SERENITY PRAYER

God, grant me the serenity

to accept the things I cannot change,

the courage to change the things I can,

and the wisdom to know the difference.

Serenity

Serenity, which is the immunity to all addictions,
is characterized by feelings of tranquility, gratitude,
contentment, affection for others, and a deep inner peace.

When people are serene, they don't need to fulfill desires to feel complete.
Addiction is the attempt to find completion in a substance or situation.
In fact, completion can only be found within.

The feeling of serenity is innate (inborn).
When we 'lose' serenity, the desire to regain it is innate as well.
For some, that desire is heightened by adversity or
physical and/or emotional problems.
For others, the search represents curiosity about the deeper meaning of
life.
Throughout the brief history of addiction treatment,
various leaders have stated that the antidote for addiction is serenity,
a spiritual awakening, a changed level of consciousness.

Serenity is our birthright.
It is as natural to us as breathing or digesting food.
When we are in a state of physical health, those functions are balanced.
In a healthy mental state, all our
emotions, thoughts, and behaviors act in unison too.
We experience harmonious interaction with our environment.
One obvious result of serenity is mature, harmonious human relationships.
When we feel serene, we are more open, honest, respectful, and loving.
There is no need for defensiveness or blame.
We can see and appreciate the positive characteristics of others.
When others are feeling insecure and behaving negatively,
we can respond with compassion and patience.
We feel no need to control them so that we can feel good.
Above all, we see the best in others, not the worst.
Serenity fosters learning, insecurity or fear hinders it.
A state of serenity increases our ability to listen, learn, and create.
The tranquil mind is an open channel of perception and insight
- spurred by curiosity, unobstructed by past beliefs,
attitudes, limitations and prejudices.
When we are serene, we are excited and motivated to contribute.
Work is more of a joy.
We are more productive with less effort,
more free of stress and able to see positive solutions to problems.
Our minds and bodies are inseparable.
Modern medicine shows a relationship between state of mind
and the body's immune system, growth and development,
physical attractiveness and organ function.
When we are in a positive mental state,
we get sick less often and heal more quickly.
When we are serene, we can more easily realize
the full potential of our talents and relationships.
Fully living in the present - not the past or the future
- we are no longer plagued by guilt, resentment and fears.
Serenity lets us access our wisdom.
We see life objectively and gain more freedom of choice.
Clearly, serenity has many benefits.
But if our sole purpose for pursuing it is to gain these benefits,
then we have put the cart before the horse.
Serenity comes first, above all other things.
Our quest must take a turn away from the illusion
that external events create our happiness.
The source is deep within, and that is where our focus must be.

Author unknown

peggy