Bruno1979

Good evening from the UK,

Do we have any Pagans on this page?

I consider myself to be a Pagan I guess,

Whether you're a Pagan or not, what do you think about this "higher power" malarkey that AA go on about? I can't seem to understand it.

Thanks in advance,

Bruno.

Zanna

Nature is my higher power - as a Pagan, it will be yours too, I would imagine ☺

Bruno1979

Mmmm, yes Zanna I can see what you're saying.

May I ask if you are a Pagan?

Zanna

More of an aging hippy really 😁

Bruno1979

Lol fair play,

I went to Stonehenge last year (2015) for the summer solstice with a group of friends,

What a great experience that was

saoutchik

I don't believe in God Bruno which may in a few people's eyes make me a Pagan but I don't think I am one of those either

If it helps someone who does to believe in a higher power to recover/stay sober then that is all to the good but it is not for everyone

With a bit of imagination I sometimes use my 2 grandaughters aged 4 and 1 as a higher power ie I want to be around for them and also to be a responsible grandparent

I would say to anyone who has trouble accepting the HP concept - and in 2016 that is quite a few I suspect - don't get too hung up on the literal aspect of it. You could just think of a friend, family member, partner or even a pet who might be disappointed at continued drinking or using

cwood3

Hmmmmm....from Meriam-Webster:

Full Definition of malarkey :

1: insincere or foolish talk : bunkum


Definition of pagan

1 : heathen 1; especially : a follower of a polytheistic religion (as in ancient Rome)

2: one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods : an irreligious or hedonistic person

............just sayin'

Maudcat

Welp, I will post my interpretation of HP. Higher Power is one's recognition and acceptance of a force greater than yourself. Some people call it God. Others don't. Some people call it a force for good. Your higher power can be anything you want it to be. It's something in your mind that helps you find peace, serenity and clarity when things are crazy. Perhaps in your case, your higher power might be the healing force of nature and natural things, your animist beliefs. (Are Pagans animists? Not sure. Forgive my lack of knowledge) anyway, that's Higher Power to me. The Higher Power to whom I turn when I feel I need to turn a situation over is the embodiment of a loving and much-loved sister-in-law who died way too young. Hope this helps.

totfit

I am a Pantheist. Not a lot of difference really. I think honestly one could consider a lot of things their higher power even rational thinking. I do carry in my head a quote that I like though. I feel we all have the power to beat any addiction.........but.

“We all carry within us; supreme strength, fullness of wisdom and unquenchable joy. It is newer thwarted and cannot be destroyed, but it is buried deep, which makes life a problem.”
--Huston Smith

Dee74

Just a reminder:

One persons 'malarkey' may be another's sincere belief, and vice versa.

Dee
Moderator
SR

tomsteve

Whether you're a Pagan or not, what do you think about this "higher power" malarkey that AA go on about?

lookin for a debate or sincerely intersted in tbe malarkey?

Dee74

TS, I posted on the thread addressing that, so that no one else has to.

Arguments and debates on recovery methods do not fit in this forum under the rule I posted above.

If you're really interested PM the OP.

Any pagans out there are welcome to post in this thread, seeing as that's really what the thread is about

Dee
Moderator
SR

PurpleKnight

Hey Bruno,

We have various groups here in Ireland that subscribe to the Celtic traditions of ancient times including the pagan gods and beliefs that have been followed up until the present day, I don't subscribe to any, but I find it all fascinating as I do with all religions.

For me Bruno my "higher power" is not something external from myself, when I got Sober I did it for myself, my life was on the way to a train crash and I needed to get off the train, the concept of a "higher power" to me is what keeps me going, what do I cling onto when life throws a few curve balls, and that is one day to be able to look back on my life and be proud of myself, be able to live to my potential, throw off the chains of alcohol, be who I was meant to be, live the life that I want to have.

For me my "higher power" is found within, striving to be the person alcohol restrained me from being, the goal for me was to remain Sober but there are many different ways to achieve that!!

markinny

I am 35 days clean today. drank and did drugs for over 40 yrs. at the end of my career I was an opiate addict as well as an alcoholic. just wanted to share my history.

I was able to beat the opiate addiction on my own but could not finish the job myself. after beating myself up for too long I finally broke down and went to a meeting exactly 5 Fridays ago. been going every day since.

I am in maudcats camp on this one. you need to believe in a power greater than yourself. you can't be it. I "think" that is the way I have had it explained to me. this would be true for me as if it were not the case I would have never went.

b.t.w. I am not a "very" religious person.

Bruno1979

It was a question that I asked to see what people's beliefs of what people's idea of "an higher power" was.

Whether that be God, Odin, Satan, inner personal peace or whatever else it may be.

It was not meant to turn into any form of debate, it's just a quick question about a subject that I have a lot of interest in now that I don't drink anymore and have a lot more time on my hands to look into these things.

Peace and love to you all,

Bruno.

tomsteve

sounds good, but calling it malarkey just didnt sound like you are very intested in anything more than reading what people think then giving a reason why we are wrong.
i was extremely desperate when i got sober. i was at the point of suicide. it was the 1st time i said and honest,sincere prayer to whatever god was out there. since i saw that me being my god/higher power- me running the show got me to the point of desperation and suicide- i knew i needed help from a god/ higher power. one that was not of this world as no person,place, or thing on earth was able to help me.
it was my own perception of God.not what religion or the bible says. just me. and that was one that could help me. had no proof to begin with that there was one, but had faith that god would show he/she/it was there
if i put in the footwork. thats when things occured that had no other explaination than God at work.
my belief/faith has grown since then.

86% of the worlds population believes in a God.

Soberwolf

What D wrote was spot on this to me Bruno is a trouble making way of asking can somebody tell me about the higher power part of AA... see how I wrote that without being insulting ?

BTW I'm not with AA I try not to talk about faith but respect what anyone does or doesn't believe

Dee74

Ok....calling time on this one - a pagan thread would be fine - squabbling about Higher Powers is not.
If you want to know about other pagans in recovery the Spirituality Forum has had a few threads over the years Bruno.

I'd start there.

Dee
Moderator
SR