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NA Message Board -> Narcotics Anonymous Message Board -> 11th Step Spiritual Plan
Post Info TOPIC: 11th Step Spiritual Plan
johnjames228


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11th Step Spiritual Plan
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Flexibility but completeness through diligence sums up my directive.  My spiritual plan shouldnt be displeasing, but life is exactly that.  Or rather, its not unusual to see life as tiresome, demanding, and even exhausting.  But then, I've been inculcated by a society steeped in negativity.  Is life really the problem?

Humans do complain if they frequently have an interminable list of tasks to fulfill.  An inflexible or routine schedule creates stress.  I become negative when life pushes too hard and I can't relax.  I refine my feelings about what's displeasing and what isnt; through a spirit of gratitude and humility life manifests itself very differently.  For example, when a difficult task is on the agenda it doesnt help to call it difficult, its better to identify it as simple.  Any venture can be broken down into undemanding substeps.  Monks devise a plan to cover all 150 Psalms in one week without undue hardship.  Like enemies, anything that is unpleasant must be loved, hating makes things even worse.  Love has the power to cause radical transformation.

Being lukewarm is a serious hindrance, it changes what otherwise would have been a triumphant victory into an arduous struggle.  For example, though it seems ironic, daily physical exercise makes all of life that much easier.  Without muscle and stamina, the body doesn't have energy.  Exercise promotes profoundly positive neurochemical changes in the brain.  Similarly then, the spirit and psyche benefit very greatly from deliberately working to increase cycles of purely positive cognition and enriched positive emotion.  Frequent prayer, meditation, immersion in wisdom, enlightened counsel, and virtuous pursuits build a better soul.  

They go from strength to strength until each appears before God in Zion! (Psalm 84:7)

Ongoing good effort causes amazingly beneficial ongoing cumulative results.  Strength builds upon strength, building on weakness causes structural collapse.  I gain a better perspective through prayer and contemplation.  I'm not influenced by inferior life perspectives and philosophies.

REWRITE:

I must keep my spiritual plan simple.  Its not always easy to get out of bed and pray for serenity, but I must.  I sure get tired though, theres so much to do and I get exhausted.  My wife is always complaining, nothing is ever right.  But whats my responsibility in this?

I work two jobs and I don't have enough off-time.  I can't enjoy time with my kids.  I need to live life on life's terms, to be grateful for my employment and get off the pity-pot about how busy I am.  When I make out my gratitude list, I feel better. 

I can't miss meetings.  I need to stay in close touch with recovery, call my sponsor, and work my steps.  I need to read the literature and talk to other addicts, to stay in recovery.

     "We sought through prayer and meditation..."

 

One day at a time I get stronger and my clean time increases.  I learn everything I need to know about life from the NA literature, I don't have to pay attention to anything else.    Recovery first makes recovery last!



-- Edited by johnjames228 on Monday 28th of October 2013 03:57:12 PM

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avid


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RE: The Spiritual Plan
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Is this a quote from somewhere?
also, You use the term "our" several times.
Who are the "our" you are referring to?


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johnjames228


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This is not a quote, I wrote it myself.  Thanks for the tip, and apologies for my mistake.  I just removed the "we" and "our".



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Dave R


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This is a discussion forum for people interested in recovery from addiction through the Narcotics Anonymous program.
Are you interested in sharing on that or just tooting your own spiritual horn?

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avid


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I'm not influenced by inferior life perspectives and philosophies.


So if it doesn't work for you it is therefor "inferior"?

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MIKEF


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Good morning and blessings of this day! I am an addict named Mike............Just For Today, Don't use drugs, carry the message of recovery to others to the best of your ability,be that vision of HOPE,the shining example that the program works,and demonstrate through  the joy of living clean an attraction to others still suffering...(STEP 12)

and More will always be revealed.smilesmile



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johnjames228


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MikeF: Thanks.  I've been an addict for 30 years, I've been clean thanks to the program of NA for the last 13 years.  I continue to try and carry the message as best as I can.   

Avid: Examples of 'inferior perspectives and philosophies' are using drugs to manage life and not working the steps.  The disease of active addiction is inferior to health, spiritual deficiency is inferior to spiritual development.  

Dave: Narcotics Anonymous is a spiritual program of recovery from the disease of addiction. My share is about spirituality. It's not any more prideful (or off the topic of recovery) than any other addict's share posted here or spoken in meetings.   

The negative feedback I've received here is out of line, but it doesn't challenge my serenity.  I accept it if it is unchangeable and try to change it if that's possible.  

Most importantly, I will accept, support, and help people feel welcome in the rooms of NA.

 



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Dave R


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Johnjames:
I'm glad to hear you have gotten clean in NA. That's a great blessing.
Yes, NA is a spiritual program.
When I read your share, I was not sure what you were talking about--NA program stuff or your own personal philosophy.
We get spammers of all kinds on this board from time to time.
Glad to know you are not one of them.
Keep coming back!


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Mike M


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Welcome to the forum John. My name's Mike, I'm a grateful Recovering addict Clean by the Grace of my Higher Power whom I choose to call God through the Power of NA.

At first I too was somewhat taken aback by your post. The problem is in the Subject title "The Spiritual Plan" versus something like "My Spiritual Plan". And your post made zero reference to NA or NA Spiritual Principles while making direct Religious references. Since I've read your bio I believe you likely understand the difference between NA being a Spiritual Program versus Dogmatic Religions and how any organized Religion per se is NOT for many Recovering Addicts who choose to be NA Members.

I have no problem with any NA Member who chooses to participate in any organized Religion. I have a problem with any NA Member attempting to pontificate their Religious path being the true path to Freedom from Addiction and Recovery.



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avid


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This is an interesting thread....
Peraonally I would like to see more of this kind of stuff.


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johnjames228


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You are right.     

The religious reference should be removed and replaced with something from NA literature.  Although the Lord's prayer is used in some meetings, the serenity prayer is universally accepted.       

My writing style is completely wrong for NA.  I patterned it after the style used in the NA literature.  I agree, it implies expertise or truth, it's even dogmatic.  NA doesn't forbid us from writing in any particular way, but the universal standard is free vernacular. 

I'll rewrite the post completely.  

 

 



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avid


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RE: 11th Step Spiritual Plan
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I'll rewrite the post completely.


Absolutely NOT necessary.
This is NOT a Narcotics Anonymous operated website.
It is privately owned.
Although it is frequented by recovering addicts who have found strength and guidance using the principles of NA,
it is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous.
You are free to post anything that is relevant to your journey in recovery, just as others are free to support or criticize it.
If you post spam or something that goes entirelly against what we are trying to do here it will be deleted and you will be banned.
the same can happen if you are rude to the point of extreme offensiveness. Your post did raise some hackles, but there were no vicous attacks
and your responses were civilized.
It's OK to disagree and be spirited in that disagreement.
So long as things don't get out of hand I, for one, have no problem with it.

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Mike M


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avid wrote:

I'll rewrite the post completely.


Absolutely NOT necessary.
This is NOT a Narcotics Anonymous operated website.
It is privately owned.
Although it is frequented by recovering addicts who have found strength and guidance using the principles of NA,
it is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous.
You are free to post anything that is relevant to your journey in recovery, just as others are free to support or criticize it.
If you post spam or something that goes entirelly against what we are trying to do here it will be deleted and you will be banned.
the same can happen if you are rude to the point of extreme offensiveness. Your post did raise some hackles, but there were no vicous attacks
and your responses were civilized.
It's OK to disagree and be spirited in that disagreement.
So long as things don't get out of hand I, for one, have no problem with it.

 +1



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Work the Steps or Die MF. (My Friend :)
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Dave R


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This has been an interesting discussion.


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avid


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I see that you did ammend your original post.
Like I said before, that wasn't necessary but I guess you felt the need to clarify your statements.
As stated by me and others, this is an interesting thread.
Please feel free to share your thoughts and feelings.
I'm sorry that you thought some of the early comments were "out of line"
They were not. Using terms like "we" and "our" implies that you are acting as a spokesperson for the entire fellowship.
This will always generate strong replies.
But that does not mean that you are not welcome here.
Clearly, you are an addict who has embraced NA as the path to fulfillment in life.
It is also obvious that you are a bright, articulate person who thinks.
Don't let a little negative feedback derail your process.
Peace.

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bben


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So if it doesn't work for you it is therefor "inferior"?


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Dustina ILia


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Wow, what a heavy read. You are obviously very well educated, but could you speak more down to earth where people like me can understand what you are saying? SMILE!

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