The process of coming to believe is something that we seem to experience in similar ways. One thing most of us lacked was a working relationship with a Higher Power. We begin to develop this relationship by simply admitting to the possibility of a Power greater than ourselves. Most of us have no trouble admitting that addiction had become a destructive force in our lives. Our best efforts resulted in ever greater destruction and despair. At some point we realized we needed the help of some Power greater than our addiction. Our understanding of a Higher Power is up to us. No one is going to decide for us. We can call it the group, the program, or we can call it God. The only suggested guidelines are that this Power be loving, caring and greater than ourselves. We don't have to be religious to accept this idea. The point is that we open our minds to believe. We may have difficulty with this, but by keeping an open mind, sooner or later, we find the help we need.
We talked and listened to others. We saw other people recovering, and they told us what was working for them. We began to see evidence of some Power that could not be fully explained. Confronted with this evidence, we began to accept the existence of a Power greater than ourselves. We can use this Power before we begin to understand it. ************************
Accepting a higher power is all up to us!! I love that it says my higher power can be anything as long as it is loving, caring and greater than myself. For me, the group was a power greater than myself because they had what I wanted; freedom from active addiction.
There is no religion involved in NA; only spirituality. I defiine spirituality as living by the spiritual principles that are shown to me in the steps; honesty, openmindedness, willingness, humility, love, forgiveness, and so many more.
For a long time, my god was good orderly direction and still is most days. We do not have to believe in anything religious and for that I am grateful today. I hope this helps you understand we are not religious :) just spiritual today!!!
Love and NA Hugs to ya!! Your sister Glora
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Just For Today....I will have faith in someone in NA who believes in me and wants to help me in my recovery.
when i first got into NA the whole god part made me really uneasy. for my whole life i'd been athiest, when i did get introduced to organized religion i sort of had a great distrust for it because of past experiences. so god was not something i wanted in my life to say the least. and i don't know where it exactly started. but there was sort of a change after awhile, i started to gain hope. i knew i couldn't just rely on myself since i'm really far from perfect and everything i had put faith in was only temporary (drugs, food, people). and so it sort of dawned on me that i had to look past those things. to create something for myself that couldn't be just in the physical world that would always be there for me. and my connection with god didn't happen overnight, and sometimes i don't feel the connection, but i know if i'm going through something incredibly hard or painful that something is there for me and i get sort of a peace from it. as for a program without god... i don't see how that'd ever be possible since god is in most of the steps. but yeah. i suggest just going and not focusing on the god thing and just being receptive to the message and find some hope in what people are saying and maybe you'll see how it worked for them.
I think alot of people come and leave the program(I almost did) because of this only to return when the pain is so great they are willing to try anything.
Just pretend for a while. Do 90 in 90 and follow suggestions. If you feel the same way after that, we will refund you your misery :p
One of the most influential oldtimers who made my recovery possible is 8 years clean in NA, and he is an atheist who has a working Higher Power in his life. By a Higher Power I mean a Power greater than my addiction which could also be God for some of us, apart from many other things around us like this forum and all of you is for me...
Thank you for asking Voosh, and welcome. Still, I believe every addict has to find out for themselves if NA is what they need. It works for me, and I see it work for many from all walks of life with all kinds of convictions and faith, and so it might work for you too...
Maybe finding a NA member who can relate (an atheist) and working the steps with that member would help... just a suggestion
All the best, no matter what you choose, I pray that you succeed, and experience the joy of recovery.
NA Hugs & Fellowship Love.
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
It's not a RELIGIOUS program its spiritual and you don't need religion to be spiritual nor do you even need a God or higher power spirituality is an attitude along with an action , I think lol.
yup,,, it says very clearly in the Text that it doent matter what your religion or lack of it !!! Buddy if it helps,,, I believe God to be the FORCETHATKEEPSUSADDICTCLEANANDSERENE !!! I know thats a mouthful but please read it !! as you can see the Steps are well divided equeally with 6 of em not mentioning God at all !! and even the 2nd only talks of a Power Greater than ourselves,, so if you take this Step too as not mentioning God directly then its a majority= 1. 2. 4. 8 9 10 12 thts the facts before you !!! im not religious myself,, I call myself an "open minded ecletic living in the open question and staying clean and serene in close association and identification with others in NA groups" including this one. the power of Goodness isnt confined to organised religion as we know it today !! Or belief is not based on dogma of religion but what works best for us in recovery the 12 Step Tradition of Narcotics Anonymous !~!! Hugs and keepcoming back,, it works !!
-- Edited by Raman at 07:01, 2007-11-08
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Raman an addict clean and serene just for today in NA Worldwide ; live to love and love to live the NA Way !!!
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