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-   -   Favorite inspirational/philosophical books. (https://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/secular-connections/136094-favorite-inspirational-philosophical-books.html)

AcceptingChange 11-04-2007 06:47 AM

Favorite inspirational/philosophical books.
 
The folks who are secular have emotions too.
And we need ways to understand life and how to live it.

So, i use books as one way.

Here's some of the ones i find help me stay dry, and lead toward some calm.

Zen Mind, Beginners' Mind - Shunryu Suzuki
(Nothing otherworldly, just very good insights into what it means to be a person.)
Candle in the Dark - Carl Sagan
Thus Spoke Zarathustra - Nietzsche
Inside the Places that Scare You - Pema Chodron

On the reading stand:
Meditations - Marcus Aurelius

what are your favorites?

kelsh 11-04-2007 09:38 AM

Hi AcceptingChange,

I have many meditation books but one book, that was given me by my Sponsor when I was in the hospital again for my depression, has helped me so much. It is the "Search For Serenity and how to find it" that was Copyrighted by Lewis F. Presnall in 1959....the year I graduated from highschool.

It talks about "Misery is optional." "We can all change the way we feel about things or people or circumstances." this.....book attempts to describe some of the practical ways in which one can replace misery with Serenity."

This is not endorsed by AA but is just another way to find Serenity in our life. I think there is a library where books can be listed on this site. You might find some more books you will be interested in.

kelsh

AcceptingChange 11-18-2007 08:51 AM

Symptoms of Withdrawal
 
I'm finishing 'Symptoms of Withdrawal' by Christopher Lawford.
It's a biography about a person who started drinking and smoking pot by 12, taking LSD at 13, and during the next 4 years, trying every drug and being high on something everyday.
By the time he's 19 or so, he's advanced into the disease, and his teen years grow into more problems into his 20's and 30's.

The author grew up wealthy. It didn't matter. He found reasons to drink and take chemicals. He created the thoughts that justified his behaivor in his own mind.
He's the son of Peter Lawford and one of the Kennedy children. Peter Lawford was an A list actor and entertainer for about 2 decades.
The rat pack hung out. Peter L ended up being the one who couldn't stop the partying when the party was over. Sinatra, Martin, Davis, they quit.
One of the saddest parts of the book is learning how Peter Lawford lived his last years.

some days really suck, and i think the solution is chemical escape.
but it's so short term, and leaves me with worse problems.


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