Spiritual Awakening
 

Almost all recovering alcoholics, who are in AA at least, attribute their sobriety in large part to a "Spiritual Awakening". I have to say I'm not sure what that means. For me, at my "bottom", I was spiritually empty and desperate and begged, literally begged God to help me. And he/she/it did....through people, readings, and counseling and.....something else.....an awareness that I had a Guardian Angel who invisibly held my soul and "told" me that he/she/it would always be by my side. We were together in this and in all things, forever.

Is this a spiritual awakening? A connection to my "Higher Power"? Or am I missing something basic?

In Step 12, it refers to having a Spiritual Awakening as a result of doing the 12 Steps. For me, the Steps involved conceding that I couldn't control my drinking, that I needed help to recover, that I needed to understand the reasons I drank and take personal responsibility for my actions, that I must make amends to those I harmed, that I need to constantly monitor my intentions, motivations and actions and that I should try to assist other alcoholics. And to ask for my HP's help in all of these endeavors. To me these are concrete steps that I choose to take, whereas a spiritual awakening seems to be something that "happens", like an epiphany.

Is a spiritual awakening a sense of serenity? I certainly think that the steps are crucial to my ongoing sobriety, but it involves hard, conscious work, not halos. But then there is that certainty that I am not alone and I am convinced that I would not be sober if I did not feel this presence.

Maybe this doesn't even matter, that as long as I am doing "the right thing" and staying sober and by and large happy, I shouldn't be looking for trouble. But when recovering alcoholics speak of "having one", I wonder if I missing something critical.

I also was totally lost and empty when I stopped drinking.

I knew instinctively that I had to make a spiritual connection, that there had to be a reason for carrying on that meant something to me.

For me, my spiritual awakening came from a book "The Seat of the Soul" by Gary Zukav. He talks about listening to your soul and following your soul's path in life. I had to slow down, to stop and listen, to spend time alone and to let go of my preconceptions of myself and my life. Then I could connect with my soul.

I can only speak for myself from a non AA type perspective :)

I just know for me as a drinker I was isolated, I was self absorbed, I was fundamentally wounded, and I was merely existing.

Now I'm sober, I'm connected to thousands of other people, I'm whole, and I'm alive - and loving it

There's a quote that's attributed to Einstein:

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

I've tried both and I know which way is better for me :)
D

Anna, you mentioned that book a long time ago and I just read it this winter, because of your recommendation. I agree that it was a very inspiring, thought provoking book and I agree with everything he said.

I've always been a spiritual person (hence the name HideorSEEK) and that was why I knew, at my bottom, that I was empty.

I guess the thing that confuses me is what I'm hearing is more sudden, like an epiphany, rather than a dawning awareness, which is what I felt happened to me.

I came across a similar quote, Dear Deedle, by William Blake:

"The eye altering, alters all."

Maybe I'm looking for rainbows and thunder, when really it's a gentle wind and muted light.

Once again, I thank my lucky stars for people like you!

Yes, absolutely, for me it was gentle, peaceful and serene.