Great meeting tonight at the Zen Center, One of the speakers celebrated her 24 years of sobriety. She spoke of her 24 years in the program and her 30 years in Buddhism. She believes her meditation increased due to her sobriety. This makes sense to me hard to concentrate with a hangover....ha
I have a fear of groups but yet when I found AA I felt at home. The shares were hitting home, people trying to change their lives by showing up.
Religious groups are the most difficult for me to stomach they leave me running out the front door . Buddhist temples are kind of a creepy a place where no one smiles, but our monk does smile. I think AA has given a light touch to the Zen Center I am not sure I would stay if it wasn't connected to the program.
When I was first in the program i would visit a Zen center in the country and it really left me sour. They were so serious with their lives and I felt it was controlling. I don't want anyone telling me what to do...hell I am an addict Alanon member
I like the suggestive approach if I had a big book thumper I would run from them also. It is attraction rather than promotion.
The Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh, a Vietnamese Zen master, says "Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth."
AA has given me the chance to explore spirituality. But if I didn't have the 12 steps buddhism would not work for me.
Gratitude
HP is a search there are no big answers
12 steps keep me sober and showing up for myself
One day at a time
My life is getting calmer and I have some serenity
"What we learn to do we learn by doing" Aristotle
Annie
1 comment:
I had not thought about Zen and how it was different from 12 step programs. I once had a sponsee who decided that Zen was what he wanted rather than Al-Anon. Each is called to what makes them comfortable.
Post a Comment