The somewhat fanciful title of this essay is not meant to imply that all of us should join a 12-step group (although for many of us this would be a blessing). It addresses a truth: that the principles discovered by two men, Bill W. and "Dr. Bob" (AA now estimated to be attended by at least two million people) apply to - not merely addicts - but to human beings in general. We can all benefit from applying these principles.
Perhaps humanity will, like many addicts, only become ready to begin the daunting climb to a higher level of consciousness or heartfelt "awakening" - after we have reached a very real nadir point.
The ancient Greeks referred to this state as "katabasis," roughly translated as "the Drop." If we are fortunate, this condition of "breakdown" will be followed by a "break-though," which involves an opening of the heart and mind, and a radically new perception of - and orientation to - life.
Carl Jung (whose work indirectly inspired the birth of AA) certainly believed that the best hope for recovery for the majority of chronic alcoholics was through an emotional cataclysm, but only if this was accompanied by a sort of conversion experience or spiritual awakening.
In AA the experience of spiritual awakening occurs - via the support of others - through the process of first getting sober (putting down the drink) and then engaging in a process known as "recovery."
From this point of view, it can be a useful working hypothesis and metaphor, that we, as a species, have gotten ourselves caught up in and intoxicated with - our sense of self-power, accompanied by a radical separation from nature and our own interdependence. And, regrettably, as noted above, "getting sober" may well involve a variety of collective experiences of "descent" and the need to grieve our errors, guilt and shame, as well as our lost dreams. Some of our work will need to be in a group context.
AA clearly states that fundamentally, all addicts are ultimately addicted to "willing for the sake of willing." This is discussed with great lucidity by Gerald May - a psychiatrist and spiritual practitioner - in his book Will and Spirit:
"Willingness and willfulness cannot be explained in a few words for they are very subtle qualities, often overlapping and very easily confused with each other.
Next Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
