Spirituality: Simple, Disciplined – Four Basic Movements

So, you are having trouble getting the “spiritual part” of the recovery program outlined in the Twelve Steps eh? First Things First, you might want to consider that, as I was taught and learned, there is no “spiritual part” of the program, it is spiritual. Spirituality isn’t difficult to explain either. Bill Lash offers one explanation;

“Spirituality is a simple disciplined way of living. It seems there are four basic movements that recovering people need to make to put their lives on a positive spiritual basis. The first of these is a movement from fear to trust; the second, from self-pity to gratitude; the third, from resentment to acceptance; and the fourth, from dishonesty to honesty.

These positive movements occur in our perceptions of life as we learn to apply the Twelve Steps to our lives, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but they will always materialize if we are willing to work for them.

It is our choice. We can drink or not drink, live or die, be happy or cry, be honest or lie. The choice is ours at all times. Whatever the choice, we must live with the consequences of our decisions. There is no other way to live life.”

Fear, self-pity, resentment, dishonesty. Thieves, all of them. Consequences. Freedom from alcohol.

I’ll take the freedom from alcohol and the movement away from the thieves. It’s a better life.