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PRINCIPLES: ADDICTION & RECOVERY TIPS & TALKS
Vol.1, No.29 November 24, 2000
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=====TABLE OF CONTENTS=====
=====EDITOR'S COMMENTS
=====READERS' COMMENTS & CONTROVERSIES
=====TIP & TALK FEATURE ARTICLE
=====SPONSOR'S SPIEL
=====AN EASTERN PERSPECTIVE ON RECOVERY
=====FEATURED LINK OF THE WEEK
=====PURE BOLOGNA & HOGWASH
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=====EDITOR'S COMMENTS=====
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=====READERS' COMMENTS & CONTROVERSIES=====
RE: Religion & Philosophy
"Religions and philosophy are two DIFFERENT AND SEPARATE things.
Philosophy is a way of thinking, doing and seeing things. A
religion is a belief system, and in my opinion, generally a
closed belief system. To have a belief system, you need a
philosophy. To have a philosophy, in my opinion, you DON'T need
a belief system. It is best to be open minded.
"Philosophy being the Apples and religion being the oranges, you
can't compare them. Eastern thought is philosophical rather than
religious, and Western thought is more religious rather than
philosophical.
"Religions tend to have limits on what they will 'allow' members
to think and do and say. They will only allow what can be said or
done within the 'limitations' of the belief system that has grown
up around that particular religious history. An example would be
to ask a Christian to think about the possibility that Jesus was
an extraordinary man who was somehow in contact with his inner
being, the 'collective conscious' which is how he 'did' his
miracles. Their answer will most likely be immediate and 'No, he
was the Son of God!'
"Philosophies, on the other hand, don't limit what people may
think; they foster questions. A good philosopher will say he
doesn't have any answers; all he has is questions, whereas
Religions say they have THE Answer."
--Debra & Jeff
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RE: Same Topic
"It doesn't work for me to "presuppose" eastern philosophy
isn't related to any world religion. Religions spring forth
from universal truths found in philosophy. They may take on
their own cultural identities, but if you dig deep enough,
there is a common element that points to our unity (collective
consciousness) as being more important than our separation
(individual understanding) at the corp of every religion which
is first found in philosophies - eastern or western. Socrates
claimed that he was wise in only this way: He knew he did not
KNOW. The collective consciousness is beyond his individual
understanding, and so he was wise because he knew he did not
KNOW. But those men who were called wise in his society claimed
to KNOW because they were experts in a particular field. Socrates
claimed that was not wisdom - that was individual understanding.
So, in answer to the question about aren't we discussing apples
and oranges: No. In fruit metaphor, we are discussing the fruit
(religion) that is nurtured and comes forth from the earth
(philosophy). Not apples and oranges.
"From my personal experience with recovery, it is collective
consciousness that keeps me from drinking. When I start to
question why meeting with other alcoholics works, I realize
that I am asking for trouble because that shoves me right back
into my own meager individual understanding. And I have proven
to myself over and over again that trying to stay sober with my
individual understanding simply doesn't work because in focusing
on my individual understanding I tend to remain focused on how
I am completely different than my fellow alcoholics rather than
the essential commonalities we share.
"Which makes me wonder? What would happen if we quit focusing on
the differences between apples and oranges, between eastern and
western philosophies, between different religions, between religion
and science, etc., etc., etc., and instead focused on the many and
essential core elements everything has in common? And how about
dropping the need to be right and simply admit that there is no way
that a belief in anything (including this one) points to KNOWING?
What kind of recovery might occur if we did that?
It works for alcoholics...."
--LB
[Editor's Reply: Interesting thoughts. Would anyone else like to
weigh in on this topic?]
=====TIP & TALK FEATURED ARTICLE=====
RECOVERY TIP:
Taking risks is risky business, but not taking risks is the
riskiest business of all.
RECOVERY TIP TALK:
Meagan just smiled when Susan, a old drinking and using buddy
told her that she wasn't any fun anymore.
"You used to be the life of the party," Susan said. "Now, all
you want to do is sit around and talk. You used to blow me away
with how tough you were and how you never turned down a dare.
Now you won't even play the game."
"I suppose you're right," Meagan replied. "I guess the things
that flip my switch have changed since I quit getting high."
Later that night, alone in her room, Meagan thought about what
Susan had said. She recalled some of the patently stupid--but
incredibly fun and exciting--things she did when she was drinking.
There was the night she swam across the lake with a large rock
tied to her foot. There was the time she hopped into and drove
off in a BMW whose owner had left the door open, the lights on,
and the motor running while he ran into the store for a pack of
cigarettes. There were the times--more than she cared to admit--
that she awoke in an unfamiliar place and on an unfamiliar bed,
including the morning she awoke alone and broke in a city 400
miles away from her own.
She no longer took those kinds of risks. Sober and straight and
in recovery, she had learned to channel her risk-taking person-
ality in a different direction.
The change had been inspired partly by something that her AA
sponsor had given her on the occasion of her six month sober
birthday. She walked to her closet and found the paper that she
had committed to memory almost two years prior to that night.
It read:
To laugh out loud is to risk appearing foolish.
To weep in public is to risk appearing weak.
To reach out to another is to risk rejection.
To expose your feelings is to risk exposing your true self.
To share your dreams is to risk looking silly.
To love someone is to risk not being loved in return.
To hope is to risk disappointment.
To try is to risk failure.
To live is to risk dying.
But...risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is
to risk nothing at all. People who risk nothing still do not
avoid suffering and sorrow because suffering and sorrow are an
unavoidable part of life. What they avoid by not taking risks is
the opportunity to learn, to feel, to change, to grow, to love,
and to live. Those who refuse to risk become slaves to their
certitudes. They forfeit their freedom. Only a person who takes
these--the greatest risks of all--is free.
Meagan folded the paper and carefully returned it to its special
place. She smiled and gave herself a hug, knowing in her heart
that she had given up taking the easy risks--the ones that Susan
so admired--in exchange for the tough ones--the ones that make a
real difference.
=====SPONSOR'S SPIEL=====
A wonderful holiday gift for anyone who is connected with (or
perhaps should be connected with) recovery:
"High Bottom Drunk: A Novel...and the Truth about Addiction
& Recovery," by Charles N. Roper, PhD.
Order "High Bottom Drunk" directly from the publisher, through
the www.highbottomdrunk.com website, and receive two free gifts
with each copy.
http://www.highbottomdrunk.com
<a href="http://www.highbottomdrunk.com> AOL Link </a>
=====AN EASTERN PERSPECTIVE ON RECOVERY=====
Because we humans all too often follow selfish leaders and
abstract concepts, we have a great need for honest teachers to
remind us of what is essential and true. We need to be awakened
from the nightmare imposed upon us by our thinking, conditioning
and cultures.
Once in a great while, someone opens his or her eyes and sees
what was there all along. They tell others about it and start
waking people up. If they're lucky, they're called saviors,
messiahs or Buddhas. Usually, they're called crazy and ignored.
If their voices become too strident, they're either worshiped
or killed--and often both. Waking people up from the warm and
familiar bed of their suffering can be a risky business at best.
We treasure the illusions and lies we live by. We even die for
the phantoms created by our minds. We spend our lives hiding deep
inside ourselves in paralyzing fear that someone might see us as
we really are. Or worse, we might see ourselves. We need permis-
sion just to be what we are. We need to have our hands held as
we are led out of the maze of suffering and fear and shown that
the monster chasing us was only our own denial.
Paraphrased from: "The Zen of Recovery," by Mel Ash.
=====LINK OF THE WEEK=====
This week's featured link is: Beliefnet: The Source for
Spirituality, Religion, & Morality.
You'll be hard-pressed to find another site as packed with
information as this one. It carries pages on topics as diverse
as religions (20 of them), spirituality & spiritual tools,
morality & culture, inspiration, family & life events, charity
& service, and many more. Commercial content appears to be
minimal.
Visit the site at:
http://www.beliefnet.com
<a href="http://www.beliefnet.com> AOL Link </a>
=====PURE BOLOGNA & HOGWASH=====
God Loves Drunks
A young alcoholic woman named Brandi finds herself in quite a
mess. Because of her excessive drinking, her business has failed,
and she's in serious financial trouble. She's so desperate that
she decides to go to extremes and ask God for help. She gets down
on her knees and prays, "God, please help me. I've lost my business,
and if I don't get some money, I'm going to lose my house as well.
Please let me win the lotto."
Lotto night comes, and somebody else wins it. Brandi gets drunk,
drops to her knees, and again prays, "God, please, please let me
win the lotto! I've lost my business and my house, and now I'm
going to lose my car as well."
Lotto night comes, and Brandi still has no luck. Once again, she
has a few drinks, falls to her knees, and pleads, "My God, why
have you forsaken me? I've lost my business, my house, and my car.
Now my children are starving. I don't often ask you for help, and
except for an occasional drink or two, I've always been a good
Christian. PLEASE, just let me win the lotto this one time. If
you'll do this for me, I promise I'll quit drinking and get my
life back in order."
Suddenly there's a blinding flash of light, the heavens open, and
Brandi is confronted by the voice of Almighty God Himself.
"Brandi," says God, "at least meet me half way on this. Buy a darn
lottery ticket."
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==========================
Alrighty, then...till next week, do us all a favor and keep
it simple.
Charles Roper, Editor
Principles: Addiction & Recovery Tips & Talks
Alcohol & Drug Abuse - The Addiction & Recovery Information
& Resources Web site:
http://www.alcoholanddrugabuse.com