Thank you so much for sharing with us, Kelly! I love how the experience of recovery and sobriety shifts over time, and how new layers of discovery and understanding emerge.
Thanks Kelly. You expressed a concept I felt but had few words for. I came into recovery as a religious humanist agnostic. I’d done the work of letting go of my Roman Catholic religion. I’d worked on feminist ethical and philosophical frameworks and found a place my spirit was comfortable.
Coming into the rooms with this firm foundation, I spent way too much time wrestling with The Big Book, especially the “chapter to the agnostics.” It took away focus from the primary purpose of AA, sobriety. I found a secular alternative to the BB/steps which helped me focus on sobriety instead of argumentation.
As I worked the steps and became more mature in my sobriety, plus being trained as a chaplain who ministered to all irregardless of faith tradition, I was able to live fully in the concepts that undergird the program.
I loved this. I'm in my 5th year of sobriety and JUST NOW I'm turning over and looking at the tenets of the 12 steps. This essay was a great accompaniment to what I've been exploring recently.
I especially loved this line: "We can make the doctrine our higher power, when it’s just a vehicle."
Paradox, liberation. Sobriety is littered with both.
Thanks for sharing these reflections with all of us, Kelly.
Thank you so much for sharing with us, Kelly! I love how the experience of recovery and sobriety shifts over time, and how new layers of discovery and understanding emerge.
Thank you for getting this out there, Dana! I hope others find themselves in it. 💕
Thanks Kelly. You expressed a concept I felt but had few words for. I came into recovery as a religious humanist agnostic. I’d done the work of letting go of my Roman Catholic religion. I’d worked on feminist ethical and philosophical frameworks and found a place my spirit was comfortable.
Coming into the rooms with this firm foundation, I spent way too much time wrestling with The Big Book, especially the “chapter to the agnostics.” It took away focus from the primary purpose of AA, sobriety. I found a secular alternative to the BB/steps which helped me focus on sobriety instead of argumentation.
As I worked the steps and became more mature in my sobriety, plus being trained as a chaplain who ministered to all irregardless of faith tradition, I was able to live fully in the concepts that undergird the program.
Thanks again for your sharing and prompt.
Thank you for sharing this — so much resonance.
I love how you've found a way to live the heart of recovery without getting trapped in the duality.
Grateful to be walking a parallel path alongside people like you. Finding words-that’s the fun part! !
That's beautiful, the tree exercise. thank you for sharing
You’re welcome! I love trees so hard.
It’s the being in the momentness meditation while having life I like so much. I’m a big fan of flowering trees at the moment. Spring.
Thank you Kelly! Great informative post~
I’m glad you liked it! Thank you. 🫶
I loved this. I'm in my 5th year of sobriety and JUST NOW I'm turning over and looking at the tenets of the 12 steps. This essay was a great accompaniment to what I've been exploring recently.
I especially loved this line: "We can make the doctrine our higher power, when it’s just a vehicle."
Paradox, liberation. Sobriety is littered with both.
Thanks for sharing these reflections with all of us, Kelly.