To: K-list
Recieved: 2001/11/05 22:12
Subject: [K-list] Steps to Freedom (was Check it out)
From: Paul Perner

felix wrote:

> Yep. I had no idea of what a 12 Step program was until I read a mention of
> it in John Bradshaw's book. I set about to find out what it was and it
> turned out to be AA. I drink a little and so I contacted the local guy to
> see if I could attend meetings to check it out. I went to 90 meetings in 90
> days. Eventually, they suggested I might be more comfortable in some other
> group. It fascinated me to hear the stories though. I'd recommend the
> experience to anybody.

Hello Felix,

Yes, the 12 step process can work for anybody, but the AA, NA etc..
groups are not for everybody. They base their programs on the
"incurable disease" model and that can be very stagnating... even
harmful for some people. After years of going to meetings, reading
the literature and finally working all 12 steps, I got want I needed
and have moved on. I still attend an occasional meeting, but my
sobriety isn't dependent on it.

Did my awakening happened as a result of the steps?

Was it because I was doing Thi Chi in the morning and praying?

Did it have to do with the UFO activity the desert at that time?

Was it because I was going through a major life crisis?

Or was it because it was just the right time and place and
Goddess fired me up in spite of myself?

I really don't know which one, or combination of, these that caused it, but
I do know that it set me free. And the traditional 12 step people
don't know what to do with me. They can't accept what happened
and I even sense that some of them feel threatened by it.

> I have wondered how many people have had K open in them, and them not
> understand it and turn to booze or whatever to deal with it. It would seem
> as though a group like you are founding might be able to catch a few before
> it got beyond the ring-pass-me-not that spirals downward to the bottom some
> can't deal with.

I don't think K would cause a person to develop a substanceproblem. I hear some
people have taken medications to help
smooth the effects, but perhaps because people who pursue
spiritual practices are more likely to have better than average
self esteem and balance to begin with, they probably wont
over indulge or take harder street drugs.

The group I'm trying to start is mainly for folks who had
the above in reverse; the addiction *then* the awakening.

There are thousands of recovery groups and web sites.
There's talk of spirituality around ever corner in the 12
step world, but virtually no literature or support for
ex addicts who've had sudden, full blown awakenings.
I'm beginning to think it has to do the dogmatism...
the "incurable disease" thinking that has taken over AA/NA.

Unfortunately this dogma has almost completely taken
over the drug/alcohol field in the US. A counselor will have
a very difficult time finding work if they don't teach the
disease model and send their clients to 12 step meetings.

The steps have done wonders for people, but I, and many
others now, feel it's time for AA/NA reform. They've become
like cults (not the good, tribal, magical kind, but the creepy
sterile kind... like Scientology). Funny, AA has forgotten the
words of their founder Bill Wilson, "These steps are meant
to be suggestive only... we realize we know only a little..."

It's well known that Bill had an awakening (a "white light
experience") and was very free thinking, but these days, if
an AA/NA member literally has a similar experience and finds
the same freedom, they are discredited or encouraged to be quiet
about it... even if that experience could help others find hope.

I better click off before I get too huffy about this.

> I hope it works out for you and the others Paul,
>
> felix
>

Thank you Felix. The big ray of hope is theSpiritual Emergence Network
conference on addiction
four weeks from now. Many new, enlightened approaches
are scheduled to be discussed. Kundalini I sure will be
high on the list.

Nameste,

Paul

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