Step 2 discussion last night. Very interesting.....
Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
Instead of "playing out" either the events of the past or the future being in the now. That is sane.
Faith over fear
What does Step two mean to you?
Step 2 means that I don't have to do this by myself anymore. It means that whatever my understanding of a higher power is, it will bring me back to sanity and away from using. For most of my life, I was alone. I had no one to talk too that could possibly understand all of this. By giving it to my HP (it was a doorknob for awhile), I'm not alone in this battle for my life. I have guidance and direction. I have faith for the first time.
Ok beings I dont attend AA I would like to ask a question on this topic,
Im confused on this
Instead of "playing out" either the events of the past or the future being in the now. That is sane.
Does that mean you dont address issues from your past that may have ....played a part of you being an addict?
Im interested in this because to me I know & I am going over past issues feeling & dealing so I can heal....
Im confused on this
Instead of "playing out" either the events of the past or the future being in the now. That is sane.
Does that mean you dont address issues from your past that may have ....played a part of you being an addict?
Im interested in this because to me I know & I am going over past issues feeling & dealing so I can heal....
Moll- I just started going to meetings this past year. On my two year anniversary when my brother was asking for help it was all I could think of. I don't go religiously but I do occassionally. It's an amazing feeling there.
My feeling on it is this...It just means don't sit and replay the past in your head. Its over. Don't let it torture you. But thats just me and I am a lay person. Not an AA guru at all.
Thats my spin
Love,
Jane
My feeling on it is this...It just means don't sit and replay the past in your head. Its over. Don't let it torture you. But thats just me and I am a lay person. Not an AA guru at all.
Thats my spin
Love,
Jane
Brina
I dealt with the issues of my past in my fourth step and let them go in my fifth. They no longer haunt me. And I had some doozies that I carried around for a lot of years. I did the therapy thing and all it did for me was bring up the old stuff but they never told me what to do with it once I brought it up. Therefore it stayed in my head and got bigger and bigger so I continued to drink and drug because I couldn't handle the emotions. I don't care WHY I was addicted. I want to know what I have to do to not live like that any more. I want to stay in the solution. But that's what worked for me. Maybe you are one that has to know why. I don't know. Either way, if it keeps us clean, that's the goal, right?
The second step for me was about finding a power greater than me that didn't get me high. When I got clean, drugs were the only higher power I had and all that HP gave me was insanity. AAs told me if I could find something greater than me that I could pray or talk to when I needed help I could ask that power to get me thru my cravings and withdrawals. I chose to find a God of my own understanding. I was never religious in adulthood and thank God it is not a requirement. In finding help to get thru one day at a time I was able to put together days until my head cleared and I could somewhat function. My relationship with God grows on a regular basis. I am so grateful I'm not alone. My God is always with me and guides me if I let Him. I just have to remember to let Him drive the bus.
I dealt with the issues of my past in my fourth step and let them go in my fifth. They no longer haunt me. And I had some doozies that I carried around for a lot of years. I did the therapy thing and all it did for me was bring up the old stuff but they never told me what to do with it once I brought it up. Therefore it stayed in my head and got bigger and bigger so I continued to drink and drug because I couldn't handle the emotions. I don't care WHY I was addicted. I want to know what I have to do to not live like that any more. I want to stay in the solution. But that's what worked for me. Maybe you are one that has to know why. I don't know. Either way, if it keeps us clean, that's the goal, right?
The second step for me was about finding a power greater than me that didn't get me high. When I got clean, drugs were the only higher power I had and all that HP gave me was insanity. AAs told me if I could find something greater than me that I could pray or talk to when I needed help I could ask that power to get me thru my cravings and withdrawals. I chose to find a God of my own understanding. I was never religious in adulthood and thank God it is not a requirement. In finding help to get thru one day at a time I was able to put together days until my head cleared and I could somewhat function. My relationship with God grows on a regular basis. I am so grateful I'm not alone. My God is always with me and guides me if I let Him. I just have to remember to let Him drive the bus.
Kat quotes-My God is always with me and guides me if I let Him. I just have to remember to let Him drive the bus.
............and that is Step Two.
This was the primo step IMO.If you couldn't get past this one,the chances really got slim.
My long battle to get sober and clean was very simple.I was not about to relenquish control.I could intellectually go there but when it came time to do a step 3.........no f****g way.
After all,I have been doing such a bang up job my whole life without a Higher Power there was no way.My ego was my higher power.
In July 2004 I surrendered.I was willing to do the steps again and this time listen to my sponsor.I was trying to sponsor myself.LOL all those years.
It doesn't have to be a "burning bush".All we have to do is be willing.It will come in some fashion.
............and that is Step Two.
This was the primo step IMO.If you couldn't get past this one,the chances really got slim.
My long battle to get sober and clean was very simple.I was not about to relenquish control.I could intellectually go there but when it came time to do a step 3.........no f****g way.
After all,I have been doing such a bang up job my whole life without a Higher Power there was no way.My ego was my higher power.
In July 2004 I surrendered.I was willing to do the steps again and this time listen to my sponsor.I was trying to sponsor myself.LOL all those years.
It doesn't have to be a "burning bush".All we have to do is be willing.It will come in some fashion.
Jane & Kat Thank you for your input on this.Its odd because its only just as of late that Im letting myself believe in the HP thing.Im at the point in my life where not only do I want but feel I need to believe in something beyond whats here ya know.For so long my thing was I just could not picture some man in a flowing robe as a HP.But as Lisa said hers was a doorknob,so I think Im finally beginning to understand THAT part.And I must admit I feel a peacefulnest that I havent in years.I mean we can see ghost & spirites but that doesnt mean they dont excist.
Anyways Kat to get back to the topic at hand ,I dont want to dwell on my past but Im strong enough now to face somethings,let myself hurt(which when I abused I never did)& than I feel a part of me a very private part of me can heal so I can move on.For me its not so much as knowing WHY I ended up an addict,that doesnt really even matter,the fact is I am.For me dealing with my past issues I feel I need to do to move forward.
But as you said said thats not what you feel & I respect that,its how I feel about me & my recovery,& my life & I know you & Jane both respect that.
Thank you both just for giving your input.
Ive found in 2 years that I can get something from what everyone is saying & use it to help myself....
molly
Tim you posted as I was writing but I wanted to thank you for your input too....
Anyways Kat to get back to the topic at hand ,I dont want to dwell on my past but Im strong enough now to face somethings,let myself hurt(which when I abused I never did)& than I feel a part of me a very private part of me can heal so I can move on.For me its not so much as knowing WHY I ended up an addict,that doesnt really even matter,the fact is I am.For me dealing with my past issues I feel I need to do to move forward.
But as you said said thats not what you feel & I respect that,its how I feel about me & my recovery,& my life & I know you & Jane both respect that.
Thank you both just for giving your input.
Ive found in 2 years that I can get something from what everyone is saying & use it to help myself....
molly
Tim you posted as I was writing but I wanted to thank you for your input too....
Tim you are an AA guru Here is my question: There is quote in the big book that I love I don't know exactly how it goes help!
I had two choices: One to live the rest of my miserable life numbing each thing or two to accept some spiritual help.
The big book says it so beautifully do you know it?
I had two choices: One to live the rest of my miserable life numbing each thing or two to accept some spiritual help.
The big book says it so beautifully do you know it?
The way I think and my old behaviours showed my thinking doesn't work right...I am an alcoholic/addict and with that came the insanity, doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results..lol...when I finally quit trying to rationalize and project my way of thinking, when I stepped out of the way and learned to pray and ask my HP to lead the way, I started "seeing" a different way....I completely surrendered to the fact I don't control the universe nor is my way the way it is supposed to be done, that there is in fact a greater power out there and when I learned to trust & believe in that power, my sanity was restored....My HP speaks to me in various ways and seems to always be very present and strong when I am in a meeting with others that share this same journey as me....
Jane...I know that feeling you speak of and for me, that is why I keep going back as I have been searching my entire life for the feeling of belonging, acceptance, unconditional love, somebody that gets "me" and I finally found it in the rooms of AA...I am blessed today...
Jane...I know that feeling you speak of and for me, that is why I keep going back as I have been searching my entire life for the feeling of belonging, acceptance, unconditional love, somebody that gets "me" and I finally found it in the rooms of AA...I am blessed today...
Jane-LMAO..... not an AA guru , sorry I don't recall that.I switched to NA a couple of years ago.Their book is totally different.Maybe Kat knows.
I think my ex roomate sold my Big Book in a garage sale.
I think my ex roomate sold my Big Book in a garage sale.
ok, ok, LOL my mistake.
Kat????? Whadaya say?
Kat????? Whadaya say?
YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!!!
I found it and it goes like this:
We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other, to accept spiritual help.
I found it and it goes like this:
We were in a position where life was becoming impossible, and if we had passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid, we had but two alternatives: One was to go on to the bitter end, blotting out the consciousness of our intolerable situation as best we could; and the other, to accept spiritual help.
Awesome quote....I remember being at the jumping-off point and I am so glad that I found the willingness to go to a meeting and reach out for help....
xoxo
xoxo
