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PRINCIPLES: ADDICTION & RECOVERY TIPS & TALKS
Vol.1 No.6 June 16, 2000
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=====TABLE OF CONTENTS=====
NOTES
EDITOR'S COMMENTS
TIP & TALK FEATURED ARTICLE
SPONSOR'S SPOT
WHAT WOULD BUDDHA DO?
GUEST SPOT
SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE/COMMENT
=====NOTES=====
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Principles: Addiction & Recovery Tips & Talks is published every
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=====EDITOR'S COMMENTS=====
Thanks for taking the time to peruse this week's issue
of Principles.
This week's TIP & TALK FEATURED ARTICLE comes from someone named
Saskia Davis. I don't know Saskia Davis, but I have always been very
grateful to him or her for having written this lovely description of
the recovery process.
If you have comments about and/or suggestions for Principles, or if
you would like to submit a TIP & TALK article or story, please
contact me through the newsletter address listed at the bottom of
this page.
Charles N. Roper, Editor
=====FEATURED ARTICLE=====
RECOVERY TIP: "While in recovery, be on the lookout for symptoms of
inner peace."
RECOVERY TIP TALK: "Symptoms of Inner Peace" by Saskia Davis
Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great
many people have already been exposed to inner peace, and it is
possible that people everywhere could come down with it.
Under the right circumstances, inner peace could reach epidemic
proportions. This situation could pose a serious threat to what has,
up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.
Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:
A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears, which
are based upon past experience.
An unmistakable ability to enjoy each and every moment.
A loss of interest in judging other people.
A loss of interest in judging yourself.
A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
A loss of interest in conflict.
A loss of the need and even the ability to worry. (Please Note: This
is a very serious symptom!)
Frequent, almost overwhelming episodes of appreciation and gratitude.
Frequent attacks of smiling.
An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than make them
happen.
An increased susceptibility to feeling the love extended by others as
well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it back.
An unmistakable feeling that everything is okay.
Warning: If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be
advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as
to not be curable. If you are exposed to anyone exhibiting any of
these symptoms, remain exposed to that individual only at your own
risk. Inner peace is contagious.
=====SPONSOR'S SPOT=====
High Bottom Drunk: A Novel...and the Truth about Addiction &
Recovery, by Charles N. Roper, PhD
It's true: High Bottom Drunk is a novel. Those who have read it,
though, have been caught completely off guard by the impact that it
has had on their lives.
For example: "I've been a licensed addiction therapist for the past
18 years and prior to that was a parish minister for 20 years, and
I've never read a book more powerful...descriptive...dynamic...or
clear when it comes to (explaining) the movement from addiction to
sobriety to recovery. You have done a masterful job of writing. It
was one of those books that I couldn't put down. I was reading it
every spare minute I had during my day. Thanks." --Dave S.
Read excerpts of High Bottom Drunk: A Novel... at the Website:
http://www.highbottomdrunk.com
=====WHAT WOULD BUDDHA DO?=====
Q: What would Buddha do when feeling frustrated?
A: "Don't be so inconsiderate and loudly drag the furniture around
the room. Likewise don't go rudely yanking doors. Find your pleasure
in your deference." --Bodhicharyavatara 5.72 [Note: The
word "deference" simply means courteous respect.]
When frustrated, I become rude. I'm likely to knock something over or
piss someone off, and this just makes things worse.
We need to heed the Buddha wisdom regarding finding pleasure in
deference. It is good to direct our frustration away from people, but
this is not enough. Even when directed away from them personally,
people will still feel it. They can even be injured by it. For
example, driving angry is as bad as driving drunk.
Our goal, therefore, must be to stop the feelings of frustration. We
must question our impatience honestly and get to its root. One way to
do this is to ask ourselves these questions: Why are we putting
ourselves and our needs first? Do we really need to be at "the center
of the universe"? The answer, of course, is no.
If we consider the needs of others with deference, we will overcome
our frustration.
Paraphrased from: What Would Buddha Do? 101 Answers to Life's Daily
Dilemmas, by Franz Metcalf.
=====GUEST SPOT (ANYTHING GOES)=====
Contributed by Josh C., this one is embarrassingly bad.
A bear walks into a bar in Billings, Montana and sits down. He bangs
on the bar with his paw and demands a beer. The bartender approaches
and says, "Sorry, pal, we don't serve beer to bears in bars in
Billings."
The bear becomes angry and demands again that he be served a beer.
The bartender responds, "Did you not understand me? We don't serve
beer to bears in bars in Billings--especially belligerent bears."
The bear, very angry now, says, "If you don't serve me a beer, I'm
going to eat that lady sitting at the end of the bar." The bartender
says forcefully, "Damn it, we don't serve beer to bears in bars in
Billings--especially belligerent, bullying bears."
Whereupon, the bear walks to the end of the bar, and as promised,
eats the woman. He then returns to his seat, pounds on the bar, and
again demands a beer.
The bartender states, "I don't care what you do, we don't serve beer
to bears in bars in Billings--especially belligerent, bullying bears
who are on drugs."
The bear says, "Hey, wait a minute there; I'm not on drugs."
The bartender says, "You are now. That was a barbitchyouate."
=====LINK OF THE WEEK=====
This week's featured link is an interesting little site
called "HadEnough (binge drinking blows)."
This site addresses the issue of binge drinking. Its authors ask the
question, "Haven't we all had about enough of the effects binge
drinking has on the quality of campus life? Well, join the club.
There are plenty of us who are sick and tired of drunken nuisances.
And with good reason."
HadEnough is a web resource for the "silent majority" of students who
don't drink excessively, are fed up with the problems caused by those
who do, and most importantly, want to do something about it.
The opening page is worth the visit. Go there; take a look:
http://www.cspinet.org/booze/hadenough/home/index.html
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Till next week...keep it simple.
Charles Roper, Editor
Principles: Addiction & Recovery Tips & Talks
http://www.alcoholanddrugabuse.com