Comments for Trudging the Gentle Path of Happy Destiny http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com After treatment, out in the real world, staying sober and living in recovery. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:26:24 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Being an atheist in recovery by GentlePath http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/being-an-atheist-in-recovery/#comment-490 GentlePath Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:26:24 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=450#comment-490 I'd love to have the link of that guy's site. I’d love to have the link of that guy’s site.

]]> Comment on Being an atheist in recovery by Alice http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/being-an-atheist-in-recovery/#comment-489 Alice Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:10:32 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=450#comment-489 Thank you for your entry. I just started a 12 Step program last summer and have been struggling with Step 2. 10 minutes ago I found this little gem online that I predict will help me immensely: "Every one of the steps can be reduced to a non-theistic action. Steps 2-5 come down to this: 'In step one I realized that I'm a drunk/codependent. I believe that there's a solution because I met these people who claim to have been like me and now they seem like they've got their shit together. I'm gonna direct my will and life in search of the that solution since anything is better than the idiocy I was living with before. This search will involve some self reflection (and maybe some therapy,) and the willingness to change some seemingly extraneous habits.' That's it: no God necessary. It's a program of action, not theological debate." The guy goes on to talk about the 4th step resentments and says, "... resentments weaken you. They distract you and make you feel entitled to a drink/codependent behavior. Enough resentments, and you might actually drink/drug/act codependently." I think this about does it for me. I wish I could give credit to the guy who wrote it all, but I didn't catch the name, just wrote it down in my journal for reflection. He's inspired me to translate the steps for myself so they have meaning for me without theistic bend. Keep up the good work everyone. Thank you for your entry. I just started a 12 Step program last summer and have been struggling with Step 2. 10 minutes ago I found this little gem online that I predict will help me immensely: “Every one of the steps can be reduced to a non-theistic action. Steps 2-5 come down to this: ‘In step one I realized that I’m a drunk/codependent. I believe that there’s a solution because I met these people who claim to have been like me and now they seem like they’ve got their shit together. I’m gonna direct my will and life in search of the that solution since anything is better than the idiocy I was living with before. This search will involve some self reflection (and maybe some therapy,) and the willingness to change some seemingly extraneous habits.’ That’s it: no God necessary. It’s a program of action, not theological debate.” The guy goes on to talk about the 4th step resentments and says, “… resentments weaken you. They distract you and make you feel entitled to a drink/codependent behavior. Enough resentments, and you might actually drink/drug/act codependently.” I think this about does it for me. I wish I could give credit to the guy who wrote it all, but I didn’t catch the name, just wrote it down in my journal for reflection. He’s inspired me to translate the steps for myself so they have meaning for me without theistic bend. Keep up the good work everyone.

]]> Comment on In which I celebrate the ability to choose! by Mary (MPJ) http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/in-which-i-celebrate-the-ability-to-choose/#comment-488 Mary (MPJ) Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:39:07 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=538#comment-488 I love those moments of clarity! You know, I was printing out my first year of blog posts recently and going back over them got me to thinking about all the bloggers that I've seen come and go in the past three years. I really miss some of them. I love those moments of clarity!

You know, I was printing out my first year of blog posts recently and going back over them got me to thinking about all the bloggers that I’ve seen come and go in the past three years. I really miss some of them.

]]> Comment on I loathe PETA by GentlePath http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/hehe/#comment-485 GentlePath Sat, 10 Oct 2009 12:42:01 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=530#comment-485 :) Thanks for asking! Things are going well and I hope to carve some time out this weekend to catch up on my blogging! :)

Thanks for asking! Things are going well and I hope to carve some time out this weekend to catch up on my blogging!

]]> Comment on I loathe PETA by theotherbed http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/hehe/#comment-484 theotherbed Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:32:50 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=530#comment-484 Hey, GP, where'd you go? Been wondering about you...take care. Hey, GP, where’d you go? Been wondering about you…take care.

]]> Comment on Being an atheist in recovery by GentlePath http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/being-an-atheist-in-recovery/#comment-483 GentlePath Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:57:04 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=450#comment-483 You're quite welcome, although I'm not sure who "Buck" is! I agree that people can and do recover from all sorts of isms without a 12 step program. And finding a way to reconcile atheist beliefs with AA philosophy can be extremely difficult. To thine own self be true, right? You’re quite welcome, although I’m not sure who “Buck” is! I agree that people can and do recover from all sorts of isms without a 12 step program. And finding a way to reconcile atheist beliefs with AA philosophy can be extremely difficult. To thine own self be true, right?

]]> Comment on Being an atheist in recovery by Anna http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/being-an-atheist-in-recovery/#comment-482 Anna Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:02:35 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=450#comment-482 Dear Buck, Thank you for the great post! I am in the process of looking for more people that would be interested in a recovery group that does not involve the "Higher Power" concept. I am convinced that for many it is detrimental to attribute their success at recovery to a supernatural cause, while their failures tend to be put down to "self will run riot." In both cases, my belief is that the actions resulted from the decisions of the individual, not an outside force. I am tired of attempting to make my beliefs about the way the world and myself work mesh with the AA format. It just isn't going to happen without a loss of personal integrity. And, no matter what anyone says, people CAN and DO stay sober outside of AA... and without the nasty "dry drunk" tag. Let me know your thoughts -- perhaps there are already online groups like this. An excellent book with much to recommend it for use to athiests in recovery is "The Atheist's Way; Living Well Without Gods," by Eric Maisel, although it is not specifically about recovery. Best, Anna Dear Buck,

Thank you for the great post! I am in the process of looking for more people that would be interested in a recovery group that does not involve the “Higher Power” concept. I am convinced that for many it is detrimental to attribute their success at recovery to a supernatural cause, while their failures tend to be put down to “self will run riot.” In both cases, my belief is that the actions resulted from the decisions of the individual, not an outside force. I am tired of attempting to make my beliefs about the way the world and myself work mesh with the AA format. It just isn’t going to happen without a loss of personal integrity. And, no matter what anyone says, people CAN and DO stay sober outside of AA… and without the nasty “dry drunk” tag. Let me know your thoughts — perhaps there are already online groups like this. An excellent book with much to recommend it for use to athiests in recovery is “The Atheist’s Way; Living Well Without Gods,” by Eric Maisel, although it is not specifically about recovery.

Best,
Anna

]]> Comment on I loathe PETA by Hope http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/hehe/#comment-480 Hope Thu, 20 Aug 2009 14:24:33 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=530#comment-480 I chuckled right out loud about the Walmart ad before the video. Oh, the irony! I chuckled right out loud about the Walmart ad before the video. Oh, the irony!

]]> Comment on I loathe PETA by Rae http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/08/19/hehe/#comment-479 Rae Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:07:14 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=530#comment-479 Yeah ... I loathe PETA too. I suppose they must think all their members are thin, and that people who love pets are all thin. Assholes for a marketing team, that's for sure. By the way, I loathe Fox News as well ... but that's a whole other story. Yeah … I loathe PETA too. I suppose they must think all their members are thin, and that people who love pets are all thin. Assholes for a marketing team, that’s for sure.
By the way, I loathe Fox News as well … but that’s a whole other story.

]]> Comment on PCs Suck. PCIs are Great. by Rae http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/pcs-suck-pcis-are-great/#comment-477 Rae Tue, 11 Aug 2009 20:07:49 +0000 http://thegentlepath.wordpress.com/?p=522#comment-477 Thanks GP for your honest response. I agree ... we all should be using it. As I blogged about today, it sometimes seems so difficult to do the things I know will help me. Why? If I knew that, I might not be here. Interesting thought. Hugs and hopes for the best for you. Thanks GP for your honest response. I agree … we all should be using it. As I blogged about today, it sometimes seems so difficult to do the things I know will help me. Why? If I knew that, I might not be here. Interesting thought.

Hugs and hopes for the best for you.

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