I ordered a new book called Addiction and Grace.

[wildeyed]

Supposed to be about love and spirituality in the healing of addictions. Anyone else read it?

http://www.amazon.com/Addiction-Grace-Spirituality-Healing-Addictions/dp/0061122432/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-8319184-9828138?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179957382&sr=1-1

Also, I have been reading a kinda cool daily meditations book that I thought I would share here because there seem to be a number of other recovering fans of yoga and meditation. The book is called Meditations from the Mat - Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga. It is written by an ex-military officer who came to yoga several years after he got sober and had a spiritual awakening. It discusses the 12-steps in passing, but mainly focuses on yogic philosophy.

http://www.amazon.com/Meditations-Mat-Daily-Reflections-Path/dp/0385721544/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-8319184-9828138?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1179957675&sr=1-1

I am also sporadically reading The Secret, which is kinda dumb but also kinda helpful in a dumb way.

Anyone else exploring their spiritual path through books these days?

[NMDemDist2]

1. I just re-read a book by William Alexander

"Cool Waters-Alcoholism, Mindfulness and Ordinary Recovery" on staying in the present moment and using meditation.

It was very good.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/51VB747CZEL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_OU01_AA240_SH20_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/Cool-Water-William-Alexander/dp/157062254X

I also got a book by Terry Gorski on the 12 steps since it seems I am working with lots of newcomers lately.

edit to add, I love the way a speaker explained Grace once. He said Grace is broadcast like a radio station all the time. Our job is to adjust our radio to pick up the signal.

[wildeyed]

3. I like the quote about grace.

It *is* there all the time. Sometimes I can't hear it because I am too willful or chaotic, but the signal is always there when I am ready to tune in again.

[idgiehkt]

2. I hear people raving about "The Secret" a whole lot

I will check out the other one and the one AZ dem recommended. It's been a long time since I've read any self-help books, I devoured them in early recovery...it looks like I need to re-read all of the ones by Melody Beattie since it obviously didn't quite 'take' the first time, lol.

[wildeyed]

4. I dunno if "rave" is a word I would use in conjunction with the Secret.

It seems to be written in bullet points more than actual prose, which I find disconcerting. It advocates something called the law of attraction; what you think about and speak about, you attract to you. And I think that is true to an extent. But I always end up thinking, hmmmm, let's just drop a load of Secret videos on Darfur, that oughta help the victims of genocide think their way to a better tomorrow! Clearly they have been thinking bad thoughts to bring this on themselves. :sarcasm:

On the other hand, some of their simple suggestions, like "play happy music when you are in a pissy mood" or "remember to be grateful when you wake up in the morning" have actually helped me. So go figure :shrug: Kinda like the annoying slogans people keep repeating to you in early sobriety, like "HALT- are you hungry, angry, lonely or tired?" or "fake it 'till you make it". Annoying, trite but helpful at the same time.

[NMDemDist2]

5. or you could read Dr Paul's story LOL

in the 3rd edition it's page 451, 4th edition page 419

just turn around your glasses :rofl: it seems to be pretty much the same idea eh?

[idgiehkt]

6. well,

someone posted about it on another recovery forum I posted on and I looked it up and I wasn't impressed, just for a different reason, because it seemed to be some new agey stuff that is really not a new concept packaged up in a whole new set of clothes, i.e. marketing applied to something unoriginal to make someone a whole bunch of money. This stuff has helped me too, I really have had to learn to turn my thinking around because I did not grow up thinking positively, and the loss or bad turnout of things I had really looked forward to when I was really young had me making a pact with myself never to hope for anything again so I would never be hurt or disappointed. I know it helps to change my frame of mind, cause I learned that from Louise Hay 10 or fifteen years ago, lol. But I always try to put in there when I am talking about this stuff that I don't know how it applies to those big tragedies like you talk about, or personal ones, like deaths in the family. Like I have been saying a lot lately that the universe is always working toward my greatest good, which is true, but I would never say that or believe it about someone who lost a loved one or something like that. So I know there is contradiction there and I don't try to explain it but I don't deny it exists, either.

I think, essentially, the serenity prayer cover it, lol.

[Justpat]

7. Books are another of my addictions.

And I thought I owned every self help book every published. But nooooo, you guys have to come
up with a couple more that I must read asap.
Thanks a lot.

[NMDemDist2]

8. no prob hon

:rofl:

[wildeyed]

9. I am severely book addicted.

I have piles of them listing next to my bed, crammed into bookcases and ferreted around in my car and handbags (wouldn't want to risk going somewhere, being bored and not having anything to read). One of the only things that really scares me is the thought of ending up somewhere overnight with no book to read. :scared:

Oh well, it is a healthier addiction than the booze. I never blacked out and ended up in another state from books. :)

[Justpat]

10. LOL. n/t

[FloridaJudy]

11. SERIES!!!1!!! Book Addict here

I've found several books helpful to my recovery:

Mel Ash The Zen of Recovery{: The Twelve Steps from a Buddhist perspective
Bill Alexander Cool Water: another Buddhist view of recovery
Ann Lamott Traveling Mercies: Not actually about recovery, per se, but Lamott is out-spoken about how her faith helped her overcome addiction/alcoholism. A very funny woman: no one warned me I'd be laughing my butt off at a description of finding Jesus and getting sober! (in that order)
Chema Podron When Things Fall Apart Buddhist advice for hard times

and one that's on my wish list:
David Gregson The Tao of Sobriety. Has anyone read this? If so, your reactions.

[wildeyed]

12. Anne Lamott is wickedly funny.

The memoir of the first year of her sons life, Operating Instructions, is one of my all time favorites. I give it to all my new mother friends if I think the politics won't flip them out too much. It is a new baby/anti-Bush (Sr.) memoir written by a hyper-liberal, recovering alcoholic, Jesus freak. How bad could it be? :rofl: I got it when I was nursing my first baby. It was perfect. Short, funny sections written by a seriously quirky woman who was even more freaked out by motherhood than I was.

She has a new book out. I think it is either memoirs or essays. She writes fiction, too, which isn't bad, but her non-fiction is better, IMO.

I will check out the Buddhist/12-step books if I ever get finished with the pile I have next to the bed currently.

[FloridaJudy]

13. I bought the new Anne Lamott today

It's titled Grace (Eventually). I hit the bookstore, and walked out with that and the new Al Gore book. I did it on the way to my Home Group - now I have twelve women waiting to read it when I'm done! I also had to promise to bring Plan B to the next meeting. I used to love her columns in Salon. I think she's given those up to devote more time to her books.

At least she's writing, and I can't complain about that.

[Maraya1969]

14. "When you become co-operative the Universe becomes co-operative"

Another one I like

[Theres-a]

15. The Spirituality of Imperfection by Ernest Kuntz

The Camel Knows the Way by Lorna Kelly
Marty Mann the First lady of Alcoholics Anonymous by Sally Brown and David Brown

Three amazing books. I have read Addiction and Grace,and also "Simply Sane" by the same author.Very Good stuff,IMO.

[NMDemDist2]

16. welcome to A/R there-s a !!!!

and thanks for the titles, all of them sound interesting

:hi:

[FloridaJudy]

17. I tend to shy away

From books that strenuously promote any single religious tradition. Could a non-Christian appreciate The Camel Knows the Way and Simply Sane? The library of the church my home group meets in has a wealth of books from virtually every religious tradition, though it's nominally Christian. I like that approach. I learn as much - if not more - from Anne Lamott as I do from Thich Nhat Hanh, and I'm grateful the world contains both.

My spirituality is rather like a patchwork quilt: stitched together from diverse traditions, but they all seem to work together, and keep me warm on cold nights.

(edited for grammar)