Recovery, Addiction and 12-steps
New Year Reflection Exercise
I know from direct experience, I do not learn from experience itself nearly as much as I learn from reflecting on experience. This year I’ll be reflecting with this: What have I done in the past year that I feel…
Family Time Is Hard: A guide to staying sober during the holidays
Next to my place is a market filled with overpriced things like almond milk. And hummus. And Wine. It’s the kind of place you go in a hurry when you run out at the last moment. I shop here almost…
The Opposite of Addiction is Connection
Right now an exciting new perspective on addiction is emerging. Johann Harri, author of Chasing The Scream, recently captured widespread public interest with his Ted talk Everything You Know About Addiction Is Wrong, where he concluded with this powerful statement:…
The ego never dies.
My friend and I have set out to establish a set of daily practices to work on our pride and ego. While we recognize the importance and strategic power of ego, we also each feel trapped by its ugliness, its…
If we keep on like we have, how do we expect a different outcome?
My friend, three days sober, again, after much longer stretches, is back at it.. scrambling for humility and nobility and humanity. I ask him, “What’s the plan now?” “Keep on keeping on” he answers. I wondered aloud “if we keep…
Change me prayer
“Divine Beloved, Change Me into someone who can give with complete ease and abundance, knowing You are the unlimited Source of All. Let me be an easy open conduit for Your prosperity. Let me trust that all of my own…
Do happy to be happy
Happiness is as much a thing we are as it is something we do. We have to do happiness sometimes in order to help ourselves be happy. Exercise Movement is good for the body. As natural hunters and gatherers, we…
Your car goes where your eyes go
My aunt recently posted a picture of her beloved dog, “Sunshine”, with this adorable and perplexed look on her face. She asked “I wish I knew what she was thinking?” and I was immediately reminded of Garth Stein‘s book, The…
Nothing is the truth.
My mom forced me to believe nothing is THE truth and everything is possible. My dad required me to see reality and observe limits. The world taught me both are always true at the exact same moment in almost all…