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.
'We punish ourselves far more than life ever punishes us' begins today's reading, perhaps a startling claim for some. We may see this in action, however, when we observe the fearful thoughts that can arise in our mind around the alcoholic's behavior and consider the distress we feel as a result.
Alanon teaches us how to get rid of this self torture and accept God's gift of mental sobriety. Have I accepted it, and do I hold onto it?
Reminder: 'Mental sobriety' brings us balance, rational and reasonable thought; its absence allows the sickness of continued apprehension and anxiety about future events.
"I will pray today and every day, for healthful, wholesome thinking, so that I may not generate trouble for myself," - unattributed ------------------- One of the earliest, and ultimately most powerful spiritual concepts I learned about in Alanon was this: that my felt pain was generated and maintained within myself, as also was the key to releasing it.
To this day, I see this as the prime driver in my felt wellness, and the 12 steps, 1-3 in particular, as the way to regulate.
Whenever I feel distress, it is most often, if not always, result of a temporary return to perceiving an external source for my distress.
As long as I linger there, my distress continues. Freedom lies near my own hand in the form of my higher power and mental sobriety. I remain in distress only as long as I will sustain it.
Grateful for the powerful spiritual truths of Alanon
__________________
Paul
"...when we try to control others, we lose the ability to manage our own lives." - Paths to Recovery
Thanks Paul for your service and great share. "Spiritual sobriety" is a wonderful concept, and something I also strive for probably daily. The idea that I could have control over how I feel was a long time in coming, but with practice I can do it much of the time. I spent too many years miserable. Alanon has given me freedom. Grateful member.
