| |
 |
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
How do we attain real recovery?
Feeling at peace within without the use of anything other
than the inspiration of life itself? By understanding
our ‘self’ is more than the visible, physical,
instant gratification reality. True recovery resides in
our inner reality. That place where each of us lives alone
and each of us is unique.
Our ‘self’ is more than matter, our physical
being.
Our ‘true self’ needs spirit and soul.
The Spirit: force or principle of life that animates the
body of living things. Fundamental, emotional and activating
principle of a person.
The Soul: the spirit or immaterial part of man, the seat
of human personality, intellect, will, and emotions.
Spiritual: relating to the spirit or soul and not to physical
nature or matter, intangible.
Many believe the root-cause of addiction is Spiritual
Illness. We can’t only think our way out of internal
chaos, for its roots are in our emotions. Emotion, or
strong feelings, comes from the Latin to disturb, move.
We FEEL something before we think. Most people don’t
know our heart beats before our brain is formed! It makes
sense therefore; these disturbances or movements are part
of the Life Force or impersonal power that exists everywhere
in all things.
Changing the way we think is, however, vital to our recovery
process. Unfortunately, many methods in treatment centres
etc place almost their entire focus on changing thought
patterns. Undoubtedly, we have to understand fully how
we reach our own rock bottom: life-stories, family-work,
in-depth exploration and acknowledgement of the chaos
we cause, recognition of all hurts and on-going amendments
to others and ourselves, all play a part. Yet, by focusing
on the negative, sick or fragmented aspects of people,
therapy can view clients as well as their families, exclusively
through the lens of disease and dysfunction. There is
often very little interest or understanding of the concepts
of wholeness, core goodness, of the inner healer. Often,
treatment programmes merely give lip service to the principle
of Higher Power, the real healer.
Clients’ inner strength built from years of struggle
and addiction are forgotten. Families and clients are
given reserved hope, with scant compassion for the positive
aspects of their crisis or the transformative nature of
humankind. Note the comment made by India’s great
social reformer and sage, Sri Aurbindo; ‘I find
it difficult to take these Western psychiatrists at all
seriously…Yet perhaps one ought to, for half-knowledge
is a powerful thing and can be a great obstacle to truth…They
look from down up and explain the higher lights by the
lower obscurities; but the foundation of these things
is above and not below’ (Satprem, Sri Aurobindo
or the Adventure of Consciousness).
Transformation does start in the process of thought, for
it is in our minds we make decisions whether or not to
do something. As the very nature of addiction is repetition,
engraving a thought or action deeper into our being each
time we repeat it, we have to stop the hypnosis with continued
self-awareness and changing thoughts.
The realisation we can change our thoughts in order to
change our behaviour and ultimately change our lives is
fully recognised and accepted. An awakening from the hypnotic,
dream-like state of addiction can happen instantly in
the mind, or after years of inner work. There are countless
books, groups, and work-shops on the Power of Thought.
Each has their own message of hope; IT IS POSSIBLE TO
CREATE AN OUTER REALITY BY CHANGING OUR INNER REALITY.
Outwardly we can accomplish many things by transforming
our personality, using positive thought and practical
affirmations.
Yet, is that all we’re meant to be? What is the
meaning of success if we lack inner peace?
Here at Affinity Lodge we believe, along with many others
throughout the whole spectrum of those searching for the
meaning of life, in the existence of a Higher Power.
Peace is a quest of humankind in every land and age. Serenity
of self has to be linked to a Higher Power. In whatever,
form, thought, or practise, an individual needs to find
‘something greater’ and infinitely more rewarding
than anything else, to achieve true recovery. |
| |
| >
Back |
| |
| |
|
