| > | | | | believing that only religious people are spiritual, or that |
| How to achieve your optimal spiritual self in recovery | | | | the only way to connect with a higher power is in |
| from addiction. | | | | church. Spirituality is much broader than that and goes |
| How can we find our optimum spiritual self in | | | | outside the boundaries of what other people think and |
| recovery? | | | | believe. True spirituality is derived from your own |
| The answer to that is a process that unfolds before | | | | personal quest for knowledge and inner peace; it has |
| us over a period of years or even decades. Why is it | | | | little to do with what is in books or what a religious |
| like this? Because everything in recovery is essentially | | | | figure might tell you. |
| a process. Take, for example, the process of | | | | Another major problem that people have is that they |
| surrender when an addict or alcoholic is first coming to | | | | do not give themselves enough credit for their own |
| terms with their problem and decides to ask for help. | | | | spiritual progress. We have hectic lives and do the |
| For most people, this moment of surrender is not an | | | | best that we can in recovery, so why beat ourselves |
| event, but instead it takes years and years of fighting | | | | up for not meditating for 8 hours each day? |
| and struggling with addiction--desperately trying to | | | | Sometimes we have to take peace and serenity |
| control their drinking and drug use--before they can | | | | when we get it, and be grateful for it as it comes to |
| finally admit to their problem and take steps towards a | | | | us. This is the secret of gratitude and in finding your |
| healthier life. | | | | optimum inner self. Celebrate those inspiring spiritual |
| Finding our best spiritual self in recovery is no different. | | | | moments and focus on them and recognize them for |
| This journey is a process just like everything else, and | | | | the gifts that they are. Do not disregard your own |
| it can take quite a long time for us to seek out our | | | | spiritual growth just because you are not walking on |
| highest spiritual self. The reason for this is mostly | | | | water or claiming complete peace and serenity during |
| because we block ourselves from achieving such a | | | | every waking moment. Finding our optimum spiritual |
| state of spirituality. All of the great spiritual teachers | | | | self in recovery is about finding peace among the |
| and leaders have essentially said as much--that the | | | | chaos that will inevitably come with your normal, |
| answers are within us all if we just take the time to | | | | everyday life. |
| seek them out and practice some simple gratitude in | | | | Finding your spiritual self is a natural function of living |
| the stillness and quietness of our lives. | | | | the creative theory of recovery, as spirituality is the |
| One big problem that many recovering addicts and | | | | "glue" that holds the creative life together. Pursue the |
| alcoholics have is that their minds are filled with dogma | | | | creative life in recovery and your spiritual self will |
| and limiting beliefs that have possibly carried over from | | | | naturally fall into place as you practice the spiritual |
| their childhood. These might be mental blocks, such as | | | | principles that drive a successful recovery. |