“Want to Stop the Addiction? Where to Start” – a full page of first steps to changing your life from that of addiction. What is addiction? How do I know I am addicted?
Then, following are MP3s with guest speakers who have a good familiarity of the Forgiveness Work explaining the complimentary / similarities within 12-step addiction programs (particularly AA). While some groups may have steps that are worded slightly different, the following ideas are generally included.
- Monday, November 30, 2015 – Gail offers history of AA, Bill Wilson, the formation of the 12-steps and a couple of personal testimonies of working the steps and yet not achieving the release until being introduced to the Aramaic forgiveness tool.
- Tuesday, December 1, 2015 – 1937 writing the book on Alcoholics Annonymous (until 1939) in order to standardize the program. Includes “the Spiritual Experience” – two stages of 1) the education and 2) the bright light experience. ACIM: changing perception from fear to love. We all started the same (as Love) and then we lose Being and move into a fear-based mind. Reestablishing the Being is what both “the steps” and forgiveness is about. AA says the root of the Character Defects and Short Comings is Fear.
- Wednesday, December 2, 2015 – Continue with the Spiritual Experience. Reference to quotes by Carl Jung referring to alcholics. Reality Management Wake-up sheets on www.whyagain.org will give you the Spiritual Experience. Wake us up from carbon-based memory. Dr. Andracki from Pahrump, NV gives input from his experience from both working with people with addictions and also through the forgiveness work (he and his wife Claudia have a weekly support group). Support is a big piece of the process. Takes a community to walk from the addicted mind to the higher mind. Dr. Hayes offers two support groups every week and gives input on his experience within himself and working with clients and those in his support groups.
- Thursday, December 3, 2015 – People often come and go out of the program. Alergy to alcohol. Motivation is often pain, found at “the bottom.” Responsibility for “the inventory.” Step 1 recognize there is a problem (I can’t drink), Step 2 is faith in a power greater than ourselves that can restore us to ourselves, there is hope and we decide to do it different. Step 3 is a commitment to finish the rest of the steps and submitting daily.
- Friday, December 4, 2015 – Annonymous systems (whether AA, NA, OA, etc) developed to assist in changing the computations made and deconstructing the result is also called forgiveness. Reality Management Wake-up sheet is an inventory process similar to what is done in AA. Inventory Process in AA addresses resentment, fear, sex conduct and harm done to others. Columns on each include naming the resentment, prayer, why angry, and then what part of self is threatened. Self-esteem, pride, emotional security, finances, ambitions, personal relations and sex relations. Premise to be God-centered and not impacted by outside. Examine inside instead of projecting on “them.” Step 4 recognize faults (errors in thoughts) and writing down our thinking (the inventory), Step 5 admit wrongs to God, ourselves and another human being and then Step 6 & 7 go together first “become willing to let go” and “then do with assistance of higher power”
- Tuesday, December 8, 2015 – Gail shares her “high” at the beginning of last week’s discussions and then the “low” that came. michael makes reference to the movie “The Letters” about Mother Teresa and her healing crisis of depression and aloneness. Dr. Hayes reminds us we can’t “storm the gates” to experience the level of energy we are designed to live in if we are not vital enough. It is a process. Gail shared how she had spiritual gurus and when they passed she held judgement towards their not rising above it but now she understands. michael offered when one gets vital enough they can no longer “hide” that pain that may have been there for generations. michael offered that “Addiction is the compulsive use of any person, place, substance or activity to 1) not listen to or follow our higher guidance or 2) to anesthetize pain.” Back to steps, shared Step 7 prayer requesting of the Creator to remove the blockages and grant the strength to do his bidding. Step 8 & 9 go together first “willing to” and “then do” – willingness is the cosmic grease in our forgiveness work. Make a list of those harmed (refer to Step 4) and make ammends to them all. Recognize from forgiveness work that holding-on harms ourself not “them.” Amend means to mend – it changes it to make it stronger. Step 1 through 8 makes 9 possible. Step 10 continue to take inventory and responsibility for mistakes and resolution of issues. Step 11 Stay in conscious contact with the higher power. Step 12 Have a Spiritual Awakening, Carry the Message to Others and to Share with Others.
The Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is error, the truth;
Where there is doubt, the faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.
“Recovery Wednesdays” are MindShifter Radio Shows designated to discuss recovery. Listed separately on “Want to Stop Addiction?“