My interest has been increasing on this topic. How has this helped you in your recovery, and life in general?
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I don’t have a higher power but I do believe in the healing powers of science. Since my sobriety I have done extensive study on the way alcohol affects the brain and it has been really eye opening. Understanding how damaging it is has been a real kick in the pants to stay sober.
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That's good, and 100% true. Hp to me refers to letting things be, and not trying to take control of unfavorable situations by using. It's not a religious God. It's more of trusting the universe and controlling how I respond
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Me on my best day, that's my higher power.
When I don't give someone the finger, when I don't dwell on ridiculousness, when I'm helpful, when I secretary an AA meeting and it seems like a good one, when I make good coffee, when im honest without being hurtful.
AA's lose their minds when I tell them.this, but that's okay. It makes sense to me. My "best thinking" didn't get me here. My worst thinking did. I don't belive in a God or anything of that sort, religious or not. And I don't need to "trust the universe " or whatever. Things are the way they are, until they arent. I'm not gonna day "group of drunks" to pacify the believers(such fragile beings) and im.not gonna say a "tree" or whatever is my higher power, that's seriously just dumb.
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I believe in God and I know he is there everywhere everyday. My sobriety is from all my amazing recovery team and all my friends on and off this site. Sobriety isn’t easy but definitely don’t want to lose what I have gained for a stupid drink. My daughter and son-in-law back in my life. My husband still here after all the cr@p I did. That’s what I care about. Sobriety rocks. I have lost family and friends because of their drinking but that A OK with me. Bye.
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Funny this was the topic at my men’s meeting the other day.
For a large number of people in AA, their higher power is “God”. And hey if that works for them, I say have at it. Taylor is on the other extreme… and I have talked to him enough to know that works for him so I am happy he found what works.
For me my HP just is. That’s it. It/he/she just is. And that works for me.
I think people stress too much on step 2-3. In the end we are all responsible for our own actions. As long as you don’t use a HP as an excuse for your actions I think whatever works best for you is what you should go with.
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My concept of a higher power is always evolving. Sometimes it's God, sometimes it's the Goddess, sometimes it's the Light. No matter what, this power is love, and it wants me to be happy and free.
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Your replies are quite charged! Glad you found a way to live positively
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Still figuring it out…
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A lizard, a doorknob, the breeze, the bird that just flew by, my coffee mug, God( as I know mine) , the gods, a goddess, your home group. It is debated, shouldn't be. As long as I'm not my higher power, life is turning out pretty da^# good!
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For me the creator of the universe. I know he is at work in my life, and the more I trust him the better I am as a person.
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Agreed. Stepping outside of the ego is what it's all about
So I look at "higher power" more in terms of a microscope, and not some ethereal force governing my decisions. Switching from a lower power to a higher power on a microscope gives a better vision of something, more resolution. I can dig that. I do not think in anyway think something out there is just waiting for me to give him/her/they my problems. I am not self centered, but I AM always trying to center myself.
I hear that, in my addiction, I resort to using to gain control of how I feel, or want to make myself feel. I would use to deal with a hardship, literally of any kind, like simply going to work for the day. When I take that need for control away and don’t use, I am living life on its own terms. All of this is connected to the higher power being things that I can not control. Things that just are. It connects to the serenity prayer for me as well. Being my best self is most definitely what it is all about. We are human and we will slip from time to time, but not picking up is an absolute truth that I must adhere to.
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My resistance to a higher power kept me drunk for a long time. I still don't have many answers, but for me, it's being led by my heart/spirit instead of my ego/brain. Living life from the intention of love instead of fear.
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Oh for sure. I didn’t mean anything I said to be insulting. I actually respect the fact that you have your own ideas and know who you are. You don’t lack any courage in your convictions and that is admirable.
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Oh man, I didn't take anything you said as insulting at all. I only put it out there for other people who feel like me and want to be sober but can't embrace the idea of higher powers etc like alot of other people can. That's all. No worries.
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No disrespect at all, but to me it's weird when people say that they are anti-ego but then they cling to a higher power, whether it be God or anything else, that is actively working in their lives. Ive never been able to grasp that. That sounds like the ultimate ego, to think something that may have created the universe cares what's going on in my personal life enough to dabble in it whenever it feels necessary, mysteriously.
It's just not my thing, but it's cool if that's what keeps you sober.