MissyShelle76

I was with my daughter today at her Pain Management clinic appointment. We were with the Nurse Prac/Yoga Instructor and stared discussing my daughter's reluctance of doing Yoga. My daughter stated: It's boring, I just sit there, doing nothing. This led to a very long discussion about breathing, mindfulness, guided imagery.

I just sat there and listened. Amazed. These are all concepts that have popped up in my life repeatedly since about 4 years ago. I remember I read "A New Earth" and went, OH YES! Since then, it seems to be such a constant theme. Even my counselor suggested the practice to me without knowing it was something I was already into.

To me (and I'm not one to look for "signs"), this is just further confirmation at how pervasive this is and that AVRT is not some ****** way to get sober, but something people do EVERY SINGLE DAY.

My daughter and I had a very nice discussion about mindfulness, separating yourself from your thoughts and relaxation as a way to heal the body/mind/spirit on the way home.

This whole process, which I didn't even realize began many years ago, has really opened my eyes to myself. It has taught me to separate my thoughts from myself; to not let my thoughts rule me. As I told a friend last night: thoughts are powerless until we give them action.

I had a long discussion with a friend a day or two ago about my leaving A.A. He asked me why? He believes I am or I am on my way back to drinking again.

I asked him one thing: You say your desire to drink is completely gone?
HIM: Yes.
ME: Why then must you be at meetings every single day?
HIM: Because I am powerless over this. The meetings keep me in check, help remind me of how hopeless I am.
ME: What if I could show you how to regain power, how to regain control over yourself, your thoughts, your life?
HIM: That's your messed up, alcoholic thinking going on.
ME: No, for the first time, this is MY voice, not the alcohol.

We parted ways. He is on his path; I'm on mine. I hold no judgment. I would just love to see him experience this freedom I have found. But it's not my call to force it upon him.

Anyway, I wanted to share.

allforcnm

I love your post here in so many ways !!

Regarding the yoga. I have done yoga for several years and I love it; but my husband never had any interest in it. I think he thought it was girlie.....
But in rehab they had yoga and he started doing it & he really FELT the benefits related to relaxation and that peaceful feeling. So now we both do yoga... and I bought him way cool manly yoga gear. He also does a martial arts one that he started in rehab, but I forgot the exact name of it .... he really likes that one too.

Thanks for sharing.

MycoolFitz

As all know I am an agnostic Buddhist but go to meetings because I actually feel my feet on the ground. And as srange as it is I like to set up chairs and take them down. I have no regrets in life a couple of Viet Irish Ameican kids who have turned out wonderful, a mom just turned 92. Being a drunk not so good but I survived and am sober. And I have so many SR friends

RobbyRobot

I "do" both AVRT and AA, and I've always discovered freedom on both sides, you know?

Freedoms are not something exclusive to either camp. Freedom is an inside job, is my experience. Freedom is found both in the most dire of prisons, and in the most open of places, either way, its just as sweet.

MissyShelle76

Robby, I may have had my point of freedom come across wrong. For this particular person, he is not in a place where he has freedom, but fear. That is what makes me sad.

I truly do not ever mean to bash A.A. I have seen it benefit many, I'm just not one of them. I don't want to come across as a "My way or no way" type of person. I am not. I am very big on what works for the individual.

MyCoolFitz, Buddhism is something that has always had a draw to me. I've been reading more about it in the past year and have found three places close to me that offer classes and meditations. I am going to try to get to one or two.