About Me

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I have recovered from the disease of Alcoholism. I believe there is only one person really,.. everybody. And that peace of mind is everything. -So treat your neighbor as you would treat yourself, because your neighbor IS yourself. I think most of recovery is what I would call common sense, but that learning to be ordinary is a true gift very few people acquire. My ambition is to accept everything unflinchingly, with compassion, and therefore be intrinsically comfortable in my own skin, no matter what. I am comfortable being uncomfortable and am willing to go to any lengths to improve my life. I believe the Big Book was divinely inspired, and is extraordinarily powerful. Unfortunately AA's best kept secret a lot of the time. (In my opinion). I just try to do what works, no matter what it is.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

The Spiritual Life: One foot in the 'World', One foot in the 'Ether'

This really relates to the previous post called American Beauty: "But it's hard to stay mad, when there's so much beauty in the world".
Do you notice that when you watch that clip from yesterdays post about the movie American Beauty,, that it ? 'connects' you to another ? 'transcendent', 'ethereal' mind state?

Sometimes I call it being a 'space cadet'.
Sometimes I call it being 'tuned in'.
Sometimes I call it 'transcendent'
It feels a little ? 'ethereal', high or spaced out..
Like the veil between this world and ? Another world gets just a little bit thinner. Feels weird, but in a GOOD way.

Well that's what life is like when your MOTIVE is to be of MAXIMUM HELPFULNESS, and your life is about SERVICE. That is the ? 'magic fairy dust' I was talking about* that comes into existence when we think of what we can do for others, and go out of our way to REALLY help newcomers. Its VERY cool.
But I use this term a LOT (One foot in the 'World', one foot in the 'Ether') to describe what it feels like to be 'living along spiritual lines.'
Its ADDICTIVE once you get a 'taste' 'of it. Feels thoroughly blissful. I can highly recommend it!!

And what do you have to do to get this thing?
Well, my theory is
Constant thought of others in the form of a MOTIVE to be of MAXIMUM HELPFULNESS, 'in ALL your affairs'.

There is a LOT to this and I am in the process of TRYING to commit it to posts, but haven't finished it. Its the best part of my programme, and one of the most laborious to explain. Ah well. I will get it done at some point.
Anyway. Have yourselves a DANG good Tuesday!

*See post called "Magic Fairy Dust: Constant Thought of others, combined with MOTIVE to be of MAXIMUM helpfulness"

8 comments:

ArahMan7 said...

I wish I could get a taste of it. You know, the blissful feeling.

johno said...

American Beauty has given me bloggers block LOL. I dont like this film atall. Real subject, just dont like all the dreamy stuff, too much voyeuristic, for me to see through to anything spiritual. But what do I know, it won lots of ? awards didnt it! I like the picture though, the blue, and yeh maximum helpfulness in all my affairs especially newcomers, really does lift everything up a level, and I have the magic fairy dust sprinkled often. Its a very real experience, like no other. Its not like an alcohol or substance induced high. Working with newcomers, its a complete experience with no destructive side effects, win win, everyone wins. There, I think somethings shifted that blockage, honesty ? perhaps.

Anonymous said...

When I am with my animals I am out of self, when I attend an AA meeting I am out of self, last nite when I was at BC, I was out of self, cheering other members on that they could do one more rep!

I am addicted but scared to loose it. I am lifted recently, I just gotta stay tuned in!

I love your posts, you help me so I hope that helps you this Tuesday!

Muah!

Shadow said...

i'll carry on reading your posts about this. i'm still not quite there...

Kathy Lynne said...

Every day I pray to be released from the bondage of self. I can see the service is the method, and will work on ALL my affairs. That's a tough nut to crack when I suffer from terminal uniqueness. Funny, as a former social work major, the friend everyone goes to, volunteer for various charities I have always thought (highly I might add) and strived to be altruistic. I can see now how far and misinformed of what this truly meant. I have soooo much more to learn. But baby steps....I'm headed in the right direction. Glad to be back and reading your stuff. It's good direction.

Syd said...

I am looking forward to the day that I have enough of this program to be of maximum usefulness. I like that idea very much.

Most of Martha Woodroof in one place said...

Just wanted to say hi. And thanks for this post. It was like a good meditation on the page.

Anonymous said...

Stopping in to wish you a humble Friday :)