Blog entry for:
Wed, Jul 5, 2017 07:29:40 AM
😈 the nature 😇
posted: Wed, Jul 5, 2017 07:29:40 AM
of my belief...
so this topic seems to be coming up a whole lot, lately and it gets a bit tiring saying that meditation, rather than prayer is my main mode of conscious contact. i also will not apologize for the spiritual path that has found me. prayer may not be part of that path, but it is not by any means excluded. i still pray, especially with my peers as we open and close meetings and when i start and end my day. those parts of my spiritual practices remain intact after the days and days of examination and trying on various spiritual practices to see how suit me. if one wants to see how i got to where i am today, all they have to do, is to explore what i have written over the course of the days since i first started taking on this task. life ion the spiritual big city, is never quite a straight forward as it appears on first sight. what was, is no more and what is has come from what did not or would not work for me. the other night, i felt a kindred spirit with my peers, as many of them expressed the very same notions that have tripped me up, time and again. not having to define or put a label on, what is by its very nature, undefinable, is more comforting to me, than the belief system that i foisted upon myself, way back when i was first getting clean.
my spiritual path at fifteen days clean, was certainly different than that of fifteen months clean and those differences are even more pronounced at fifteen years clean. i see that as growth and an indication that i am becoming more aware of who i am and how i see myself interacting with the world around me. it is true, i no longer chock when i use the word GOD to stand in for the POWER that fuels my recovery. it is also true that i no longer humbly approach GOD in prayer with my peers as we close our meetings, and it is ironic how many of my peers i see “looking around” that circle at those moments as well, and how quickly they bow their heads when i make eye contact with them. me, i no longer care to observe the forms of what i was once taught and am beginning to assert my independence from inadequate and binding notions of a spiritual path. i am starting to see that choosing a path that fits me, is a cause for celebration and not a process that needs to be referred to obliquely and kept on the down-low.
so when it comes to readings about prayer, i am still at a bit of a loss as to what i NEED to be saying. i pray, minimally and that works for me. i feel the presence of the POWER that fuels my recovery, in my day to day activities, by pausing and quieting my mind. i guess, in my case, this could be looked as prayer of a sorts, as i am seeking guidance for whatever happens to be going on, i am just not explicitly asking for it. as i have not been in the office in the past four days, i think, that the next right thing to do, is to shower, shave and make that commute. it si a good day to be clean and my little side project is approaching completion, now all i have to do, is let go of what i desire and seek that which i need.
so this topic seems to be coming up a whole lot, lately and it gets a bit tiring saying that meditation, rather than prayer is my main mode of conscious contact. i also will not apologize for the spiritual path that has found me. prayer may not be part of that path, but it is not by any means excluded. i still pray, especially with my peers as we open and close meetings and when i start and end my day. those parts of my spiritual practices remain intact after the days and days of examination and trying on various spiritual practices to see how suit me. if one wants to see how i got to where i am today, all they have to do, is to explore what i have written over the course of the days since i first started taking on this task. life ion the spiritual big city, is never quite a straight forward as it appears on first sight. what was, is no more and what is has come from what did not or would not work for me. the other night, i felt a kindred spirit with my peers, as many of them expressed the very same notions that have tripped me up, time and again. not having to define or put a label on, what is by its very nature, undefinable, is more comforting to me, than the belief system that i foisted upon myself, way back when i was first getting clean.
my spiritual path at fifteen days clean, was certainly different than that of fifteen months clean and those differences are even more pronounced at fifteen years clean. i see that as growth and an indication that i am becoming more aware of who i am and how i see myself interacting with the world around me. it is true, i no longer chock when i use the word GOD to stand in for the POWER that fuels my recovery. it is also true that i no longer humbly approach GOD in prayer with my peers as we close our meetings, and it is ironic how many of my peers i see “looking around” that circle at those moments as well, and how quickly they bow their heads when i make eye contact with them. me, i no longer care to observe the forms of what i was once taught and am beginning to assert my independence from inadequate and binding notions of a spiritual path. i am starting to see that choosing a path that fits me, is a cause for celebration and not a process that needs to be referred to obliquely and kept on the down-low.
so when it comes to readings about prayer, i am still at a bit of a loss as to what i NEED to be saying. i pray, minimally and that works for me. i feel the presence of the POWER that fuels my recovery, in my day to day activities, by pausing and quieting my mind. i guess, in my case, this could be looked as prayer of a sorts, as i am seeking guidance for whatever happens to be going on, i am just not explicitly asking for it. as i have not been in the office in the past four days, i think, that the next right thing to do, is to shower, shave and make that commute. it si a good day to be clean and my little side project is approaching completion, now all i have to do, is let go of what i desire and seek that which i need.
∞ DT ∞
The views expressed on this page are solely the opinion of the author.
While the author is a member of a 12 Step recovery fellowship, these writings are not intended to endorse or express the published wisdom of any fellowship.
These writings are not meant to be socially or politically correct, and if you take issue with any opinions expressed, please seek the guidance of someone wiser than me.
While the author is a member of a 12 Step recovery fellowship, these writings are not intended to endorse or express the published wisdom of any fellowship.
These writings are not meant to be socially or politically correct, and if you take issue with any opinions expressed, please seek the guidance of someone wiser than me.
Another Look!
how ironic 219 words ➥ Monday, July 5, 2004 by: donnotδ seeking and searching δ 286 words ➥ Tuesday, July 5, 2005 by: donnot
∞ over time, i develop a manner of prayer and meditation... ∞ 486 words ➥ Wednesday, July 5, 2006 by: donnot
α just as my definition of a Power greater than myself differs ω 360 words ➥ Thursday, July 5, 2007 by: donnot
μ i arrived in the fellowship with a closed mind toward a Power greater than myself. μ 193 words ➥ Saturday, July 5, 2008 by: donnot
μ the **right way** to pray and meditate is whatever way helps me … 560 words ➥ Sunday, July 5, 2009 by: donnot
ƒ the nature of my beliefs determines the manner of my prayers and meditation ƒ 883 words ➥ Monday, July 5, 2010 by: donnot
• i will explore my options for improving my conscious contact • 621 words ➥ Tuesday, July 5, 2011 by: donnot
⊗ looking at the Second Step in depth, i am still pleased to find that ⊗ 688 words ➥ Thursday, July 5, 2012 by: donnot
† how do i pray? † 759 words ➥ Friday, July 5, 2013 by: donnot
⌈ as i seek spiritual growth, ⌋ 520 words ➥ Saturday, July 5, 2014 by: donnot
⇒ exploring spiritual options ⇒ 617 words ➥ Sunday, July 5, 2015 by: donnot
☯ my manner ☸ 681 words ➥ Tuesday, July 5, 2016 by: donnot
🕺 my manner 🕴 472 words ➥ Thursday, July 5, 2018 by: donnot
🤫 a deeply personal matter 🤯 496 words ➥ Friday, July 5, 2019 by: donnot
🚧 the ** right way ** 🚫 473 words ➥ Sunday, July 5, 2020 by: donnot
🤓 of my understanding 🤔 460 words ➥ Monday, July 5, 2021 by: donnot
🍀 sitting quietly 🍀 314 words ➥ Tuesday, July 5, 2022 by: donnot
⚖ seeking balance ⚖ 547 words ➥ Wednesday, July 5, 2023 by: donnot
🙻 what could 🙻 323 words ➥ Friday, July 5, 2024 by: donnot
☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge
Book 2
2) (Its) admirable words can purchase honour; (its) admirable deeds
can raise their performer above others. Even men who are not good
are not abandoned by it.