Learning spirituality.
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Heywood,Gtr.Manchester
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Learning spirituality.
Reflecting on my two years sobriety and my 30 year drinking career I realise that through both I learned about spirituality on my own through books and the actions of others mainly. So that I strengthened my basic Christian beliefs and supported them with adherence to fundemental Buddhist principles all of which kept me close to the god of my understanmding and the two pillars of love and truth.
Thinking about this in trying to help someone who lives far away in another country and who has suffered a relapse I was remindedof a story I read about a renown Zen Master who was to give a talk on spirituality to a packed auditorium. He opened his talk by asking a simple question,"Before I begin, have you all had a pee?" A nervous, if not slightly embarassed buzz went round the hall.
Eventually one student asked," Master, why do you ask this question?"
"Because it is the first lesson in learning about spirituality." replied the venerable Master.
Puzzled, the student again asked,"What do yuou mean Master?"
"It is really very simple,"he replied,"I cannot do it for you."
I realised through that story as much as I tried to convey the same messageto my friend that in my search for and attainment of sober recovery it was something I had to learn for myself and until that was achieved no progress could be made.
I learned to rid my self as far as possible on a daily basis of self will and to change my perspective on life and my attitude to others andremain ever vigilant, practising these principles in all my affairs. I think someone elsxe said that last bit, Mike W.
Thinking about this in trying to help someone who lives far away in another country and who has suffered a relapse I was remindedof a story I read about a renown Zen Master who was to give a talk on spirituality to a packed auditorium. He opened his talk by asking a simple question,"Before I begin, have you all had a pee?" A nervous, if not slightly embarassed buzz went round the hall.
Eventually one student asked," Master, why do you ask this question?"
"Because it is the first lesson in learning about spirituality." replied the venerable Master.
Puzzled, the student again asked,"What do yuou mean Master?"
"It is really very simple,"he replied,"I cannot do it for you."
I realised through that story as much as I tried to convey the same messageto my friend that in my search for and attainment of sober recovery it was something I had to learn for myself and until that was achieved no progress could be made.
I learned to rid my self as far as possible on a daily basis of self will and to change my perspective on life and my attitude to others andremain ever vigilant, practising these principles in all my affairs. I think someone elsxe said that last bit, Mike W.
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