Redmayne

I expect for those who read this they, like me didn't choose to suffer from alcoholism and see fellow citizens drink with impunity. Whilst we suffered 'under the lash of King Alcohol'.

Nor, if ever, many don't. Did we have to recognize and accept that we, completely without our permission where addicted to or suffered from alcoholism.

Worse still, to even stand a chance of getting out of the mess we found ourselves in we were. If you choose to follow the suggestions offered in A.A.'s 12 Step Program we have to hand our lives and will over to 'the God of our understanding'. See 'Bill's Story' in the book,'Alcoholics Anonymous'

The last step suggesting that we do not claim spiritual perfection, but try to make spiritual progress...

Now whilst we may, and I certainly did, baulk at all these things, how the hell do you make spiritual progress?

In my recovery, I'v e always found it best to work on the principle. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm quite big on principles and will always put them before people.

That God, doesn't give you things you can't handle. He helps you handle the things you're given.

Which doesn't mean to say that one day Elijah is going to turn up in a flaming chariot or you'll be surrounded by choirs of angels.

It does mean that if, a day at a time, you learn to change your perspective about yourself and your environment, putting the welfare and future development of others before self. You'll be helping others whilst at the same time helping yourself and learning to handle the things you're given.

And that, I've found in my recovery, is how to make spiritual progress..

CRRHCC

>>That God, doesn't give you things you can't handle. He helps you handle the things you're given.<<


1 Corinthians 10:13-14 "...but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry."

"When you grow close to God, He grows close to you." James 4:8.
Neurons that fire together, wire together. Where attention goes, neuro-firing flows and neuro-connections grow! This is the marriage of behavior science and scripture.

When you values trump your addiction, there is no addiction.

August252015

This is very much where I am right now. Back surgery last Fri, so on day 7 post op and in a nutshell, the overriding feeling I have had since 530am on Aug 30/2p when we left the hospital is...gratitude.

Service directly follows that and this experience of spiritual growth is a very significant one for me. I absolutely believe that this is happening now, at 3.5 yr sober, as part of my higher purpose.

Thanks, Redmayne (and I will listen to the Joe and Charlie tapes soon, too! )

Fusion

Hi, CRRHCC, I beleive the neuronal firing scenario, it’s called Hebb’s Law. What I’m intrigued about, is how that neuroscience is linked with God’s scripture. I am genuine in asking that question, and I would appreciate your experience.

CRRHCC

God, our Creator, is the Master of neuroplasticity and Hebbian Theory and God has a plan and a purpose for each of us. God's plan starts with personal communication​ with us. ​ From a behavioral perspective, when we pray, our neural focus is in our frontal cortex and not our emotional primitive limbic area. Neuroscience demonstrates that neurons that fire together, do wire together. When you have a convicted personal relationship with Jesus Christ, where your attention goes, neuro-firing flows and neuro-connection​ grows. "Grow close to God and God will grow close to you." James 4:8. “Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.” Romans 12:2.

The long answer can be found here: https://www.crrhcc.com/discussion.html

Redmayne

Which allies closely with alcoholism sometimes being described bas,'The Disease of Perception]', change your perception, change your life .

Along with, for me as a self directed Stoic philosopher, Epictetus saying,'All religions must be tolerated as beach man must find his own way to heaven', which for some of us includes sobriety, it's again, just a question of perspective...

CRRHCC

Epictetus the Greek slave turned philosopher is also known to have said, "No man is free until they have mastered themselves." There in lies the heart of addiction-understanding oneself and mastering one's thinking and feelings. Epictetus ​noted some 2000 years ago that “it isn’t our circumstances, but our view of them, which creates our miseries." ​What we think (cognition), what we feel (emotion) and what we do (behavior) are intrinsically linked together. Our thinking determines our feelings and our feelings determine our actions.

Discomfort is the price of admission to a meaningful life.

No one would deny that life is full of adversity. We can’t control our circumstances, but we can control how we think about our circumstances and how we respond.

Matthew 11:28-30: 28 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am [a]gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Redmayne

Ignis, aurum, probat -fire tests gold - suffering tests brave men (and women)..

Redmayne

Noting that you include a lot of Biblical texts in your responses, perhaps it's also worth noting that Stoic philosophy was a leading influence on many peoples lives for 400 years and was only replaced by Christianity by the then Emperors direction because it was felt that Stoic philosophy,'spoke truth to power'.

There is a lot of Stoic philosophy to be encountered in the gospels, simply because it's not about repressing emotions but is about transforming them. Like recovery itself ...

CRRHCC

>>Noting that you include a lot of Biblical texts in your responses, ..<<

Jesus Christ has been teaching behavior therapy for over 2000 years. Christ teaches that in order to regain control over helpless circumstances, delegate control to Christ. Christ will show us the difference between the quick fix or mood changer of displaced behavior and how to regain control of our emotions with direct healthy behavior.
Christ Driven Behavior (CDB), is replete with values and purpose, with renewed thinking (romans 12:2), a life time mentor (John 14:16) and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). We become New Creations! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Spread the empirical evidence of Christ Driven Behavior (CDB), while discouraging the dissemination of myth, hysteria and hype. This isn't rocket science, this is behavior science and scripture.

Redmayne

'live and let live' is an approach mandated in the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous', which I , along with many in recovery endorse...

Marcus Aurelius said,'It's easy to lead a happy life, it's all within you. In your way of thinking.'

SoberCAH

Glad you're post-op.

I ask God every morning, as a part of my prayers, to help me be His humble, grateful and hard-working servant.

And then I ask Him to grant me the spiritual gifts of humility, gratitude and service.

And then to be His man and not my man.

And then, et cetera, et cetera and so forth, to quote Yul Brynner.

silentrun

Spiritual progress for me was learning to accept myself just as I am. I used to base my self-worth on external things so I always had to do/be more. Just like with the alcohol there was no satisfying that drive. I always felt on guard. I had this moment where I felt this light move across me and I knew I was acceptable;e just as I was. There wasn't even such a thing as good enough/not good enough. It was just something I had been taught by people who wanted to control me.

Redmayne

When referring to Stoic philosophy it's always worth remembering that it is NOT, as many misguidedly think, about repressing emotions. IT IS about transforming them, done by applying the Stoic Virtues of trying to the best of your ability to exercise practical wisdom, temperance (self control), courage, in dealing with others and yourself , and to be just.

The object of which is to maintain your equanimity, 'mental calmness, composure and evenness of temper even in the most difficult situations,' hence its links to the Serenity Prayer. Which attracted me to it in the first place as that's what recovery is all about...