Alternatives to HP - Al-Anon Family Group

sash · Veteran Member

Alternatives to HP

ally · ~*Service Worker*~

((((((((((sash)))))))))))

A power greater than yourself:::::: Think about that one....

When I joined Al-anon I aslo, could not find a god in all of this...My HP became my fellow members...In f2f, as "They" as a group, were greater than myself..... I gained experience, strength & hope from them....That's what kept me going...

No-one says your HP needs to be God...It can be whatever you need it to be "just for today"...

Hope this helps you...

Yours In Recovery

Ally Girl

carolinagirl · ~*Service Worker*~

I also have issues with HP but think more in terms of a life force that ensures that everything works out ok or how it is supposed to. I think you have to believe that things happen for a reason in order to accept the tragic parts of life and be able to move on. Not necessarily god but just the idea that something is watching out for you and it will all be ok.

babysteps · Senior Member

In the AA Big Book, "Chapter to the Agnostic," is very helpful in finding an alternative HP

Tiger2006 · ~*Service Worker*~

Read in a book, paraphrasing:
If our person agrees that they did not simply spring out of thin air; and if, given that they did not simply appear out of thin air that there was a process involved that he had no control over in his process in his growing and his birthing; and if, given that each other person walking this earth had no control in their growing and their birthing in the 9 months of pregnancy; Bingo! there they have the foundation for a god of their understanding. They have a foundation because therein lies the reality that, at least at one point in their lives, they were completely dependent on another entity to create and control their lives

Lunamoth · ~*Service Worker*~

Step 2 states "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."

The key here is "Came to believe" Try not to feel discouraged, many of us are challenged with this. Sometimes, like for me, it challenges our idea of an HP. I had to redefine mine from what I grew up thinking. (mine was the kind that was going to zap me for every and all infractions)

I liked listening to the Mary Pearl tapes on the second step and how she came to believe. Also the Joe and Charlie AA Big Book study covering the 2 step is great. You can google for these but here is a link that may help you out.

http://www.live365.com/stations/recoveryradio1?site=recoveryradio1

Luna

lilms · Senior Member

This is a tough place to be if one's HP is not the conventional "God". Can't think of a meeting I have been to where they did not recite the Serenity and the Lords prayer. Yikes!!!

I believe in nature. Don't have an HP that I can think of but do believe in humanity.

lilms

Diva · ~*Service Worker*~

Like lilms, I believe in nature as well. My partner quit going to AA meetings because the theme was, "If you do not accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will never win the battle of alcoholism." What? He could not accept that premise, thus decided AA was not his bag. It's a fine line, often crossed to blatantly to suit me.

Diva

lin0606 · ~*Service Worker*~

The official AA and alanon line is that no one can tell you what your HP is - it is a personal choice, and all interpretations are welcome. In this way, atheists and agnostics should be able to find a way to deal with the spiritual aspects of the program. I am another who would say 'nature' or possibly 'science' is my HP . I do not believe in a personal God who cares for me. This has not been a problem in working my program.

However, in reality, certain meetings can be hijacked by the ""If you do not accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will never win the battle of alcoholism" crowd. I believe that this is a disservice to all of us, and we should speak up against it when it occurs. There is a reason that the steps and traditions say "God of your understanding" and not "Jesus" - this program was deliberately designed to welcome all faiths, and none.

I think all of us in the program have a duty to not allow those who would take it over in the name of their particular brand of religion to adulterate our program. Speak up, in your meetings, and tell your own truth.

abbyal · ~*Service Worker*~

When I arrived in Al-Anon along time ago I too believed in nothing , so for me a power greater than myself were my f2f meetings to me the Alateens say it best with thier slogan . Together We Can !
I was no longer alone and collectivley the people in my f2f rooms were a lot more powerful than I as they sharred thier recovery with me . I too really got alot out of the chapter to the agnostics in the Big Book of AA . Slowly I began to believe that maybe , just maybe ? then I heard someone share thier search for a HP that they could live with , she said she found in the bible a line
Be still and know that I am here, I knew that I could do that . today I have a God in my life that I don't completely understand but seems to understand me . amazing !!!!!
I was also told that if your searching for a HP u can live with ,you already have one just not ready to admit it yet . hmmmmmmmm

Sunny2007 · Veteran Member

Hi sash,

You already have some pointers ... just adding my 2 cents worth:

A power greater than myself:
the best that is in me
the best that is in other people
the life-force (the mystery observed when witnessing a birth or a death)
the power of compassion (for ourselves as well as for others)
the willingness to believe in what we experience but cannot prove (such as experiencing that we are truly loved as we are)
being "touched" by a moment or moments when we glimpse the "something more" that is there and daring to believe it's always there

For me, when I've been through (and will probably go through again) times when my spiritual insides felt full of dust and ashes, I've clung to the first Bible verse I ever learned: "God is love." I can believe in love because I experience it in my heart; I know love is real. I am willing to believe that the true love, the pure compassion and kindness in my heart and that I have received from others is real and is "the highest power." Belief is something we choose to do; I choose to believe always that the best forms of love do exist and are powerful ... I choose that because I have experienced it inside myself and from others. Maybe a place to look for the higher power of your understanding is within whatever you are able to choose to believe is real and good and powerful.

Take what you can use and leave the rest.

Grateful member of Al-Anon,
Sunny

Sunny2007 · Veteran Member

I'd also add that if life is seen as a journey, then it seems to me we are also on a spiritual journey as part of life ... so there's no final place you have to arrive at today or tomorrow or 10 years from now, and so on. We just live our lives, going along our path, and seeing now this, now that, experiencing now this, now that ... and every now and then we may notice we have a little better idea of what we think is the highest and best in life, what we value most, what sustains us best. Could be that the standby basics of a healthy mind in a healthy body is part of our higher power ... sleeping well, having an appetite, growing to feel a little more "at home" in our world .. that type of thing.

Also, there's the saying, "Live the question." If your question is What can I use as an HP ... then live that question, keep it close to your conscious mind as you go about your life.

All best wishes,
Sunny

The material presented here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method to exchange information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal level.