Realizing the extent of my stupidity....
Redmayne
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Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Manchester, England, UK.
Posts: 1,543
Realizing the extent of my stupidity....
My recovery,which began on the 15th of February, 2008 can be aptly described both the title of the book by Soko Morinaga,'Novice to Master - An Ongoing Lesson in the Extent of My Own Stupidity' and the events that surrounded Zeno of Chrysius (Cyprus) many years ago.
When both of these individuals, ostensibly with everything that life has to offer them without warning found themselves lost and alone in strange surroundings with little or nothing to sustain them by way of what most people would consider the necessities of life.
Morinaga went on to be a highly respected Zen Master, Zeno, after wandering into a book shop in Athens and taking an interest in the works of Socrates (the Father of Philosophy) wenton to found Stoic philosophy , still used by many today. On the basis that it does not , as many misguidedly think teach you to repress emotions. It does , quite successfully, in my case at least, teach you to transform emotions.
Or as my good friend says,'cobble yourself together'...which for me has meant very much realizing , as happened to both both Morinaga and Zeno, stupidity. Although I prefer to see it not so much as stupidity , albeit I'm the first to admit I can be remarkably stupid at times!Ignorance...
From the point of view of a recovering alcoholic, it has helped me, over long period of time, no sudden moves,ok!!
Helped me to realise, what is under my control i.e. my opinions,judgements,perspective and what isn't i.e. family,friends , colleagues and acquaintances, the weather, the economy,my body, my death...etc., etc.
Which, when you reflect on the description offered in the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous' of an alcoholic being like someone direcinga play where he just wants everything to be right and go as he pleases...
Fitted me,certainly in my drinking days and in recovery for some time afterwards...
The idea of 'let go and let God' was ok but as in Stoic philosophy, God may govern the universe, ruled by Reason..I ran it or in my own stupidity, thought I did, doh!
Eventuality, in my excuse for an alcohol pickled brain, in realizing the extent of my own stupidity I began to realize that I didn't and that in truth, in recovery I knew nothing...and the best way of not knowing nothing was to recognise and accept that very prurient fact was to learn, as Socrates did, from anyone and everyone and everything on which basis I could let the world choose how it wants to live whist at the same time allowing myself(in recovery) to choose how I want to live...which very much involves the title of this thread...now, for philosophically minded people like me, is something to think about...
When both of these individuals, ostensibly with everything that life has to offer them without warning found themselves lost and alone in strange surroundings with little or nothing to sustain them by way of what most people would consider the necessities of life.
Morinaga went on to be a highly respected Zen Master, Zeno, after wandering into a book shop in Athens and taking an interest in the works of Socrates (the Father of Philosophy) wenton to found Stoic philosophy , still used by many today. On the basis that it does not , as many misguidedly think teach you to repress emotions. It does , quite successfully, in my case at least, teach you to transform emotions.
Or as my good friend says,'cobble yourself together'...which for me has meant very much realizing , as happened to both both Morinaga and Zeno, stupidity. Although I prefer to see it not so much as stupidity , albeit I'm the first to admit I can be remarkably stupid at times!Ignorance...
From the point of view of a recovering alcoholic, it has helped me, over long period of time, no sudden moves,ok!!
Helped me to realise, what is under my control i.e. my opinions,judgements,perspective and what isn't i.e. family,friends , colleagues and acquaintances, the weather, the economy,my body, my death...etc., etc.
Which, when you reflect on the description offered in the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous' of an alcoholic being like someone direcinga play where he just wants everything to be right and go as he pleases...
Fitted me,certainly in my drinking days and in recovery for some time afterwards...
The idea of 'let go and let God' was ok but as in Stoic philosophy, God may govern the universe, ruled by Reason..I ran it or in my own stupidity, thought I did, doh!
Eventuality, in my excuse for an alcohol pickled brain, in realizing the extent of my own stupidity I began to realize that I didn't and that in truth, in recovery I knew nothing...and the best way of not knowing nothing was to recognise and accept that very prurient fact was to learn, as Socrates did, from anyone and everyone and everything on which basis I could let the world choose how it wants to live whist at the same time allowing myself(in recovery) to choose how I want to live...which very much involves the title of this thread...now, for philosophically minded people like me, is something to think about...
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