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Spirituality is an Altered State of Consciousness

© Geraldine Wagner

According to one addiction specialist, spirituality is an altered state of consciousness that is experienced rather than learned; know rather than believed; lived rather than expounded. It is an attitude rather than a practice; it encourages individuality and a loving acceptance of life, self and others.

You alone can experience spirituality and you alone can overcome addiction to alcohol, behavior, other people through a spiritual program. But you can't do it alone.

We need a higher power.

Some people choose to call the traditional notion of God their higher power.

Others simply use the term Higher Power, or the nickname, "my H.P." The H.P. can be a God-like figure, or it can be the people in one's recovery group. It can be nature, or the universe. It can be a force outside ourselves which is greater than us.

Many recovering people confuse spirituality with religion. From childhood experiences with organized religion (I myself am also a "recovering Catholic! My life span straddles both pre- and post- Vatican II!) they rejected the notion of God, or a Higher Power, along with going to church. Getting into recovery, they begin casting around for something to "believe in."

Some of us go back to some kind of organized religion, or join a new one. For the community of it. For the spiritual messages we receive from the church leader and the congregation. For a quiet time and place in the week to meditate and pray.

Others of us head for the woods, the mountains and the lakes for respite, quiet time and reflection.

For others, the daily or weekly recovery meeting takes the place of a daily or weekly mass or church service.

If you're yearning to experience spirituality, a conscious contact with your higher power, here's a "beginner's prayer" you might like to try:

"Lord, I want to love you, yet I am not sure. I want to trust you, yet I am afraid of being taken in. I know I need you, but I am ashamed of the need. I want to pray, but I am afraid of being a hypocrite. I need my independence, yet I fear to be alone. I want to belong, yet I must be myself. Take me Lord, yet leave me alone. Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief. Oh Lord, if you are there, you do understand, don't you? Give me what I need, but leave me free to choose. Help me to work it out my own way, but don't let me go. Let me understand myself, but don't le me despair.

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