchen and bathroom projects, but some others are still in progress. My brother kindly offered to keep an eye on things while I'm gone as I won't be renting the place this trip.
Hope everyone is doing well.
I'm wrapping things up here in preparation for my trip back to SE Asia next week, for the winter. Finished the kitchen and bathroom projects, but some others are still in progress. My brother kindly offered to keep an eye on things while I'm gone as I won't be renting the place this trip.
Hope everyone is doing well.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Sonoran Desert & Southeast Asia
Posts: 6,561
Ahhh.. the tropics.. been back a week..and very grateful. Life is so incredibly different here.. there's never a dull moment. The weather, the sounds, the sights, the food, the friendly people, my beautiful woman, and her smart kid. All to be appreciated.
I brought back lower gears for my road bike and I've been cycling on the mountain again, hoping to avoid further knee injuries. My woman tells me to stop competing with the young guys.. Grrr.. It's that ego problem, lol. I've also been swimming, and have enjoyed bumping into my expat friends here and there. It's definitely good to be back.
JD, I have to check my ego constantly, and practice active gratitude, and acceptance, or it finds problems. I'm going to try to learn some meditation techniques, but do find that I'm less annoyed by certain things here this time than before.
With regard to your comment about change.. I agree that it is an essential part of recovery. For some of us though, it comes very slowly, only noticeable in the rear view mirror after periods of time have passed.
I hope everyone is doing well.
I brought back lower gears for my road bike and I've been cycling on the mountain again, hoping to avoid further knee injuries. My woman tells me to stop competing with the young guys.. Grrr.. It's that ego problem, lol. I've also been swimming, and have enjoyed bumping into my expat friends here and there. It's definitely good to be back.
JD, I have to check my ego constantly, and practice active gratitude, and acceptance, or it finds problems. I'm going to try to learn some meditation techniques, but do find that I'm less annoyed by certain things here this time than before.
With regard to your comment about change.. I agree that it is an essential part of recovery. For some of us though, it comes very slowly, only noticeable in the rear view mirror after periods of time have passed.
I hope everyone is doing well.
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,359
Advbike - as a parent, when are kids are sick we give them medicine that tastes like syrup. The syrup is designed to mask the taste of the medicine. In yoga the poses are the syrup, the medicine is the mental acuity that comes from just breathing.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Sonoran Desert & Southeast Asia
Posts: 6,561
Originally Posted by jdooner 
Advbike - as a parent, when are kids are sick we give them medicine that tastes like syrup. The syrup is designed to mask the taste of the medicine. In yoga the poses are the syrup, the medicine is the mental acuity that comes from just breathing.
I find a similar struggle occurs when I am pushing up the hill here in Cebu on my road bike every other day. It's crazy to even be out there, yet I keep at it. It's hot and humid, there's bad air along the road, and sweat literally pours off me. I am frequently dodging people, dogs, cars, trucks, and other obstacles as I climb, focused on making it 100 yards at a time in the steep sections. Yet I find it so damn rewarding..
And coming down, well let's just not talk about it. A different aspect. It's an adrenaline rush. One would objectively say there's way too much risk, and there's nothing beneficial in this exercise, yet I do not want to quit. I suppose in a way it's an apt metaphor for my whole situation over here. I have found new addictions that are consciously overriding my frontal lobes.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Sonoran Desert & Southeast Asia
Posts: 6,561
Merry Christmas to all! Had a peaceful Christmas here in the Philippines.. latest typhoon passed well north of us. Hope everyone in our little class is doing well, and you too Dee! Thanks for all your support for the past three years..
Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 4,860
Greetings, August 2013ers!
Kudos to Advbike for carrying the torch here!
Hard to believe it's already 2017. One way of looking at it: We have experienced sobriety over the course of five years now! Part of 2013, followed by 2014, 2015, 2016 and now 2017. Pretty amazing.
I'm well. That said, I'm generally glad to have 2016 behind me. Toward the end of summer, my mother's already-fragile health was declining at an even sharper rate. She was hospitalized twice, the first time in September for almost a week. I wound up staying overnight with her because it was clear that hospitalization was leading to confusion for her.
In early November, with her consent, Mom began receiving in-home hospice care. She had been living with my brother and his family for about 18 months; they took wonderful care of her, which then was augmented by a team of nurses who visited her. I was home with her on Nov. 19, and we had a nice talk. The night was a hard one and early in the morning, she lapsed into unconsciousness. She passed away late on Nov. 21.
We remain grateful for her, the loving home she and Dad built and the foundations they created for my brother and me. We are grateful, too, that her last weeks were comfortable and painless.
2017 is off to a positive start. My job is going well, particularly since I have a new boss! About five months ago, I decided to take some extra steps in self-care and began seeing a psychologist. Glad I did it. It helps and has allowed me to continue growing in recovery.
On a fun note, I will be fulfilling a lifelong dream when I go to Australia in September. I've been saving for this for a couple years and am really excited as my plans begin to take shape.
My very best wishes go to all of the people in our class. I hope we can all continue to check in from time to time.
Take care,
A.
Kudos to Advbike for carrying the torch here!
Hard to believe it's already 2017. One way of looking at it: We have experienced sobriety over the course of five years now! Part of 2013, followed by 2014, 2015, 2016 and now 2017. Pretty amazing.
I'm well. That said, I'm generally glad to have 2016 behind me. Toward the end of summer, my mother's already-fragile health was declining at an even sharper rate. She was hospitalized twice, the first time in September for almost a week. I wound up staying overnight with her because it was clear that hospitalization was leading to confusion for her.
In early November, with her consent, Mom began receiving in-home hospice care. She had been living with my brother and his family for about 18 months; they took wonderful care of her, which then was augmented by a team of nurses who visited her. I was home with her on Nov. 19, and we had a nice talk. The night was a hard one and early in the morning, she lapsed into unconsciousness. She passed away late on Nov. 21.
We remain grateful for her, the loving home she and Dad built and the foundations they created for my brother and me. We are grateful, too, that her last weeks were comfortable and painless.
2017 is off to a positive start. My job is going well, particularly since I have a new boss! About five months ago, I decided to take some extra steps in self-care and began seeing a psychologist. Glad I did it. It helps and has allowed me to continue growing in recovery.
On a fun note, I will be fulfilling a lifelong dream when I go to Australia in September. I've been saving for this for a couple years and am really excited as my plans begin to take shape.
My very best wishes go to all of the people in our class. I hope we can all continue to check in from time to time.
Take care,
A.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Sonoran Desert & Southeast Asia
Posts: 6,561
Haha, I think it's just you and me V! Sorry to hear of your mom's passing but if you don't mind my saying so, it seems to have gone about as well as these things go. She didn't suffer and she had you there. Good for you! My brother and I were both with my mom when she passed, and she was conscious to the end. It was tough, and all I can tell you is it get easier with time.
Really great to hear that you finally have a new boss. Yay! I miss working and need to find something to do. I'll be back in the US in 60 days. I just returned from two weeks in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I had a crown replaced. Cost was 1/3 of US, dental clinic modern, clean and well staffed. Haha, everyone in there was from the US.. lol. Oh yeah.. I enjoyed the Northern Thai cuisine also.
Well, carry on!
Really great to hear that you finally have a new boss. Yay! I miss working and need to find something to do. I'll be back in the US in 60 days. I just returned from two weeks in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where I had a crown replaced. Cost was 1/3 of US, dental clinic modern, clean and well staffed. Haha, everyone in there was from the US.. lol. Oh yeah.. I enjoyed the Northern Thai cuisine also.
Well, carry on!
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 728
Originally Posted by Sheknits
I think of you all often as well! 1 year felt almost impossible and yet here we are almost marking 4!
Andrea
Andrea
Member
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Midwest
Posts: 4,860
Hey everyone!
So good to see your names and avatars here. It's been four years for us!
Things are good on my end. In three weeks, I will fulfill a lifelong dream when I travel to Australia. I'm so excited to see the natural beauty, take in the history and -- of course -- take lots of pictures.
All my best to all of you. It's hard to put to words how much of an impact SR and this group in particular have had in my life. And your lives, too.
Love always,
Allison
PS: Andrea, what a gorgeous photo!
So good to see your names and avatars here. It's been four years for us!
Things are good on my end. In three weeks, I will fulfill a lifelong dream when I travel to Australia. I'm so excited to see the natural beauty, take in the history and -- of course -- take lots of pictures.
All my best to all of you. It's hard to put to words how much of an impact SR and this group in particular have had in my life. And your lives, too.
Love always,
Allison
PS: Andrea, what a gorgeous photo!
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 3,359
Well, here we are at four years (I celebrate in two weeks 8-27). I hope everyone is doing well. This past year has been the most difficult for me. I feel like sobriety was the ticket to get into the show and the main attraction is recovery. The two I think of like religion and spirituality - some conflate the two but I see them as entirely separate.
Last year I left a 20 year career behind to help a large company avoid disruption. Unfortunately, what I failed to see was the ego motivation on my part disguised as altruism. This could have saved me a bit of pain I guess…but then I would not have grown…
The journey has brought me to my knees in a way that drugs and alcohol never did. Letting go of my career, the accolades and money has been like leaving the comfort of the large ship at sea to jump in a dingy and letting go of the lines. I have to trust the current will bring me to shore but I have spent most of the year in pea soup fog.
I feel like the process is taking me deeper in the stripping of ego, well beyond simply giving up the drink.
Andrea - you look stunning. So vibrant!
To all of us that helped each other choose a road less traveled.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUaQgRiJukA
I love each of you - thank you!
JD
Last year I left a 20 year career behind to help a large company avoid disruption. Unfortunately, what I failed to see was the ego motivation on my part disguised as altruism. This could have saved me a bit of pain I guess…but then I would not have grown…
The journey has brought me to my knees in a way that drugs and alcohol never did. Letting go of my career, the accolades and money has been like leaving the comfort of the large ship at sea to jump in a dingy and letting go of the lines. I have to trust the current will bring me to shore but I have spent most of the year in pea soup fog.
I feel like the process is taking me deeper in the stripping of ego, well beyond simply giving up the drink.
Andrea - you look stunning. So vibrant!
To all of us that helped each other choose a road less traveled.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUaQgRiJukA
I love each of you - thank you!
JD
Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 728
4 years!
I think of u guys often in this journey! I like to read our early crys for help and think how difficult that was. This path we choose is not always easy but the person I've become has made the trials worthwhile.
I returned from a family trip to Spain yesterday and am a little jet lagged!!! Still so very amazed at the roll alcohol plays in people's lives around the world!!!
Congratulations to I all! May the Lord bless u and keep u ! Linda/ ocean lady
I returned from a family trip to Spain yesterday and am a little jet lagged!!! Still so very amazed at the roll alcohol plays in people's lives around the world!!!
Congratulations to I all! May the Lord bless u and keep u ! Linda/ ocean lady
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