The terms “spiritual experience” and “spiritual awakening” are used many times in this book which, upon careful reading, shows that the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism has manifested itself among us in many different forms.
Yet it is true that our first printing gave many readers the impression that these personality changes, or religious experiences, must be in the nature of sudden and spectacular upheavals. Happily for everyone, this conclusion is erroneous.
In the first few chapters a number of sudden revolutionary changes are described. Though it was not our intention to create such an impression, many alcoholics have nevertheless concluded that in order to recover they must acquire an immediate and overwhelming “God-consciousness” followed at once by a vast change in feeling and outlook.
Among our rapidly growing membership of thousands of alcoholics such transformations, though frequent, are by no means the rule. Most of our experiences are what the psychologist William James calls the “educational variety” because they develop slowly over a period of time. Quite often friends of the newcomer are aware of the difference long before he is himself. He finally realizes that he has undergone a profound alteration in his reaction to life; that such a change could hardly have been brought about by himself alone. What often takes place in a few months could seldom have been accomplished by years of self-discipline. With few exceptions our members find that they have tapped an unsuspected inner resource which they presently identify with their own conception of a Power greater than themselves.
Most of us think this awareness of a Power greater than ourselves is the essence of spiritual experience. Our more religious members call it “God-consciousness.”
Most emphatically we wish to say that any alcoholic capable of honestly facing his problems in the light of our experience can recover, provided he does not close his mind to all spiritual concepts. He can only be defeated by an attitude of intolerance or belligerent denial.
We find that no one need have difficulty with the spirituality of the program. Willingness, honesty and open mindedness are the essentials of recovery. But these are indispensable.
“There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance—that principle is contempt prior to investigation.”
—Herbert Spencer
When I first read this it never really clicked. "contempt prior to investigation" .......sounds kind of familiar to me. Oh yeah, that's where my brain just shuts off when I come to something, or hear something, which I tell myself could never apply to me knowing that it does. Please God let me continue to be teachable today. I know for myself I have to be open to new ideas otherwise I have a chance of going back to my old ways and a drink won't be far away.
I've been going to meetings early and staying late every day. On top of that I actually look forward to it!!! I know what some of you are thinking. Damn honeymoon and everything. I know there are bad days ahead. Oh well, life is good right now. I have 30 days sober today!! Just thought I would post this because I've been doing some reading lately. Take care everyone and God bless.
Congratulations, on your 30 days, and also congratulations on the meetings and that you look forward to them. I personally don't think that sounds like a "Honeymoon thing" just a good attitude.
And your posting and response I could identify with, in that first year I was aware of being so scared about returning to Alcohol, did the meetings everyday, and honestly looked forward to them, ONLY because it was my kind of Insurance against what I felt would be enevitable, if I did not go. Had a sense of a Higher Power in my Life, that I choose to call God, and when my 1st year Birthday came up, then I felt a lot more confidence in this belief. I could not have possible done this, gone through a whole year without drinking, with my track record. I felt or rather knew that is was this Power Greater than myself, that had REALLY kept me from drinking. Really simple for me to understand, God was keeping me Sober. They gave me a birthday party, at this meeting, that was my home group, and felt a little uncomfortable with the fact that I knew it was going to be celebrated. But I had NO idea, of the absolute JOY that was going to be there. It was amazing.
Gained a lot of confidence in the fact that I had truly tapped into that inner resource, and had a much better year, in the second year, as a result of being able to relax a little, and feel that I had a chance at this Recovery thing, because of this new Confidence. Sometimes in early recovery, I got confused about it, A Higher Power? must be something outside of myself. But when the footwork was done that first year, as the fog and collidiscope of emotions began to calm, I could feel that inner resourse, as well as acknowledge the Presence of a Higher Power that I always choose to call God. So the conclusion was pretty simple, the Fear of Drinking did not keep me sober, my Higher Power was the force behind my ability to not pick up a drink.
Happy you are so dedicated to your Recovery, thats what it takes, in my opinion, keeping it, your Sobriety first in everything, is how we get to keep it.
