Early cultures learned to use certain plants for medicinal purposes without knowing the reason these particular plants were helpful or what active ingredients or compounds made them useful. Similarly, the 12 steps were collected and ordered over time, having been found to sometimes solve the alcohol problem.
Until recently, however, just how or why they work was unknown. Metaphorically speaking, when we rubbed them on the alcoholic wound, we sometimes found relief.
The teachings of Eckhart Tolle, as presented in his books The Power of Now and A New Earth, provide the wisdom to understand the alcoholic mind and why the 12 steps can provide a measure of relief from the alcoholism. With this new understanding, we propose to isolate the "active ingredients" in the 12-step program--and thereby increase its effectiveness.
The authors of the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous had no idea how or why it worked. Their attempts at explanation (see Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions) are largely deistic in nature a reflection of their deep fundamentalists Christian backgrounds. As a result, the program has often proved to be a difficult sell to non-Christians.
Given one additional piece of wisdom, I have no doubt the authors would have written a different--and more effective--book. That wisdom is simply this: that consciousness and thought are not synonymous. Thought, in fact, is a physical attribute and only a small part of our true selves.
At the time the Big Book of AA was written, it was generally held that thought was sacred and comprised our personalities. Most people were certain they were defined by their thoughts. The Big Book refers to the alcoholic as a person whose God-given instincts (thought and emotions) have gotten out of control. The authors believed that the application of the 12 steps corrected this defect.. They also believed that the elimination of the compulsion to take the first drink was miraculous.
We are not our thoughts, and the alcoholic personality (or any false, thought-based identity) cannot be repaired--only weakened by observation, meditation, acceptance, and presence in the moment. Any solution to the alcoholic problem that provides long-term relief from the compulsion to take the first drink is not a miracle, but rather the simple result of a reduction in compulsive thinking.
Until recently, however, just how or why they work was unknown. Metaphorically speaking, when we rubbed them on the alcoholic wound, we sometimes found relief.
The teachings of Eckhart Tolle, as presented in his books The Power of Now and A New Earth, provide the wisdom to understand the alcoholic mind and why the 12 steps can provide a measure of relief from the alcoholism. With this new understanding, we propose to isolate the "active ingredients" in the 12-step program--and thereby increase its effectiveness.
The authors of the 12-step program of Alcoholics Anonymous had no idea how or why it worked. Their attempts at explanation (see Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions) are largely deistic in nature a reflection of their deep fundamentalists Christian backgrounds. As a result, the program has often proved to be a difficult sell to non-Christians.
Given one additional piece of wisdom, I have no doubt the authors would have written a different--and more effective--book. That wisdom is simply this: that consciousness and thought are not synonymous. Thought, in fact, is a physical attribute and only a small part of our true selves.
At the time the Big Book of AA was written, it was generally held that thought was sacred and comprised our personalities. Most people were certain they were defined by their thoughts. The Big Book refers to the alcoholic as a person whose God-given instincts (thought and emotions) have gotten out of control. The authors believed that the application of the 12 steps corrected this defect.. They also believed that the elimination of the compulsion to take the first drink was miraculous.
We are not our thoughts, and the alcoholic personality (or any false, thought-based identity) cannot be repaired--only weakened by observation, meditation, acceptance, and presence in the moment. Any solution to the alcoholic problem that provides long-term relief from the compulsion to take the first drink is not a miracle, but rather the simple result of a reduction in compulsive thinking.
The 12 steps of AA is for everyone! Everyone that is not fully enlightened has an 'alcoholic mind'. Non-alcoholics just use something different than alcohol to help them distract themselves from their habitual negative/fearful thinking....food addicts, workaholoics, work-out fanatics, sex addicts, shopping addicts, tv addicts, computer addicts, etc.
ReplyDeleteThanks Ben. Eckhart speaks to me on a different level. I'm currently in IOP and trying to beat my alcohol addiction one day at a time. I've just started and I've already drank, I had to look up Eckhart to see if he could shed light on the 12 steps and get my mind in the right place. Shear will is not going to do it for me.
ReplyDeleteHi, I think that tolle is perhaps the most incredible guide I have ever had so far, also some of francis lucille is great, but most spiritual teachers which i sincerely am not well acquainted, go deeper than mere psychology and perhaps psychotheraphy too. I have been astounded by me general ignorance about essential aspects of wisdom, life and our complex nature, nobody like tolle to explain in such vivid detail, he seems to me to a psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist and spiritual teacher, all in one, of course it has taken me over 6 years to grasp more of his teachings, and it is a nightmare to have addictions of any kind, it is not a joke, and sadly it is not easy either to be concious even in his guidelines, you have to be very aware and pay intense attention to what he says, chopra leaves me hungry, as countless other teachers, but that is just my perception, they are all trying their best with what they have to offer, so I guess that is why tolle has been such a phenomenon with his amazing deepness right to the point, wow, long live tolle, however regarding to god, he seems to be to me not too comfortable, thank you, marco gomez
ReplyDeleteHi I feel the same that eckrt is the. Most. Effective guide. I've experienced. Thru his teachings, I've become more open minded I have discovered a higher power that actually works, one that I don't live in fear of, one that I trust, no jumping thru hoops, one who guides me and not judges me. These arnt just words....I really do not feel judged in the presence of this higher power. I just feel loved, excepted and connected giving me enthusiasm and purpose to live in the present because I cud never find. It anywhere else. I literally nearly physically killed myself trying.the rooms have their place but for me I only got so far and so far left me still incomplete. I'd end up trying to fill in the gaps to try and make sense with a mind that couldn't make any sense. Waking up hasn't been an event, no lightening or transfiguration. My mind always searched for the life changing "event" in the future. Not sure if it was a life changing event I needed anyway....maybe just needed a mind changing to see that life is the event and its here now to be lived and experienced and that I am a part of that now. I'm happy to say that I am presently now living life hahaha
ReplyDeleteNice answers in return of this query with real arguments and explaining all about that.
ReplyDeletehttp://shop4pills.us/celebrex_generic.html
This text is worth everyone’s attention. How can I find out more?
ReplyDeleteCheap Women Watches