Today...
Redmayne
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Manchester, England, UK.
Posts: 1,543
Today...
Today, I'm reminded that the 15th of Feb. marks my 7th year in sobriety. Not that in one sense it matters, as I've always as I've always adhered to the view that it's the quality of a persons sobriety that matters, not the quantity or longevity. Although I can understand people celebrating any period of sobriety whatever its length.
So what have I learned in this time, which has freed me from the delusional, self destructive life spent in my drinking days?
The first, taken from Buddhist text,
" You sentient beings who seek deliverance, why do you not let go? When sad, let go of the cause of sadness ...When covetous or lustful, let go of the object of desire. From moment to moment be free of self. Where no self is, there can be no sorrow,no desire ... The winds of circumstance blow across emptiness. Whom can they harm?" CHENG-LI
Enhanced by a verse from Shido Bunan Zenji, to be read in the metaphorical sense,
' Die while alive,
Thoroughly die,
Then just do as you will,
and all is right.'
The sentence,' Then just do as you will' leading me to LOVE, note not worship or 'do his will', which seems to be the cause of so much conflict and debate in various religions, faiths and beliefs, the God of my understanding to the best of my ability, simply in being my true self, a human being, no more , no less. Whom may not be yours or anyone else's God, but is personal to me. Whether a He, She or It.
This also allows me to attach, in a reciprocal fashion, to those people and things that compliment and enhance my existence.
Whilst at the same time detaching from those who don't and to live, each day, moment by moment where necessary, in the day.
To this extent, accepting that I will always suffer from my inherent alcoholism, alcohol, like many people and things in my past lives, has become an aberration to me and no longer plays any part in my present, daily existence a day at a time.
That said, I'm really no different, in my near seven years of sobriety, than someone who is one or seven, days, months, years or more sober....
So what have I learned in this time, which has freed me from the delusional, self destructive life spent in my drinking days?
The first, taken from Buddhist text,
" You sentient beings who seek deliverance, why do you not let go? When sad, let go of the cause of sadness ...When covetous or lustful, let go of the object of desire. From moment to moment be free of self. Where no self is, there can be no sorrow,no desire ... The winds of circumstance blow across emptiness. Whom can they harm?" CHENG-LI
Enhanced by a verse from Shido Bunan Zenji, to be read in the metaphorical sense,
' Die while alive,
Thoroughly die,
Then just do as you will,
and all is right.'
The sentence,' Then just do as you will' leading me to LOVE, note not worship or 'do his will', which seems to be the cause of so much conflict and debate in various religions, faiths and beliefs, the God of my understanding to the best of my ability, simply in being my true self, a human being, no more , no less. Whom may not be yours or anyone else's God, but is personal to me. Whether a He, She or It.
This also allows me to attach, in a reciprocal fashion, to those people and things that compliment and enhance my existence.
Whilst at the same time detaching from those who don't and to live, each day, moment by moment where necessary, in the day.
To this extent, accepting that I will always suffer from my inherent alcoholism, alcohol, like many people and things in my past lives, has become an aberration to me and no longer plays any part in my present, daily existence a day at a time.
That said, I'm really no different, in my near seven years of sobriety, than someone who is one or seven, days, months, years or more sober....
Redmayne
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Manchester, England, UK.
Posts: 1,543
I think it was...
'Coming up behind you' mmmnnnnn I think it was Churchill who said,' This is not the beginning of the end, but it might be the end of the beginning' at some point in WW2, probably at the time of the success of the D Day landings, but I could be wrong.
Those who followed and therefore, came up behind, provided the proof of what he said..... so,who knows, you could be right, you usually are...so much so, that at times I think you're way ahead of me.
Those who followed and therefore, came up behind, provided the proof of what he said..... so,who knows, you could be right, you usually are...so much so, that at times I think you're way ahead of me.
Caitlin5
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Portland, ME
Posts: 18
Stages of Recovery; Redmayne
Congratulations on Seven Years (in Tibet?)!!! Yes, you are different from someone who is seven months sober. I just wrote "Stages of Recovery" on Gorski's model in "Staying Sober," on a post I just wrote on HSM (out of Australia). It's not just about putting the plug in the jug...... how else have you changed? Getting and Staying Sober is a piece of work! You are an excellent example of this. And...... Yes; We Are One. Caitlin5 
Redmayne
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Manchester, England, UK.
Posts: 1,543
The miracle of today.
perhaps you'll get some of answers to your question from my thread,'The miracle of today' posted this morning on this forum, thanks for your comments.
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