Progressive Recovery Today!

CASA 12-Steps Program

2011-04-03T19:00:00.000-07:00

~CASA Twelve-Steps Program~

~ Christians Against Substance Addiction ~ ‘The Real Deal’
"And you will know the truth, and that very truth will make you free.”
~ John 8:32

The Complete Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen!”
~ By Reinhold Neibuhr ~ Websource: http://www.aahistory.com/prayer.html

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Here are the CASA 12-Steps and Scriptures we worked which are recommended as a progressive Christian Recovery Program:

1. We admitted we were powerless over our drug addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable.
Matthew 9:36 “When Jesus saw the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were tired and scattered, like sheep which have no shepherd.”

2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Mark 9:23 “Jesus said to him, If you can believe, everything is possible to him who believes."

3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of Creator God, as we understood Him.
Luke 9:23 “Then he said in the presence of everyone, He who wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.”

4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves, taking stock of our assets and liabilities.
Romans 8:27 “And he who searches the hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, for the Spirit prays for the saints according to the will of God.”

5. We confessed to God, to ourselves, and to another humane being the exact nature of our wrongs.
James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful.”

6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these character defects.
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.”

7. We humbly asked Him on our knees to remove our shortcomings.
James 4:10 ”Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their faults, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive even your faults.”

9. We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Matthew 5:24 “Leave your offering there before the altar, and first go and make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your offering.”

10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it, while recognizing our continued progressive recovery.
Romans 12:3 ‘‘For I say, through the grace which is given to me, to all of you, not to think of yourselves beyond what you ought to think; but to think soberly, every man according to the measure of faith which God has distributed to him.”

11. We sought through prayer, meditation and study to improve our communion with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us, and the Power to carry that out.
Mark 12:30 “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your might; this is the first commandment.”

12. We tried to carry this Message to addicts and practice these principles in all our affairs; having had a ‘Spiritual Awakening’ as a result of working these 12-Steps.
Galatians 6:1 "My brethren, if anyone be found at fault, you who are spiritual, restore him in a spirit of meekness; and be careful lest you also be tempted.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Ten Commandments ~ Exodus 20: 3-17

1. You shall have no other gods except me.

2. You shall not make for yourself any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in
heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.

3. You shall not take a false oath in the name of the Lord your God; for the Lord will not
declare him innocent who takes an oath in his name falsely.

4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

5. Honor your father and your mother.

6. You shall not kill.

7. You shall not commit adultery.

8. You shall not steal.

9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The True Lord’s Prayer ~ Matthew 6:9-13
“Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, As in heaven, so on earth. Give us bread for our needs from day to day. And forgive us our offences, As we have forgiven our offenders. And do not let us enter into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom And the power And the glory For ever and ever. Amen.”
Source: The Holy Bible ~ Ancient Eastern Text ~ Dr. Lamsa’s Translation from the Aramaic: http://www.aramaicbiblecenter.com/index.htm

OPEN CASA 12-STEPS MEETINGS ARE HELD EVERY SUNDAY @ 7 PM
@ The Salvation Army ‘Center of Hope’ ~ 1200 North ‘B’ Street
Sacramento, California (95814)

CASA 12-Steps Program Blog= http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

CASA 12-Steps Yahoo Group= http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps/
Love God, Stay Straight and Help Others!
Brother Peta ~ CASA Field Coordinator
Sacramento, California, U.S.A.
Business: 916/442-0331 ~ CASA Phone: 916/346-4483
Main Email: peter.lopez51@yahoo.com
Update: 4-07-2011

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

CASA 12-Steps Blog
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

c/s

~CASA Twelve-Steps Program~

2010-12-22T12:00:00.000-08:00

~ Christians Against Substance Addiction ~ ‘The Real Deal’
"And you will know the truth, and that very truth will make you free.”
~ John 8:32

The Complete Serenity Prayer: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen!”
~ By Reinhold Neibuhr ~ Websource: http://www.aahistory.com/prayer.html
<>+<>+<>+<>+<>+<>+<>+<>+<>+<>+<>+<>+<>

Here are the CASA 12-Steps and Scriptures we worked which are recommended as a progressive Christian Recovery Program:

1. We admitted we were powerless over our drug addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable.
Matthew 9:36 “When Jesus saw the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were tired and scattered, like sheep which have no shepherd.”

2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Mark 9:23 “Jesus said to him, If you can believe, everything is possible to him who believes."

3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of Creator God, as we understood Him.
Luke 9:23 “Then he said in the presence of everyone, He who wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.”

4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves, taking stock of our assets and liabilities.
Romans 8:27 “And he who searches the hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, for the Spirit prays for the saints according to the will of God.”

5. We confessed to God, to ourselves, and to another humane being the exact nature of our wrongs.
James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful.”

6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these character defects.
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.”

7. We humbly asked Him on our knees to remove our shortcomings.
James 4:10 ”Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their faults, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive even your faults.”

9. We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Matthew 5:24 “Leave your offering there before the altar, and first go and make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your offering.”

10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it, while recognizing our continued progressive recovery.
Romans 12:3 ‘‘For I say, through the grace which is given to me, to all of you, not to think of yourselves beyond what you ought to think; but to think soberly, every man according to the measure of faith which God has distributed to him.”

11. We sought through prayer, meditation and study to improve our communion with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us, and the Power to carry that out.
Mark 12:30 “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your might; this is the first commandment.”

12. We tried to carry this Message to addicts and practice these principles in all our affairs; having had a ‘Spiritual Awakening’ as a result of working these 12-Steps.
Galatians 6:1 "My brethren, if anyone be found at fault, you who are spiritual, restore him in a spirit of meekness; and be careful lest you also be tempted.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Ten Commandments ~ Exodus 20: 3-17

1. You shall have no other gods except me.
2. You shall not make for yourself any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.
3. You shall not take a false oath in the name of the Lord your God; for the Lord will not declare him innocent who takes an oath in his name falsely.
4. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. You shall not kill.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor's house, you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is your neighbor's.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The True Lord’s Prayer ~ Matthew 6:9-13

“Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, As in heaven, so on earth. Give us bread for our needs from day to day. And forgive us our offences, As we have forgiven our offenders. And do not let us enter into temptation, But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom And the power And the glory For ever and ever. Amen.”
Source: The Holy Bible ~ Ancient Eastern Text ~ Dr. Lamsa’s Translation from the Aramaic: http://www.aramaicbiblecenter.com/index.htm

OPEN CASA 12-STEPS MEETINGS ARE HELD EVERY SUNDAY @ 7 PM
@ The Salvation Army ‘Center of Hope’ ~ 1200 North ‘B’ Street
Sacramento, California (95814)

CASA 12-Steps Program Blog= http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

CASA 12-Steps Yahoo Group= http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps/

Health is the greatest wealth!
Brother Peta ~ CASA Field Coordinator
Sacramento, California, U.S.A.
Main Email: peter.lopez51@yahoo.com Update: 11/07/2010
~•+•~

+++++++++++++++++++++++++
CASA 12-Steps Blog
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/
c/s

++++++++++++++++++++++++
● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/
++++++++++++++++++++++++

On the Tragedy of Chronic Relapse: via Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

2010-10-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

http://ning.it/clQxDx

Update: October 15, 2010

Main Entry: chron•ic
Pronunciation: \ˈkrä-nik\
Function: adjective
Etymology: French chronique, from Greek chronikos of time, from chronos
Date: 1601
1 a: marked by long duration or frequent recurrence : not acute [chronic indigestion] [chronic experiments] b: suffering from a chronic disease [the special needs of chronic patients]
2 a: always present or encountered; especially : constantly vexing, weakening, or troubling [chronic petty warfare] b: being such habitually [a chronic grumbler]
synonyms see inveterate
— chronic noun
— chron•i•cal•ly \-ni-k(ə-)lē\ adverb
— chro•nic•i•ty \krä-ˈni-sə-tē, krō-\ noun

~ Introduction ~

For the recovery community, one of the saddest events for us is when one of our own gets caught up and lost in the tragedy of chronic relapse. When we come and meet together at our recovery meetings we often refer to ourselves as family. Sadly, the chronic relapser is one of our most troubled family members.

~ Brief Explanation of Chronic Relapse ~

Together as a group of wounded people we share common struggles and successes on a daily basis against a common deadly disease called drug addiction. It pains us when one of our own falls down into the old harmful ways of the demented drug addict. However, we do not shoot our wounded but help them get back on track, help them be back involved with the healing process of recovery from drug addiction. All who have fallen down into relapse over and over again are always welcomed back into our herd once they have sincerely made a decision to get with our simple 12-Steps program and stay safe in the middle of the herd.

In the chronic relapse process, one sobers up, gets involved in the protracted process of building up a strong recovery program, attends meetings, gets a sponsor, tries to work all the Steps, then, gradually or suddenly, goes back out into one’s poison of choice, hits bottom again, then, sobers up again for a time, gets back involved in recovery, claims a new sobriety date, then, goes back out again into the ‘dope fiend’ world over and over again. One becomes more and more damaged and discouraged each time with low or no self-esteem. In general terms, true self-esteem involves self-love, self-respect and self-confidence and is essential for the recovering addict to ever be a healthy humane being.

Relapse from recovery can happen to a recovering addict who sat right next to us at many 12-Step Group Meetings, who was part of our own personal recovery, who was involved and participated in group discussions, someone we were close to and with whom we had meaningful conversations, then they go out. On the surface the potential relapser seemed to be working a good honest program. It could be a brother or sister with whom we shared our stories, someone we cried and laughed together with and who has now gone out on his own and left the safety of the herd. Then, that person goes out back into his poison of choice and re-enters the wild ‘dope fiend’ subculture of fear, deceit and paranoia and ends up lost in despair, darkness and depression.

The guilt, shame and misery suffered by the chronic relapser become so deep, painful and overwhelming that the chronic relapser can lose all hope for genuine recovery. He can give up on ever getting a handle on or control over his addiction. One goes out the same, but never comes back the same if he comes back at all. Some never come back.

Relapse is a sign of our continued sickness, not a mandatory part of recovery. One does not need the drama trauma of a relapse to get well. Sometimes a relapse can be a real learning experience, part of one’s educational experience, a new beginning, and a fresh start. After a severe relapse, one can decide to come back and get involved in working a solid strong program. We can come back wiser, stronger and more determined than ever before to stay sane and sober and continue working on our recovery. It takes complete honesty, hard work and substantial clean time to work a strong progressive recovery program one day at a time.

If we pay attention, stay aware and know about specific signs and symptoms we can see a severe relapse coming around the corner and avoid its negative effects by using our recovery tools, practicing relapse prevention strategies and staying in conscious contact with the Creator for spiritual guidance.

~ Primary Causes of Chronic Relapse ~

The three primary causes of chronic relapse are:
1. A weak recovery program
2. A toxic environment and
3. The craving brain

Drug addiction or chemical dependency is the most complex and complete disease known to science as it attacks the trinity of the three existential dimensions of the entire human being: the mind, body and the soul. Addiction is the quintessential biological, behavioral and spiritual disorder. In fact, the activated addict exhibits an obvious form of obsessive-compulsive- disorder (OCD) with chronic relapse often a part of the disease.

~ Cause: A Weak Recovery Program ~

For the recovering addict, the primary cause of chronic relapse is a phony weak recovery program. Relapse can only happen to someone who has first been involved in the whole healing process of recovery, who has been working on building up a strong recovery program and recovery support network. One who has shown a period of real genuine improvement and begins to really understand the underlying problems and basic roots of drug addiction. Recovery itself becomes a key part of our personal daily life-style of living sane and sober. However, one can only relapse away from and out of a recovery program. If one is not seriously working a real program one cannot suffer an actual relapse. With no strong recovery program already in place and online there can be no relapse. What would we relapse from? No program, no relapse and no hope for true recovery.

One can easily go out and return to the same old evil ways of drug addiction and do what drunks or ‘dope fiends’ do: engage in alcohol binge drinking or taking drugs in order to escape from the connected realities, stressors and responsibilities of life, but that is not a real relapse in the clinical sense. It is only another insane exhibition of the disease of drug addiction that is a modern plague worldwide.

After a relapse one needs to completely re-examine one’s whole recovery program in order to check for basic flaws, blind spots and fine tune our program for success. What happened on the road to recovery that resulted in the backsliding of relapse? What were the common signs and symptoms that could have been helped with relapse prevention skills?

To be fair, a temporary brief lapse or slip in one’s program of a day’s duration is NOT an all-out relapse. This is a grey area for some, especially for those who are fanatical about recovery. One loses one’s sobriety day but has not completely abandoned one’s recovery program. One can be sober from a primary drug of choice, such as alcohol, yet still be addicted to other substances in cross-addiction or be addicted pharmaceutical drugs.

We do not want to encourage dreary dry drunks in a shaky sobriety or cranky drug addicts only practicing temporary sobriety. We want to actually treat and cure the root causes of drug addiction and that requires working the 12-Steps and doing a complete and searching personal inventory. The ultimate goal is complete liberty and freedom from all forms of addiction. We can recover of our own free will in harmony with the power of Creator God.

After we have arrested our indulgence in our addiction, just for today, we still need to work on our recovery in terms of getting rid of our major character defects, shortcomings and inner demons in order to grow, mature and develop as honest humane beings.

The essential elements of a strong progressive recovery program are:

1. A true Christian spiritual conversion and sincere spiritual awakening when we completely surrender to the Creator’s will for us and freely admit we are powerless over our addiction in order to win our liberty from all the evil ways of addiction. Surrender to win.

2. Regular attendance and participation at home group meetings, working the basic 12-Steps program on a daily basis and helping other addicts who want to get into living sober, real recovery and spiritual growth; along with the help and support of a trusted guide or sponsor and a strong recovery support network. Be clear, stable and consistent.

3. Work on developing a wholistic system of healing that involves daily prayer and meditation; studying educational literature; daily journaling about our progress; working out with a physical fitness program; a healthy lifestyle with proper diet and nutrition and other forms of medical treatment, spiritual healing and self-improvement. Whatever works, works. Whatever helps, helps.

4. Getting involved in progressive community action, doing volunteer service and staying active out in the real world. We need to work on exploring new interests, developing our talents, sharpening our skills and getting involved in life in ways that help us get out of our individual self-centeredness in order to promote social integration and combat isolation.

The typical drug addict is selfish, self-centered and running on self-will scared and alone. The recovering drug addict should be working on self-esteem issues and at the same time be involved in helping others as an honest humane being who has real care, concern and humane compassion for all others. We should stay involved in connected reality.

~ Cause: A Toxic Environment ~

The toxic environment of the recovering drug addict can be scattered with hidden traps, quick triggers and planted landmines that easily engulf one back into the dementia of drug addiction. The recovering addict must always be armed with recovery tools and stay aware of people, places and things in his immediate surroundings that can be throwbacks into old sick behavior. As much as possible, we should stay far away from old familiar haunts and slippery places in all our pathways. Choose your traveling routes with caution and avoid toxic areas where drug traffic is a common part of the turf.

Stay safe with the recovery herd and escape out of all toxic relationships. Make new friends who are serious about their recovery and stick with the winners, not the losers. Do not try to save anyone else and be an enabling co-dependent to anyone, then end up going back out into your old ways of addiction yourself. You cannot save anyone if you cannot first save yourself! First things first!

Clean house, including your address book. Get rid of all objects, items and symbols in your home environment that remind you of old addictive ways. Health is the greatest wealth. Stay healthy in all your ways, which includes healthy choices in all your relationships. Sometimes you need to get away from the herd and go meditate in a quiet secluded spot with a notepad and pen just enjoying nature at a safe park or nearby river.

Know who and what you are, stay focused. Do not get dull and distracted by idle trifle thoughts and empty meaningless activities. In your day to day life, never be afraid of reaching out to another recovering addict for help. Let your original motivations be honest and pure, not selfish and manipulative. Overall, we need to transform our whole mentality, our behavior and our spirituality in order to get well because it is in our personal self-interest to do so and in the interests of others we love to do so, not for selfish individual ends alone.

Learn to understand and apply the 3Ds: direction, discipline and determination. At first, you only have to work the program one day at a time. Tomorrow we’ll see, Just make it through today sane and sober. Let tomorrow take care of itself.

~ Cause: The Craving Brain ~

The human brain is located in the skull at the top part of the central nervous system. It controls, directs and guides the mental processes, physical actions and inner spiritual strivings of a functional human being. It helps to maintain equilibrium, homeostasis or harmony by various forms of self-regulation essential to achieve a bio-balance in the brain and instructs the body to correct any imbalances that come up.

~ Illustration of the Human Brain and Key Regions ~

Deep in the center of the human brain lies the limbic system which directs the three primal survival behaviors –eating, avoiding being eaten and reproducing. This ancient reptile brain region gathers the sensory data input mandatory for survival. Bundles of nerve cell fibers work their way from there to a cluster of nerve cell bodies of spiny neurons known as the nucleus accumbens which is the seat of motivation to action.

“The nucleus accumbens definitely plays a central role in the reward circuit. Its operation is based chiefly on two essential neurotransmitters: dopamine, which promotes desire, and serotonin, whose effects include satiety and inhibition. Many animal studies have shown that all drugs increase the production of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens, while reducing that of serotonin.

But the nucleus accumbens does not work in isolation. It maintains close relations with other centres involved in the mechanisms of pleasure, and in particular, with the ventral tegmental area (VTA).”
Source: THE BRAIN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: THE PLEASURE CENTRES AFFECTED BY DRUGS
http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_03/i_03_cr/i_03_cr_par/i_03_cr_par.html

“Neurons carry information through the nervous system in the form of brief electrical impulses called action potentials. When an impulse reaches the end of an axon, neurotransmitters are released at junctions called synapses. The neurotransmitters are chemicals that bind to receptors on the receiving neurons, triggering the continuation of the impulse.”
http://www.minddisorders.com/A-Br/Brain.html#Comments_form

In the craving brain of the drug addict the normal neurotransmitters of dopamine and serotonin are out-of-balance in the chemical chain reaction of a vicious circle with no end. High dopamine is activated in the ‘got-to-have-it’ search for the drug that does not stop until it ‘get-its’ and high serotonin is achieved for a temporary state of bio-balance in the duped drugged brain. However, in time the effects of the drug always wears off, serotonin drops low and the craving brain is once again activated with high dopamine in pursuit of more of the desired drug to ease the pain of the craving brain. It is actually a form of chemical warfare that is self-inflicted because we are addicted or devoted to our primary drug of choice because of the craving brain, especially in a toxic environment. One does not become addicted by accident, but by bad unhealthy choices.

“Our approach does not center solely on abstaining, for often an addict will abstain many times before the irresistible urge wins over again. We concentrate on one important goal: making every effort to correct the craving brain. Responsibility for our actions requires a response ability, an ability to say no. The craving response removes the ability to rationally decide our actions. The “gotta have it” is driven by the same overpowering biochemical forces used when survival is at stake. Correcting the craving brain provides choice. With choice comes responsibility for one’s actions. While the individual bears primary responsibility, family, friends and community need to be involved.”
Source: The Craving Brain. By Ronald A. Ruden, M.D., Ph.D., pg. 140
http://www.yafferuden.com/html/the_craving_brain.html

The human brain encases our mind as the throne of thought and the center of human consciousness. It is capable of grasping the concept of the vast cosmos yet can notice the tiniest detail. It can be our greatest ally or our own worst enemy. It is the highest most complex form of matter and key to understanding connected reality. Therefore, we must command the mind in order to discipline the body and guide the spirit.

~ Conclusion ~

The recovering addict must stay alive, be good at learning and have a mind open to new progressive ideas as he carefully collects a whole set of recovery tools ~weapons of war~ to effectively fight and ultimately win the drug war against addicts as he practices relapse prevention strategies and healing life-style.

Once the chronic relapser overcomes the demon of denial he must accept the clinical fact that he is a very sick ill person who has been captured and held hostage in a drug war that he does not even know he is in. To be sure, drug addiction is a brain disease that masks an even deeper disease of the soul that cannot be treated and cured in sterile isolation. He must go far back in search of memory, examine all his life experiences, review his present situation and seek serious professional help with a trained therapist, guidance counselor and/or spiritual healer. He really needs a long-term wholistic treatment program and in some cases temporary hospitalization.

For our spiritual healing we need to go far beyond only attending regular 12-Step Recovery Group Meetings. Think outside any book. Creative human imagination is more important that human intelligence. Ultimately our progressive recovery is a deep personal struggle within our innermost being in conscious contact with the Creator in order to outwardly manifest our potential in connected reality and be the best version of all we can be in life. Each new day in recovery should be a fresh start as we go about creating our day as survivors of a deadly disease, not as passive victims. We cannot change our past, but we can change our perception and understanding of the past in order to work HERE AND NOW in the present on developing a bright, creative and productive future for us. Above all, we must change, change and change as we practice relapse prevention therapy.

“Relapse Prevention Therapy ~ RPT intervention strategies can be grouped into three categories: coping skills training, cognitive therapy, and lifestyle modification. Coping skills training strategies include both behavioral and cognitive techniques. Cognitive therapy procedures are designed to provide clients with ways to reframe the habit change process as learning experience with errors and setbacks expected as mastery develops. Finally, lifestyle modification strategies such as meditation, exercise, and spiritual practices are designed to strengthen a client's overall coping capacity.

In clinical practice, coping skills training forms the cornerstone of RPT, teaching clients strategies to:
(a) understand relapse as a process,
(b) identify and cope effectively with high-risk situations,
(c) cope with urges and craving,
(d) implement damage control procedures during a lapse to minimize its negative consequences,
(e) stay engaged in treatment even after a relapse, and
(f) learn how to create a more balanced lifestyle.”
Source: Relapse Prevention Therapy: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach
By George A. Parks, Ph.D. and G. Alan Marlatt, Ph.D.
http://www.nationalpsychologist.com/articles/art_v9n5_3.htm

Indeed, the chronic relapser is a key part of our recovery, there is usually at least one in every group. We are actually blessed when they come back home to the herd alive. None of us are all well until we are all well. In today’s world, the sick social conditions of poverty, misery and suffering spawn more and more drug addicts seeking a fruitless false escape from the social stressors of life that push and pull one down into getting involved in drugs and other forms of vain escapism leaving an empty void of love in our lives. These unjust realities must be addressed, changed and transformed in ways that promote life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We should be actively involved in helping people get into recovery from all negative forms of addiction and unhealthy life-styles. In the process, we are helping to create a new humane being who enjoys high self-esteem, is equipped to face the challenges of life, is able to find solutions to problems and who is capable of helping to create a just, fair and humane world for all of us. We help ourselves by helping others as we are all ultimately one with the infinite cosmos.

Wake up, come together and create a new life. Continue to grow up, mature and get rid of old ways that never did serve us well. We need new creative ways of coping with our social environment in order to transform the tragedy of chronic relapse into the triumph of a new humane being who is ready, willing and able to face life as it comes on life’s terms, with all its ups and down, ins and outs, good times and bad times. We must move forward one day at a time with a new vision of a bright future where people live, love and work together because they know the beauty and power of being harmony in with the Creator.

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2010/10/on-tragedy-of-chronic-relapse-via-peter.html

c/s

++++++++++++++++++++++++
● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/
++++++++++++++++++++++++

On Our Spiritual Liberation Program: via Peta_de_Aztlan

2010-08-01T16:00:00.000-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2009/12/on-our-spiritual-liberation-program-via.html

Short Link: http://bit.ly/5bxnuB

Original Post Date: Sunday, December 13, 2009

CASA is a progressive recovery group based upon the original 12-Steps spiritual program first made popular by Alcoholic Anonymous in order to help drunken alcoholics achieve long-term lasting sobriety. The two co-founders of A.A. were Bill Wilson (1895 –1971) and Dr. Bob Smith (1879–1950). The founding date of A.A. in June 1935 is based upon Dr. Bob’s last drink of beer. He remained sober until his death in 1950 from colon cancer and was an avowed Christian man of God without reservations.

On the other hand, though Bill Wilson remained sober from alcohol, despite death bed requests for whiskey, he had other ‘issues’. He saw a Jungian psychotherapist from 1945 to 1949 for severe bouts of depression; took LSD in a designed medical situation in 1956 and several times more up to 1959; had a female business associate who received a lifelong 10% of his book royalties with suspicions of infidelity to his wife Lois (founder of Al-Anon); and had a life long interest in esoteric spiritualism and the occult, including séances. He seemed to be in search of new alternative cures for alcoholism. In his own unique controversial way, Brother Bill was a genius as a social engineer, especially with the worldwide success of A.A. and its basic 12-Steps program.

As time went on more and more people saw the 12-Steps program as appropriate for the treatment of a variety of disorders: drug addiction, gambling, obesity, sexual promiscuity and other sufferings of the soul. Thus, there are now many groups who use the 12-Steps to address specific problems and various issues in question. The 12-Steps offer a set of spiritual principles and general guidelines for good character building, getting rid of major character defects and being aware of personal shortcomings. Plus, it helps improve our relationships and communications with others by using basic humane spiritual principles for all our social interactions; making appropriate amends to those we have wronged; and the on-going maintenance of conscious awareness as to how we work with people on a daily basis. Learn from past mistakes to prevent future ones. What comes around goes around; karma creates karma.

For progressive recovery, sobriety is the central starting gate for sober living but we need to continue to advance spiritual growth, not get strung out on recovery and think going to recovery meetings and sitting silent is enough. We need to clearly understand the deeper origins of addiction in order to root out its symptoms out of our lives for good. We must change our old evil ways into new ways of being genuine, honest and ‘for real’. Create good order out of confused chaos. As a mature, functional and responsible adult, be centered in a good healthy balance with high levels of self-esteem, self-love and self-respect.

We should strive to be liberated beings involved in a spiritual liberation program. Be liberated and free from all forms of oppression and self-oppression, including the affliction of drug addiction and the insane vicious circle that comes with it. There is no good addiction. The addict does not know when to stop and when enough is enough. All indulgence in addiction is being out of balance, self-destructive and harmful to our well-being. There are relative differences between use, abuse and addiction, but casual use easily develops into hard core addiction in a cunning, powerful and baffling way.

Addiction is an obvious sign of Obsessive Compulsion Disorder (OCD). The drug addict is obsessed about a drug to alter his consciousness. He has a mad compulsion to indulge in it when it is at hand that he cannot control. At times the addict will switch to another drug or suffer cross addiction. He can become addicted to medication that often takes him back to his original drug of choice. Hard core addiction is a manifestation of obvious mental illness and deeper spiritual sickness. The ‘dope fiend’ finds it impossible to really live a normal healthy life with its rewards and responsibilities. Live life on life’s terms one day at a time and be prepared for its ups and downs. A good healthy life is lived in pursuit of the best in life, true spiritual liberty and inner happiness, not in paranoid fear.

As a recovering addict, continue to work in a three-stage spiritual healing process of daily sobriety, continued recovery and spiritual growth. Do not dwell on the past with all its guilt trips and sad shames. Do not forget key lessons learned from past experiences. Remember the past to clearly see today, but do not try to live in the past. Neither should we have endless anxiety about the future filled with worries that exhibit a lack of faith in the Creator and the dynamic healing process. The past is over, the future has not arrived. It is HOW we are really being HERE NOW that matters the most to us today.

Let your being be in a spiritual realm on a natural high, being happy with your progress and with you being you. Live in harmony with the Creator, your inner self and others you care about in your life. If you are without joy and never comfortable in your own skin, then there is something dreadfully wrong with the way you are being. A severe relapse or even a short slip is a sign of continued sickness and a weak phony program without a spiritual foundation. The spiritual foundation of our program should be an undying faith in the Creator, not traditional anonymity.

Ask the right questions, find your own answers, figure stuff out on your own and come to your own conclusions in your own mind. It is ultimately a spiritual journey that you must travel on your own. Others can walk along with you, but you alone must be brave and walk your own journey, no one else can walk it for you. If spiritual healing is to come true, it is up to you. We hold regular meetings together for group support, to listen and learn, to heal and help and to share our “experience, strength and hope”. Nevertheless, you must develop your own spiritual liberation program in a way that works best for you. Work your own program for your own life, for your own self-interest and your personal survival. It is your program!

Ultimately, the addict is a creature divorced from his own best survival interests, from the workings of his own inner soul and from conscious communion with the Creator. His soul has lost its original soul intention for being on Mother Earth: spiritual liberty!

“The fastest spiritual growth will always be through following your inner guidance in the moment, not in following some external ideal. Spiritual unfoldment always has to develop from precisely as you are and where you are right now.
~ Deepak Chopra ~ http://www.intent.com/deepakchopra/profile

To know and love others is good; to know and love your true soul is enlightenment.

c/s

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2009/12/on-our-spiritual-liberation-program-via.html

Short Link: http://bit.ly/5bxnuB
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● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/
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c/s

On Being Anonymous In Progressive Recovery: via Peta-de-Aztlan

2010-05-22T10:00:00.000-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2007/09/on-being-anonymous-in-progressive.html

Update: May 22, 2010

Main Entry: anon•y•mous
Pronunciation: &-‘nä-n&-m&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Late Latin anonymus, from Greek anOnymos, from a- + onyma name—more at NAME
1 : not named or identified
2 : of unknown authorship or origin
- anon•y•mous•ly adverb
- anon•y•mous•ness noun

~ Being An Anonymous Member ~

We should not get into the recovery process as an individual all alone in isolation. A lone drug addict seeking recovery left to his own devious devices is in dangerous company. Hard core long-term drug addiction is a form of slow suicide. The newcomer needs to stay straight just for today, humble his pride, do a daily inventory and reach out for help to others who meet together in a group on a regular basis. Seek and ye shall find!

Being an anonymous member of an anonymous group requires us to hide our real name behind the label of anonymity in order to submerge our individual personality, stay humble to advance our spiritual growth and avoid the pitfalls of egotism. We must keep an active balance by being of service in our home group, helping others in our day-to-day lives, building up a customized personal recovery program and having a wholistic approach to recovery in particular and healing ourselves in general.

Newcomers in early recovery may be ashamed of being ‘in recovery’ and openly admitting to strangers in a recovery group meeting room that they are wrestling with alcohol or other drugs. When they do make a decision to get help many get involved in a recovery group and prefer the safety of being anonymous for different reasons. At our Meetings we just disclose our first name. For example, “My name is Pete and I am a recovering drunk and dope fiend.”

We seek the unity that comes from group fellowship for our own self-help and the mutual support we get from a group. There is power in group identity and strength in numbers among people meeting together for a good common purpose. In our home group we can learn from the experience, strength and hope of others. Plus, we can get out of our comfort zones, open up at group meetings and share our own personal testimonies with others. Sharing is caring and helps the healing process. HOW our Program works is with genuine Honesty, Openness and Willingness to change, to learn and to progress.

We should seriously consider what it all means when we join up with a recovery group and get actively involved ‘in recovery’ as a key part of our whole lifestyle. It is an important life-changing decision we must make to help us take back control of our lives away from the demons of addiction, denial and self-hate.

In the real world, there is a lot of social stigma attached to our being recovering drug addicts with ‘a problem’ working on ‘a solution’. The U.S. government war on drugs has decayed into a war against drug addicts. Many thousands of us are in prisons and jails across the land because of the simple possession of illegal government-controlled substances and are considered criminals by the forces of reaction. We are involved in constant spiritual warfare on the battlefield. We must stay alert and on guard!

~ Positive and Negative Aspects ~

Many people in recovery prefer anonymity because of social, business or personal reasons. In a 12-Steps group, such as AA, a group member may be in a professional business organization that may not approve of them being in such a group. Public knowledge of our having an addiction could injure our social status. Employers may not hire a potential employee with a history of substance abuse or addiction. Remember the two co-founders of AA, Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith, were businessmen: one was a stockbroker and the other a medical doctor. In 1941, Bill Wilson himself once broke his anonymity nationwide in a positive way and AA became more popular than ever before!

The deadly disease of chemical dependency happens in the best of families and can impact on future generations. Old drinking and drugging buddies still lost in the aimlessness of active addiction might stay away from someone ‘in recovery‘, unless they aim to pull him down. Misery loves company and the man lost in his active lethal addiction is an extremely lonely man no matter how many people are at the party.

Some people simply do not want any hassle or have to offer embarrassing explanations to anyone because of belonging to an anonymous 12-Steps group. There can be a feeling of safety in group anonymity and freedom from the fear of being exposed. Yet it is important to openly admit our being ‘in recovery’ as a key part of who we are when asked by friends and associates. Name it and claim it!

“Few of us are anonymous so far as our daily contacts go. We have dropped anonymity at this level because we think our friends and associates ought to know about A.A. and what it has done for us. We also wish to lose the fear of admitting that we are alcoholics. Though we earnestly request reporters not to disclose our identities, we frequently speak before semipublic gatherings. We wish to convince audiences that our alcoholism is a sickness we no longer fear to discuss before anyone.”
~From As Bill Sees It: Pg. 278: Speak Up Without Fear: 1. GRAPEVINE, JANUARY 1946

Some people who are unsure of their ability to stick with their recovery may prefer anonymity. Who wants to be identified with an AA Group, then be seen getting plastered at the local tavern and feel like a weak hypocrite? Some attend 12-Steps meetings because they have to, not because they want to. They may be court-ordered, want to get into transitional housing or have another fake reason, not to save their lives. Time will tell and reveal the truth of motives. Karma always catches up!

Whatever happens, we must not be ashamed of being involved in the healing process of recovery. If were not anonymous in our addiction, why should we be anonymous in our recovery?!?

Many recovering addicts hide ‘in recovery’ the same way they hid in their dope fiend days. They stretch out the whole idea of anonymity out of its original context and refuse to get involved in any controversial area of life at all, such as, social issues, political causes or community campaigns. They rest content and get complacent with just staying sober, going to recovery meetings and only being ‘in recovery’ without going out into the real rip-and-tear world to understand and change it!

Smug in their sobriety time they refuse to ever disclose their whole name, share their story in a public testimony or even get their picture taken. Out in the general community they act as if they are ashamed of being ‘in recovery’. They fail to become walking witnesses, talking testimonies and living sacrifices of the miracles of recovery in their lives and their being saved by God’s amazing grace, not their own lone efforts.

Many recovering addicts switch their obsessive-compulsive disorder over into their recovery and their whole lives revolve around recovery only. They do not develop natural talents, get involved with creative hobbies or go out in the larger community to change the things they can with progressive community action.

We do not need to publicize our membership in any anonymous group, but we all need to get a healthy well-balanced life. Let our personal examples shine out in our lives on a consistent daily basis. When anyone still ‘in the dark’ asks us where our light comes from we should take the time to explain the sources of our spiritual strength, plain and simple, without boast or exaggeration. Someone somewhere first brought us the Message and we should pass it on.

“In some sections of A.A., anonymity is carried to the point of real absurdity. Members are on such a poor basis of communication that they don’t even know each other’s last names or where each lives. It’s like the cell of an underground… I think the long-time trend is toward the middle of the road—which is probably where we should be.”
~From As Bill Sees It: Pg. 241: Middle of the Road: LETTER 1959

We cannot blindly ignore the objective connected realities of poverty, oppression and real suffering that drove many of us to escape in vain from those ugly realities by abusing alcohol and/or drugs, then, turn around and ignore those real realities in our recovery. Many of us were raised in dysfunctional families, came out of dysfunctional relationships and we still live in a sick inhumane society that is dysfunctional in many ways, including on-going wars and rumors of war on a global scale.

Sobriety is the gateway, recovery is an on-going process and our continued spiritual liberty is the key for a sane and sober lifestyle free from all chemical dependencies and their related evils.

We must gather our inner courage, hold onto our spiritual principles and move forward with bold aggressive action out into our local community to help make this a sane, sober and healthy world for all of us.

~ Relevancy of Anonymity in the Internet Age ~

Humankind is now in the New Millennium with great advances in global communications technology never before seen in human history. Wisely utilizing the power of the Internet, we now have great historic opportunities to instantly reach out to others across land, sea and air in new ways never imagined before. Different ingenious methods of carrying our Messages, testimonies and exchanging educational information exist via the Internet, such as, websites, recovery blogs, online groups, chat rooms, Emails, video clips, audio podcasts and other new forms of high-tech communications.

Many poor lonely souls or handicapped people who need our help may be living in rural areas far from cities, towns and group meetings without transportation, but with Internet access they are dying to reach out to others ‘in recovery’ for moral support and humane understanding. It is still a dangerous wicked world in many ways and we should always be aware of online predators, hackers and pedophiles.

Nevertheless, via the Internet we should still be open to dialogue, discussion and open communication with others wherever they are on Mother Earth in order to learn from each other and sharpen our own recovery tools. Iron sharpens iron and imagination is more important than knowledge.

“Nothing matters more to A.A.’s future welfare than the manner in which we use the colossus of modern communication. Used unselfishly and well, it can produce results surpassing our present imagination.

Should we handle this great instrument badly, we shall be shattered by the ego manifestation of our own people. Against this peril, A.A. members’ anonymity before the general public is our shield and our buckler.”
~From As Bill Sees It: Pg. 255: Wider Understanding: 2. GRAPEVINE, NOVEMBER 1960

Thus, in progressive recovery we should not be afraid to break out of anonymity when appropriate to the situation to help spread our Message. We should reach out to others, reveal ourselves in terms of what we are doing for our recovery and not be afraid of sharing with others on a global scale, especially when we are online with those who are far away in physical geographical distance. Coming together we can create and build up an atmosphere of trust, friendship and confidentiality and make lifelong friends out of former strangers.

Learning together with others around the world we can learn about the ways of other peoples, places and cultures. Via the Internet we can blaze new pathways in recovery, explore new creative ideas for common action, develop new concepts on wholistic health and add to our vast storehouse of knowledge to help all of humankind.

As we build up our self-esteem ‘in recovery’ we will find it natural in our daily normal lives to open up about ourselves to others without fear or fantasy. A high level of self-esteem with clarity, confidence and compassion should be a key component of any truly progressive recovery program. The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem are:

¨ The practice of living consciously
¨ The practice of self-acceptance
¨ The practice of self-responsibility
¨ The practice of self-assertiveness
¨ The practice of living purposefully
¨ The practice of personal integrity
~ From The Six Pillars of Self-Esteen by Nathaniel Branden
Source: http://www.nathanielbranden.com/catalog/index.php

“The essence of all growth is the willingness to change for the better and then an unremitting willingness to should whatever responsibility this entails.”
~From As Bill Sees It: Pg. 115: Essence of Growth: Grapevine, July 1965

By its very nature the whole recovery process is progressive as it strongly advocates and promotes wholistic healing, spiritual maturity and positive community action. As social circumstances change we must be open and flexible enough to change ourselves in order to keep up with changing times and not be left behind clinging to old past tradition. We should always be willing to stand up and speak out for our recovery and not be silent in shame. Many millions of people are still suffering from the harmful effects of assorted disorders and/or addictions. We can help many people with our 12-steps based progressive recovery treatment programs. It is our responsibility to reach out and lend a helping hand to help others as we help heal ourselves. Indeed, we help ourselves when we help others.

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
~John 8:32
c/s

c/s
>>>>>>>>>>>
Key Link=
Progressive Recovery Today!
http://pro-recovery.blogspot.com/
>>>>>>>>>>>
c/s

On Combating Relapse For the Holidays! By Peta-de-Aztlan

2009-12-26T14:26:00.000-08:00

Update:12-26-2009
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2009/12/on-combating-relapse-for-holidays-by.html

Main Entry: 1re•lapse
Pronunciation: ri-'laps, 'rE-"
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Medieval Latin relapsus, from Latin relabi to slide back, from re- + labi to slide -- more at SLEEP
1: the act or an instance of backsliding, worsening, or subsiding
2: a recurrence of symptoms of a disease after a period of improvement
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CASA is a progressive Christian Recovery Group based upon the original A.A. 12-Steps Program. We hold weekly CASA Meetings at the Salvation Army Homeless Shelter near Downtown Sacramento where we discuss general recovery issues and encourage each other by sharing our time, knowledge and experience together.

Chemical addiction is a progressive disease that gets worst over time as it increases in amount, damage and severity. Our recovery should be progressive as we move forward, advance and improve over time. We need a progressive recovery program to combat a progressive deadly disease. It’s that simple!

At our CASA Meetings we have members who are always coming-and-going because most of us are homeless shelter residents. Residents who are ‘in house’ are plugged into the local shelter matrix and made aware of different community resources for self-help, including regular recovery meetings of 12-Steps recovery groups, such as, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Dual Recovery Anonymous and CASA. For our general safety in the shelter, there is a zero-tolerance policy against illegal drug substances, alcohol usage and the abuse of prescription drugs by clients.

Fortunately, our local shelter structure promotes self-help, sober recovery and helps in our search for long-term decent housing. Most of us are here for a limited short time before moving on into regular housing, transitional housing or, for one reason or another, we must exit the shelter and its supportive sober environment.

Unfortunately, many shelter residents who pretend to be working a long-term recovery program are really only playing a half-hearted temporary period of sobriety because they know that if they get caught being drunk or high off dope on the premises they can suffer negative consequences, such as being kicked out of the shelter, ending up homeless in the streets or worse. Many people in recovery often go back into a negative lifestyle of substance addiction if they do not stay actively involved in a continued progressive recovery program, including spiritual growth.

When we have 'made a decision' to remain abstinent ~ stay clean and sober ~ we must work on our continued recovery one day at a time in harmony with our spiritual growth and humane development as humane beings. Sobriety just gets us to the starting gate.

The Christmas Holidays is a time full of many activities, preparations and fun festivities for many families and friends who meet and enjoy good times together, which usually includes alcohol use and even other harmful drugs. For those of us ‘in recovery’ the Holidays are tough times when we must stay extra alert and be extra careful to avoid any severe relapses.

For a strong recovery program there are three (3) key elements that should be present:

1. A conscious contact with Creator God; along with honest prayer, deep meditation and the serious study of recovery literature and other enlightening subjects.

2. A stable 12-Steps home group where we attend meetings on a regular basis, make new friends in recovery and have a smart sponsor to help us work the 12-Steps.

3. A recovery support network of allies and friends working their own recovery program and with whom we spend quality time together in healthy group activities.

If we are actively working a strong recovery program one day at a time, keeping our recovery toolbox handy and are ‘for real’ about our continued recovery we can avoid any severe relapses back down into the darkness of our disease. However, if one is not working a real recovery program and only faking it, then, if he indulges in his poison it is not a real relapse out of a recovery program. He is only repeating the same old sick self-destructive suicidal behavior as he did before as he gets sucked back down into the insane vicious circle of chemical addiction.

We must not get nostalgic about past times of partying, boozing and doping, not get caught up in any dark moods of depression and not wander around aimlessly without a set route and positive plan of action for the day. We must be prepared at all times! Thus, the annual Holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve are especially dangerous periods for all of us.

If one does suffer a real relapse, then, if he comes back to our recovery meetings because he has decided to get ‘for real’ about the serious business of recovery we should welcome him back as a wounded ill person who needs pure love, humane compassion and true understanding, not guilt, shame and condemnation.

However, we should not get caught up in any co-dependency pattern and condone insane behavior. At critical times we need to engage in constructive criticism and self-criticism for us to get better, learn our lessons and get involved in the lifelong spiritual healing work of serious recovery from substance addiction.

Remember: Jesus Christ is the real reason for the Holiday season. The Holidays should not be a year-end annual excuse for getting drunk into oblivion or stoned out of our minds and becoming a nervous wreck. Whatever happens, keep coming back!
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Ephesians 6:12 “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Related Link=
Relapse Prevention: Dual Recovery Anonymous Online Resource Center
http://www.draonline.org/relapse.html
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Join Up!
CASA 12-Steps Yahoo Group= http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps/
CASA 12-Steps Program Blog= http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/
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http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2009/12/on-combating-relapse-for-holidays-by.html

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● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Blog
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/
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On Advancing Spiritual Growth:by Peter S. Lopez ~aka Peta~

2009-10-18T21:00:00.000-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2009/07/on-advancing-spiritual-growth-by-peter.html

Previous Post: Sunday, July 26, 2009
Update: Sunday, October 18, 2009

~ Stages of Spiritual Healing ~

Spiritual healing from the affliction of addiction is a dynamic active process that starts out, develops and advances in three (3) distinct succeeding stages:
1. Physical sobriety;
2. Progressive recovery; and
3. Spiritual liberty.

At times these different stages of development can blend into each other; they are not static, fixed and frozen, but fluid and flexible in the flowing flux of connected reality. Sometimes we need to focus on one specific area more than another in light of the immediate existential situation we are in ~ our own here and now before us at the time.

"Every form of addiction is bad, no matter whether the narcotic be alcohol or morphine or idealism.
~ Dr. Carl Jung {July 26, 1875 ~ June 6, 1961}

First of all we must achieve a state of physical sobriety, one must get sober to stay sober; second, one must get actively involved building up a solid strong spiritual program based upon the A.A. 12-Steps; and third, we must consciously work hard on our spiritual growth as responsible global citizens of the world.

“I just know that you are expected, at some point, to do more than carry the Message of A.A. to other alcoholics. In A.A. we aim not only for sobriety---we try again to become citizens of the world that we rejected, and the world that once rejected us. This is the ultimate demonstration toward which Twelfth Step work is the first but not the final step.”
Source: As Bill Sees It: Citizens Again, LETTER 1959 by Bill Wilson {November 26, 1895 – January 24, 1971}

In the process, we want to be liberated from all addictions, especially chemical dependency on drugs and alcohol, unless prescribed for valid medical reasons. We cannot be content with only arresting our addiction. We aim to get rid of the evil plague of addiction once and for all. We need to come together, heal ourselves and seek a real cure. Go all the way or do not venture onward at all. Just try to stay sober on your own and see how long you last. Along the way, we must change the things we can in our lives, as the Complete Serenity Prayer says:

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardship as the pathway to peace. Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it. Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life, and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen!”
~ Attributed to Reinhold Neibuhr ~
Websource: http://www.aahistory.com/prayer.html

We must surrender our selfish self-will and put our will power in good harmony with the divine will of the Creator of the cosmos: our Highest Power. If we are in recovery, much of our past addiction involved a selfish egocentric mentality because of our deep fears, personal problems, inner insecurities and avoiding challenges we face in life.

We had the ‘me first’ mentality and always had to make sure we had our ‘issue‘ and satisfied our base animal needs. As a result, we were not concerned with the needs of others, failed to unite with the real world, ignored the impact of our social environment and became divorced from our Creator. Now we need to really wake up, closely examine our past, appreciate the gift of the present and have an inner vision for the future. We need to reach out to help others and thereby actually help ourselves. Helping others makes the world a safer place to be, raises our own personal self-esteem and makes us feel better about who are in our new sane and sober life-style.

~ Physical Sobriety ~

It all begins with a firm decision to stay sober one day at a time. Sobriety is the basis of the whole healing process. Sobriety is a free open gateway available to all who suffer from addiction and leads to active involvement in a strong recovery treatment process and spiritual program.

In practicing sobriety we rid our bodies of the chemical toxins and poisons that have polluted and infected our bodies. We pay attention to our general nutrition, get involved in a physical-spiritual fitness program, including karma yoga, marital arts and deep meditation. In essence, we get involved in our general health and well being. Yes, there are also spiritual poisons we need to recognize that involve eliminating main core character defects, overcoming personal shortcomings and exorcising any inner demons. Those are the reasons why we need to participate in an on-going spiritual program. In fact, obvious outer signs of addiction are really symptoms of deeper core issues in our lives that need to be addressed, understood and resolved on a mental-spiritual level, not the real root origins of the addiction itself.

No sobriety, no chance of any lasting recovery. No recovery, no chance of real spiritual liberty. Understand that the recovery process itself is part of a larger wider spiritual healing process in the form of a spiritual liberation program.

~ Early Recovery ~

In early recovery we are first exposed to the basic spiritual principles and general guidelines of the original A.A. 12-Steps which originally came from the Holy Bible. Those who claim to be into recovery and do not know that the A.A. 12-Steps came from the Holy Bible do not know true A.A. history. As Dr. Bob Smith, an A.A. co-founder along with Bill Wilson and upon whose sobriety date A.A. got its founding date of June 10, 1935, revealed:

“It wasn’t until 1938 that the teachings and efforts and studies that had been going on were crystallized in the form of the Twelve Steps. I didn’t write the Twelve Steps. I had nothing to do with the writing of them. . . . We already had the basic ideas, though not in terse and tangible form. We got them, as I said, as a result of our study of the Good Book.”
Source: The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their Last Major Talks. NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1972, 1975, pp. 11-14):
Sources: http://www.dickb.com/Christian_Endeavor.shtml

At this early stage, we learn about incorporating the 12-Steps into our personal lives; go to different recovery meetings on a regular basis; get a sponsor to help guide us through the 12-Steps; improve our general literacy level; study the basic recovery literature; discuss relevant related topics; build up a strong support network; and learn the general guidelines for living life on life’s terms sane and sober. It is hard honest work!

Many people have problems working certain steps, such as the 4th and 5th Steps, which involve a deep personal inventory and confessing our wrongdoings before God and another humane being. The ideal is to first work all the 12-Steps as good as we can, then be willing to go over them from time to time again and again in order to learn them well, stay fresh and not get stale.

Along the way we get more and more connected to our inner soul, our true core character and learn better who we really are on the inside today. We get to know ourselves again in the new bright light of truth. We should experience a daily spiritual awakening, be open to a deep spiritual conversion and strive to be in harmony with the universe, not in stubborn resistance and blind opposition to it. We must commit ourselves to real personal change in any area of our life where we need self-improvement. Our being Honest, Open and Willing to change for the better is absolutely essential for spiritual progress and that is HOW the program works for us.

Even if we suffer a relapse we always need to keep coming back to the rooms of recovery for refreshment. Always remember that a severe relapse is NOT a part of recovery, it is a part of one’s continued sickness and exposes a need for further self-understanding and spiritual revelation about who we really are today. A relapse is really a matter of having a weak useless recovery program, forgetting the basics and an example of lingering self-hatred and self-destructive ways.

If we survive early recovery without a severe relapse then we have arrived at a good understanding of the basic recovery process and our spiritual program. We become aware of the need to dig deeper and find out why we got caught up in the insane suicidal ways of past drug addiction in the first place. We learn from our past mistakes, clearly see the lives of others, both positive and negative examples, and remember the life lessons we have learned the hard way in order to prevent any future self-destruction.

~ We Are Recovering Addicts ~

We need to make a firm decision to get involved in a strong progressive recovery program that has a spiritual basis. We maintain our sobriety as we work on our spiritual growth in order to be free, to be liberated from our addictions and their harmful side-effects. The very nature of a real recovery process is progressive, positive and recognizes the impact of social conditions on our lives. It is the oppressive social conditions in our lives that drive us to escape from them via ‘dope and booze’ that must ultimately be transformed. Beyond recovery, it is all about spiritual growth and transforming connected reality. We must show within our own lives the real transformation we seek in the outer world.

Life is all about changes, transitions and transformations. Look at the comings and goings of the days and nights, the changes of the passing seasons. A real living life is growing, expanding and moving forward in a progressive fashion.

Unfortunately, many good honest people get stuck along the way in their recovery, fail to move beyond early recovery and end up getting strung out and addicted to the recovery process itself with the same obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) they had in their former chemical addiction. Some pride themselves on chasing recovery like they use to chase the ‘dope bag’ instead of proceeding in a calm, rational and balanced manner without needless worry, undue anxiety or mindless stress. At times we need to just stay still, take a deep breath, get down on our knees and pray.

Many falsely believe that ‘once an addict always an addict’ and continue to claim that they are addicts even though they are no longer indulging in street drugs or practicing drug addicts. How can we ever recover, hope to be healed and seek a real cure if we believe that it is impossible?

We former addicts who are now into the progressive recovery process are no longer practicing our past addiction. We are at a new higher level of spiritual consciousness. We should stay wide awake and ever mindful of the priceless preciousness of our natural sobriety. There is a qualitative difference between a drug addict lost in his addiction and a recovering drug addict seeking self-empowerment and helping others who are lost find their way home.

We should stop labeling and condemning ourselves as being addicts and expose the big lie of ‘once an addict always an addict’. We show by our personal examples that the program works for us because we work the program. We should proudly yet humbly declare to others that we are honest humane beings working on our recovery and spiritual growth as ‘recovering addicts’.

Even the old notion of a blanket anonymity should be cast aside as a form of denial of the truth about who we are today. We were surely not all anonymous in our active addiction, why should we hide our being involved in progressive recovery today? The foundation of our spiritual program is a firm belief in the Creator, not any A.A. anonymity. If someone does not want to have anything to do with you because you are into recovery then let them go their own way and you go yours. Avoid fools. Use plain common sense wisdom when dealing with an employer or authority figure, but do not create bad karma with a lie.

Remember the power of the word, the power of belief-systems and the power of labels we define ourselves as. Society already has its own perverted prejudices against drug addicts. Many thousands are caged in prisons because of simple drug possession. Why feed into it? Why add to our own suffering by putting false labels on ourselves? Who wants to hire an addict for a decent job, who can trust an addict or who will fully accept an addict as a parent?

We want to get rid of all forms of fanaticism, all obsessive compulsive disorders and all manifestations of addiction, not replace one addictive behavior pattern with another twisted addictive behavior pattern.

Some folks become stale talking Big Books, cannot think outside the book and fail to speak their own minds. The Big Book is not the Holy Bible! Many repeat the same old worn-out catchy phrases, clichés and automatic answers they picked up along the way, instead of expressing their own fresh original ideas, honest heartfelt opinions and personal analyzes as free thinkers with common sense wisdom.

~ Progressive Recovery ~

When we are strong in our progressive recovery it is time to continue to spread the message of spiritual liberty to others in our lives who sincerely want our help and are ready to make the necessary life-style changes to get better. We cannot force recovery on anybody. It takes what it takes. We can only point the way for others, go our own ways and do our own personal inventory. Ultimately it is an inside job between each of us and our Maker. We best teach spirituality by the power of our personal examples, appreciating the serenity of sobriety and by daily practicing our new found spiritual principles in all our ways.

The term ‘recovery’ is basically a medical term, as when we go into a treatment program for a serious medical illness. Our basic spiritual program helps to prepare and equip us with the tools for sober living, along with other methods of spiritual healing. However, we cannot recover what we never had. Recovery itself will not get you the house, job or life long relationship you never had, though its benefits do have promises. We seek to recover from the rages and ravages of addiction, not fantasize about what we never had. As we advance in our recovery we enter more and more deeper into an open spirituality guided by common sense wisdom.

We should be very practical, very realistic and always remember that this is a very simple program for those who have complicated their lives with the affliction of addiction. For us, recovery means staying sober, getting well, working a spiritual program and continuing to work on our lifelong spiritual maturity. In essence, growing up to be the best we can be.

We can stay straight, be recovered and do it one day at a time with a vision for a bright future ahead. We will always need to safeguard our sobriety and watch out a stupid slip does not go down into a full-blown relapse. Now that we are into sober recovery and spirituality we are armed with the tools, techniques and weapons we need to win the war of life between the forces of light and darkness.

Many times the basics must be repeated over and over again until these ideas are planted deep within our consciousness so that they stay in our memory. We want to keep them in our memory banks and remember them at least on a subconscious level.

Drug addiction itself is the most complete disease known to man because it attacks all of us in the trinity of the mind, body and soul; it attacks our whole being as a human being and has negative bad side-effects on our family ties, our larger community and the world in general. Thus, our overall spiritual program should have a solid and sound wholistic approach that addresses the complexities of who we are as triune beings and where we are at in the big picture of the world at large.

Solitary individual isolation or group exclusion when we attempt to shut out the world outside is a real danger. True social integration on a multi-dimensional level in our lives is where it is at for us to be winners. We should not be afraid of new situations, new learning experiences and facing new challenges. Go out into the world bold and brave!

We should be busy transforming the things in life that slow down, retard or block our spiritual growth. In order to stay sober and survive with our sanity we must continue onward on spiritual pathways towards spiritual liberation. It all about growing up, hanging up our hangups, taking direct responsibility for our lives and helping others along the way to become better humane beings with spiritual principles, humane values and living healthy life-styles guided by a common sense wisdom that seeks pure love, inner peace and mutual understanding.

As we persevere and advance in our spiritual growth we find that life begins to open up for us. The future before us has unlimited potential. It is the process of the journey that is more important than the destination. If you do not stay on this journey you will not reach your destination: to live in love with life happy, free and with a liberated soul.

We must examine the social conditions in our communities that made many of us seek a false escape through indulgence in drugs and the suicidal life-style of the typical drug addict. All along the way we need to help raise consciousness, spread our messages, support positive progressive causes and get actively involved in basic community action to help make this a better, safer and cleaner world for us and generations to follow. It is not all about us as lone solitary individuals; it is about us helping others and helping ourselves in the same process. Recovery is good for our spirits, society and the world at large.

The rate of development of our real spiritual growth will vary from time to time. Sometimes we grow faster than at other times. Sometimes we need to slow down, take stock of our situation and not be afraid to ask for help from others who are more experienced. In the long run, it is the quality of our spiritual growth that is more important than the quantity of sobriety time. Sometimes we are in an empty void where it seems that we are not moving forward. Appreciate the void as a time when we need to stop, breathe, take inventory and appreciate our progress so far. Look ahead!

We need to be patient with ourselves and others as we persevere in our spiritual growth. One should not still be stuck with the hurry-up rush attitude of the old dope fiend who wants instant gratification of his animal needs, a quick microwave recovery and is unwilling to do the concentrated deep spiritual work that is required to get well. At times, we may get irritable and inpatient with others and exhibit the after-effects of PAWS (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome). Keep an undying inner faith in God and yourself; believe in the overall process of spiritual healing. Trust God that it will all come out for the best for all of us so long as we hold onto our spiritual principles, keep our integrity and make wise decisions in our lives as humane beings with love, concern and compassion for others.

Spiritual growth on a personal level is a very private matter unique to each soul. Each of us has our own truth, our own way of looking at life and should be guided by the light of love. Others can offer general guidelines when it comes to your way of moving forward but if it is all to come true it is up to you.

The soul is eternal and out lives the host body. We are ultimately spiritual beings having a lifetime experience in physical bodies. Our bodies always fall in the end, but the very quintessence of our spirit lives on lifetime after lifetime in our quest towards oneness with the Creator.

We are here now to heal ourselves and the sickness in the world, to help others advance and advance our own spiritual growth, development and maturity as we struggle towards the ultimate aim of true spiritual liberation from the chains of addiction and all forms of oppression that bring us pain, sadness and suffering.

c/s

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On the Spiritual Healing of Drug Addiction: by Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

2009-05-15T21:00:00.000-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/09/on-spiritual-healing-of-drug-addiction.html

Original Posted: Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Update: Friday, May 15, 2009

Main Entry: heal
Pronunciation: \’hēl\
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English helen, from Old English hǣlan; akin to Old High German heilen to heal, Old English hāl whole — more at whole
Date: before 12th century
transitive verb

1 a: to make sound or whole b: to restore to health
2 a: to cause (an undesirable condition) to be overcome : mend b: to patch up (a breach or division)
3: to restore to original purity or integrity

intransitive verb: to return to a sound state

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Table of Contents

~ Introduction ~

~ Definition of Spiritual Healing ~

~ Causes of Severe Relapses in Recovery ~

~ Wholistic Healing ~

~ The Spiritual Disease of Drug Addiction ~

~ Spiritual Healing of a Wounded Soul ~

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~Introduction~

The following is an overview on the spiritual healing of the deadly disease of drug addiction in the world today. Drug addiction is a clinical disease yet it should be seen as ultimately a spiritual disease. The outer chemical dependency shows surface symptoms of a vast constellation of other deep core spiritual issues going on: unresolved spiritual conflicts, critical life traumas, past emotional wounds and other key disorders that drive us into seeking a false escape from the painful issues of life by indulging in alcohol and other unnatural mind-altering drugs to the point of all-out addiction and our becoming drug addicts.

The human being is an entity in a trinity composed of the three interrelated realms of the mind, body and soul. At its core, it is the inner spirit ~ the essence of our soul ~ that must be healed for one to become a true highly evolved humane being who has real care, concern and compassion for all living beings.

~Definition of Spiritual Healing~

Spiritual healing is defined as “a systematic, purposeful intervention by one or more persons aiming to help another living being (person, animal, plant, or other living system) by means of focused intention, hand contact, or passes to improve their condition. Spiritual healing is brought about without the use of conventional energetic, mechanical, or chemical interventions. Some healers attribute spiritual healing effects to God, Christ, other "higher powers," spirits, universal or cosmic forces or energies, biological healing energies or forces residing in the healer, psychokinesis (mind over matter), or self-healing powers or energies latent in the healee. Psychological interventions are inevitably part of healing, but spiritual healing adds many dimensions to interpersonal factors."

Source: Spiritual Healing for Mental Health ~ Shannon, Scott (ed), Handbook of Complementary and Alternative Therapies in Mental Health, San Diego, CA: Academic/Harcourt 2001, 258-267. ~ Posted 2/26/02
http://wholistichealingresearch.com/spiritualhealingmentalhealth.html

~Causes of Severe Relapses in Recovery~

As a general rule, the basic causes of a severe relapse that can take us out of a progressive recovery program and away from our spiritual healing are:

~~> A weak spiritual healing program (low or no self-esteem),

~~> A toxic situation (people, places or things) and/or

~~> A cognitive dysfunction or actual brain damage (temporary or permanent)

Many who are attempting to work a serious recovery program have a fatal flaw in their program because they do not have a strong solid spiritual foundation in harmony with the Creator, their inner soul and the world around them.

As recovering addicts, we did not first become addicted all alone in a cardboard box. We were infected by the dark wickedness in the world outside. One bad connection linked to another, then another in a hard chain of events. People, places and things led to a destructive life-style. We became caught up in the dope fiend’s subculture with all its real dangers before we were fully aware of the darkness we were really getting into. We became sad, sorry and strung out. After we hit bottom, we admitted our drug addiction, came to believe in a Higher Power, made a decision to be in harmony with the Creator’s will and got involved in the long-term recovery process of understanding, curing and healing addiction.

A major danger to our recovery is when we suffer a relapse out of recovery back down into our old addiction. Many people in a weak recovery program routinely suffer relapse and some insanely think it is part of recovery.

“The progression of problems that lead to relapse is called the relapse process. Each individual problem in the sequence is called a relapse warning sign. The entire sequence of problems is called a relapse warning sign list. The situations that we put ourselves in that cause or complicate the problems are caused high risk situations.”
Source: Gorski, Terence T., Relapse - Relapse Prevention - A New Recovery Tool, Alcoholism & Addiction Magazine; September 25, 1989
Websource> http://www.tgorski.com/gorski_articles/understanding_relapse.htm

Once we wake up, sober up and detox to get rid of our physical poisons, we then need to work on digging out the deep root causes that first brought about the chemical dependency of our original addiction in order to fully recover and get well. Usually, many people in recovery live in constant fear, whether subconscious or not, of falling down into a relapse and returning to their original poison of choice because they have not gotten rid of their spiritual poisons: the character defects of hatred, greed, anger, jealousy, lust, gluttony, sloth and others.

In a destructive lifestyle, many recovering addicts simply switch addictions and substitute one addictive drug with another or else exhibit addictive obsessive behavior in one form or another, such as:

** Getting strung out on the regular recovery process itself by only talking about recovery, going to group meetings and focusing exclusively on recovery while ignoring one’s inner spiritual growth, local community events and big global affairs.

** Religious fanaticism, forgetting that words of faith without works of love are dead; being intolerant of other people’s belief-systems; judging and condemning others to hell without mercy;

** Sexual activity that is random, unsafe and loose, getting lost in the lust of the flesh in order to avoid the commitment of real love because of a desire for and fear of love.

** Overeating and becoming obese to feed what is really a spiritual hunger, knowledge is the food of the soul;

** Gambling out of love of money and risking financial ruin with a get rich quick mentality;

** Being a workaholic, ignoring family and friends and forgetting the inner and outer spiritual work that needs to be done in life for our wholistic healing.

Any destructive lifestyle that significantly harms, endangers or retards our spiritual growth must be examined, understood and corrected. If there is no significant transformation of behavior and mentality there can be no substantial healing in recovery. We do not make it by faking it, we make it by the hard work involved in a strong progressive recovery program!

Relapse is not a natural part of or a requirement for our recovery. Have you not cried bitter tears of regret for past misdeeds and suffered long enough? Relapse exhibits our continued sickness and is a sign of inner self-hatred, especially when we ignore obvious warning signs that can easily lead to a relapse. Honest ignorance is being innocent and simply not knowing any better. Stupidity is when we should know better and still continue to do what is against our own best self-interest. Relapse in the vicious circle of addiction, the same old drama-trauma of twisted addictive psycho-social patterns, is the sick insanity of doing the same thing over and over expecting different results by performing negative behavior patterns. Chronic relapsers repeat the recovery-relapse-recovery-relapse insanity until they finally wake up, stay sober and make a total commitment to progressive recovery or else the progressive nature of the disease goes untreated, gets worse and leaves us crippled wishing we were dead or destroys us once and for all in a lethal overdose or another dead end. Relapse is a death wish!

In today’s society, the presence of many thousands of drug addicts means big business for the huge corporate parasites connected to the multi-billion dollar drug industry and recovery treatment field that rake in huge profits from the high cost of prescribed medications and expensive drug treatment programs. How many drug counselors will do their work for free???

Many recovering addicts cannot afford the financial costs involved in getting well with the best wholistic treatment methods already available today. Fortunately, most urban areas have 12-Steps recovery groups nearby where people can get good group support and not have to go it alone. Individual isolation is a danger for the recovering addict left to his own designs and devices. We must become integrated in our lives in the real outside society, not hide out in cults of any kind. To further complicate matters, there are many kinds of addictive behavior patterns, twisted mental processes and dakr spiritual traps with bad consequences and negative repercussions that can ruin us.

The old-fashioned way of looking at recovery is that when one is stricken with addiction then one is forever doomed to be a drunk or a dope fiend for the rest of their lives. How can we heal if we do not first believe we can be healed? True, if we only arrest our addiction we leave it a chance to escape and come back harder than ever. However, the false belief that ‘once can addict, always an addict’ is not in our favor as it is backwards, reactionary and counter-productive to our spiritual healing. To heal we require daily works, an active imagination and a strong inner faith in the power of the Creator to heal us.

Psalm 30:1-3 (Ancient Eastern Text)
1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.
2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

Some recovering addicts get stuck, stale and stagnate in their recovery program and fail to progress further up into the higher stage of liberty. They do not think outside of the A.A. Big Book and feel guilty if they do not attend a meeting every day and chase recovery like they chased their dope. It is the raging obsessive thinking and behaving that needs to be stopped in whatever forms it takes. It is the addictive 'dope fiend' mentality that needs to be transformed into a fresh healthy sane mentality. Some are so worried and full of anxiety about having a relapse in an obsessive constant fear that this way of being often results in them suffering an actual relapse in a negative self-fulfilling prophecy. They fail to learn, develop, progress and lose sight of the original vision of creating a new way of living life, that is, a sane, sober and stable lifestyle.

The whole idea behind getting into recovery is to be able to really enjoy life’s simple pleasures, the freedoms that come with liberty and the pursuit of happiness, not go to an endless round of ego-driven meetings. It is all about taking care of our wholistic health, enjoying the rewards of recovery and our continued spiritual growth in liberty as healthy functional humane beings.

We all need to do inner spiritual work and be in divine harmony with the cosmos, nature and our inner soul. The ideal is to be in a peaceful state of serenity, at ease in our own skin, be able to see the big picture and be good with God, not always in the nervous prison of being in a state of dis-ease. Ultimately, drug addiction is a spiritual disease when one is not at ease in his own spirit, out-of-order and disconnected from the higher power of Creator. Drug addicts are dis-eased!

Main Entry: dis·ease
Pronunciation: diz-‘ez
Function: noun
: an impairment of the normal state of the living animal or plant body or one of its parts that interrupts or modifies the performance of the vital functions, is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms, and is a response to environmental factors (as malnutrition, industrial hazards, or climate), to specific infective agents (as worms, bacteria, or viruses), to inherent defects of the organism (as genetic anomalies), or to combinations of these factors : SICKNESS : ILLNESS -- called also morbus -- compare HEALTH 1
- dis·eased /- ezd/ adjective

We need to heal the disease of drug addiction and be rid of it once and for all in our lives. We must learn to accept life on life’s terms and be ready for whatever comes up. We are capable of handling any situation before us with the full armor of God!

Ephesians 6 (King James Version)
“11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

A well-rounded good healthy life is meant to be wisely lived, loved and enjoyed with all its infinite beautiful possibilities, not endured in sadness, suffering and hardship.

~Wholistic Healing~

The term ‘wholistic’ is a combination of the words ‘whole’ and ‘holy’. We need to be free, whole, independent and capable humane beings living life in all its vast complexity on our own, not as scattered fragments of a mixed-up multiple personality, but with an inner balance unshaken by the external chaos in the world.

Our recovery is ultimately a long-term process of learning, curing and healing us of the affliction of addiction. We meet together in various recovery groups based upon the original A.A. 12-Steps in order to establish a common support system for unity, fellowship and to help others heal, especially the newcomers. To win the drug war one must be totally committed to the whole healing process of sobriety, recovery and liberty in order to help us and help others.

We cannot ignore the importance of helping to heal others. In fact, not caring about others and only being concerned about one’s own individual self-preservation is a part of the negative addictive mentality that keeps us down and enslaved in darkness. We must not only practice spiritual healing for our souls, but we must also heal our minds and bodies into order to eliminate the old demented ‘dope fiend’ mentality that is selfish, self-centered and shallow.

In general, wholistic healing must help the whole complete person in the three major realms of the mind-body-soul trinity. We need to educate the mind, bring health to the body and liberate the soul. The inner soul of the spirit is the central core of our whole character because it shines out who we really are. Our inner spirit guides us in life, shapes what kind of moods we have, determines our feelings about a situation, impacts upon our mental thoughts, influences how we use our instincts and can give us true inspiration. For us, to be truly inspired by love, faith and happiness is to be ‘in the spirit’ of spiritual liberty, at one with the Creator and the creative process of life.

We need a wholistic progressive recovery program to help us get rid us of our character defects, personal shortcomings and to exorcise any invisible inner demons out of us. Unless it is checked and stopped, drug addiction routinely ends up in the active addict suffering jails, institutions or the finality of death. There is an urgent need for the recovering addict to know the whole truth about the original causes of addiction, the progressive recovery process and to gain a clear understanding of the basics of the spiritual healing of drug addiction.

To be flexible, sometimes one part of our whole triune self is the dominant one, as when we use our mind to think of a strategic plan of action or use our body to perform a hard physical task. Some people only live in their head and let the body fall apart. Some let their animal nature take over, especially in a fight-flight-freeze emergency situation. In life, the spirit guides, the mind commands and the body functions. It all depends on the present time, place and situation we are in as social circumstances constantly change in the time-space-event continuum on the cosmic-quantum level. All we really have to work is the here and now of connected reality. The past is gone so we need to get over it, our presence in the present is the gift of being alive bestowed by the Creator and the future is just ahead of here and now beckoning us forward.

We need to have the courage to change and liberate our souls from all evils related to and associated with addiction. Ultimately, we need to heal our souls.

~The Spiritual Disease of Drug Addiction~

Casual drug use easily becomes drug abuse, which usually becomes hard-core drug addiction. Healing from addiction requires admitting we have the disease, overcoming any denial about it and getting involved in a progressive recovery program with a solid spiritual basis!

Drug addiction or chemical dependency is the most dangerous deadly disease known to science because it attacks the whole human being. Any subtle or gross imbalance in any one of the three realms of the mind-body-soul trinity affects the other two. It is a serious life-threatening mental, physical and spiritual disease, not only a mental or physical one. It hits all of us in different ways and is a global epidemic impacting millions worldwide, not an isolated individual case. Some people do not even think drug addiction is a real clinical disease, just a minor drinking or drug problem that we can control with enough will power and temporary abstinence without inner spiritual work or outside healing help.

To combat drug addiction requires staying alive, alert and being aware of our immediate surroundings while working on our continued spiritual healing. It is lot more than just a shaky physical sobriety collecting chips and living crooked twisted personal lives. It involves self-criticism, group therapy, professional counseling and a healthy life-style enlightened by empowering spiritual principles, especially being on the spiritual path with heart as warriors.

Along the way we need to create and develop an educational model that educates the people about the causes of drug addiction, wages combat against its negative powers and overcomes the negative social stigma related to drug addicts in order to promote spiritual healing for all of society

At the same time, we need to always keep in mind the spiritual principles of the original A.A. 12-Steps Program and understand that they all came from the Holy Bible.

“At that point, our stories didn’t amount to anything to speak of. When we started in on Bill D., we had no Twelve Steps, either; we had no Traditions. But we were convinced that the answer to our problems was in the Good Book. . . It wasn’t until 1938 that the teachings and efforts and studies that had been going on were crystallized in the form of the Twelve Steps. I didn’t write the Twelve Steps. I had nothing to do with the writing of them. . . .We already had the basic ideas, though not in terse and tangible form. We got them, as I said, as a result of our study of the Good Book.”
Source: The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their Last Major Talks. NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1972, 1975, pp. 11-14): http://www.dickb.com/Christian_Endeavor.shtml

True recovery demands staying sober, a daily spiritual awakening and the clarity of sanity. In a weird way, once we get into progressive recovery we are blessed with having once been victims of this disease because it opens our cosmic consciousness about critical areas of our life we need to analyze and continue to work on for our general health and ultimate success in life. Always remember that the outer surface disease of chemical dependency is actually a symptom of a deeper spiritual disease we must root out, cure and heal. Once we wake up and raise our cosmic consciousness to a higher level of understanding we can gradually transform ourselves into being victors in life, not helpless victims of it.

We can receive mental health treatment with group and one-on-one counseling and sometimes drug prescriptions can help for a time, but we do not want to quit one drug just to replace it with another and remain prescription addicts who are still chemically dependent. Eventually we want to be free from any and all external drugs in order to purify the body, fully detox our system and achieve spiritual health. All along the way we need to really live a spiritual life and do the hard spiritual work essential for us to heal.

Spiritual healing requires the synergy of a comprehensive wholistic treatment approach that should emphasize:

>> Conscious communion with the Creator through daily meditation, sincere prayer on our knees and serious quiet study;

>> Being in tune with the whole truth of connected reality, what is simply is;

>> Being guided by higher humane spiritual principles for healthy living; and

>> Building up a strong support team for our collective empowerment as world citizens.

Drug addiction is an all-out invasion of our entire being without any mercy, prejudice or discrimination. It does not care who you think you are or what you have. Those of us fighting on the front lines of the recovery movement are in combat against a form of real chemical warfare, which many times takes place in a dangerous toxic environment. We are fighting against great odds, formidable foes and sick social conditions. We should face the fact that our lives are literally on the line in these daily battles and constant struggles for our spiritual liberty.

Many urban areas inside the United States are already combat war zones where street crime is common and the surprise of sudden death can be only around the corner. We must deal with the external enemy outside in our local environment and the internal enemy inside us that always threatens to take us out. Our lethal disease and the great forces of darkness ultimately want us dead and out of way, especially those of us who are living in the light of love, truth and faith in Creator and exposing evildoers.

“Resentment is the ‘number one’ offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.”
Source: Big Book, Chapter 5 ~ Page 64
http://www.aa.org/bigbookonline/en_bigbook_chapt5.pdf

Thus, we must engage in active combat against drug addiction on three main levels:

The Spiritual Level: We need to work on our spiritual health to cure what is essentially a spiritual sickness: know ourselves through deep soul searching, understand the past to better see the present and find out what kind of internal spiritual conflicts are going on inside of us that cause us grief, heartache and trouble today, especially our divorce from our own sacred divinity as sons and daughters of Creator God.

The Mental Level: We need to work on our mental health: come to know who we are, learn how to think in positive creative ways, understand our inner drives and motivations, discover any untreated mental disorders and train the brain to work for our own self-interest, self-esteem and self-empowerment.

The Physical Level: We need to work on our physical health: establish a basic work out program to promote physical fitness, stamina and endurance; eat consciously with diet and nutrition in mind and stay sober and free away from indulging in any harmful chemicals or poisonous toxins ~ whether they are prescribed or not.

Many people in recovery are governed by demons of fear: fear of death, fear of the truth, fear of failure, fear of intimacy and fear of exposing their true inner self to the world. These fears are common to normal ordinary people living out their lives but for recovering addicts they can have crippling effects that prevent them from functioning as mature responsible adults in today’s often-insane society. We must have faith in the Creator and faith in ourselves in order to overcome our foolish fears and have the courage to change! Indeed, as Mahatma Gandhi declared, we must be the change we seek in the world. Internal change first begins inside our own souls, then shines outward for others to clearly see.

~Spiritual Healing of a Wounded Soul~

James 5:14-16 (King James Version)
14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Spiritual healing is all about healing our wounded soul and ultimately the souls of our times. All of us can be healed to one degree or another or up to one level or another. Some hard-core addicts have already caused major damage to themselves that can only be repaired to a limited degree, but there can still be some tangible real improvement, especially in the spiritual realm where all things are possible to one who truly believes without a shadow of a doubt.

Mark 9:23 ~ King James Version
“Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.”

We need to know who we really are, our true nature, and the essence of our inner self that yearns for the free air of liberty. Have the courage to answer a divine calling for a love-motivated ministry to help others live a better life for the good of all of us.

We must clearly understand the global scope and range of drug addiction and its deeper origins in order to combat and win the war against drug addiction and its related problems. Drugs are big business and its finances are a key part of the whole corporate capitalist Empire worldwide.

We require a deep comprehension of connected reality with all its obvious connections, interconnections and complex relationships. We cannot hide out in group anonymity and refuse to claim our personal identity as addicts in recovery to the outside world. We are recovering addicts who need serious help to heal, need wholistic treatment programs, need transitional housing programs and other community survival programs to help us live healthy functional lives. It is the objective social conditions of misery, poverty and oppression that turn so many into escapism through drugs that must be recognized, explained and transformed by us. We are the new creatures we have been waiting for to help heal the world.

Ultimately, we should work on the spiritual healing of ourselves yet not ignore social conditions and our responsibility to help heal the sick society that we live in and that constantly produces more demented drug addicts, especially the youth of today who are so lost without any real consciousness. We help advance our spiritual healing by helping to heal the spirits of others.

Recall CASA Step 12 and its Scripture:
We tried to carry this Message to addicts and practice these principles in all our affairs; having had a ‘Spiritual Awakening’ as a result of working these 12-Steps.
Galatians 6:1 "My brethren, if anyone be found at fault, you who are spiritual, restore him in a spirit of meekness; and be careful lest you also be tempted.”

c/s

Easter Sunday: the Year of Our Lord 2009: by Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

2009-04-12T19:12:00.000-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2009/04/easter-sunday-year-of-our-lord-2009-by.html

Today is Easter Sunday of 2009. No matter what our personal religious beliefs, whether we are committed Christians, zany zealots or asinine atheists separated from a cosmic communion with the Creator, today is a global celebration of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth!

There are three kinds of believers: the true believer, the make believer and the non-believer. People have the humane right to believe what they want to believe. We should wisely choose our core personal beliefs with caution because many actions in connected reality are based upon our beliefs. Believe what is good, what is true, what is heartfelt and cast not your gems of wisdom before foul fools.

Our role as spiritual humane beings is to engage people in creative conversations about what is the real truth about life among the living and reject what is full of false lies. A lie is the truth perverted. The Creator has granted us free will and the right to use our own consciousness in whatever ways we want in our perception of truth. Each of us has our own version of the truth, not all minds think alike. We agree when and where our different individual truths converge and merge together in a collective way on a cosmic global level.

Naturally, Easter is widely celebrated throughout the world today, at different time zones and in different places, but the special significance of it all should not be lost on those who are caught in the cross fires of religious wars. All these many scattered struggles throughout the world are various forms of real spiritual warfare between the good forces of the light of truth and the dark forces of evil.

Over the centuries since the birth, life, crucifixion and claimed resurrection of Jesus Christ, more regional wars have been fought and more people have been killed in the name of religion that about any other insanity. Look at the great divisions that came about after the tragic Tuesday of 9-11-2001 in New York City! Before long many otherwise decent American citizens acquired a new found prejudice or disfavor against Muslim people, became even more xenophobic, especially Muslim-Arab phobic, and started looking at any male with a turban on as part of a hidden terrorist cell. Even Arab-looking Latinos became terror suspects!

Jesus Christ of Nazareth remains the premier figure in all of world history. Indeed, there has always been controversy surrounding his lifetime here upon Mother Earth and it goes on today. Only His promised return will settle these issues once for all. How could his birth be of Immaculate Conception? Who could perform such miracles as he? What prophecies were fulfilled in his lifetime? How can anyone die and be resurrected in the flesh?

Matthew Chapter 28: 1-20
1. In the evening of the sabbath day, when the first day of the week began, there came Mary of Magdala and the other Mary, to see the tomb.
2 And behold, a great earthquake took place; for the angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and went up and rolled away the stone from the door, and sat on it.
3 His appearance was like lightning, and his garments white as snow.
4 And for fear of him the guards who were watching trembled, and became as if they were dead.
5 But the angel answered and said to the women, You need not be afraid; for I know that you are seeking Jesus who was crucified.
6 He is not here, for he has risen, just as he had said. Come in, see the place where our Lord was laid.
7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead; and behold, he will be before you to Galilee; there you will see him; behold, I have told you.
8 And they went away hurriedly from the tomb with fear and with great joy, running to tell his disciples.
9 And behold, Jesus met them, and said to them, Peace be to you. And they came up and laid hold of his feet, and worshipped him.
10 Then Jesus said to them, Do not be afraid; but go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they shall see me.
11 When they were going, some of the guards came into the city, and told the high priests everything that had happened.
12 So they gathered with the elders and took counsel; and they gave money, not a small sum, to the guards,
13 Telling them, Say that his disciples came by night and stole him while we were sleeping.
14 And if this should be heard by the governor, we will appeal to him, and declare that you are blameless.
15 So they took the money, and did as they were instructed; and this word went out among the Jews, until this day.
16 The eleven disciples then went to Galilee to a mountain, where Jesus had promised to meet them.
17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him; but some of them were doubtful.
18 And Jesus came up and spoke with them, and said to them, All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Just as my Father has sent me I am also sending you.
19 Go, therefore, and convert all nations; and baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit;
20 And teach them to obey everything that I have commanded you; and, behold, I am with you all the days , to the end of the world. Amen.

Only believe deep inside and the Holy Spirit will touch your heart and with divine grace heal your wounded spirit. Modern science alone does not have all the answers.

“The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” Source: Albert Einstein on Science vs. Religion [1941]
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/albert-einstein-god-religion-theology.htm

There are many mysteries in life we still do not know that remain hidden from mortal minds yet are sensed by our inner souls. Know that for those of us who are healing every day should be a resurrection day when we are born anew to the day, shed our old selfish self off like dried dead skin and embrace a new fresh life of sober recovery, spiritual healing and helping others in our lives. Each morning should bring to our souls a new spiritual awakening!

From Matthew Chapter 10 ~
1 And he called his twelve disciples, and gave them power over the unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and sickness…
7 And as you go, preach and say, that the kingdom of heaven is near.
8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you have received, freely give.

Holy Bible Scriptures: From the Ancient Eastern Text:
George M. Lamsa's Translation From the Aramaic of the Peshitta
http://www.aramaicpeshitta.com/AramaicNTtools/dr_george_lamsa_bible.htm

The name 'Peshitta' is derived from the Syriac mappaqtâ pšîṭtâ … , literally meaning 'simple version'. However, it is also possible to translate pšîṭtâ as 'common' (that is, for all people), or 'straight', as well as the usual translation as 'simple'.

c/s

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● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/
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On Drug Use, Drug Abuse and Drug Addiction: by Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

2009-03-29T12:09:00.000-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2009/03/on-drug-use-drug-abuse-and-drug.html

Original Post: Sunday, March 29, 2009

~ A New Fresh Approach ~

Progressive recovery is a new fresh approach for the wholistic treatment of human beings who suffer from the rages and ravages of hard-core drug addiction, the harmful effects of occasional drug abuse that often begins with innocent casual drug use and who are deeply troubled by personal problems, unresolved issues and internal spiritual conflicts.

Progressive recovery for the drug addict who really wants to be free from the disease and get well emphasizes a comprehensive wholistic approach that treats the entire being in terms of the mind-body-soul trinity (‘wholistic’ is a combination of the words ‘whole’ and ‘holy’). We need to comprehend the cosmos of the whole humane being as a multi-dimensional being that is ultimately a spiritual being on the cosmic-quantum level. You are not your separate body or your independent mind. Deep down inside you are what is in your inner soul!

A drug addict has a self-destructive mentality, engages in harmful behavior and suffers from the moral, ethical and spiritual consequences of drug addiction. Usually there are deeply buried spiritual issues involved that began in early childhood, become more marked in adolescent teenage years and got worse in adulthood. It did not start suddenly overnight and there are no overnight cures. It was a long protracted process that brought about our downfall into drug addiction and its evil effects. We get well only one day at a time. Recovery is a process of digging out the bottom roots of our addiction from anything that is harmful, obsessive and damaging to the soul. It involves sobering up, working a strong recovery program and being involved in an on-going spiritual healing process in order to clean and purify our souls. The bottom roots of our drug addiction are to be dug out of the hidden darkness of our beings.

Progressive recovery advocates conscious humane development, engaging in creative pursuits and constructive community involvement for the recovering addict in order to create a new positive and progressive life-style: train the brain into a new mentality for new ways of thinking, substitute new behavior patterns for self-destructive ones and encourage new spiritual practices of prayer, meditation and serious study. We can experience a fresh spiritual awakening with each new morning when we wake up sane and sober.

Progressive recovery is far beyond the traditional A.A. and N.A. 12-Steps Program that insists on 100% sobriety, no mind-altering drugs and has anonymity as its spiritual foundation. We aim to treat, mend and cure the patient, not get him strung out on a surface recovery going to-and-fro in an endless round of meetings, not playing with tender emotions through deceit and manipulation, not burden him with guilt-trips about sins of the past, and not instill faithless fears with war and horror stories. We want to stay straight, get well and stay well, not be scared straight but truly desire to be straight in all our relations in order to appreciate all the fun, beauty, diversity and excitement of living a life.

Our spiritual foundation is an undying faith in our Creator God, not a stale empty anonymity like a secret cult. We were not anonymous when we exhibited our ‘drunken dope fiend’ behavior, why should we fake it to make it in our recovery? We should have a humble pride in our progress. Many of us already suffer from low or no self-esteem.

Sometimes medically prescribed drugs taken in the recommended dosage should be utilized as a transition period in our recovery for our general health and wellness, not as a substitute crutch. For example, taking methadone for years and not ‘dosing down’ is not real recovery, it is still selfish ‘dope fiend’ indulgence. We can be sober off our original poison of choice, keep our sobriety date from that specific poison and continue to work on our complete sobriety, continued recovery and spiritual liberty. We must move forward, not slide backwards and get caught up in cross-addiction.

Sometimes what is labeled a relapse is actually just a slip. If you slip down you need to halt, stop and think, stand up and get back involved in the spiritual healing process of progressive recovery without delay. Learn from your mistakes, forgive yourself and carry on. It takes what it takes. Remember it is about progress, not perfection.

Many times certain core concepts need to be repeated over and over again so that they are integrated into our core consciousness and become part of our inner being. At regular recovery meetings various versions of the original A.A. 12-Steps are repeated at each gathering because together they are the basis for communion with the Creator, keep us in conscious awareness of our real life present situation and help us build up our inner character so that we are Honest, Open-minded and Willing to transform our lives for the better. That is HOW the program works!

We should have clear definitions of words and need to continue to refine these definitions as time goes by as we achieve greater and greater clarity in the conscious present of the here and now, out of the fogs and clouds of past confusion. Power is the dual capacity to correctly define connected reality and change connected reality in a desired way. We desire power over our own lives so we can make them functional, productive and manageable as we live life on life’s terms, not having the power of drugs over us determining the quality of our lives, but conquering our drug addiction in the drug war, staying straight one day at a time, humbly helping others and thereby helping ourselves.

~ Drug Use ~

Unconscious drug use usually ends up in one suffering from the disease of hard drug addiction which exhibits mental illness, physical weakness and spiritual sickness. This is a dis-ease that impacts on the entirety of our whole being. We are not in a state of sanity, not comfortable in our own skin and there is no stable serenity in our restless spirit.

Definitely, a drug is a drug is a drug. There are different kinds of drug use, not all drug users are drug addicts. Whether it is legally prescribed or an illegal street drug a drug remains a drug, even alcohol is a liquid drug. The alcoholic is a drug addict. However, tobacco and coffee are also drugs. The truth is that we live in a drug promoting culture.

The spectrum of addiction usually begins innocent enough with casual drug use as a youngster. It could just be a beer snuck out at a family gathering, maybe later on a joint offered by an older dude, just one puff… then the hard stuff. Slowly but surely, one starts to check out the drug scene and experiment with drugs. It is a cool thing to do with those in the ‘in’ crowd. We want to be cool, with it and hip in the eyes of our homies, some of whom do not even have a home. There could be a lot of social peer pressure by one’s friends to indulge in various drugs; it could be the local happening at the party, condoned by those we look up to as authority figures and readily available in the environment: in the medicine cabinet, right next door, outside on the corner or at the local store. What started out as weekend recreation becomes an all week fixation.

Over time, drug use that is unchecked can gradually get worse with more disastrous results and complications that can include:

* Severe depression that can lead to suicidal attempts
* DUI arrests, problems with the law and imprisonment
* Infection with HIV through shared needles and other deadly diseases
* Unsafe sexual practices, which may result in unwanted pregnancies, sexually
transmitted diseases and hepatitis
* Ruined personal relationships with our blood families and loved ones
* Loss of job and means of survival, failure in school and loss of self-esteem
* Problems with cognition: loss of memory, short attention span and inability to concentrate for any length of time.
* Learning disability, chronic brain dysfunction and brain damage
* Drug overdose, trips to the ER and possibly an untimely early physical death

To refresh, there is drug use, drug abuse and drug addiction and these three forms of drug taking are not necessarily the same though all forms of drug indulgence can endanger our health. Health is the greatest wealth of all and addiction destroys good wholistic health.

~ Drug Abuse ~

Drug abuse is using a drug to excess. It makes us dysfunctional and unable to live a normal ordinary healthy life. If it is a legal prescription prescribed by your doctor taken beyond the recommended dosage it is abuse of the drug beyond its intended medical purpose. This sounds like common sense, but sometimes the ‘stinkin’ thinkin’’ of the addict mind can twist logic for its’ own dead ends.

A physical dependence on a chemical substance for health reasons in order to function is not actual active addiction. Some drugs (for example, a diabetic taking insulin or blood pressure medication) do not cause addiction but can cause real physical dependence, but its use is within the recommended dosage. Other drugs can cause addiction without obvious physical dependence, but there can be a psychological dependence when one is habitually conditioned to ‘getting high’ that is as real as physical drug dependency. Thus, drug use can easily lead to drug abuse and the drug dependence of long-term chronic addiction. It can be a slippery slope into the depths of hell on Earth with landmines, booby traps and IEDs all along the way!

The exact cause of chronic drug addiction is not fully known and can vary with the individual. One’s genes, early childhood, drug history and environmental factors all can be factors working alone or in combination against us. Many people who creep from drug use to drug abuse end up becoming addicts who can suffer from one or more psychological disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, attention deficit disorder, clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or another psychological problem whose roots can usually be found hidden deep in the spiritual realm.

~ Drug Addiction ~

Main Entry: ad•dic•tion
Pronunciation: \ə-ˈdik-shən\
Function: noun
: compulsive physiological need for and use of a habit-forming substance (as heroin, nicotine, or alcohol) characterized by tolerance and by well-defined physiological symptoms upon withdrawal; broadly : persistent compulsive use of a substance known by the user to be physically, psychologically, or socially harmful—compare habituation

Addiction or chemical dependency occurs when one crosses the thin shifting line separating drug abuse from addiction and goes down into complete dependency on a drug. It is usually marked by one who obsessively and compulsively seeks to use a substance without regard to the potential negative life consequences. The brain’s neurotransmitters of the ‘gotta’ get it’ of dopamine and the ‘ahh, got it’ of serotonin creates an actual chemical chain reaction that enslaves the ‘dope fiend’ caught in the vicious circle of addiction. One is never satisfied once the drug wears off and the run for more is on again. He becomes a dope fiend! The drive to use is not only mental-spiritual addiction, but motivated by the physical need to maintain a certain level of the drug in the system at all times and at all costs. I got to at least get a buzz or I’ll burst!

If this level is not reached the drug addicts reacts by showing severe withdrawal symptoms that may include nausea and vomiting, insomnia, diarrhea, bone and muscle aches, migraine headaches, clinical depression and in some hard core cases a heart attack or even death. Dope kills someone every day and night!

The point is: drug addiction attacks all of our entire being, the mind, body and soul. We must wake up or perish with no one else to blame but ourselves. Do you have life insurance and burial plans?

~ Early Treatment ~

To begin treatment for drug addiction requires us to first overcome the demon of denial about our life-threatening problem. We have far less denial if we are treated with humane empathy and personal respect, not condemning confrontation. We require a conscious commitment to a strong progressive recovery program, an honest daily personal inventory of our assets and liabilities and daily maintenance, not merely short-term abstinence in physical sobriety. We need to transform ourselves and our ways of being alive. Until you get rid of all forms of denial discussion about how to proceed with proper treatment is useless, pointless and a waste of energy.

Early treatment of drug dependency depends on the drug being used and involves weaning off the drug gradually (detoxification). Detoxification is the gradual withdrawal of an abused substance in a controlled environment. A prescribed drug with a similar action can be taken instead, to reduce the side effects and risks of withdrawal. It can be done on an inpatient or outpatient basis. Follow your doctor’s order. Do not be your own pharmacist or quack doctor. People with acute intoxication or drug overdose should see a medical professional and may need emergency treatment. Continued medical treatment should include individual, family, a support group and long-term professional counseling by a therapist, a trusted pastor or wise guide. Remember: recovery is actually a medical term as when one is in recovery from a sickles or ailment. Keep it simple, you have already complicated your life by having a deadly disease.

Get a good medical diagnosis, work on your progressive recovery program as if your life depends on it and the prognosis for the future is a life actually worth living. If it is to come true it is ultimately up to you!

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http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Blog
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/
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On Creating Order Out of Disorder: by Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

2009-02-22T22:40:00.000-08:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2009/02/on-creating-order-out-of-disorder-by.html

Posted: Sunday, February 22, 2009

Main Entry: 1or•der
Pronunciation: \ˈȯr-dər\
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): or•dered; or•der•ing \ˈȯr-d(ə-)riŋ\
Etymology: Middle English, from ordre, noun
Date: 13th century
transitive verb1: to put in order : arrange2 a: to give an order to : command b: destine , ordain c: to command to go or come to a specified place d: to give an order for intransitive verb1: to bring about order : regulate2 a: to issue orders : command b: to give or place an order
— or•der•able \-ə-bəl\ adjective
— or•der•er \-dər-ər\ noun

~ Life on Life’s Terms ~

Life is a protracted process that begins at birth, endures a lifetime and ends in mortal death. It is all a process where we are born, we live a life and then we die and suffer physical death in the end. No one gets out of here alive. However, the spirit can live on in the memories of those living whose lives we touched along the way. If the human spirit itself is eternal as a God-seed then death is but a cosmic portal that transfers life-energy from one being into another through endless reincarnations.

Simplify the complex and try not to complicate the simple. Even though some will always argue at what point life begins, let us accept as our point of departure that the journey of life begins at the time of the miracle of one’s human birth: our natal birth date. We are first born innocent and ignorant as children not knowing social morals, humane ethics or right from wrong. We are born into a sick sinful world crammed full of social contradictions due to social circumstances outside of our control, but we start out pure, sincere and spotless without sin. Where do you see the sin in an infant child?

Life can be a fascinating long winding journey with sudden twists and odd turns, not a set destination mapped out all before us. Along the way we go through different stages of human development from early childhood, to teenage adolescence and, if we live long enough, we grow into mature adulthood and a ripened old age as Elders. In the life-process many of us get scars, sustain wounds and suffer collateral damage. We undergo many tests, trials and tribulations that can either help build up the fiber of our inner character, making us older and wiser; or leave us broken down and lost out in the wilderness of a wasted life. Without spiritual healing, we end up sick and ill at ease suffering from assorted disorders that cripple and maim leaving us diseased and unfit for enjoying a good life. One such disease is drug addiction or chemical dependency, but there are many forms of addiction.

Functional Definition of Addiction: A chronic relapsing condition characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain. Addiction is the same irrespective of whether the drug is alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, or nicotine. Every addictive substance induces pleasant states or relieves distress. Continued use of the addictive substance induces adaptive changes in the brain that lead to tolerance, physical dependence, uncontrollable craving and, all too often, relapse. Dependence is at such a point that stopping is very difficult and causes severe physical and mental reactions from withdrawal.
Source: http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=10177

Hard core addiction is ultimately a spiritual disease which can be healed if we are honest, open and willing to be healed by Creator God. We seek the spiritual healing of our souls, must overcome the demon of any denial about the affliction of addiction, should humbly repent of our sins and need to experience a genuine spiritual conversion on the good path of righteousness to help guarantee our wellness. Let us get rid of false fear, let go of the fragile ego and let the divine will of Creator God govern our lives.

Jeremiah 17:14 (NIV) ~ Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.

In the process of our spiritual healing we must put our lives in order so we can live happy, healthy and fruitful lives free of all evil addictions. Life will not always come out the way we want all the time. We must accept life on life’s terms as it comes at us because it is what it is. Roll with the punches. Keep learning, keep growing and keep expanding your cosmic consciousness beyond any selfish individualism. You are a creature of the Creator of the cosmos; strive to be one with the cosmos, not always stressing in opposition to forces far greater than you. Work hard on your daily sobriety, your continued recovery and enlighten you spiritual growth in order to be released from the prisons and disorders of all harmful addictions, including drug addiction, and ultimately strive to achieve true spiritual liberty.

~ Spiritual Origin of Mental Disorders ~

Many so-called mental disorders are ultimately spiritual in origin. We need to remember, recognize and resolve the grief, pain and damage deep down inside our souls that could have first come about during early childhood or other life experiences. With deep prayer, conscious meditation and spiritual discernment from the Holy Spirit we can examine our past in order to clearly understand what happened to us, what made us what we are today and help us determine what kind of humane being we want to be in the future. All genuine knowledge comes from direct experience. Self-knowledge is the root of all knowledge. We must know ourselves in order to better accept, love and understand others. On the cosmic and quantum levels we are all from one source: the Creator. We should live a conscious life as an actor upon life, not merely exist mindlessly subject to passing winds of doctrine, swaying debates and the comings and goings of others living out their own lives.

The existence of the hard core addict is a prime example of a hand-to-mouth existence, not an actual real vibrant living life. It is an out-of-order existence without any balance, harmony and serenity. An addict is an addict is an addict. He suffers from the evil lifestyle of drug addiction yet, as a rule, there are deep inner spiritual conflicts that must be resolved in order for him to live a full life with its rich rewards, riches and responsibilities.

“… I am strongly convinced that the evil principle prevailing in this world leads the unrecognized spiritual need into perdition, if it is not counteracted either by real religious insight or by the protective wall of human community. An ordinary man, not protected by an action from above and isolated in society, cannot resist the power of evil, which is called very aptly the Devil…”
Source: Letter to Bill Wilson from Dr.Carl Jung of January 30, 1961
http://www.thejaywalker.com/pages/jung_ltr.html

No one is doomed and predestined to be a drug addict. The addict himself can convince himself otherwise in order to rationalize his state of being because of his own character defects. Character defects can be summed up in the seven deadly sins: pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and sloth.

Sometimes our own mental blocks prevent us from remembering the true history of our mental disorders that can only be cleared away through inner reflection and spiritual revelation. Memories can be painful. We have to go through the pain to get any gain and face our fears head on, In many ways, present-day society is insane and controlled by a cold callous government with upside down priorities. Many millions suffer in silent agony with mental-spiritual disorders.

“Mental disorders are common in the United States and internationally. An estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older — about one in four adults — suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. When applied to the 2004 U.S. Census residential population estimate for ages 18 and older, this figure translates to 57.7 million people. Even though mental disorders are widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion — about 6 percent, or 1 in 17 — who suffer from a serious mental illness. In addition, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the U.S. and Canada for ages 15-44. Many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time. Nearly half (45 percent) of those with any mental disorder meet criteria for 2 or more disorders, with severity strongly related to comorbidity.”
Source:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-numbers-count-mental-disorders-in-america/index.shtml

The standard ‘copy, cut and paste’ treatment for the so-called mentally ill is shallow psychoanalysis in a rigid group setting, long-term individual therapy by an expensive professional psychiatrist and/or a regimen of prescription drugs to be faithfully taken like a new religion. These traditional treatment methods merely treat symptoms but mask core issues at the bottom of a given mental disorder and the spiritual origins of disorders. Many times the patient, especially if he is a recovering drug addict, merely switches chemical addictions from illegal drugs to legal pharmaceutical drugs, making the medical-drug industry richer and the patient poorer than ever without any thought of seeking a real cure and spiritual healing instead of self-medicating. Many recovering addicts are written off as incurable and hopeless by those who make huge profits from the sad misery of patients. God forbid the patient actually recovers, gets well and lives a healthy life without being strung out on prescription drugs!

To make matter worse, many naïve people without a real understanding of medical science easily accept artificial labels being thrown over them without questioning the validity of those labels. People cannot be easily explained and identified with surface psychiatric labels like store products on a shelf. Some give up on themselves, settle for a legal certified diagnosis of mental disability and sell out their souls in order to get a steady SSI check. A classic dope fiend move is trying to find the easy lazy way out without any real work required; instead of creating a personal self-help wholistic healing program, raising one’s self-esteem to a new high level, nurturing spiritual growth and developing one’s wholistic health in general.

Many medical professionals have biased opinions against there even being a real cure for addiction, believing in the mantra of ‘once an addict, always an addict’. They flat line clinical analyses about the patient to only the two mental and physical dimensions: the mind and the body. They forget the spiritual essence of the patient, the key role of spiritual healing and exploring alternative wholistic methods of treatment. We are spiritual beings living inside physical bodies that possess a spirit. The healer must treat the entire patient as a whole entity. A wider wholistic treatment template in the triad of the mental, physical and spiritual dimensions is mandatory in order to bring about a real lasting cure for the mind, body and soul. Plus, the patient himself must consciously and passionately participate in his own healing in harmony with the Creator and the help of a spiritual healer.

~ Living Manageable Lives ~

We must put our lives in order, stay straight and seek a wholistic state of general health that nourishes the mind, body and soul as we are complex three-dimensional beings. The mind commands, the body functions and the spirit guides.

Our CASA Step #1 and related Scripture is:
1. We admitted we were powerless over our drug addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable.
Matthew 9:36 “When Jesus saw the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were tired and scattered, like sheep which have no shepherd.”

We must learn how to make our lives manageable and keep them manageable without falling down into a chronic relapse pattern away from a real cure. Dying then thinking we are born again when we are still dead in sin with a short time of physical sobriety is no way out.

The healing soul must bring himself under control and learn different management methods to help make his life manageable: time management of his daily schedule and set routines; emotional management that includes anger, depression, anxiety and other emotional states; financial management in order to optimize financial resources and the investigation of other basic practical forms of self-management for making our lives more stable, solvent and manageable.

First of all, we must stay in shape, be willing to work hard and be capable of providing for our own basic survival needs as mature humane beings: nutritional food, proper clothing, decent shelter, medical care and quality education. If we have disabilities we have extra challenges to overcome in order to maximize our potential, but we must never give up on ourselves, sell ourselves short and wallow in selfish self-pity. Each of us has our own level of willpower, measure of faith and dispensation of divine grace.

Beyond the physical, we have real spiritual needs that we must meet so we can become loving humane beings who exhibit tender care, true concern and genuine compassion for all living beings. To raise our self-esteem to a high level we require self-love, self-respect and self-confidence; trusting that we can be independent and take care of ourselves, though we are ultimately interdependent on others in society. We must start all over again, learn to live anew and be re-born.

1 Peter 1:23 (NIV) ~ For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

Life is for the living is meant to be lived in good health. Since we are ultimately spiritual beings we should learn to live by a set of spiritual principles that give our lives true meaning, structure and purpose because they incorporate spiritual principles, moral values and humane ethics for living well in society. Thus, many millions of people worldwide participate in one kind of recovery group based upon the 12-Steps Program or another for self-help, depending upon their specific area of concern.

~ CASA Mission Statement ~

CASA (Christians Against Substance Addiction) is a progressive Christian recovery group based upon the original A.A. 12-Steps Program. The spiritual principles and practices of our CASA 12-Steps Program with its related Biblical Scriptures come from the wisdom of the Holy Bible, as did the basis ideas of the original A.A. 12-Steps. We have not forgotten the Christian roots of A.A.; claim Creator God as our Higher Power with faith in God as the foundation for all our spiritual traditions, not an obscure anonymity.
Source:
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/11/on-character-defects-shortcomings-and.html

The beauty of the basic 12-Steps Program is that it helps people to openly admit their real powerlessness over a particular problem, promotes a belief in a Higher Power for help with a solution and humbles us to turn our self-will over to Creator God as we understand Him (Steps One, Two and Three). It encourages us to make an honest moral inventory of ourselves, admit our wrongs to another humane being and God in order to remove our major character defects and shortcomings (Steps Four, Five, Six and Seven), then, instructs us to make a list of person we have harmed and make safe amends to those we have wronged (Steps Eight and Nine). It follows up with continued personal inventory, admitting wrong promptly and improving our conscious contact with God (Steps Ten and Eleven). Finally, it teaches us to carry this Message to those who still suffer and to daily practice these principles after having received a true Spiritual Awakening (Step Twelve).

As A.A. Co-Founder Dr. Bob revealed:
“It wasn’t until 1938 that the teachings and efforts and studies that had been going on were crystallized in the form of the Twelve Steps. I didn’t write the Twelve Steps. I had nothing to do with the writing of them. . . . We already had the basic ideas, though not in terse and tangible form. We got them, as I said, as a result of our study of the Good Book.”
Source: The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their Last Major Talks. NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., 1972, 1975, pp. 11-14): http://www.dickb.com/Christian_Endeavor.shtml

It should be clear to anyone with an open mind that these 12-Steps were inspired by the basic spiritual principles embodied in the Holy Bible and in harmony with ancient teachings from many wise masters. It is a basic common sense self-help program for character development, self-empowerment and improving our general relationships that should be practiced by all people who want to get their lives in a sound order and out of chaos and confusion. It is a basic humane program with definite spiritual principles that are applicable and universal for all people!

~ No Magical Quick Fix ~

There is no magical quick fix or cheap easy cure for all the many disorders and diseases that plague humankind. A personal spiritual awakening should be a daily event when we awaken with a clear conscious mind, a healthy body and a serene spirit. Getting strung out on prescription drugs is no medical answer, though if need be they can be utilized during a transition period before one refrains from all external drugs and practices complete abstinence from all mind-altering, mood-altering or intoxicating drugs. The long-term goal is for us all to be sane and sober without the use of ingesting any man-made drugs. Find your true inner self, and get a natural high out of life without any artificial highs or lows.

Beyond long-term chemical dependency, many recovering addicts are afflicted by an array of other mental disorders, such as, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Bipolar Disorder (BD), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and other ailments hidden in the inner soul waiting to be released.

Deuteronomy 4:28-30 (New International Version)
28 There you will worship man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. 29 But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. 30 When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him.

It all has to come from the inside, from the soul of our inner self in communion with the Creator. Sobriety is the starting gate on the road of recovery as we work towards true spiritual liberty from the misery of poverty, from human ignorance, from false beliefs and distractions from the divine.

Matthew 22:36-40 (New International Version)
36"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[b] 38This is the first and greatest commandment. 39And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[c] 40All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

The order you seek must first come from within your own soul, then seek solutions outside of yourself. Love, forgive and accept yourself as a Creature of the Creator. Learn from any reliable source you can, explore other alternative treatment methods, utilize all the tools you can acquire and fall deep in love with yourself in harmony with the boundless unconditional love of your Creator.

Job 25:2 (NIV)
“2 Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven.”

Understand and accept yourself just as you are. Make a solid decision to get your life in order in harmony with the Creator and to save your own soul!

c/s
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● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Blog
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/
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On Creating Self-Esteem in Recovery: By Peter S. Lopez

2009-01-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2009/01/on-creating-self-esteem-in-recovery-by.html

Sunday, January 18, 2009

~Defining Self-Esteem~

esteem~
3 entries found.

Main Entry: ¹es·teem

Pronunciation: \i-ˈstēm\

Function: noun

Date: 14th century

1 archaic : worth , value 2archaic : opinion , judgment 3: the regard in which one is held ; especially : high regard esteem we all feel for her>

Using the above lexical definition, the practice of drug addiction is a manifestation of low or no self-esteem and the drug addict has little or no tangible worth to society, no redeeming value as a humane being and has at most a low opinion of himself with little or no moral sound judgment. Actually, the level of low or no self-esteem was already present in the individual before the drug addiction became a central concern and usually involved the family of origin, early childhood environment, cultural settings and the governing social conditions during the life growth process.

For example, he may have been born into poverty without economic advantages, educational opportunities, challenged by his environment and not even have the boots to lift himself up out of poverty. He is a product of the immediate surroundings of his family, his community and the cultural matrix he was born into prior to achieving consciousness of himself in the world at large.

No sane person makes a logical rational decision to become a diseased drug addict and ruin their lives ending up homeless, in prison or in failed relationships with little or no self-esteem. Thus, the recovering addict involved in a solid 12-Steps Program must make clear, consistent and conscientious efforts at creating, developing and raising true self-esteem.

Strong self-esteem is composed of three essential elements:

Self-love
Self-respect
Self-confidence

People who have pure love and high respect for themselves will have the confidence of capacity to boldly face critical challenges that come before them, find basic solutions to social problems and be able to overcoming obstacles in life because they have high self-esteem. Strong self-esteem is an inside job that is internally generated, self-combustible and consciously worked on by the self-motivated individual. It comes out from within one’s inner self and is not dependent on anyone else or other elements in the social environment. The person with high self-esteem does not require external stimuli, whether it is pain or pleasure, in order to achieve set goals. He has and keeps priorities clear before him. He is positive-minded, practical and progressive. He is ready, willing and able to work hard in order to have his dreams come true in real life. He turns himself on in a natural high and creates his own life energy with an inner faith in his own inner resources, natural talents and learned skills. His love of life and the light of love guides the way, especially in harmony with the divine will of Creator God.

True humility with modesty must be a component of self-esteem. We are not the center of the cosmos; we are but fragile creatures of the great Creator God. We exist in a vast cosmos filled with zillions of galaxies packed up with solar systems, planets, moons and other celestial objects. We are but sparkling specks of dust on an endless beach of countless grains of sand. We should be humble in order to advance, blossom and flourish in our personal lives. Humility is a true inner strength that helps us learn and advance in life, not a weakness. False pride often boasts before a fall. Our true pride is modest, humble and has confidence because of past accomplishments, an appreciation of the gift of the present with its endless potential and an inner vision of the future.

~ Components and Elements of Self-Esteem ~

From: Healthy Self Esteem: By Nathaniel Branden, PhD
http://www.nathanielbranden.com/catalog/articles_essays/healthy_self_esteem.html

Self-esteem has two essential components:

• Self-efficacy: Confidence in the ability to cope with life’s challenges. Self-efficacy leads to a sense of control over one’s life.

• Self-respect: Experience oneself as deserving of happiness, achievement and love.

Self-respect makes possible a sense of community with others. Strengthening self-esteem is not a quick or easy process. We can’t do it directly. Self-esteem is a consequence of following fundamental internal practices that require an ongoing commitment to self-examination. I call these practices the “Six Pillars of Self-Esteem”:

Living consciously: Paying attention to information and feedback about needs and goals … facing facts that might be uncomfortable or threatening … refusing to wander through life in a self-induced mental fog.

Plus: Being here now, staying alert, being aware of awareness, staying focused, using all our common senses and not being easily distracted by dumbness or diverted by passing winds of doctrine. The key is living life in a balanced harmony with your own truth, spiritual principles and personal experiences in mind.

Self-acceptance: Being willing to experience whatever we truly think, feel or do, even if we don’t always like it … facing our mistakes and learning from them.

Plus: Accepting ourselves just as we are, imperfect but making steady progress. Admitting what comes into our consciousness, right or wrong, constantly analyzing ourselves in order to know ourselves better with self-love, self-knowledge and loving forgiveness.

Self-responsibility: Establishing a sense of control over our lives by realizing we are responsible for our choices and actions at every level … the achievement of our goals … our happiness … our values.

Plus: Being accountable to ourselves in all our ways with the response ability to cope with connected reality as it comes up, living life on life’s terms, engaging in honest self-criticism and doing a daily inventory to stay fresh and for real.

Self-assertiveness: The willingness to express appropriately our thoughts, values and feelings … to stand up for ourselves … to speak and act from our deepest convictions.

Plus: Speaking one’s truth out loud and clear no matter what the situation or else not lying, deceiving or exaggerating. Standing up for one’s humane rights and protesting when they are offended as an advocate for one’s self-esteem.

Living purposefully: Setting goals and working to achieve them, rather than living at the mercy of chance and outside forces … developing self-discipline.

Plus: Understanding that to live a life with purpose one should have a purpose in life, setting general goals and establishing specific objectives to achieve those goals with a basic plan of action. One must have direction, discipline and determination to win in the war of life.

Integrity: The integration of our behavior with our ideals, convictions, standards and beliefs … acting in congruence with what we believe is right.

Plus: Being honest with ourselves and others in all our communications, having our spiritual principles and personal practices be in harmony without false hypocrisy or being phony. Being a talking testimony, walking witness and living example for our own self-esteem and helping others raise their own self-esteem primarily through setting a personal example.

~ Love as an Essential Ingredient of Self-Esteem ~

Above all, the recovering addict must be guided by pure love for one’s self, then a pure love for others. If we do not love our inner self on an individual basis we cannot love others as we cannot give what we do not have within us to give. We show our self-love by taking care of our own self. We are busy meeting our own needs by depending on our own individual efforts, by taking care of our wholistic health, including holding onto our sobriety, by working on our spiritual growth with an eye on our own personal liberation as humane beings. We must have care, concern and compassion for others as humane beings, especially our own inner self. Life is sacred and the present is a precious gift from God. Indeed, each of us is a unique creature of the Creator on a grand cosmic level.

Galatians 5:14 (21st Century King James Version)

14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

~ Healing Ourselves by Creating Self-Esteem ~

In many ways, we live in a sick insane world full of global problems such as regional wars, social plagues and assorted diseases. It is certainly dysfunctional. Thus, many people have critical issues in their lives they need to recognize, resolve and work on in order to become balanced creative humane beings. For many reasons people require recovery from the many ills that they have inherited, accumulated or acquired in their lives, not just the recovering addict. In fact, as a rule the recovering addict is more awake and consciously aware of obvious character defects or vices than others who consider themselves to be among the so-called normal or 'normies'. Recovery has universal benefits and global applications.

Our personal self-esteem has been injured by our own bad choices and wrong decisions that proved to be harmful and damaging to us and all our relations.

Many people may not even know on a conscious level that they have serious character defects or vices that can be summed up in the seven deadly sins: pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and sloth. It is our own character defects or vices that are at the root of our assorted addictions, not any imaginary devil. It is up to us to seek a cure and work on our spiritual healing as humane beings in harmony with the Great Creator. For healing people, being in possession of high self-esteem means being fully accountable and responsible for all our thoughts, words and actions as mature humane beings, not being dysfunctional in any way.

Ultimately our progressive recovery can be a lonely existence because in many ways we have to go it alone, learn to understand the personal experiences only we have gone through on an existential level and no one else can do our own personal work of spiritual healing ourselves from deep within. Naturally we do get moral group support, combat individual isolation and get a sense of community by being involved in a 12-Steps recovery group, but ultimately it is up to each of us to work on our own daily sobriety, progressive recovery and spiritual healing on an individual basis. You must clean your own self.

On a wholistic individual level, I am a humane being in the trinity of the mind-body-soul matrix. I am a spiritual being with a thinking mind living inside a physical body. Thus, I need to work on creating self-esteem and healing myself on three levels: the mind, the body and the soul.

~ Tools for Creating Self-esteem ~

For the mind: constantly raising our consciousness; studying relevant literature; doing a daily journal; improving our level of literacy in terms of reading, writing and comprehension; going to constructive open meetings and engaging in relevant discussions; listening to the ideas and opinions of others, even if we disagree with them; taking time out for quiet reflections and private analyzes.

For the body: paying attention to our nutritional needs; when possible getting a basic physical examination; developing a physical-fitness workout program, including yoga and martial arts; taking vitamin supplements and other nutrients; continuing to work on combating all forms of chemical-substance addiction, including tobacco and inessential prescription drugs.

For the soul: taking time out for heartfelt prayer when we speak to the Creator and deep meditation when we listen to the Creator; feeling in harmony with our own inner spirit without internal spiritual conflict; when we can, spending time out with nature away from the hustle and bustle of city scenes and urban noises. Being still in our beingness and at peace in our sane serenity.

~ A Time to Heal ~

During our past indulgence in the many evils of drug addiction and the whole dope fiend subculture of confused chaos, moral depravity and wild wretchedness many of us lost our own inner self-esteem, if we ever had any. We found ourselves without any genuine self-love, personal self-respect and true self-confidence. We will need time to mend our ways, time to heal our wounds and time to build up and create ourselves anew as mature sober-minded functional humane beings that have care, concern and compassion for all sentient living beings, including ourselves. We need time to discover who we really are, what our true purpose in life is and time to dream of what we can be in the future one moment at a time.

On the cosmic and quantum levels we are all one in the heart of the Creator because we are actually creatures of the Divine Creator. Our grief, separation and divorce came in when we forget where we came from and who we are as creatures of the Divine Creator. Remember who you are and become a member of the human family. Love yourself and create your own self-esteem. If it is to come true it is up to you!

c/s

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● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/

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http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/
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On Being a Christian in Recovery:by Peter S Lopez aka: Peta

2008-11-23T19:15:00.000-08:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/11/on-being-christian-in-recovery-by-peter.html

First Posted: Sunday, November 23, 2008

~ Just One Day at A Time ~

To my recollection, sometime after I came back from Phoenix around 1986, I first went to an A.A. Meeting by the old Beers Book store that was on the corner on 15th and L Streets. The guy there mentioned something about not having another drink the rest of my life. I thought I had gotten mixed up with a crazy cult of some kind. I had a quart of beer right after the meeting. I could see the wisdom of staying sober for a short time, especially when I was broke, but could not grasp the ideal of staying sober the rest of my life without booze! Thus, though I had been a practicing alcoholic for a long time, at least since my late teens, I was not really hip to the idea of being into recovery one day at a time.

Finally, years later around 1995, after being hooked on ‘crank’ for about two years out in Del Paso Heights, I became homeless like so many street addicts and went to Loaves and Fishes for a free lunch. Someone told me about the Salvation Army Emergency Shelter across the street and so I went to go check it out after lunch. I was pleasantly surprised to see that my old Cousin Elias N. was the Food Manager and he got me into Sally’s for the first time. Thus, I went into Sally’s for temporary shelter from the storms of life I had brought about in my life.

The first time I was at Sally’s I was there for only a few days, met a drinking buddy, left and got drunk. A few months later, I ended up there again, lasted a little longer, and then went out, got drunk and stayed with a friend. Sometimes our best friends can be our worst enemies without meaning to be so. Now I have learned to choose my friends wisely, especially if I want to stay sober.

~ Early Involvement with CASA ~

About the third time I went into Sally’s, I stayed longer and began to seriously work a recovery program. I attended A.A. and N.A. Meetings and started checking out a Christian recovery group called CASA. At the time, CASA Meetings were led by a guy named Jack P. I got turned onto the idea of being a Christian in recovery. This early CASA Group, which at the time stood for Christians Against Substance Abuse, was key in my early understanding about the whole problem of substance addiction and seeking a spiritual solution, but it was not all that easy for me to first get involved in the recovery process. There were snags, traps and landmines up ahead. Sometimes we have to fall down a few times before we can get it, stay straight and walk on a spiritual path in life. It takes what it takes.

A couple of weeks after I started going to CASA Meetings led by Jack P. there was one Sunday when there was no CASA Meeting and I got worried. I found out that Jack P. had went out and relapsed on a dope run and was holed up licking his wounds at a nearby three story house on the corner of 15th and D Streets called The Steps House at the time. It was a ‘clean and sober’ place renting out shared rooms for those who wanted to get straight. It eventually faded out because of what I believe were the character defects of the people in charge of it all. Anyway, being nervous in my early recovery, I talked to an ailing Jack P. He suggested that if I was interested in keeping the CASA Group going that I should talk to a Staff Member at Sally’s called Neal M., now at Counselor at Guest House for homeless people with mental health issues. So I went to Neal M. and he gave me the basic CASA 12-Steps they had going at the time, which were the regular A.A. 12-Steps with related Christian scriptures for each step. It has been revised and updated since then and CASA now stands for Christians Against Substance Addiction.

I really felt that God wanted us to stay sober, get involved in the healing process of recovery and work on our spiritual growth using the ancient wisdom of the Word of God contained in the Holy Bible. For the first time in my adult life, I felt free from the enslavement of my own addiction to alcohol and other mind-altering drugs. However, my life was not all of a sudden filled with little butterflies and pretty rainbows. There were still growing pains to go through and endure.

~ Relapse and Continued Recovery ~

I was hired by Salvation Army, moved out into a room by 18th and P Streets, quit my job at Sally’s and went to work at De-tox with VOA. Not the best choice for a recovering addict, especially being around drunks with hangovers and considering my tendency for co-dependency towards others. Long story short, I relapsed, went back to Sally’s as a client and got back on the recovery horse after falling off the wagon. I applied for and was accepted into Mather Community Campus where I lived from August 2000 to July 2002. MCC is a great 2-year HUD transitional housing & employment program for homeless people, most of who are in recovery from one addiction or disorder or another. One day at a time.

While at Mather I kept going back to Sally’s every Sunday to lead CASA Meetings and help others in recovery. However, after I left Mather with over two years clean and sober I was out of a safe supportive environment and with no strong after-care program in place. Predictably I started drinking alcohol again and gradually drifted away from my sober recovery back into my old family plague: alcoholism.

Long story short, I kept drinking, got a couple of jobs as a Care Worker with In-Home Support Services, lost my housing becoming homeless again, then moved back into Sally’s on July 24, 2004 = my new sobriety date.

Now I am employed once again by the Salvation Army as a Caseworker-Counselor and still help lead CASA Meetings. CASA is a hard group to keep going on a regular basis because it is staged in a homeless shelter. Other than a few veterans who pop in once in a while we have no regular membership. Faces change all the time at our CASA Meetings as many clients hope to move on into one kind of temporary transitional housing program or another. Life itself is one long transition. Through thick and thin, no matter what, we should stay sane and sober, continue to work on our recovery program, nurture our spiritual growth and enhance our overall humane development as humane being. At all times we should strive to be sincere and in harmony with basic humane-spiritual principles as spiritual beings living inside physical bodies.

~ A Homeless Addict in Recovery ~

Being a homeless drug addict in recovery from substance addiction and trying to stay out of the whole dope fiend lifestyle is one of the hardest struggles and greatest challenges for one to go through in life, especially trying to be a ‘for real’ Christian believer who has humane compassion for people, not a phony make-believer who is faking it for one kind of selfish reason or another.

For us, being a Christian in recovery means that we have to go through a real deep spiritual awakening that involves a true Christian conversion wherein we accept the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth as our Lord and Savior without reservations. We become a true believer, not a make-believer. We study the Holy Bible as the great book of wisdom for its spiritual principles and closely examine religious spiritual teachings that help us live a good spiritual life free from the errors of mortal sin, including the evil ways of drug addiction.

Basically, recovery is a medical term when one who has been ill gets well from a dis-ease, is at ease in their wellness and is fundamentally recovered while still working on his continued recovery, spiritual growth and wholistic health. A physical shaky sobriety alone with no strong recovery program online is never enough for us. We seek a real cure for the affliction of addiction, not a shaky sobriety always being subject to a sudden slip or severe relapse, but a real genuine wholistic cure.

After one has made a decision to wake up, get straight and achieves a measure of sobriety time, then, one should get consciously involved in the whole healing process of long-term recovery. One works the basic 12-Steps with a guide, sponsor or mentor; daily practices basic humane-spiritual principles; attends group meetings that promote spiritual healing, not only regular recovery meetings, but also other gatherings that foster mental health, spiritual healing and physical fitness; strives to keep in constant communion with the Creator by prayer, meditation and studying the Holy Bible; works on one’s self-esteem and on creating good healthy relationships with others in life. We have been damaged in many ways and must do what we can to repair the damage we have done to ourselves, our families, our communities and our world. We must work on a strong spiritual sobriety, progressive recovery and focus on our wholistic health so that we do not slip into the darkness of drug addiction ever again. Our unique disease is basically spiritual in nature, not only involving chemical-dependency. It is a spiritual disease that makes us spiritually sick.

For us as Christians in recovery we must go far beyond regular sober recovery and undergo a radical transformation of our entire being, a true spiritual conversion into a higher level of cosmic consciousness. We must be conscious of ourselves as creatures of the Creator of the Cosmos, come to know who we truly are as cosmic beings and strive to be one with all other living beings in peace, harmony and understanding.

Proverbs 1:5 ~ 21st Century King James Version
“A wise man will hear and will increase learning, and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsel.”

~ Starting Over ~

We have a whole new life ahead of us that we should live to the fullest, enjoying the benefits of sober recovery, treasuring the fruits of life and above all ~ loving elegantly. Hard-core substance addiction is a form of self-hatred and a kind of suicide because it always ends up with us losing our self-esteem or existing like the living dead in a life not worth living. At all times, we should stay alert and not substitute one harmful addiction with another or replace one harmful obsession with another. If one is not careful one can focus exclusively on so-called recovery on a day-by-day basis, only going to recovery meetings and getting meeting cards signed and completely forget the larger wider long-term goals of greater spiritual growth, emotional maturity and becoming fully functional adults in today’s world.

From As Bill Sees It: Citizens Again ~Letter, 1959
“In A.A. we aim not only for sobriety---we try again to become citizens of the world that we rejected and of the world that once rejected us. This is the ultimate demonstration towards which A.A. work is the first but not the final step.”

Recovery from drug addiction by its very nature is progressive, promotes positive personal change and encourages self-empowerment in our lives. As a key part of our progressive recovery we should be aware of what is going on in the real world, know about current events and global issues, support progressive causes, issues and movements, combat individual isolation before any possible relapse and come to comprehend the vastness of connected reality and our role in it. Be fascinated by life with an active imagination and get involved in life for it is meant for the living, not the dead.

For many of us, decades lost in drug addiction, including alcohol addiction or alcoholism, has resulted in the arrested development of normal adult lives. We have not experienced a normal growth process into adulthood with all its benefits and responsibilities. We often feel that we have wasted so much time and that there is a lot of catching up for us to do in order to really progress in our lives. Easy does it! We did not become strung out over night and we cannot do a magical makeover all in one day. We need to work on developing our natural talents, sharpening our work skills, furthering our education and nurturing our families. There can be a lot of unfinished business we still need to do. Amends to be made to others, arrest warrants to be cleared and bridges to be built.

As soon as possible, we need to get involved in a comprehensive mental-spiritual counseling program, get a full physical exam to find out our physical state of health and explore all the inner spiritual work that needs to be done in order for us to stay on the spiritual path. Remember: we remain triad beings with wholistic work to be done in the mental, physical and spiritual realms of our new lives for our minds, bodies and souls.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ~ 21st Century King James Version
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

For the Christian in recovery, all of this stuff involves the three stages of sobriety, recovery and liberty. We need to hold onto our sober recovery as we work on being free of all addictions and their harmful evil effects: our character defects, personal shortcomings and inner demons. In the process, we can consciously work on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

"Let no one deceive another.
Let no one anywhere despise another.
Let no one out of anger or resentment
wish suffering on anyone at all.
Just as a mother with her own life
protects her child, her only child from harm,
so within yourself let grow
a boundless love for all creatures."
~ From Sutta Nipta ~ Discourse on Good Will
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/index.html

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● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Blog
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/
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On Character Defects, Shortcomings and Inner Demons:by Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

2008-11-02T19:05:00.000-08:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/11/on-character-defects-shortcomings-and.html

Update: February 17, 2009

Main Entry: 1 char•ac•ter
Pronunciation: \ˈker-ik-tər, ˈka-rik-\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English caracter, from Latin character mark, distinctive quality, from Greek charaktēr, from charassein to scratch, engrave; perhaps akin to Lithuanian žerti to scratch
Date: 14th century
1 a: a conventionalized graphic device placed on an object as an indication of ownership, origin, or relationship b: a graphic symbol (as a hieroglyph or alphabet letter) used in writing or printing c: a magical or astrological emblem d: alphabet e (1): writing , printing (2): style of writing or printing (3): cipher f: a symbol (as a letter or number) that represents information ; also : a representation of such a character that may be accepted by a computer
2 a: one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual b (1): a feature used to separate distinguishable things into categories ; also : a group or kind so separated {advertising of a very primitive character} (2): the detectable expression of the action of a gene or group of genes (3): the aggregate of distinctive qualities characteristic of a breed, strain, or type {a wine of great character} c: the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation {the character of the American people} d: main or essential nature especially as strongly marked and serving to distinguish {excess sewage gradually changed the character of the lake}
3: position , capacity {his character as a town official}
4: reference 4b
5: reputation {the scandal has damaged his character and image}6: moral excellence and firmness {a man of sound character}
7 a: a person marked by notable or conspicuous traits {quite a character} b: one of the persons of a drama or novel c: the personality or part which an actor recreates {an actress who can create a character convincingly} d: characterization especially in drama or fiction e: person , individual {a suspicious character}
8: a short literary sketch of the qualities of a social type
synonyms see disposition, quality, type
— char•ac•ter•less ,\-ləs\ adjective
— in character
: in accord with a person's usual qualities or traits {behaving in character}
— out of character
: not in accord with a person's usual qualities or traits {his rudeness was completely out of character}
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~ CASA Mission Statement ~

Romans 12:3 ~ 21st Century King James Version
For I say to every man that is among you, through the grace given unto me, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

We support a wholistic recovery program for spiritual healing to help us identify, treat and ultimately cure the affliction of drug addiction and its related evils. The term ‘wholistic’ is a combination of the words ‘whole’ and ‘holy’. We aim to achieve a true balanced maturity as humane believers, not phony make-believers. With God’s amazing grace, power and wisdom, we can be cured!

~ Introduction ~

In the context of combating substance addiction, it is our personal character defects, shortcomings and inner demons that are major obstacles or roadblocks in the way of our sober recovery and spiritual growth. We need to remove these roadblocks and move forward one day at a time with eyes for the future. History is a guide to action, our past has created our present and a true knowledge of our present situation will help guide us into the future with a clear vision.

If we suffer a relapse it is usually because we have not really eliminated our major character defects, corrected gross shortcomings and/or exorcised our inner demons. It is these fatal factors that take us out, not our indulgence in the original chemical poison alone. Our chemical disease is a primary symptom of a deeper spiritual disease that requires spiritual healing. Ultimately, personal recovery is an inside job of self-healing. Living spiritually and consciously helps us not to fall into any kind of relapse mode.

Psalm 7:15 ~ 21st Century King James Version
“He made a pit and dug it, and has fallen into the ditch which he hath made.”

Relapse, which is basically a medical term, is not a part of our recovery; it is a reflection of our continued spiritual sickness. The obvious outward behavior of ‘dope fiend’ ways exhibits deep mental-spiritual sickness and masks hidden disorders of the inner soul that require spiritual healing. On our spiritual path, we strive to work on our continued progressive recovery, inner spiritual liberty and our humane development as humane beings with care, concern and compassion for all living beings.

~ Personal Inventory ~

As a healing process, true recovery happens in different progressive stages. In early recovery, after a period of sobriety, many recovering addicts lose their way, foul up and self-sabotage because of a fatal flaw in their personal recovery program. Many naïve newcomers in recovery and sometimes even old-timers can suffer a severe relapse back down and out into the darkness of the disease of addiction because of their basic fundamental failure to do a good honest personal inventory. As a guiding rule, when relapse happens it is because we have not done a serious comprehensive personal inventory of our assets and liabilities, including our own personal history. A conscious daily personal inventory is essential and should be a part of our daily routine in order for us to check in with ourselves and safeguard our own continued sober recovery. It helps us stay involved in the protracted healing process of recovery.

CASA Step #4: We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves, taking stock of our assets and liabilities.
Romans 8:27 “And he who searches the hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, for the Spirit prays for the saints according to the will of God.”

Many people in recovery dread doing Step #4 because it involves honest self-criticism and calls for a deep self-examination of the truth about ourselves. It can be painful and shameful to expose dark sins we would rather pretend to forget. However, we must remember the lessons of the past in order not to repeat them in the vicious circle of addiction, recovery, relapse and back into active addiction over and over again.

We must conscientiously work the basics of a 12-Steps program, truly repent of our mortal sins and experience a deep spiritual conversion in order to stay on the straight road of recovery without ending up in a dead end. We need to bring our sins out of the darkness into the healing powers of the divine light of truth. We must come to love, know and fully understand ourselves and others. In essence, we have to stay on the spiritual path of inner enlightenment and creative consciousness.

~ Drug Addiction: A Deep Spiritual Sickness ~

Drug addiction is a complete physical, mental and spiritual disease that attacks the entire entity of the human being in the trinity of the three realms of the mind, body and soul. We are three-part beings. The spiritual healing process all revolves around this mind-body-soul trinity and its complex interrelationships. Thus, we must heal ourselves in the three key areas of wholistic health: mental, physical and spiritual health, with a special emphasis on spiritual health.

We need to treat, cure and heal our disease. We do not want to only arrest and control our addiction like it is a growling prisoner-slave within us always capable of escaping and coming out at a moment’s notice. We must treat our disease, not nurse it, but kill its roots within our souls in order to be free of it and truly recover. Once and for all we want to be rid of it and get it out of our lives as we gradually eradicate its harmful effects, results and influences. We desire to become whole, healthy and cured from the evils of drug addiction, not be doomed to forever calling ourselves addicts as clients of and consumers in the multi-billion dollar drug-medical-rehab industries.

Many addicts have a real fear and dread of the horrors and negative effects of the actual physical withdrawal from drug addiction. They stay strung out and sick in order to avoid ‘getting sick’. When a drug addict has made a decision to go straight, get off harmful drugs and work on being sane and sober, he goes through a period of intense detoxification and enters the initial stage of early recovery with PAWS (Post-Acute-Withdrawal-Syndrome) always scratching away. At this tender point it is easy to get caught up again back into being chemically dependent because the body is still infected with the residue of the chemical properties from the original poison, substance or drug of choice. Depending on one’s individual history with drugs, including alcohol, PAWS can last for a few days, a few months, to a few years or more. Old habits die hard. Healing takes quality recovery time, conscientious hard work and personal dedication. Be patient with yourself and others as you persevere and move forward in life sane and sober. We can become born anew!

Once we are serious about our recovery there are still a lot of mental processes involving brain cognition that need to be identified, recognized and transformed, including the ‘stinkin’ thinkin’ that easily gets so many of us back into trouble in the dementia of active addiction.

“Cognition is a mental process of knowing that involves perception, analysis and judgment in consciousness as an active experience of actually knowing as distinct from feeling, willing or sensing. It is how we learn to trust what we know, as it refers to brain science as well as understanding the mind and how it thinks.”
Source: http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/09/on-demon-of-denial-in-addiction-by.html

If we are not on guard, we remain fragile and vulnerable to sudden triggers that can result in a sudden slip and end up in relapse. We must learn to consciously control our entire beings in terms of our thoughts, our bodies and our spirits. Recall: the mind commands, the body functions and the spirit guides!

To further complicate matters, there can be a lot of deeply buried internal spiritual conflicts that have not been dug out, examined and resolved by us. These can be subconscious thoughts, repressed feelings kept in storage and maddening motivations we are not fully aware of that can cause us to act against our basic survival interests and threaten our recovery and general success in life.

Usually the root origins of these spiritual conflicts can be traced back to our family of origin in early childhood, our neighborhood environment in adolescent teenage years and these internal conflicts can carry over into our adult relationships. It takes a lot of time, energy and training to reverse long dark decades of conditioned negative thinking processes, bad behavior patterns and false spiritual beliefs.

The spiritual nature of our disease is often hidden by rigid mental health labels and clinical classifications that disguise deeper spiritual sins. Medical doctors routinely prescribe pharmaceutical quick-fixes. Why switch an illegal addiction with a legal one? A spiritual problem requires a spiritual solution.

We strive to keep it simple in our recovery because we have already complicated our lives with drug addiction and other disorders. Indeed, true refinement seeks simplicity, yet modern life with all its complexities is often full of so much chaos and confusion that it clouds our mental-spiritual clarity or consciousness.

In essence, we should concentrate on creating a hard core centered consciousness in our lives and not be easily distracted by the obvious insane, the ignorant or irrelevant matters around us that can take us away from paying attention to what needs to be done for us to gradually heal ourselves of our spiritual sickness. Our clear conscious minds need to fathom the connections, interconnections and complexities of real life in order to come to a true understanding of life, see the big picture and raise our overall cosmic consciousness as creatures of the Creator of the cosmos.

~ Character Defects ~

Main Entry: 1 de•fect
Pronunciation: \ˈdē-ˌfekt, di-ˈ\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin defectus lack, from deficere to desert, fail, from de- + facere to do — more at do
Date: 15th century
1 a: an imperfection that impairs worth or utility : shortcoming {the grave defects in our foreign policy} b: an imperfection (as a vacancy or an unlike atom) in a crystal lattice2 [Latin defectus] : a lack of something necessary for completeness, adequacy, or perfection : deficiency {a hearing defect}

CASA Step #6: We were entirely ready to have God remove all these character defects.
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.”

Character defects are major human factors that can severely harm us and are common to many people whether they are in recovery from an addiction disorder or not. This is a key reason why the spiritual principles, structure and format of a 12-Steps program has great social significance in today’s troubled times. It can help heal all of us and can make great contributions to creating a just, sane and humane society. Honestly working a 12-Steps Program can be helpful to all who desire higher self-esteem, seek self-improvement and true self-empowerment in today’s world so we can consciously determine our own destiny. It can help us all be humble before Creator God, admit any errors in our ways, correct any wrongs we have committed and keep us in conscious communion with our Creator.

Our spiritual healing involves the urgent need for us to be fully conscious of any core character defects in operation within us in order to keep us working on our living sane and sober lives as functional mature humane beings.

CASA Step #6: We were entirely ready to have God remove all these character defects.
I John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.”

Basic character defects are composed of the Seven Deadly Sins that are major vile vices that work against valuable virtues.

Vice	Virtue against which it sins	Brief description of virtue
False Pride	Humility	Seeing ourselves in proper perspective in connected reality, being good at learning and accepting valid criticism
Jealous Envy	Love	Love is pure, kind and empathetic in harmony with others without petty jealousy. Love heals the soul.
Wrath/Anger	Compassion	Being kind to all of humankind with care, concern and compassion, not misguided anger due to inner fears.
Sloth	Zeal	Zeal is the inspired energetic response of the soul to God's commands. Sloth shows a lack of spiritual strength.
Greed	Generosity	Giving to others what we have freely received, expecting nothing in return. Sharing is caring.
Gluttony	Temperance	Temperance accepts the natural limits of pleasures, preserves natural balance and does not overindulge.
Lust	Self control	Self control over our passions keeps us balanced and centered. Selfish sexual lust without borders is a lack of respect for those we love.

Related Link: http://www.whitestonejournal.com/seven_deadly_sins/

The above is not written in stone. These are recommended guidelines to help us in our spiritual growth. There are other human characteristics that can loosely be considered as character defects. Our list could go on and on involving other human character traits. However, we want to focus on the main character defects that cause us suffering, not get frustrated trying to be perfect. Just for today, we just want to stay sober, get well and work on healing ourselves.

We should be careful not to confuse core character defects with common shortcomings for they are not necessarily the same. Accepting constructive criticism and honest self-criticism are essential tools for us to build up an honest recovery program. We need to know the truth about our spiritual sickness and how to treat it as we work on our continued sober recovery, a wholistic cure and our on-going spiritual healing.

~ Shortcomings ~

Main Entry: short•com•ing
Pronunciation: \ˈshȯrt-ˌkə-miŋ, ˌshȯrt-ˈ\
Function: noun
Date: 15th century
: an imperfection or lack that detracts from the whole ; also : the quality or state of being flawed or lacking

CASA Step #7: We humbly asked Him on our knees to remove our shortcomings.
James 4:10 ”Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”

Shortcomings are minor personality defects that can get in the way of our progressive recovery. If they are combined together they can become heavy burdens that weigh us down and jeopardize our spiritual growth, but they should not be seen in the same category as major character defects. A shortcoming could be as simple as a tendency to always be late for meetings, finding it hard to pay attention or as serious as being a functional illiterate able to function in the work world but not good at reading, writing and general literacy.

When we are humble we are more capable of recognizing our core character defects and basic shortcomings. We can learn nothing new if we arrogantly think we know everything. Humility is the key for us to grow, expand and mature as humane beings. We have a humane right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

We can consciously continue to work on our character defects and not let them ruin our lives. However, we have to accept the basic fact that we may always have shortcomings in one area or another as we are imperfect beings subject to change, growth and further evolution.

~ Inner Demons ~

Ephesians 6:11-12 ~ 21st Century King James Version
“11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Inner demons are old ghosts that haunt and stalk us with self-doubts, foolish fears and baseless insecurities; all those spirits, attitudes and patterns that get in the way of our spiritual progress without our conscious awareness of them and keep evil alive inside of us. A key goal of spiritual therapy is to reveal the subconscious, bring it up to our conscious awareness and raise cosmic consciousness to a higher level of understanding.

Inner demons can be unconscious small daily routines that we have, little indulgences that can gradually get worse over time if left unchecked. Why walk by a liquor store? Maybe a little beer once in a while won’t hurt. Maybe a little thin line of crank to keep us going won’t matter. What’s a little puff of smoke? Maybe a little lie here and there is OK so long as no one else finds out. Who is going to know? Integrity includes being honest with yourself when you are all alone in communion with Creator God.

These are not the obvious outward demons, such as a false friend trying to get us to indulge in dope fiend activity. These are hidden invisible demons that pop up out of nowhere and work against our efforts at achieving substantial spiritual recovery. In the back of our minds they nag us and can be the old unfinished business of unresolved spiritual issues that retard our spiritual growth and block our forward movement. The Devil works in devious ways, yet many of us lie and deceive ourselves using a perverted twisted logic, rationalizing wrongdoing and justifying counter-productive actions. Our worst enemy can be the enemy within!

~ General Summary ~

Our progressive recovery requires us to eliminate our major character defects, get rid of our major shortcomings and exorcise any inner demons as key components of any relevant recovery program, especially doing a daily personal inventory in a spiritual journal in conscious communion with the Creator. Spiritual healing is an on-going process of becoming one in harmony with the Creator, our inner self and others we love. It brings us peace of mind and inner serenity after we have left behind the past insane madness experienced during our active addiction as ‘dope fiends’, ‘drunks’ or derelicts.

Recognize that drug addiction and many other disorders are spiritual in origin being raised in a sick society. They are forms of spiritual sickness because we are out-of-order in relation to the Creator’s will for us to be good, happy and in harmony with the Creator, other creatures and nature in general. We must treat, cure and heal the inner spirit from within in harmony with the help of the Great Spirit of the Creator.

Psalm 37:23 ~ 21st Century King James Version
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, and He delighteth in his way.”

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● CASA 12-Steps Blog:
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/
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● CASA-12-Steps Yahoo Group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/
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● Progressive Recovery Today:
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/
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+ The CASA Twelve-Steps Program + ~ Short Version
~ Christians Against Substance Addiction ~ ‘The Real Deal’
"And you will know the truth, and that very truth will make you free.” ~~ John 8:32
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Here are the CASA 12-Steps and Scriptures we worked which are recommended as a progressive Christian Recovery Program:
1. We admitted we were powerless over our drug addiction—that our lives had become unmanageable.
Matthew 9:36 “When Jesus saw the multitudes, he had compassion on them, because they were tired and scattered, like sheep which have no shepherd.”
2. We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Mark 9:23 “Jesus said to him, If you can believe, everything is possible to him who believes."
3. We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of Creator God, as we understood Him.
Luke 9:23 “Then he said in the presence of everyone, He who wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross every day and follow me.”
4. We made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves, taking stock of our assets and liabilities.
Romans 8:27 “And he who searches the hearts, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, for the Spirit prays for the saints according to the will of God.”
5. We admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another humane being the exact nature of our wrongs.
James 5:16 “Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man is powerful.”
6. We were entirely ready to have God remove all these character defects.
I John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness.”
7. We humbly asked Him on our knees to remove our shortcomings.
James 4:10 ”Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
8. We made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive men their faults, your Father in heaven will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive even your faults.”
9. We made direct amends to such people whenever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
Matthew 5:24 “Leave your offering there before the altar, and first go and make peace with your brother, and then come back and present your offering.”
10. We continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it, while recognizing our continued progressive recovery.
Romans 12:3 ‘‘For I say, through the grace which is given to me, to all of you, not to think of yourselves beyond what you ought to think; but to think soberly, every man according to the measure of faith which God has distributed to him.”
11. We sought through prayer, meditation and study to improve our conscious contact with God, praying only for knowledge of His will for us, and the Power to carry that out.
Mark 12:30 “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your might; this is the first commandment.”
12. We tried to carry this Message to addicts and practice these principles in all our affairs; having had a ‘Spiritual Awakening’ as a result of working these 12-Steps.
Galatians 6:1 "My brethren, if anyone be found at fault, you who are spiritual, restore him in a spirit of meekness; and be careful lest you also be tempted.”
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On Sharing Your Recovery Testimony:by Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

2008-10-12T19:15:00.000-07:00

Sunday, October 12, 2008
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/10/on-sharing-your-recovery-testimony-by.html
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~Recovery Is A Protracted Process~

Real recovery from any negative addiction is a protracted process of spiritual healing that develops in different distinct stages: from early recovery when we first overcome our denial and admit the fact of our drug addiction, learn the basics about progressive recovery and related issues; to the mid-term stage when we are getting into the natural daily routine of being involved in the recovery process by going to meetings, getting a sponsor to help guide us, working the 12-Steps on a daily basis and helping others; to advanced recovery when we have a solid foundation in our recovery, a firm grasp of the fundamentals of living life sane and sober and continue to work hard on our spiritual healing as we promote our general wholistic health.

In general, progressive recovery is a process of positive change, spiritual growth and humane development, not a sudden spiritual awakening when we are all well and wonderful overnight. It takes time, hard work and total commitment to heal the wounds, traumas and disorders caused by our past drug addiction and evil ways, especially in the spiritual realm.

A big part of our inner spiritual healing is sharing our own personal testimony with others in our lives, especially at our recovery group meetings when we discuss our past experiences, present sources of inspiration and hopes for a bright future free from drug addiction and any serious relapses back into our dark deadly disease.

Sometimes recovery can be a terribly lonely affair. On an individual existential level, no one has gone through what you have, seen what you have seen through your own eyes and personally witnessed your own version of the insanity of drug addiction except your own conscious inner self.

“Amazing grace How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see."
Source: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/m/a/amazing_grace.htm

In our recovery, we need others around us who are working their own recovery program to help us combat any individual isolation that leaves us vulnerable to a relapse; to help keep us strong in the spirit of peaceful serenity, progressive recovery and spiritual liberty; and to help us create a collective community of unity with all those who share our core beliefs, central concerns and spiritual principles. In our efforts to heal ourselves from the affliction of drug addiction and our desire to heal ourselves once and for all, we are not all alone.

“For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falls; for there is not one to lift him up.”
Ecclesiastes 4:10 ~ Ancient Eastern Text

Thus, we meet together at group meetings when and where we can come together, learn from each other and help each other heal. If one of us slips and falls down into a relapse we help him get back up and carry on in the struggle, not rush to judge and condemn anyone. We learn the most from our own personal mistakes and from witnessing the examples of others battling their own demons and struggling on in their own continued recovery.

~Sharing Is Caring~

Remember that sharing is caring. At group meetings the main way for us to share is to open up and give our own personal testimony about our past history, our present situation and our future vision for our lives. Sharing can become very personal and even painful, but it is important for us to share our testimony in order for us to hang up our hang-ups, get better each day and heal our souls. It is a kind of an open public confession, knowing that we are often as sick as our secrets. None of us should pretend to be perfect. All of us have made bad critical decisions that brought pain, misery and suffering into our lives. As we hear more and more testimonies we can see common themes and threads running through all our stories in the tapestry of life. We come to understand that we all suffer alike and clearly see our common survival interests in helping each other heal.

When somebody shares at a Group Meeting it is important for those who are present to listen up and pay attention, not get distracted by others or our own internal dialogue. Many times we may not want to pay attention to speakers who speak up because some of the subjects that come up make us feel uneasy, uncomfortable and can pop up shameful memories, especially for the one giving his testimony. It is not always easy just to open our minds, our hearts and bare our souls in a room full of other people who may be strangers to us. It takes bold courage to share with others. Nevertheless, it is essential for our own personal spiritual healing for us to share our stories with others. Remember that it is all ultimately between the Creator and us, not them.

A big part of understanding our disease is to understand that it is not merely a chemical dependency issue in terms of being dependent on alcohol, street drugs or prescription drugs, it is ultimately a disease of the soul. The inner soul grieves inside when we do things that harm our inner serenity, our physical body and our mental state of mind. Sharing is a key element in our healing, it helps us to let go of the burden of all the useless baggage we carry around, helps us to dump out the dirty trash we haul around from one spot to another, and helps us to get things off our chest and out into the open so we can get better, brighter and sharper with our recovery tools. Sharing with others helps keep us clean, sane and sober

~Honesty Is the Key~

HOW a recovery program works is to be Honest, Open and Willing to change, to learn and to mature as humane beings who have care, concern and compassion for others. We need to be totally honest with ourselves, admit the whole truth about our lives and own up to the bad critical mistakes we have made in our lives that caused us harm, grief and suffering in order for us to proceed on our spiritual path, work hard on our spiritual healing and achieve spiritual liberty from all the evils of addiction. A lot of recovery involves closely examining our past, how we were raised from our childhood up to the present and being able to identify critical turning points in our lives that led us astray into our addiction.

“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 53:16 ~ 21st Century King James Version

We can blame our environment, our parents or our relationships and point an accusing finger at others, but to be totally honest we must admit the truth and face the fact that we ourselves are the ones who made the bad critical decisions that got us caught up in a whole life-style centered on boozing, doping and partying without really being conscious and mindful of its many negative consequences, including being addicted to a life-threatening disease that is a real killer.

Before one gives an open testimony it is good if he or she has already worked the basic 12-Steps Program with a sponsor or guide, has at least one month of good sobriety time in and is strongly committed to the whole recovery process of spiritual healing.

However, sometimes it can be hard to find someone with the honest courage to even stand out and speak up about their personal recovery struggles. Thus, whoever has the honest open willingness to do so should be allowed to share at a group meeting as long as they are sincere about getting well. We are not here to judge; we are here to help in the spiritual healing of ourselves, others and, indeed, the whole world outside.

“The only work that will ultimately bring any good to any of us is the work of contributing to the healing of the world.”
~ Marianne Williamson
Website: http://www.marianne.com/index.htm

~Group Participation~

When a Group Member has shared his own personal testimony the rational responses and/or emotional reactions from others who are in the Meeting Room can have a profound impact on the one who has shared his testimony with lasting results. We are here to help each other, to learn from each other and not to stupidly judge or condemn anyone. Nevertheless, being able to accept loving caring criticism from others who are into recovery is a part of the whole spiritual healing process. No one has cornered the market on truth. Each of us has our own truth and our own way of looking at life and its core issues. After the personal testimony is given the meeting can open up with a tangible relevant topic and we can open up the meeting for general discussion, questions or comments related to the main topic.

A good meeting is made up of people who are present in the here and now, who pay close attention and who actively participate by sharing their own knowledge, asking relevant questions and help to further develop group consciousness. Merely having a lot of bodies present at a meeting does not necessarily mean it is a good meeting. Some are there just to get their Meeting Cards signed for one program or another. Others are around for their own selfish egocentric gratification, another manifestation of the old ‘dope fiend’ mentality that we need to root out of our consciousness.

“19 Again I say to you, that if two of you are worthy on earth, anything that they would ask will be done for them by My Father who in Heaven.
20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”
Matthew 18:19-20 ~ Ancient Eastern Text (from the Aramaic)

When appropriate to the situation, we should share the gospel or ‘good news’ about our progressive recovery with others in the community, with our family and with our good friends. We were certainly not anonymous in our lost drunken dope fiend days, why should we pretend to be so now when we are involved in the spiritual healing process of our recovery?

Share your own personal testimony with others when it can help, write it all down for your own reflection and come out of the closet of your confusion into the clarity of cosmic consciousness. We are creatures of the Creator of the cosmos. We have a birthright to be here now and when we work at it we can enjoy the blessings of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

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● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Blog
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/
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On the Demon of Denial In Addiction:by Peter S. Lopez ~aka Peta

2008-09-09T08:09:00.001-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/09/on-demon-of-denial-in-addiction-by.html

Update: September 9, 2008

~ Introduction ~

For the poor soul lost in the affliction of addiction, the main enemy opponent that prevents him from admitting he or she has a severe problem is the devious demon of denial. Denial is a real, immediate dangerous demon to the demented drug addict, not an imaginary ghost. This demon can kill him or literally get him killed. Demons are real spiritual forces within that operate in the real world that must be exorcised out of us by serious Christians against substance addiction with daily prayer, deep meditation and the hard work of building up a strong progressive recovery program.

“Denial is the refusal to accept reality and to act as if a painful event, thought or feeling did not exist. It is considered one of the most primitive of the defense mechanisms because it is characteristic of very early childhood development.”
Source: Defense Mechanisms http://www.planetpsych.com/zPsychology_101/defense_mechanisms.htm

Keep in mind that effectively combating all forms of drug addiction is a form of spiritual warfare between the forces of good fostering life versus the forces of evil bringing death. It demonstrates the eternal conflict between the truth and the lie.

In progressive recovery, just staying sober one day at a time and having no recovery program is superior to a phony weak program that breaks down into the insanity of relapse over and over. A weak heartless program is doomed to failure from the start and can discourage and destroy the newcomer. Working a temporary sobriety program until one is totally committed to a strong progressive recovery program is better than to fake it until you make it!

John 8:43-45 (King James Version) ~ Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

Denial of the truth about being an addict will stop us from seeking a real cure. It keeps us believing in a big lie despite any and all hard evidence to the contrary. How can we know the truth if we believe a lie? How can we solve a problem if we do not recognize it? Many drug addicts lie to themselves, might admit they have a minor drinking or drugging problem, but insist they are not a real addict. They falsely believe they can control and monitor their liquor/drug use, that their habit is not that bad and are sure they can stop anytime they want to stop, as they still continue to indulge in their poison/s. In drug addiction we are dealing with dangerous poisonous chemicals in a form of chemical warfare, not human emotions and feelings alone.

“The denial associated with alcoholism is cunning, baffling, and powerful and affects the patient, helper, and the community.”
Source: Welcome to Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/en_information_aa.cfm?PageID=11

The drug addict in denial is bent on self-destruction and denial can take many forms. It can even take the form of hiding in anonymity in our recovery, being ashamed of letting others know we are working on our recovery and thus denying our own personal involvement in recovery! If we were not anonymous in our full-blown addiction, why should we now pretend to be anonymous in our recovery? In progressive recovery, the foundation of all our principles is faith in Creator God, not the feebleness of anonymity. We must always admit the truth or not tell a lie.

~ The Chains of Drug Addiction ~

The chains of drug addiction exhibits a progressive disease that can only get worse over time as more links are added on to further enslave us. It can gradually evolve from harmless fun-filled recreational use at social events and family gatherings, degenerate into serious drug abuse damaging our work lives and destroying our families, then, for the afflicted addict, it can easily result in the many negative consequences of full-blown hard core drug addiction in need of serious outside help or direct intervention.

“Definition of Addiction: A chronic relapsing condition characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain. Addiction is the same irrespective of whether the drug is alcohol, amphetamines, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, or nicotine. Every addictive substance induces pleasant states or relieves distress. Continued use of the addictive substance induces adaptive changes in the brain that lead to tolerance, physical dependence, uncontrollable craving and, all too often, relapse.”
Source: Medicine Net.com
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=10177

Depending on the chemical substance use, addiction can creep up on us in days, take a few weeks to hit us or long years before it takes us down. Drug addiction introduces a cruel vicious circle, a chemical chain reaction, a three-dimensional deadly disease that attacks the mind-body-soul of the addict. The entire human being is first hooked line and sinker without conscious awareness! No other disease is so completely devastating!

Comprehensive drug education involves developing a wholistic drug treatment program; reading the basic recovery textbooks; studying about the biology of the human survival system; learning the landscape of the craving brain, plus, two main neurotransmitters: the ‘gotta-have-it’ of dopamine and ‘got-it’ of serotonin. We are engaged in fighting a kind of chemical warfare involving natural brain chemicals and chemicals we ingest or inject into our bodies from our immediate environment. It gets deep and we must dig deep to dig out the roots of our drug addiction. Between here and death, we must break out of the chains of drug addiction.

~ Primary Causes of Denial ~

The three primary causes of denial are:

1. An unconscious ego defense mechanism that protects one’s false self-image;
2. Cross-addiction from one’s original poison-of-choice to another drug; and
3. A product of cognitive failure due to cerebral brain dysfunction.

An addict in hard denial simply does not believe he is really a drug addict. He is divorced from himself and the connected reality around him. We need to overcome the demon of denial about our deadly disease with the higher power of the truth.

We require help from Creator God to heal us, a strong recovery program to cure us and we need to stay involved in the recovery movement all along the way. We need to be honest, open and willing to go to any lengths and endure any sacrifice as we work towards a true healing, not just the temporary abstinence of sobriety

We strive to simplify the complex, not complicate the simple. However, in connected reality, deeper analyses on the vital issues in our lives can get increasingly complex. Thus, our minds need to stay straight in order for us to comprehend basic complexities. A study in one discipline or area of study can lead to other areas of study. We see the flight of the butterfly and end up looking at the stars. We observe natural creatures and begin to understand the creation of the Creator.

~ Denial As A Defense Mechanism ~

The most common form of denial is a reactionary automatic defense mechanism. If we are called a drunk or dope fiend we immediately react with indignation, defend our self without considering the possibility that those labels might actually be true and refuse to openly admit that we are a drug addict. We normally identify ourselves by who we are, what we do, what we believe and our general interests in life. Thus, denial clouds and obscures our true self-concept with a false self-image.

In early addiction, the potential addict in denial may have a decent job, be taking care of business and can appear to function well in society on the outside. However, weekend warriors who party hard can turn into all week long drug users. At first we may limit ourselves to only indulging in our chosen poison after regular working hours, then sometimes before work to steady the nerves or we crank up to keep up the work pace. It is definitely on and running after work when we can let it all hang out. We may rationalize that we are just having fun and not hurting anyone except maybe ourselves.

We might be the life of the party until the whole world around us comes down and collapses! Families and straight friends fade away into the background. Old healthy hobbies are replaced by new harmful habits. Over time life changes us for the worse and daily drug use becomes to take more and more of a central place in the foreground of our lives always demanding our undivided attention. Time schedules, business priorities and personal agendas all orbit around our drug addiction activities. Drug addiction is an extremely patient deadly disease.

1 Peter 5:8 (King James Version) ~ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

We end up hiding in isolation from others as we partake of our poison in private. We lurk behind closed doors, in bathrooms, in closets. It is the familiar sob-war stories cried and whined at many regular recovery meetings of losing jobs, losing loved ones and losing our own souls. We find we are not the great heroes we once use to be and personal self-esteem is low or lost completely. Recovering addicts often speak of having to ‘hit rock bottom’ before they come to their senses. However, the bottom itself can have a trap door underneath that can drop them further down, even into a solitary prison cage. No matter how bad it gets it can always get worse and often will until we wake up!

What was once just for fun becomes a constant obsession then becomes a real psychiatric illness: the obsessive-impulsive-compulsive disorder of hard-core drug addiction has taken over what is left of our lives. Have we become the ones our parents warned us against!?

“Addiction denial is usually considered in psychodynamic terms, as an unconscious ego defense mechanism. It is held that to fully acknowledge addiction-related problems would be so threatening to the individual's ego that he or she must misconstrue, reinterpret, or even forget the facts of the case. The central feature of this interpretation is that the denial is based on emotional rejection of the truth, rather than a simple failure of insight.”
Source: Addiction Denial and Cognitive Dysfunction
http://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/14/1/52

The addict in denial refuses to see the monster he has become despite his past self-image and this denial itself is a key indicator that one is an activated addict, that is, a ‘dope fiend’. He will grossly underestimate how much, how long and how deep he has been using his drug/s and the negative consequences it has had on his whole life, especially his personal health. He will stubbornly overestimate his capacity to control or monitor his drug use or his responsibility to quit while he can without outside help. Many addicts are in strong denial of obvious perceptions, rational conclusions and despite all of the available evidence piling up around them. The dope fiend lost in denial is out in no-man’s land without a true friend or a loving God in his life. The monster weeps alone

Ideally, if the potential addict can arrest his progressive addiction at an early stage before it get worse and then gets seriously involved in a strong progressive recovery program, then many negative consequences can be avoided, including failed lives, permanent brain damage and the dead-end of death.

~ Denial As Cross-Addiction ~

Cross-addiction is when an addict switches from his original drug of choice and becomes addicted to another drug, whether prescribed or not. He still remains chemically dependant. An addict who makes a habit of using any mind-altering drug is engaging in addictive behavior. This is simple logic. It is the objective observable behavior not the subjective inner mentality that determines whether one is still an addict or not. We are what we do, not only what we say. Thus, a recovering addict cannot really claim a general sobriety date while on a mind altering drug because one is simply not staying sober in a strict definition of the word sobriety. He may of recovered from his primary poison of choice, yet he should still be in recovery as he is not fully recovered.

For example, if someone in recovery has bi-polar disorder, is taking a mind-altering drug and following their prescription, they are not guilty of drug abuse, but they are still chemically dependent and addicted to their prescription drug. Take the ‘meds’ away and watch what happens! We must stay involved in the recovery movement, strive to wean ourselves off all medications and work on developing a wholistic healing treatment program involving good nutrition, physical fitness and spiritual growth. In the long run, it is all about our self-esteem, general health and spiritual liberty, not mere sobriety. Sobriety along is never enough. We do not want to be dry drunks in A.A. Meetings or cranky N.A. Members collecting brittle chips that easily crumble.

In the light of new situations, we need to re-think old traditions, define new definitions and stay relevant to a constantly changing world in the new millennium. The A.A. Big Book is not the Holy Bible and the Holy Bible is not the absolute truth. We need to think outside of any book, use our creative minds and grasp the concept of connected reality, that all separate realities are ultimately interconnected and on the quantum level we are all one. No one has the monopoly on truth. You must do what works best for you in your own personal situation, yet stay open to positive suggestions from others who may be more experienced and enlightened than you. Humility helps us to advance our cosmic consciousness, egotism retards our spiritual growth

“The cycle of addiction for all types of drugs - heroin, cocaine, crack, amphetamines, barbiturates, alcohol and cannabis/marijuana is essentially the same and based upon nature and nurture. This comprises three features
1) chemical dependency
2) learned behaviours and habits
3) denial of both need and habit

Although there are important differences in the features of addiction to cocaine, heroin, amphetamine or alcohol, these features are basically differences of form and not one of essence. Furthermore, these differences become less relevant where people are cross-addicted to one or more substances.”
Source: Drugs and Cross-Addiction
http://www.sossobriety.org/crossadiction.htm%20

In progressive recovery, the ultimate goal is total liberty in our lives, not only sobriety. There is a big difference between just nervously staying sober compared to enjoying life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We should desire true liberty from all forms of the affliction of addiction and its many negative consequences, including the misery of poverty, prison and hopelessness. Progressive recovery is an on-going life-process of learning, spiritual growth and healing. It is a one day at a time life-style of living sober and enjoying all the fruits of liberty as humane beings.

~ Denial as Cognitive Failure ~.

Cognition is a mental process of knowing that involves perception, analysis and judgment in consciousness as an active experience of actually knowing as distinct from feeling, willing or sensing. It is how we learn to trust what we know, as it refers to brain science as well as understanding the mind and how it thinks.

“We propose that alcoholic denial is sometimes more of a cognitive failure than an ego defense mechanism. This cognitive failure may consist of diminished capacity for insight, or it may be an inability to integrate readily available information so as to draw an obvious conclusion.”
Source: Addiction Denial and Cognitive Dysfunction
http://neuro.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/14/1/52

The active addict can have actual permanent brain damage whose etiology (origin of disease) can clearly be traced back to long-term drug addiction and the self-destructive life-style of the typical dope fiend, especially in cases of severe fixed denial. Shattered lives, collapsed relationships and near-death experiences fail to penetrate deep into the consciousness of the brain damaged addict in severe fixed denial.

“Denial is tricky stuff. It has many faces and disguises. Its number one symptom is the denial OF its own existence. It keeps good people in everlasting blindness destroying any chance for healthy change. It will fight viciously for its survival all the way to insanity institutionalization and death.”
Source: The Three Stages of Denial
http://www.azureacres.com/addiction-recovery/denial.asp

For the hard-core drug addict, there is no way that he can be a dope fiend for years on end, taking whatever is going to get him ‘high’, numb him out or alter his mind, without there being some brain damage or at least some cognitive failure.

~ The Medical Definition of Addiction ~

The medical definition of addiction has seven criteria. This definition is based on the criteria of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV) and the World Health Organization (ICD-10).(1)

An addiction is any behavior that meets at least three of the seven criteria during the same 12-month period.

1. Tolerance. You can use more and more over time.

2. Withdrawal. When you stop using, you experience at least one of the following symptoms: irritability, anxiety, shakes, sweats, nausea, or vomiting.

3. Difficulty controlling your use. Sometimes you use more or for a longer time than you'd like.

4. Negative consequences. You continue to use even though there are negative consequences to your mood, self-esteem, health, job, or family.

5. Significant time or emotional energy spent. You spend a significant amount of time or thought obtaining, using, concealing, planning, or recovering from your use.

6. Put off or neglected activities. You have given up or reduced social, recreational, work, or household activities because of your use.

7. Desire to cut down. You have repeatedly thought about cutting down or controlling your use, or you have made unsuccessful attempts to cut down or control your use.
Source:
http://www.addictionsandrecovery.org/definition-of-addiction.htm%20
Created: March 11, 2007, Last Modified: February 15, 2008

~ Conclusion ~

Are you now an activated addict, an addict in denial or a recovering addict working on a cure? We must always be aware of the demon of denial of addiction, witness when other people around us are in denial without condemning them, continue to do our own daily personal inventory, try to educate with humane love those who are open to learning and stay aware of evil influences in our own personal progressive recovery program.

Many of us have endured great losses and great sufferings in our lives because of our selfish indulgence in drug addiction. We may not be where we want to be in our lives in terms of material wealth, social standing or eternal happiness, but we are not where we use to be in relation to our past empty miserable lives lost in the dementia of drug addiction.

“For the individual, the first responsibiiity begins with the removal of denial. The importance of this cannot be over-stated. It is the key to beginning the healing process. The subconscious must be made conscious. The admission that a problem exists is entrenched in the philosophy of the twelve-step program.”
Source: The Craving Brain. By Ronald A. Ruden, M.D., Ph.D.
http://www.yafferuden.com/html/the_craving_brain.html

From our sadness, remembering those we have lost to addiction, those lost in devilish dope houses or polluted river campgrounds, those languishing behind cold prison walls and those we have lost to the quiet graveyard or whose remains are in unmarked graves, let there be inner spiritual strength for us to make it through another day sane and sober.

From our sadness there shall be strength for us to come together and make it a better more humane world for all of us where we can live in liberty free from all inner demons, character defects and gross personal shortcomings simply because we have surely been blessed by God’s amazing grace!

Philippians 4:8 ~ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

c/s

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On Building Up A Recovery Support Team:By Peter S. Lopez ~aka Peta

2008-09-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/09/on-building-up-recovery-support-team-by.html

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Update: Sabbath, September 06, 2008

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Table of Contents

~ Introduction ~

~ The Newcomer ~

~ Components of a Recovery Support Team ~

~ Recovery Is A Dynamic Process ~

~ Building Up Our Self-Esteem ~

~ The Basics and Beyond ~
~ Conclusion ~

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~ Introduction ~

It took a long time for me to get hip to the concept of getting involved in sober recovery from hard-core drug addiction. I knew about the dope deal, the bait-and-switch deal and other kinds of crooked dope deals, but at the time the ‘real deal’ of wholistic progressive recovery was unique and brand new to me. I begin to seriously question the whole way I had been living my life up to that point, despite all my hustle and bustle. It got me wondering why I did not even have a good happy life worth living. I existed day and night with a bottomless beer can super-glued to my hand and chasing the dope bag in the vicious circle of drug addiction.

I was stuck in a hand-to-mouth animal existence, all endured in pain, poverty and paranoia. My so-called friends were potential enemies. I could not even trust my own self to act in my own best interest. I was all caught up in the evil insanity of the whole obsessive-compulsive disorder typical of the ‘dope fiend’ subculture. I knew I had ‘a big problem’ that had caused a lot of other major problems in my life: lost good jobs, ruined relationships and missed golden opportunities. I had a 500-pound gorilla on my back dragging me down!

I eventually ended up crashed out by a ditch in the Del Paso Heights ghetto in the middle of a dark scary night, wearing filthy rags with my dirty old backpack as my only Earthly possession. I had hit a rock hard bottom, again. Beneath it I felt a trapped door to a bottomless pit going further down into a kind of hell on Earth. As bad as it is, it can always get worse. I was a domestic refugee in the land of my birth all lost, lonely and abandoned outside in the cold. I was left to fend for myself without outside help. I only had a vague belief in God and thought he had abandoned me, though I was the one who had gone astray.

Isaiah 53: 6 ~ Ancient Eastern Text

“6 All we like sheep have strayed; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the sins of us all.”

My ‘problem’ was a common problem for many stranded homeless street people: full-blown drug addiction. For me, the eventual ‘solution’ was getting down on my knees in heartfelt prayer, establishing a conscious contact with the Creator, going into the Salvation Army Emergency Shelter, staying sober in recovery, and joining a Christian recovery group there based upon the original A.A. 12-Steps Program called CASA.

There are many pathways to the truth. Each of us must find our own way to our own truth in the hope of finding a general truth to help guide us all forward in life. No matter how many times I fell down, I kept getting back up and kept coming back! I made a daily decision to admit my powerlessness over chemical addiction, get into living sober in recovery and transforming my life one day at a time!

~ The Newcomer ~

By its very nature, recovery is positive, productive and progressive. In this war against drug addiction, if you are a newcomer to the recovery movement and determined to get off ‘dope’ you will need as much help as you can get in order to progress and move forward, despite the disabilities of drug addiction. We can work together as a movement of recovering addicts, no matter what fellowship we identify with, for our collective sober recovery and inner spiritual growth. Always keep uppermost in mind that our lives are at stake and our future is on the line. Unity is power!

As warriors, we are waging real spiritual warfare between the forces of good and evil in a long-term protracted war for our survival, our progressive recovery and success in life. In war, we need to unite with our true friends and allies to help us fight and win against the many enemies and dark demons of drug addiction, some of which are invisible yet powerful!

Ephesians 6:12 ~ Ancient Eastern Text

“12 For your conflict is not only with flesh and blood, but also with the angels, and with powers, with the rulers of this world of darkness, and with the evil spirits under the heaven.”

The newcomer is the lifeline and most important member of any recovery group. He or she renews our hope, refreshes our energy and serves as a daily reminder for all of us who have made a firm decision to do something positive about getting out of drug addiction and its character defects. At least, the newcomer is curious about the whole cultural lifestyle of people in recovery with our ways, terminology and philosophy. It is a new lifestyle of being alive and well with a free spirit.

With group support, we should help newcomers feel safe and secure as we give them time to grow, learn and advance in their continued recovery. We help guide them with tender loving care, patience and understanding; not by cornering, smothering and overwhelming them. We can give them vital information, but we should be careful not to give them information overload. Easy does it!

In early recovery, our minds are still suffering from tangled nerve wiring and it takes time for us to rewire our brains and, if possible, rebuild neurons in the brain. A neuron is a cell specialized to conduct electrochemical impulses called nerve impulses or action potentials. There may have been some real cognition damage done to our mental processes during our addiction. Cognition is a brain science term referring to the mental processes involved in receiving perception, learning new knowledge and our general comprehension, including thinking, knowing, remembering, analyzing, problem solving and decision-making. These higher-level functions of the brain encompass language, imagination and advanced planning.

“Brain-imaging studies in humans and neuropsychological studies in nonhuman animals have shown that repeated drug use causes disruptions in the brain's highly evolved frontal cortex, which regulates cognitive activities such as decision-making, response inhibition, planning and memory.”

Source: Cognition is central to drug addiction: By Siri Carpenter, Monitor on Psychology ~ http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun01/navbar.gif

So there is much for us to learn in recovery about different relevant subjects that are far beyond the state of mere physical sobriety. No matter how much sobriety time old-timers have on the clock they were all once fragile, nervous, confused newcomers themselves, wondering if all this recovery stuff was for real and if it could make a real difference in their lives.

Some sober fools get arrogant because of the ‘quantity’ of sobriety time, wear sobriety birthday chips dangling down on their sides and do not have real ‘quality’ time in their recovery. Chips easily crumble. They do not humbly understand that physical sobriety is only the starting point for us to establish a solid recovery foundation as we continue to progress in the recovery process. These sober ones leave themselves wide open, exposed and vulnerable to a relapse or slip back into the hells of drug addiction. For us, sobriety is never enough. Stay out of slippery places and watch out for banana peels on the sidewalk!

The tell-tale signs of relapse and the return to old behavior are when we stop going to any recovery meetings, stop carrying the Message of hope, start isolating off on our own, return to old familiar hang-outs and other negative people, places and thing. We can even start having foolish fantasies about abusing alcohol and/or drugs again without even considering the critical consequences. As if we think we are now all well and wonderful, we got it handled and cannot be re-addicted. We must remember the terrible price we paid for our precious sobriety, not throw our clean time away in a mad moment of temptation. We should never forget the devious deadly nature of the disease of drug addiction. Booze and dope kills!

It takes real time, daily dedication and a lot of hard work for us to really get into the lifestyle of recovery. We need to claim the truth and become truly enlightened spiritual humane beings with a clear cosmic consciousness of our divine right to be here now in the universe enjoying our spiritual liberty.

We should cherish the newcomer, make them feel at home, guide them along the way and give them space and time to grow at their own pace with our consistent gentle guidance. Helping someone truly heal with a comprehensive wholistic approach to progressive recovery takes patient perseverance. It is not a rush quickie job. We should have had enough of rushing around in circles going nowhere in our former dope fiend days. Using our liberated willpower and spiritual principles, we seek to live healthy wholesome lives free from all forms of chemical dependency, all harmful addictions and the basic character defects of a destructive lifestyle.

~ Components of a Recovery Support Team ~

It is essential for recovering addicts to build up a solid community support system whose centerpiece is a strong Recovery Support Team to help us stay sane and sober.

The recovering addict should get a good home group and find a good stable sponsor or guide. A sponsor is usually another recovering addict with good clean time and a working knowledge of the 12-Steps who can help guide the newcomer, help him work through the 12-Steps and be a trusted advisor during times of temptation or crisis. Nonetheless, we should not rely on a sponsor alone for help nor look up to a sponsor as a guru-teacher or parent-authority figure. A sponsor alone will not keep you straight and is usually not a certified counselor or a trained professional psychotherapist. Sometimes even professional drug counselors may have good book learning yet still lack the street smarts essential for staying straight in a toxic dangerous environment.

Ultimately one’s continued recovery is a personal inside job, an internal struggle to heal our inner self in harmony with Creator God. Our progressive recovery can be greatly enhanced by having a diverse strong Recovery Support Team that can be composed of:

* A SAFE, SANE AND SOBER SANCTUARY

Guard your doorways and watch your thresholds; get rid of any drug paraphernalia laying around; clean house from top to bottom; start and keep a handy daily journal; study the basic recovery literature and do not allow any intoxicants or illegal drugs in your home, except when emergency first-aid is needed. Use common sense.

Keep your own private home as a sacred sanctuary, a place where you can relax and work on your inner self. We need to do a lot of homework, self-discovery and deep soul searching. On occasion, invite your comrades in recovery over to break bread together, for general discussions, informal book studies and private house meetings. If you have Internet access, join an online recovery group.

It’s all about establishing safe, sane and sober relationships in our lives. Many times in the past we made the wrong choices in our relationships. Do not waste precious time being caught up in fruitless destructive relations that could be better spent on self-improvement or mutual growth with others in recovery. Always be extremely careful whom you invite into your home. Sometimes it is best to meet a new friend or stranger at a nearby coffee shop. Take the time to really get to know the personal interests and agenda of a new friend. Use common sense and be cynical in examining people’s true motives, not naïve and gullible. Many mistake sincere kindness for weakness. Take care of your own self-interest without being selfish. If you cannot save yourself you cannot save anybody else. Think, think, think!

* A STRONG 'HOME GROUP' BASED UPON THE 12-STEPS PROGRAM

Attend and participate in open group meetings on a regular basis, be of service by leading a meeting, making coffee or cleaning up. Do not sit in a back corner isolating. Pay close attention to whoever is speaking, get to know who is who, observe others and watch their interactions, take mental notes and stay for the whole meeting. When you have a burning desire to share, speak up and speak out. Express yourself! A good meeting is marked by how many people actively participate, not how many bodies are present to get their cards signed. Not all the people at a recovery meeting are there for the same reasons. Some people are there mainly to socialize, are bored and lonely and go to see whom they can pick up and hold hostage later. However, most of those present are sincerely there to learn, grow and help each other. Stick with the winners and shake loose the losers.

As part of your recovery, plan on attending other fellowships different from your own home group. If you are into AA, go to an NA Meeting or vice-versa. Any 12-Steps based group can be helpful as many recovery topics, ideas and lessons can apply to different settings with universal themes common to life. A lot of genuine wisdom comes out of recovery meetings. Lifetimes of other people’s common experiences can come together, crystallize and help in your own pathways on this sacred special spiritual journey through life.

Remember to do your own daily personal inventory. Do not be easily sidetracked and distracted from doing your own recovery work. Do not judge and do other people’s inventory around you. Look in the mirror. You are not here to try to fix anyone else but yourself in conscious contact with God. Let go and let God!

* A CHRISTIAN 'HOME CHURCH' OR SPIRITUAL CENTER SENSITIVE TO PEOPLE IN RECOVERY

Practice what you preach and be a true believer in your faith, not a phony make believer! Make new Christian friends who are living a good wholesome Christian life. Study the Holy Bible for spiritual inspiration, take time out for heartfelt earnest prayer and set aside time for deep personal meditation.

Beware of the passing winds of evil doctrine preached by religious cults and do not get stuck into any dogmatic denomination. Check out different Bible-based churches. Better church hopping than bar hopping. Despite what the Pope pronounces from the Vatican or what any Pastor preaches from the bully pulpit, there is no one single organized religion that is superior to all the others. The ministry of a true religion should help others survive by meeting human needs and allow us to worship the God of our understanding. All of the world’s great religions worship the same Creator God.

James 1:27 ~ King James Version

“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

James 1:27 ~ Ancient Eastern Text

“For a pure and holy ministry before God the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

Do not look up to a false Christ, great Pope or fanatic figurehead for deliverance. Many religious leaders still have their own character defects they transfer on to their own sheepish congregation as they pass the money basket. Accept the fact that no one is coming to just save you, but with the help of others you can save yourself in harmony with the Creator’s will for us. Look up to the Creator of the Cosmos! The word addiction also means devotion. Be addicted or devoted to the Creator of love!

Some religious fanatics in recovery switch their old addictive behavior over to organized religion. They think that being a Bible thumper, quoting Scriptures and going to Church once a week is what being a Christian in recovery is all about. A true Christian should be out in the field feeding the flock, raising consciousness and sincerely helping others. It is only by God’s amazing grace that we have been saved.

Ephesians 2:8-10 ~ Ancient Eastern Text

“8 For it is by grace that you are saved through faith; not of your doing; it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his creation, created through Jesus Christ ultimately for good works, and God has ordained before that we should live in them.”

Over the centuries, many millions of people have been killed under the banner of organized religion in religious wars. Keep in mind that the old wily serpent Satan is often sitting and smiling in the front pew at church. The Devil is a Deceiver and a Divider. Don’t switch addictions and replace one harmful addiction with another and continue to do the Devil’s work!

* A STRONG SUPPORT NETWORK OF POSITIVE ROLE MODELS, PROFESSIONALS AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

If there are no fundamental changes in our personal lives, daily habits and spiritual practices there is no substantial recovery. In our old dope fiend days we were selfish, self-centered and always obsessed about dope without any real care, concern or compassion for others. Thus, in our recovery we should get rid of our old selfish ways by getting involved in positive community action and helping others without expecting anything in return. Gifts should be freely given expecting nothing in return.

1 Corinthians 2:12 ~ King James Version (KJV)

“12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.”

Learn from mature old-timers with long-term recovery, make the time to talk to them and find out what’s working in their lives. What activities are they into? What do they do in their free time for fun and entertainment? What books are on their bookshelves? Are they grumpy dry drunks or are they really enjoying the promises of recovery? You may find that many good old-timers are busy living their lives and continue in their spiritual growth, but will often take the time to give good advice, counsel and suggestions to newcomers willing to humbly learn about life in sober recovery and spiritual liberty. Sharing is caring!

Search out for people in the community who are into meaningful ministries in their church, positive fields of work and living exemplary lives, such as, teachers, counselors or other professionals. Learn from their positive examples and about the healthy choices they have made in their lives.

In your free time, join up and volunteer with community organizations and constructive civic groups that help enrich the lives of people. Share skills and talents with others. Many of our old skills are actually transferable skills we can apply to new ways of living sober in progressive recovery. Keep the treasures, throw out the trash.

~ Recovery Is A Dynamic Process ~

On-going progressive recovery is a fluid dynamic process of progressive stages of humane development, not a frozen final conclusion or a sudden spiritual awakening. We did not just trip out and become hard-core addicts overnight. In the process of working on our recovery we cannot absorb what we need to learn all in one day and suddenly become all ‘well and wonderful’. Recovery is a ‘one day at a time’ healing process, a brand new cultural lifestyle and a whole new way of living life on life’s terms on a daily basis. Old habits die-hard and we need to develop new healthy habits that have the cumulative effect of creating a new revolutionary culture with its own unique practices, patterns and philosophy. Easy does it!

Long-term drug addiction exhibits the locked-up craving brain gone wild without any restraints. The hard-core dope fiend is an egomaniac who has fallen over the edge into the darkness of insanity, exhibits selfish self-will on drug rampages and is a real menace to all of society. He shows the world an ugly display of mindless self-destruction, inner self-hatred and a sick fatalistic form of suicidal behavior.

The progressive recovery process demands new changes in all our old evil ways into new good ways of living life, getting out of the past and being present in the here and now. We are learning new ideas, developing new ways of living and becoming new spiritual beings. Ideally, we seek to live our lives in sanity, sobriety and serenity as much as we can in this still sick insane world. In essence it means the creation of a new humane being with a high level of creativity, self-esteem and personal integrity.

Learning to live sober in recovery could be the hardest struggle you have ever fought. In this war, sometimes people die a senseless death, get mortally wounded, become faceless nameless casualties, suffer collateral damage or end up missing in action by being in the wrong place at the wrong time under the influence of mind-damaging chemical substances. Whatever happens, we need to live consciously and stay alert to stay alive!

For those of us who fight the good fight, progressive recovery can have the greatest richest rewards in our lives, especially for our own self-respect and the respect we earn from others we care about and who care about us. The main one who stands between you and winning this war of life is you ~ the hidden enemy within! In recovery we must deal with the craving brain, negative social conditions and a dangerous toxic environment in the real outside world.

~ Building Up Our Self-Esteem ~

Our real progress can be measured by how well we are doing in terms of raising our self-esteem and helping others. Sober recovery is a dynamic creative process that progresses in stages: early recovery with little or no self-esteem; continued recovery with a basic solid foundation and greater self-esteem; and advanced long-term recovery with a high level of self-esteem motivated by pure love.

On a cosmic-quantum level, we are accountable for all our thoughts, words and actions, responsible for our recovery and obligated as humane beings to helping others.

In early recovery many of us first came into recovery with a lot of major damage we had already done to ourselves, to others close to us in our lives and to society in general. As a result we are suffering from low or no self-esteem. True self-esteem involves three key elements:

1. Self-love,
2. Self-respect, and
3. Self-confidence.

Nathaniel Branden in his classic book lists The Six Pillars of Self-Esteem as:

1. The practice of living consciously
2. The practice of self-acceptance
3. The practice of self-responsibility
4. The practice of self-assertiveness
5. The practice of living purposefully
6. The practice of personal integrity

Related Website: http://www.nathanielbranden.com/catalog/index.php

There is still a lot of good work to be done in order to raise our self-esteem and have reverence for our soul. Many of us have to hit dirt rock bottom and have lost our regular reference points: lost homes, families and jobs. All we once held near and dear to us can be gone. It is no great wonder why we suffer from little or no self-esteem. However, we do get better, stronger and more confident of ourselves as we continue to stay straight, work on our recovery and nurture our spiritual growth.

~ The Basics and Beyond ~

If we have gotten strung out in the whole spectrum of chemical addiction we usually went through the whole process of:

~ Casual recreational use
~ Daily drug abuse, and then
~ Hard-core drug addiction

Many of us inherited a natural tendency for drug addiction from our family of origin. In early childhood, we may have seen drug abuse; it may have been around during our adolescent teenage years and continued into adulthood. We gradually grew up into the whole party atmosphere of the sex, music and drugs scene. We didn’t stand a chance for sober living if we were brought up in certain ways that condoned and applauded drug use, especially if our first negative role models were older people who influenced us in our youth to copy them. It was the cool thing to do and made us part of the in-crowd in our gang of friends. What started out as us just having innocent fun ended up foul and wrecked our lives and reputations. We became lost drug addicts, despised by society and in need of sober recovery from drug addiction.

The basics of recovery are always the basics: stay straight one day at a time, do a daily inventory, find a good home group, get a good support team and keep going to recovery meetings. In harmony with general recovery guidelines, a comprehensive wholistic recovery treatment program should be developed with the personal history and present situation of the recovering addict in mind for any recovery program to be helpful and relevant. We aim to cure addiction and heal our spirits.

We recommend a general wholistic approach so that all the recovery tools, medical arsenal and professional knowledge and expertise available to us can be properly utilized in order to achieve a lasting long-term cure. We have the capacity for new learning, building self-esteem and strengthening our faith in the Creator in order to be healthy mature functional adults.

“Everyone is measured on several continuums having to do with withdrawal symptoms: how much of a support system does the person have, if they also have medical problems, psychological problems that need additional support, etc. Depending on how ‘healthy’ a person is, will determine where they ought to go for treatment.

The person who has no withdrawal symptoms, who has the support of clean and sober family and friends, has a job, no psychiatric or medical problems and maybe a couple of drunk driving charges, may be appropriate for an outpatient setting.

However, the person with no support system, who has experienced withdrawal symptoms in the past, has medical and maybe psychiatric problems, will need more intensive and long-term care.”
Source: Addictions and Dual Diagnosis, An Online Conference with Dr. Thomas Schear, a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor with about 20 years experience in the field.
http://www.healthyplace.com/communities/Addictions/Site/transcripts/addictions_dual_diagnosis.htm

We should see ourselves as worthy lovable human beings who have complicated our lives with drug addiction and its negative effects. Now we are in the life-giving process of developing our humane character so that we have care, concern and compassion for all suffering beings, especially ourselves. We should strive to simplify the complex, not complicate the simple.

We should see the whole healing process of our humane development in the trinity of daily sobriety, continued recovery and spiritual liberty. The mind commands, the body functions and the soul guides. We must tame our minds, control our bodies and allow the Creator to guide our souls. Any malfunction in any one part of the mind-body-soul trinity will impact on our entire being. Thus, we need to keep a wholistic balance for our mental health, physical fitness and spiritual communion with the Creator.

Once we have learned and applied the basics of progressive recovery in our own personal lives we need to go out into the larger community and change the things we can in our social environment: carry the Message of recovery, help others, combat poverty, expose the evils of the day and get personally involved in our local community. We need to become community activists and get involved in progressive causes and creative community projects that will help others in practical positive ways. Thus, we can become creative citizens of the world, not apathetic ‘normal’ people only seeking fun, escape and entertainment.

~ Conclusion ~

As we work on building up a Recovery Support Team we will learn the value of self-esteem, nurture our inner spiritual growth and come to know the power of teamwork. In the healing process of progressive recovery we will make new sane and sober friends for a lifetime!

Proverbs 27:17 ~ Ancient Eastern Text
“Iron sharpens iron; so a man enlightens the face of his friend.”

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c/s

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On the Power of a Spiritual Journal: by Peter S. Lopez

2008-07-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

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http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/07/on-power-of-spiritual-journal-by-peter.html
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Sabbath, July 26, 2008

What was on your mind a millennium ago? What were you thinking and going through a year ago? What were your goals last month? What did you need to do last week that you put off and procrastinated? What happened to you yesterday? What new lessons in life did you learn today? To help you remember what is going on in your life and other stuff it is good to establish a written document in the form of a Spiritual Journal for your spiritual journey in life. Life is a journey, not a destination!

In our spiritual life, we all need spiritual sobriety, progressive recovery and humane liberty to help us heal from one kind of disorder or another in order maintain balance, create order and have inner peace in this wicked wide world of social chaos, mass confusion and global crisis. In these troubled times of great transitions many of us are 'out-of-order' and divorced from our inherited natural divinity as co-creators with Creator God. We need to be in tune with our true inner soul and examine the infinite possibilities of life in all its many facets, realms and dimensions! We need to come to know the power of a Spiritual Journal in order to create a private personal diary of the spiritual evolution of our private thoughts, personal concerns and life experiences.

~Tools for a Spiritual Journal~

A few basic tools you will need are:
1. A pen or other writing implement (pencil with eraser)
2. A student notebook, note pad or computer if possible
3. A dictionary and thesaurus

A Spiritual Journal is meant to be for your eyes only, though you can feel free to share portions of it with special people, such as a sponsor, spiritual guide or close friend. Before you start journaling, take the time to pray, meditate and concentrate on what you want to write about. Always know where your journal is and keep it in a safe place away from prying eyes. A journal is a special writing space where you can express your deepest feelings, innermost thoughts and personal dreams without fear of self-exposure. Breathe, relax, open up your mind and let it all hang out!

The purpose of a journal is know your inner self better and keep track of what is going on in your life. It is sad that many people do not really know, analyze and understand themselves. They are victims of their own emotions, held hostage by their own feelings. They might be too busy labeling and judging others instead of looking in a clean mirror and examining their own character defects, shortcomings and inner demons. Who are you and why are you here? Know why you think, feel and do as you do in your life. The better you love, care for and understand yourself as a humane being, the more care, concern and compassion you will have for others in your life.

We are all ignorant of all we do not know. Many people are functional illiterates who cannot read or write good and may not even be able to spell simple words, but are too ashamed to ask for help. If we work on learning in a consistent conscientious way we can learn what we do not know, increase our general knowledge and raise our spiritual consciousness to higher levels of comprehension. Be humble, receptive and good at learning!

Learn the lexical definitions of words you do not comprehend and take the time to look them up and define them. You can even create your own definitions for key words in order to better say what you mean and mean what you say. Get your words out in a clear, concise and powerful way. Increase your vocabulary and empower yourself with keen insight and native intelligence. Real power is the capacity to accurately define connected reality, correctly analyze it and change it in a designed manner. Use your personal power to help yourself and others move forward in life armed with the wisdom of self-knowledge.

Many people misunderstand each other because they actually have different definitions for the same common words they use in their conversations with others. Do not assume that what you define and mean as ‘spiritual’ is the same for someone else. Think before you speak and choose your words with care so you can better understand your own thinking processes. Be able to define and explain your terms, concepts and definitions. Communicate what is really on your mind and strive to be clearly understood by others you really care about. Be honest, open, and direct. Keep it simple when you can and get to the point!

~ Plan of Action for Starting a Spiritual Journal ~

Any good plan of action should answer the following questions:
1. Who?
2. What?
3. When?
4. Where?
5. Why?

You need to create a Spiritual Journal here now to document your reflections on connected reality. It can help clarify life issues, answer critical questions and analyze key situations for your own personal self-interest. Write down your thoughts as mirrors of your mind. Write about whatever you think is important enough to write down. In your journal, you can write in it, draw in it or even scribble in it. Open it whenever and wherever you want. It is only your journal for you to keep up on and to exercise your right to write!

When journaling it is best to find a quiet secluded power spot where no one can disturb you so you can be alone without distractions. The best time to journal is early in the morning when your mind is fresh and clear. Sometime during a busy day you can stop and write in it to anchor yourself. Late at night before sleep, do an assessment and evaluation of the day’s thoughts, feelings and activities. It is easy to journal once you get into the habit of writing into your journal on a regular daily basis, even if it is only a few sentences.

There are different kinds of journals for different reasons: a recovery journal, a business journal or an art journal. A Spiritual Journal is to help you map out your lifetime journey. You can journal in it for your daily personal inventory, write up different lists and for your own future reference. You can even create the raw material for an autobiography!

~Tangible Benefits of a Spiritual Journal~

* It creates free time only for you to write as it builds concentration
* Relieves stress and soothes anxiety by creating moments of clarity
* Helps develop your general literacy, improves writing and sharpens study
skills
* Sets goals, outlines plans and establishes priorities that are written down
* Creates personal reminders of daily schedules, appointments and meetings
* Helps focus your life energy, keeps track of time and resources
* Raises consciousness as it increases self-esteem
* Becomes a treasured heirloom for life

Some people who fail to keep any kind of journal often get clouded and confused in their conversations without a coherent train of thought. It is no wonder why they babble when they speak without thinking first and love to only hear their own talk. It is because they are insecure, out of tune with their inner spirit, have a short attention span and are easily distracted without a set clear focus in life. Always quick to react on an emotional level, yet slow to respond with calm reason.

Always keep a Spiritual Journal handy to help you examine the changes in your lifetime. Change is truly inevitable, conscious spiritual growth is a choice. Walk your spiritual path with love, kindness and understanding for others. The best way of telling is by doing. Let others come to their own individual understanding of the truth. Nothing replaces direct experience.

The more you love life the more your path ahead will be guided by the light of truth. Stay in the light, avoid darkness and write your truth down! Get busy!!!

C/S

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● Progressive Recovery Today!
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On Healthy Relationships in Recovery: by Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

2008-06-15T13:01:00.000-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-healthy-relationships-in-recovery-by.html

Date: Father’s Day ~ Sunday, June 15, 2008

Main Entry: crea•ture
Pronunciation: \ˈkrē-chər\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin creatura, from Latin creatus, past participle of creare
Date: 14th century
1: something created either animate or inanimate: as a: a lower animal; especially : a farm animal b: a human being c: a being of anomalous or uncertain aspect or nature
2: one that is the servile dependent or tool of another: instrument
— crea•tur•al \ˈkrē-chə-rəl\ adjective
— crea•ture•hood \ˈkrē-chər-ˌhu̇d\ noun
— crea•ture•li•ness \-lē-nəs\ noun
— crea•ture•ly \-lē\ adjective

~ Introduction ~

Genesis 1:27-28 (Ancient Eastern Text) ~ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild beasts that move upon the earth.

According to the Holy Bible, all of creation, earth and all living creatures, including human beings, were created by the Great Soul of the Creator of the cosmos. On a spiritual level, the cosmic consciousness of our immortal inner soul is intimately connected to the supreme consciousness of Creator God in timeless endless eternity.

Isaiah 40:28-29 (AET) ~ Have you not known? Have you not heard, that God is the Lord for ever, who has created the ends of the earth? that he does not faint, neither is weary? and that there is no searching of his understanding? He gives power to the weary, and to them that are stricken with disease he increases strength.

As creatures of the creator created in the Creator’s image, human beings are all one species of life in the human family of humankind, the human race of homo-sapiens. Related by our human relationships to each other we are all one with the same original roots despite outward appearances.

Main Entry: race
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French, generation, from Old Italian razza
Date: 1580
1 a breeding stock of animals
2 a family, tribe, people, or nation belonging to the same stock b: a class or kind of people unified by shared interests, habits, or characteristics
3 an actually or potentially interbreeding group within a species; also : a taxonomic category (as a subspecies) representing such a group b: breed c: a category of humankind that shares certain distinctive physical traits
4 obsolete : inherited temperament or disposition
5 distinctive flavor, taste, or strength

The whole idea of distinct separate races of people is a social construction of man’s invention. Naturally, there are cultural, ethnic and language differences but we are still of the same stock, the same species of life.

In today’s world we witness unhealthy relationships between cultures, nations, states, tribes and sexes that hinder our unity as one people upon Mother Earth. We should all be unified together based upon our common heritage, our common survival interests and our collective desire for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Isaiah 43:10 (AET) ~ You are my witnesses, says the LORD, and my servants whom I have chosen: that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he; before me there was no God created, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and besides me there is no lord.

~ True Believers ~

There are three kinds of believers: the true believer, the make-believer and the non-believer. The true believer believes in Creator God, the basic principles of the Holy Bible and the Ten Commandments. Some believers take everything in the Bible literally; they can cite the letter of the law yet fail to grasp the true meaning of the spirit of the law. Our Creator is loving, kind, truthful, merciful and forgiving, not automatically judging, mechanically condemning and always sending people to hell!

Remember the Holy Bible was written by prophets of old who were inspired by Creator to lift their pen and write words but that process was filtered by the hand of man. If we take the Holy Bible literally only the Ten Commandments were written by the finger of God.

Exodus 31:18 (AET) ~ And he gave to Moses, when he had made an end of talking with him on mount Sinai, two tablets of testimony, the stone tablets written by the finger of God.

It is the make-believers that cause the most trouble and confusion among us because they are wolves in sheep clothing, hypocrites and liars who say one thing and do another, who twist and turn Scriptures out of its original context to serve their own selfish personal agendas. When potential believers see their evil ways they are turned off to God’s truth, Christian teachings and organized religion in general.

Non-believers have the right to be lost in unbelief and we cannot force anyone to believe in anything against their free will. Some consider themselves scientists yet fail to see the balanced unity between science and spirituality.

“But science can only be created by those who are thoroughly imbued with the aspiration toward truth and understanding. This source of feeling, however, springs from the sphere of religion. To this there also belongs the faith in the possibility that the regulations valid for the world of existence are rational, that is, comprehensible to reason. I cannot conceive of a genuine scientist without that profound faith. The situation may be expressed by an image: science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” Source: Albert Einstein on Science vs. Religion [1941]
http://www.spaceandmotion.com/albert-einstein-god-religion-theology.htm

We require true believers who do so of their own free will with undying faith, scientific knowledge and deep understanding of the truth. We teach by patient persuasion, not forceful compulsion. Some people are not ready for the truth with a desire for and fear of the truth. Let them alone as connected reality has a habit of sticking around and sometimes folks have to hit their bottom before they look up.

Naturally it is the inner soul’s natural quest to be one with Creator, not as make-believers or non-believers. As true believers in Creator, it is our obligation to love the Creator with all of our being and love one another as we should love ourselves. We are finding our way home back to oneness with the Creator of the Cosmos and ourselves.

Matthew 22:36-40 (AET) ~ Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law? Jesus said to him, Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might and with all your mind. This is the greatest and the first commandment. And the second is like to it, Love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang the law and the prophets.

By definition, a true believer should be a humane being with tender care, deep concern and loving compassion for all living beings. All the great religions share the same core belief in Creator. Different Christian Church denominations are all branches of the same tree. On the quantum level Christians do not have an exclusive monopoly on Creator who belongs to all of us. There are many pathways to an inner revelation of Creator. Ours is not the one and only way, ours is another way. One should be a humane Christian and love our Great Creator in unity with Muslims, with Jews, with Buddhists and all honest true believers of the Creator. Even an innocent child can know Creator and see manifestations of Creator in the shine of the golden poppy and other natural wonders of nature, such as, the countless stars in the clear night sky. We can all claim a belief in Creator as our natural birthright as humane beings.

On a higher level of consciousness we should understand that we are spiritual humane beings in a physical body having a lifetime experience. The humane being is composed of the trinity of the mind, body and soul. An inner imbalance in any one of these three elements impacts on the other two. For example, a depressed mind can lower the body’s immune system, weaken the spirit and further deepen mental depression. All of life is in connected reality. No one who has lived for any length of time in this world has come out of it all pure and spotless without blemish or stain. The key is to find a healthy balance in all our relationships and change or cut loose those relationships that cause us to be out-of-balance and harm our basic survival interests. Our basic survival interests are always the same: food, clothing, shelter, medical care and basic education.

In relation to drug addiction, we are the most addicted society in all of human history with more addicts suffering from the affliction of addiction all the time. Here there are great social imbalances that can end up in death and destruction. It is not just the petty criminal dope dealer in the alley who is the problem. The drug lobbies, the drug industries and drug treatment industries are multi-billion dollar businesses. The major source of drugs in general and drug addiction in particular is from legal pharmaceutical drugs prescribed by licensed physicians.

“The elderly are among those most vulnerable to prescription drug abuse or misuse because they are prescribed more medications than their younger counterparts. Most people take prescription medications responsibly; however, an estimated 48 million people (ages 12 and older) have used prescription drugs for nonmedical reasons in their lifetimes. This represents approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population.”
Source: Nora D. Volkow, M.D., Director National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) ~ 2005
http://www.drugabuse.gov/ResearchReports/Prescription/Prescription.html

Recovering addicts who have overcome the demon of denial about their addiction recognize the sickness of the disease of drug addiction. We are sick people trying to get well, not bad people trying to be good. We inherited much of our sickness from the sickness of previous generations. Unless we are treated, healed and cured we will continue to spread social sickness to the present generation and future unborn generations.

In our spiritual growth, we should admit that we have serious internal core spiritual issues, labeled as various forms of mental illness with complex classifications that cloud these core spiritual issues. We need to come together and work on our own spiritual healing. It all comes down to healing the spirit of our inner soul. Whether addicts or not, many of us suffer from major character defects, personal shortcomings and untreated disorders that are ultimately spiritual in origin. These are in turn related to the governing social conditions of hungry, poverty and oppression in the world and an inner separation between Creator and our inner soul. We believe that in conscious communion with Creator, honesty in all our relations and by working with others in recovery there is a real cure for drug addiction and for all our basic ailments.

~ Recovering Addicts In Progressive Recovery ~

As recovering addicts, we need to stay alert and alive all along the way. As we continue working on progressive recovery, we also have to deal with the personal shame and social stigma of having been drug addicts that is projected onto us by those in the world who are conditioned to being judgmental and harbor prejudice against drug addicts in general. Many times this hurts the most when it comes from close family members and loved ones who do not understand the disease of drug addiction. We have a lot of real obstacles before us to overcome and real challenges we must face head on. Compassion will rule the day. Recovery cannot easily happen when we are isolated all alone on an individual level against great social forces against us and around us. We need powerful group support of all kinds and daily fellowship with others for moral support, wise instruction and spiritual inspiration.

We also need to educate the general public about addiction-related issues and not hide our truth in any assumed anonymity. We were not anonymous in our times of wild addiction, why should be pretend to be underground and anonymous in our recovery nowadays? This is why progressive recovery advocates us being community activists, sharing our stories with others and helping out in the local community as mature functional adults and responsible world citizens.

“I just know that you are expected, at some point, to do more than carry the Message of A.A. to other alcoholics. In A.A. we aim not only for sobriety---we try again to become citizens of the world that we rejected, and the world that once rejected us. This is the ultimate demonstration toward which Twelfth Step work is the first but not the final step.”
Source: As Bill Sees It: Citizens Again, Bill Wilson LETTER 1959

Christians against substance addiction are waging real spiritual warfare on a constant basis between the forces of light versus the forces of darkness. We must use all the spiritual weapons at our command in order to win this drug war against drug addicts that has resulted in entire communities being torn apart, thousands being in prison and millions treated as social outcasts by the larger society.

“Between 1980 and 1998 the total number of new admissions of drug offenders to state and federal prison exceeded 1.5 million. Between 1980 and 2003 the number of drug offenders in state prisons grew twelvefold. In 2006 an estimated 248,547 men and women were serving time in state prisons for drug offenses, constituting 19.5 percent of all state prisoners.”
Source: Targeting Blacks: Drug Law Enforcement and Race in the United States
http://hrw.org/reports/2008/us0508/3.htm#_ftn25

As part of a wholistic Spiritual Program recovering addicts require progressive recovery in order to combat drug addiction and its related evils: lost homes, prisons, institutions and death. We need to be working on a wholistic healing process that helps the whole humane being and his immediate environment. The term 'wholistic' is a combination of the words ‘whole’ and ‘holy’. Drug addiction is a total disease as it attacks the mind, body and soul. Yet it is also a symptom of deeper spiritual demons or diseases that we must closely examine, medically treat and spiritually heal. A Spiritual Program will naturally help enhance our progressive recovery program.

Our healing is a protracted long-term developing process that advances through different stages of growth: from early recovery, to continued recovery, to advanced recovery when one becomes ever closer to oneness with Creator, has achieved an inward peace with one’s inner soul and lives in unity with others. We need to be cured of the inner divisors that separate us from God, from ourselves and our loved ones. In harmony with the Creator we need to work on a cure for the worldwide plague of drug addiction.

Jeremiah 33:6 (AET) ~ Behold, I will bring to it a long period of healing, and I will heal them and will reveal to them the paths of peace and truth.

~ Adult Relationships ~

Proverbs 15:16-17(AET) “Better is little with reverence for the Lord than the great treasures of the wicked. Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is than fatted steer and hatred with it.”

A major source of widespread social sickness is the harmful adult relationships we get ourselves involved in and keep getting tangled up in because of our own bad personal choices, individual circumstances and existing toxic environments. Many of us get caught up in rotten relationships, lousy marriages and poor living arrangements over and over again for long hard years without relief. Spousal abuse and forms of spousal violence, broken windows in broken homes, children forever lost to CPS and hate-filled bad divorces are common events in today’s civil society.

The choice for a marriage partner is one of the most important choices we can make all our lives. Unfortunately, many people have ‘broken pickers’ when it comes to matrimony or the commitment required for long-term intimate relationships. Approximately 50% of all marriages in Amerika end in divorce, getting higher with more marriages per person.

“The divorce rate in America for first marriage, vs. second or third marriage:
50% percent of first marriages, 67% of second and 74% of third marriages end in divorce, according to Jennifer Baker of the Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri.”
Source: http://www.divorcerate.org/

Many couples nowadays do not even legally marry or intend to get married in the near future that never becomes the present today. Many couples can remain together unmarried for decades yet live together as married couples with all its commitments, responsibilities and entanglements. Cleary there is a lot of fear, mistrust and reluctance when it comes to making a lifetime commitment to the legal contract of matrimony between two people.

What was once pure love can gradually wither away, decay and degenerate into pure hate without proper attention, nourishment and cultivation. Thus, we all need to work on consciously building up healthy relationships in recovery with our Creator, our inner soul and with our loved ones, especially when it comes to personal relationships between a man and woman.

~ Three Key Relationships in Life ~

Ephesians 3:14-19 “For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, For whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named, To grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit, That Christ may dwell in your inner man by faith, and in your hearts by love, strengthening your understanding and your foundation, so that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the height and depth and length and breadth, And to know the love of Christ which surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

In the life of the advanced humane being, three key personal relationships are:

1. The relationship between our Creator and the creature,

2. The relationship between the creature and the inner soul, and

3. The relationship between the creature and other creatures.

Healthy loving relationships in all areas of our lives are essential for us to open up new doorways to self-knowledge, give us practical guidelines for living at peace with others and help us progress in our spiritual evolution as humane beings. Healthy personal relationships, in the vast spiritual realm, in our business dealings and in our personal lives are mirrors of ourselves so we can come to know and see ourselves better from different perspectives through our various relationships. Let your mirrors be clean.

~ The Relationship Between the Creator and the Creature ~

2 Chronicles 7:14 (AET) ~ If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and will heal their land.

The Creator of all living creatures is the supreme ruler known in the masculine sense as God, though our Creator is beyond any sexual gender. We could use the terms Creator, Jehovah, Living God, Goddess and the Great Spirit interchangeably to get the same basic meaning.

Exodus 3:14 (AET) ~ And God said to Moses, I am AHIAH ASHAR HIGH (that is, THE LIVING GOD); and he said, Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: AHIAH has sent me to you.

We need to create, build and establish a personal spiritual relationship with our Creator. To do so we must completely surrender our arrogant vanity, get on both knees in heartfelt prayers, practice daily inner meditation and stay well grounded in God’s wisdom, common sense and the ancient spiritual teachings. Once we accept Creator God as our highest power, we need to admit and repent of our sins, ask for forgiveness and vow to sin no more. We must come to know God, be true to our inner souls and examine our own personal role in bringing about any chaos, calamity and confusion in our lives because of our failure to be obedient to the commandments of God.

Many tortured lost souls are separated from our Creator and His Son Jesus Christ of Nazareth. For them the ideal of an invisible supernatural God is an unbelievable abstract concept without a complete definition. The Holy Bible ~ The Book of Books ~ of the Old Testament and the New Testament seems so old, irrelevant and outdated to them. God is dead to them while their inner soul is dead in sin mourning the chasm between itself and the Creator. They have fallen far away from God’s amazing grace and desperately need a strong spiritual revival emboldened by the Holy Spirit in their lives. They do not recognize their true self-interest as being one with the Creator and ultimately suffer from the original sin of separation from our Creator.

Unbelievers are on real slippery ground without any sound spiritual stability. They are disconnected, lost and alone in the cosmos because of their unbelief and in their hearts do not really believe in God. Many are make-believers, pretending to be Christians in Church pews on Sundays, lacking true love for others and busy being of the devil all the rest of the week. Is the great cosmos, all the vast countless galaxies, the majesty of Mother Earth, the marvelous wonders of nature and all living beings mere freak accidents or weird biological mutations brought about by a Big Bang in the beginning of time? Or was there a Maker?

John 8:28 (AET) ~ Again Jesus said to them, When you have lifted up the Son of man, then you will understand that I am he, and I do nothing of my own accord; but as my Father has taught me, so I speak just like him.

To be humble before God is to have a proper perspective of ourselves in relation to others, to submerge our haughty ego, to admit ignorance of all we do not know and to honestly examine the sources of our false opinions about God, Jesus Christ and religion:

● What was our early religious upbringing as children, if any?
● If we were once believers what happened that turned us off from God?
● Did God really abandon us or did we give up on ourselves alone in bitterness?

Many of our sufferings are because we do not know the Creator, connected reality and our role within it all. We suffer from low self-esteem or no self-esteem. In our healing we should strive to achieve a high level of self-esteem with self-love, self-respect and self-confidence.

We are the only species of life upon Mother Earth that can define, explain and know ourselves as conscious living beings. Humans have had more of an impact on the external environment, positive and negative, than any other species of life. With a multi-dimensional perception that includes the spiritual realm and is beyond our ordinary five sense-organs we can be self-conscious of ourselves and become conscious of our Creator. Ultimately, we need to establish a spiritual relationship with our loving Creator, love ourselves and have humane love towards all other creatures of the Creator.

~ The Relationship Between the Creature and the Inner Soul ~

2 Corinthians 5:17 (AET) ~ Whoever from now on is a follower of Christ is a new creation; old things have passed away; And all things have become new through God who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; For God was in Christ, who has reconciled the world with his majesty, not counting their sins against them; and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

As a humane being, the inner soul of the creature must be reconciled with Creator, not as a separate self alone. Our inner soul has endured from one lifetime incarnation to the next throughout many lifetimes: experiencing lifetimes of experiences, learning and relearning lessons and enduring spiritual struggles throughout the ages on its journey back home to its original source: our Divine Creator.

In this lifetime, we must remember to go back and think about our early childhood:

● How were we raised in our family of origin?
● What kind of experiences molded our personalities?
● What happened to us along the way that turned us into addicts?
● What are the most important lessons in life we have learned so far?

We should always have more questions than answers as we continue to learn about ourselves and others. We need to know our true past in order to better see our present life situation in the light of clarity no matter how painful simply remembering the past can be. We must unblock our memories to learn more about whom we are today, especially remembering the lessons from our mistakes in life involving relationships.

We are the result of our own individual choices, decisions and determinations. It does no good to blame our childhood, the environment or the government as to why we became drug addicts. No one crammed a bottle of booze down our throats or accidentally injected a hypodermic needle into our veins. We did it all to ourselves. We allowed ourselves to become addicts. We must now be fully accountable and accept our personal responsibility for both our becoming addicts and for our own personal progressive recovery from drug addiction. We must bear the weight of the consequences of our choices and decisions in our lives without complaint. In the end, we are the ones who brought about the main problems in our lives.

Nowadays, it is up to us to work together on solutions to our problems. We cannot afford to sit around waiting idly for a Savior or a wizard with a magic wand to save us. We must save ourselves and meet God at least half way to go all the way and receive our redemption.

Ultimately, it is up to us to figure it all out the best we can with the help of spiritual guides, our recovery support network of friends and fellow recovering addicts we meet at 12-Steps Group Meetings. It cannot all come from any Holy Bible, any Big Book, or any great guru. It is the living breathing book you yourself must write from the pages of your own life experience as you work your own program on a daily basis. Know yourself well, reach out for help and work closely with others in recovery. Do not isolate in misery and silent suffering!

No one else can clean up your own mess for you to heal. You yourself must make your life what you want it to be using your intuition, intention, intelligence and imagination or give up, wallow in self-pity and be stuck with a self-image of yourself as another powerless victim of circumstances beyond your immediate control. You can either be a victor or a victim. It is up to you to decide what you want to do with your life because it is your life for better or worse. Make it better and be a winner in life.

Each of us has a purpose and mission in life we can fulfill with a Spiritual Program. A Spiritual Program should include finding your major mission in life and asking our Creator for guides to help you find the ways and means to fulfill your mission. If you suspect there is something missing in your life or you feel that there is something you need to be doing that you are not doing, it could be that you are not fulfilling the life purpose of your mission in life!

~ The Relationship Between the Creature and Other Creatures ~

John 15:12-14 (AET) ~ This is my commandment, That you love one another, just as I have loved you. There is no greater love than this, that a man lay down his life for the sake of his friends. You are my friends if you do everything that I command you.

In humane relationships, the key to establishing healthy relationships between our inner soul and others is by creating, developing and nurturing genuine loving friendships based upon humane love, high respect and common interests. Many educational books have already been written on relationships and there is valuable information available online on the Internet. Seek and ye shall find!

In humane life, there are different kinds of human relationships, such as:

● the parent-child relationship,
● the business-professional relationship,
● the legal-marriage relationship, and
● the special-personal relationship

Here we discuss the basics of healthy relationships in recovery for the recovering addict that involves the special-personal relationship between two people of the opposite sex that naturally includes sexual intimacy. Many times it is involvement in intimate relations that causes havoc for the recovering addict, especially in early recovery.

First we must admit that our lives have become unmanageable to one degree or another and have become burdened with trouble and turmoil. Do not wait and procrastinate until a bad situation gets worse. We must equip ourselves with the tools we need to manage our lives in creative ways. We are here to know ourselves better than anyone else, find the good in us and work on healing our souls, not bed hop from one broken heart to another.

Many people do not really know who they are in the quintessence of their inner soul and need to work on personal spiritual growth before getting intimately involved with someone else. Many forget to just stop, be still in their unique beingness and be alone in harmony with their inner soul. One should appreciate the lone solitude of one’s own loving company without feeling lonely. Are you really comfortable in your own skin? If you do not already know and love you, then you are not even ready for a successful loving relationship!

Many people fear being all alone with the conscience of their inner soul. For example, for couples the ‘significant other’ always has to be around or within reach, especially if one is half of a whole couple, which means one’s self-image is as half a person, not as a whole person. The insanity of insecurity prevails: jealousy, possessiveness and being domineering or letting yourself be dominated.

Many of us fail to ever do a deep personal self-inventory and fail to do daily personal inventories to check in with our inner soul. Why do we think, feel and do as we think, feel and do? In fact, many people are so busy running around in concentric circles doing different activities and get easily distracted because they are not at peace with themselves. We should be humane beings, not human doings.

If you are now a single adult, chances are that all your previous relationships have utterly failed. Think! You are single here now! If you desire a serious lasting long-term relationship with a significant other after being involved in a number of past intimate relationships that have all failed then you should humbly pray, quietly meditate and think hard before getting involved in another relationship simply because of your private loneliness. Do not fantasize about future lasting relationships when all of your past ones have failed and you have not figured out why! Do not forget all about the possible results of ruined relationships: emotional heartache, personal pain and collateral wreckage, including financial loss. Remember the lessons of past mistakes, know who you are and comprehend connected reality!

In essence, the basis of a healthy loving relationship is best based upon the Golden Rule: “do unto others as you would have done to yourself.”

We should know our true motive in being in a relationship. Is it just for sex or another ulterior motive? Be smart and engage in critical thinking. Be cynical and question the true motives of people without being senile and always suspicious. A false friendship leads to deception, insecurity and treachery. True friendship should be based upon what is the best for the both of you, not selfish personal gain. Genuine friendship is free of petty jealousy, weak insecurity and useless rivalry. You want your best friend to be aware, advance and continue in his or her spiritual growth with or without you. Personal spiritual growth that fosters inner enlightenment is the key for all of us to advance in our spiritual journey through life.

Proverbs 27:17 (AET) ~ Iron sharpens iron; so a man enlightens the face of his friend.

Be honest in your personal relationship and establish open terms of endearment. Why do you want to be together in a union? Is it for companionship, sharing good times together and helping each other out? Or is it to gain a status symbol, personal prestige or mere animal lust? Are you practicing safe sex during intercourse? Do you know the acronym for STD? Do you really know with whom you are sharing the most intimate aspects of your self and who you are sleeping with?

Do not confuse love with lust. Human animals with natural sex drives have a physical attraction for each other, lust for sex and engage in sexual intercourse. Selfish animals seek to only satisfy their own orgasmic sexual needs on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis without any real consideration for the different needs of their mating partner. A true lover is so much more than a piece of raw meat.

In an adult relationship, a couple should first work on being good close friends by spending time together talking about life and their backgrounds; getting to know each other’s philosophy on life and what they want out of a relationship; openly sharing life experiences and events together; and see each other in operation in different social situations among different people out in the real world. Share a sunset together before you share a sunrise. Take all the time you need before rushing heart first into another important relationship or just keep it as casual friends without strings attached or hooks out. Sometimes just being a good close friend without sex is the best way to go.

A good loving friend is a rare gem, will remain a true friend through thick and thin and will help us weather the storms of life. Fair-weather friends are a dime a dozen. Sexual partners can come and go. Sadly, many couples fail to ever develop a true friendship together and eventually split up going their separate ways in life. A true loving friendship grows stronger as time goes by. Lovers should be the best of friends. A true loving friend will last a lifetime!

~ Summary ~

In summary, as humane beings we need loving healthy relationships with the Creator, with our own creative soul and with other creatures in our lives in ways that promote healing our souls, spiritual enlightenment and oneness with God. Seek first the Kingdom of God; know that the communion is within you and all you need will come to you.

Luke 17:21 (AET) “Neither will they say, Behold, it is here! or, behold, it is there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

~+~+~+~

c/s
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● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Blog
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/
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On Spiritual Sobriety in Recovery:By Peter S. Lopez aka Peta

2008-05-26T08:26:00.000-07:00

http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/2008/05/on-spiritual-sobriety-in-recovery-by.html

Update: Monday, May 26, 2008 ~ Memorial Day

~ Introduction ~

Main Entry: com•mu•nion
Pronunciation: \kə-ˈmyü-nyən\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin communion-, communio mutual participation, from communis
Date: 14th century
1: an act or instance of sharing
2 a capitalized : a Christian sacrament in which consecrated bread and wine are consumed as memorials of Christ's death or as symbols for the realization of a spiritual union between Christ and communicant or as the body and blood of Christ b: the act of receiving Communion c capitalized : the part of a Communion service in which the sacrament is received
3: intimate fellowship or rapport : communication
4: a body of Christians having a common faith and discipline [the Anglican communion]

Spiritual sobriety in recovery is the highest form of sobriety wherein one is in conscious communion with the Creator of the cosmos in a balanced state of serenity that is sane and sober. We must develop a well-rounded wholistic treatment program that treats the entire human being as a three-dimensional being of mind, body and soul striving to be in harmony with the Creator. Sometimes life may disturb our serenity, but when we focus on our spiritual sobriety we can recover.

~ Sanity is Security ~

Main Entry: san•i•ty
Pronunciation: \ˈsa-nə-tē\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English sanite, from Anglo-French sanité, from Latin sanitat-, sanitas health, sanity, from sanus healthy, sane
Date: 15th century
: the quality or state of being sane; especially : soundness or health of mind

Sanity is security, mental stability, emotional balance, common sense and governs the mind, as opposed to the insecure insanity of indulgence in drug addiction. To be sane is to be natural, rational and in possession of a sound mind ~ the throne of thought ~ that is capable of helping us think, function and cope in our social environment so we can meet our basic survival needs and manifest our infinite potential to stay alive, prosper and succeed in life. Sanity gives us a balanced equilibrium essential for us to be relatively normal intelligent mature adults.

Think in terms of being ‘sane and sober’. Evolve beyond only being ‘clean and sober’, which came from the positive influences of N.A. and A.A. Our mental processes, behavior patterns and spiritual practices should be sane, stable and sensible so that we are rehabilitated or equipped to cope with life on life’s terms and have the wise courage to even change the terms of life that block or hinder our spiritual growth as humane beings. Working on our wholistic health and addressing the many mental, physical and spiritual health issues that originally got us caught up in the whole life-style of drug addiction will help us heal. We should accept nothing less than the best for our health, happiness and humane dignity.

True functional sanity involves meeting our personal responsibilities because we have the ability to respond to the challenges of life, the response ability to cope with life as it comes. We need to be wise in all our ways, be open minded to learning new ways of living sane and sober, developing and evolving in our spiritual growth all along the way and integrating ourselves into the larger society as world citizens with humane values, morals and principles.

When we meet our responsibilities we receive tangible real rewards that reflect our continued progress: establishing homes as safe sanctuaries for our families; providing ourselves with proper diet, nutrition and daily exercise; maintaining healthy personal relationships; and becoming community activists in our local communities in order to help others, help ourselves and raise our own humane consciousness all at the same time.

Advanced sanity involves a high level of self-esteem that involves self-love, self-respect and self-confidence so we can function in harmony with today’s society with all its social stressors, complexities and contradictions. We should develop and progress from being addicted and abnormal to being healthy and normal. We need to restore our sanity, maintain the brain and live creative, healthy and productive lives liberated from the dangers and demons of drug addiction.

Active drug addiction is a brain disease that exhibits insane behavior whose hallmark is the mental illness of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). There is a constant obsession on ‘the dope’ and at the first opportunity the out-of-control compulsion to do ‘the dope’. The demented hard-core ‘dope fiend’ is terribly sick! He is self-destructive to the extreme as he wavers and wanders between suicidal (self-killing) and homicidal tendencies in a never ending search for the elusive perfect high. The distorted warped state of addiction never lasts long enough to satisfy the crazed craving brain. It gets the addict caught up in the vicious circle of drug addiction, the up-and-down see-saw between the brain’s neurotransmitters of dopamine, the drive of ‘gotta get it’ and the ‘got it’ of a temporary serotonin high over and over again. It is a fruitless vain escape from Earthly existence that always leaves the craving brain wanting more of the same original poison. Always living on the edge between life and death, the drug addict is never satisfied with his catch for long. The stash always melts away and runs out. The ‘dope’ always wears off and off he goes again back out into the wilderness outback on another wild run that can sometimes end up in a tragic dead end.

Even after the drug addict’s behavior is arrested and brought under control one must still eradicate the old ‘dope fiend’ ways that came with drug addiction. Fear, greed, mistrust, suspicion, constant worry, a sense of dread and paranoia are all poisons that we have picked up from the subculture of the drug criminal toxic environment. One can have years of physical sobriety yet still have a demented ‘dope fiend’ mentality, always posing, manipulating, tricking and trying to get over on the next guy. The endless life-and-death game between the predators and the prey still goes on. There can be no lasting recovery without a dramatic change in our behavior, a transformation of our mentality and a rejuvenation of our divine spirit. Our mentality is weaved and intertwined together with our spirituality, especially our natural spiritual quest for lifelong spiritual growth. It is our inner soul seeking outer expression in connected reality. Our poor neglected inner child striving to be an adult and parent: a mature humane being.

Strive to be humble, tolerant, loving and understanding towards others who are still severely sick. Do not forget where you came from and how you were in your dark days and appreciate God’s amazing grace upon you!

Matthew 10:8 ~ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

Day by day we must keep working on our continued progressive recovery, build up our general wholistic health, keep our recovery tools handy and ultimately aim for complete liberty from all forms of oppression, including the cruel oppression of drug addiction.

~ Staying Sober ~

Main Entry: 1 so•ber
Pronunciation: \ˈsō-bər\
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): so•ber•er \-bər-ər\; so•ber•est \-b(ə-)rəst\
Etymology: Middle English sobre, from Anglo-French, from Latin sobrius; akin to Latin ebrius drunk
Date: 14th century
1 a: sparing in the use of food and drink : abstemious b: not addicted to intoxicating drink c: not drunk
2: marked by sedate or gravely or earnestly thoughtful character or demeanor
3: unhurried, calm
4: marked by temperance, moderation, or seriousness {a sober candlelight vigil}
5: subdued in tone or color
6: showing no excessive or extreme qualities of fancy, emotion, or prejudice

For a measure of time we can stay straight, stop active addiction and not indulge in our poison, especially if we are broke, needy and running on empty. By getting involved and participating in a detoxification program we can rid our bodies of its accumulated toxic poisons by removing impurities from the blood in the liver and other internal organs in order to achieve a state of physical sobriety.

“A detox program can help the body's natural cleaning process by:
1) Resting the organs through fasting;
2) Stimulating the liver to drive toxins from the body;
3) Promoting elimination through the intestines, kidneys and skin;
4) Improving circulation of the blood; and
5) Refueling the body with healthy nutrients. “
Source: Peter Bennett, N.D., Medical Director of Helios Clinic in Victoria, B.C.,
http://life.gaiam.com/gaiam/p/10WaystoDetoxifyYourBody.html

Some people only want to sober up and get better for a spell until basic functions return. Then, they deliberately plan to continue playing with firewater or one’s poison of choice. They are only hiding from themselves and dying in isolation. We may be able to get clean and sober up for a brief period of time, but without a strong progressive recovery program online many of us have a hard time staying sober for long in terms of months and years of sobriety if not lifetime sobriety.

Proverbs 26:11 (KJV) ~ As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

The addict/alcoholic who is only staying sober and practicing abstinence should know that sobriety is only the initial starting point for real recovery. Stricken by the demon of denial, he might attempt to monitor, limit and control his drug intake while still denying he is really an addict. He might switch addictions and get strung out on legal pharmaceutical drugs. Trying to fake a half-baked weak recovery program usually results in an all out full-blown relapse back down into active addiction, slipping into darkness. The asinine addict mind never tires of lying, cheating, excusing, rationalizing and justifying his drug addiction. He becomes his own worst enemy in the broken mirror.

Sobriety and recovery go hand-in-hand. One feeds and nourishes the other in a kind of chemical-spiritual warfare, not one of personal willpower alone. We are damaged goods. Physical sobriety alone is never enough. After sobering up, hidden traps, sudden triggers and buried land mines flood the toxic environment and without honest recovery usually results in the return to active hard-core addiction or at best a dry dull bitter sobriety.

What do we do in our sobriety? Do we only shuttle back and forth to and fro to 12-Step Meetings counting our calendar days and collecting brittle chips that easily crumble? What do we do in between meetings? Where do we go in our free time?

Job 1:7 (KJV) ~ And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

For the hard-core addict he or she cannot stop with temporary sobriety, must get into a strong progressive recovery program or be doomed to eventual extinction, the same as the big and bad dinosaurs that once ruled the Earth. He must make a serious decision to get into recovery as if his life depends on it, because it does, then he should get involved in connected reality and changing reality for the better for him, for his loved ones and for the future of humankind. We are all upon Mother Earth together as one family.

~ Spiritual Sobriety ~

The recovering addict has a far better understanding of human nature, character defects and the shortcomings of being an imperfect human being in an imperfect world than others who are not hip to or know about recovery. The honest addict in recovery is awake, aware and yearning for a new life.

We should daily practice a balanced spiritual sobriety that meets our mental, physical and spiritual needs in a wholistic way. The novel word ‘wholistic’ is a combination of the words ‘whole’ and ‘holy’. As humane beings, we should seek wholistic healing so that we can have inner harmony in our beingness in all our ways.

We are wounded human beings who need to be actively and consciously engaged in healing our souls, not human doings always being busy in the outside external world without any consciousness about the inside spiritual work that needs to be done healing our souls.

We need to work on our wholistic healing and do the spiritual work that needs to be done, such as, daily meditation and yoga, reading spiritual and recovery literature, eating well with a mind for nutrition, working out for our physical fitness, studying the martial arts, sharpening our acquired skills, developing our natural talents and in general developing our humane character as humane beings.

Remember the past to better see the present in a clear light and plan for the future. We must remember and understand our family-of-origin, our early childhood development, our adolescent years and how we got to be as we are today. Many of us suffer a form of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) in varying degrees from past traumas and past experiences that have left us with pains and fears that we discuss with no one, not even ourselves in our private moments alone with our soul when we could be carrying on an internal spiritual dialogue. We should let go and dump the useless garbage and weight of past pains and fears that we carry with us from one kind of relationship to another in our lives, whether we are at work, in school, on the street or at home.

“I think that many oldsters who have put our AA "booze cure" to severe but successful tests still find they often lack emotional sobriety. Perhaps they will be the spearhead for the next major development in AA -- the development of much more real maturity and balance (which is to say, humility) in our relations with ourselves, with our fellows, and with God.”
Source: The Next Frontier: Emotional Sobriety" by Bill Wilson
http://www.barefootsworld.net/aanextfrontier.html

We need to command our thoughts, control our emotions and monitor our actions in ways that are wholistic, healthy and healing for us. We should be consciously aware of all our ways, deeply examine and intimately know ourselves, then channel our energies into positive healthy ways of living sober that help us become more alive, natural and energized in our social environment so we can truly change the things we can as mature functional adults .

“Emotional Sobriety is about finding and maintaining our emotional equilibrium, our feeling rheostat, the one that helps us to adjust the intensity of our emotional responses to life. Emotional sobriety is tied up in our ability to self regulate on both a mind and body level, to bring ourselves into balance when we fall out of it. Issues with excessive self medication say with food, alcohol or drugs or compulsive approaches to activities like sex, work or spending tend to reflect a lack of ability to comfortable self regulate.”
Source: Emotional Balance: From Relationship Trauma to Resilience and Balance:
By Dr. Tian Dayton, Ph.D
http://www.tiandayton.com/emotional-sobriety.htm

For balance, we require spiritual sobriety and need to integrate it with other forms of sobriety: mental, physical and emotional society. We cannot mindlessly divorce and disassociate, separate and split up our emotions from our thoughts and feelings as if they were unrelated separate regions and detached aspects of our whole selves. Remember that we are triune beings in a mind-body-soul trinity and should work on other dimensions of ourselves, especially spiritual sobriety

1 Peter 1:13 ~ Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

~ Pathways to the Truth ~

For the recovering addict, sobering up, getting into recovery, living a healthy life-style and seeking a cure for drug addiction are ultimately personal individual decisions one must make of his own free will between himself and his Maker in harmony with the universe.

In all our many different pathways to the truth, we cannot force the inner serenity of true happiness, progressive recovery or wholistic health on anyone. At best we can show correct examples for others through our own lives. We should be willing to lovingly help those who sincerely want help without attracting the crippling effects of co-dependency. Let others come to their own inner revelations and figure out their own sacred truth for themselves. Know your own truth, do your own personal inventory and pray that others do their own. Ours is not the one and only way, ours is but another way.

For the recovering addict, the three stage process of healing ourselves involves:
1. Staying sober one day at a time,
2. Getting involved in a 12-Steps based recovery group, and
3. Working towards complete liberty from all forms of oppressive addiction.

“During most of the twentieth century the prevailing psychiatric thinking about alcohol abuse was that underlying emotional conflicts were the problem. The favored treatment approach until recent decades was to try to uncover and resolve those conflicts through psychotherapy and psychoanalysis. Meanwhile, much of the public saw alcoholism as a sign of a character flaw or moral corruption. Today, 12-step fellowship in AA is widely regarded as the gold standard for treating alcohol addiction, and at least some people are aware that it is a disease.”
Source: A Biography of Mrs. Marty Mann: The First Lady of Alcoholics Anonymous
By Sally Brown and David R. Brown. Center City, Minn.,
http://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/content/full/159/11/1950-a

Full recovery from any negative addiction, such as chemical dependency, is a long-term protracted process of wholistically healing ourselves: our minds, our bodies and our souls. It takes time, energy and hard work for us to stay awake, recover and get well. We cannot get all well and wonderful overnight, but we can work on it one day at a time with self-love, love for humankind and love for the Divine Creator. The central concept of spiritual sobriety will help us fully recover so that we are not only sober in the fullest sense of the word but so that we are in a balanced state of being in conscious communion with the Creator.

“Our 12 Steps, when simmered down to the last, resolve themselves into the words love and service. We understand what love is and we understand what service is. So let's bear those two things in mind… Let us also remember to guard that erring member - the tongue, and if we must use it, let's use it with kindness and consideration and tolerance.”
Source: Dr. Bob's Last Message: Delivered at the first international conference of Alcoholics Anonymous at Cleveland, Ohio in 1950
http://www.recovery.org/aa/misc/drbob.htm

These are great exciting times to be alive, to be into progressive recovery and enjoying spiritual liberty. New scientific discoveries and spiritual rediscoveries are being made in relation to drug addiction treatment, wholistic spiritual health and helping to heal the world all the time. We should all count our blessings with gratitude, not our curses. We can fully recovery, we can get well and we will win!

c/s

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● Progressive Recovery Today!
http://prorecovery.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Blog
http://casa-12steps.blogspot.com/

● CASA 12-Steps Program Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CASA-12-Steps-Program/
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Progressive Recovery Today!

CASA 12-Steps Program

~CASA Twelve-Steps Program~

On the Tragedy of Chronic Relapse: via Peter S. Lopez aka: Peta

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esteem~3 entries found.

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Vice

Virtue against which it sins

Brief description of virtue

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esteem~
3 entries found.