Comments on: Surrender http://johntmarohn.com/blog/alcohol-recovery/surrender/ Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:03:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: grampadave http://johntmarohn.com/blog/alcohol-recovery/surrender/comment-page-1/#comment-713 grampadave Tue, 09 Mar 2010 05:37:50 +0000 http://johntmarohn.com/blog/?p=198#comment-713 Lee, over the course of many years my understanding of the process has slowly become less about the 'who' or 'what' one surrenders to and much more about the surrender itself. Somewhat similarly, many people understand the following regarding faith: 'It doesn't matter much what one has faith in as long as one has faith in something'. For some this may begin by having faith in the power of the Group. For others it may mean a return to their religious roots. Over time my mind has become more open to a wide range of possibilities and I thank God I was able to discard the old ideas which had been forced upon me by the church regarding the nature of God and create my own understanding of that which cannot be understood. One of the attributes of God is that God is ineffable. Please take note of the past tense used in the First Step: 'We were powerless over alcohol'. We gain new power once we surrender and let go absolutely. Lee, over the course of many years my understanding of the process has slowly become less about the ‘who’ or ‘what’ one surrenders to and much more about the surrender itself. Somewhat similarly, many people understand the following regarding faith: ‘It doesn’t matter much what one has faith in as long as one has faith in something’. For some this may begin by having faith in the power of the Group. For others it may mean a return to their religious roots. Over time my mind has become more open to a wide range of possibilities and I thank God I was able to discard the old ideas which had been forced upon me by the church regarding the nature of God and create my own understanding of that which cannot be understood. One of the attributes of God is that God is ineffable. Please take note of the past tense used in the First Step: ‘We were powerless over alcohol’. We gain new power once we surrender and let go absolutely.

]]> By: Lee http://johntmarohn.com/blog/alcohol-recovery/surrender/comment-page-1/#comment-398 Lee Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:40:37 +0000 http://johntmarohn.com/blog/?p=198#comment-398 John, Enjoyed your article, and can certainly relate. Question however - Recovery is all about "God as we understand Him". Where's your "surrender" to Him - where's your spirituality in this article? Sounds to me like you're still in control, even of your own "surrender". I, myself, can only surrender with the help of God (as I understand Him) - and even surrender is something I must "surrender" to the God of my understanding. Life, death and all between, I've found in my own journey of recovery, is completely out of my control - I am powerless - "but there is one who is all powerful. That one is God. May you find Him now." Signed, Powerless Lee (powerless over your surrender as much as my own - and powerless over your choise to, or not to, print my comments.) John,
Enjoyed your article, and can certainly relate. Question however – Recovery is all about “God as we understand Him”. Where’s your “surrender” to Him – where’s your spirituality in this article? Sounds to me like you’re still in control, even of your own “surrender”. I, myself, can only surrender with the help of God (as I understand Him) – and even surrender is something I must “surrender” to the God of my understanding. Life, death and all between, I’ve found in my own journey of recovery, is completely out of my control – I am powerless – “but there is one who is all powerful. That one is God. May you find Him now.”
Signed,
Powerless Lee
(powerless over your surrender as much as my own – and powerless over your choise to, or not to, print my comments.)

]]> By: Crash Test Addict http://johntmarohn.com/blog/alcohol-recovery/surrender/comment-page-1/#comment-240 Crash Test Addict Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:51:06 +0000 http://johntmarohn.com/blog/?p=198#comment-240 Very well said John. Throughout my addiction I have always thought of myself as this undiscovered genius waiting for the world to recognize. And even though I have a couple of God given talents, my addiction would have me fantasizing about greatness but unable to follow through because drugs were the fuel that kept that fantasy alive. And I was so busy chasing money for drugs I never had time to do anything but dream, and believe that one day, the world would recognize my true uniqueness, and guru-like musings. What a schmuck I was. You mentioned your medical difficulties and being worried more about your carotid arteries than your heart. I thought about that and got to thinking about my own medical condition. I have PAD in my legs and need surgery to correct it. From the lower aorta down to my legs is closed off. But I have this one little artery that branches off from the aorta that is feeding my legs and has kept me mobile. But this condition has had me more worried than when I used to shoot up dope having no clue as to its real contents. That's my irony, and the fact that I have worried about my heart more than anything else, yet I continued to assault it with chemicals for decades. And despite my passing a chemical stress test for the heart, it continues to plague me. Even my several years clean time doesn't override my concern. Your article on surrender then, for me means letting these things go that continue to plague me, because I am a work in progress also, and far from having my game together. However, if I started using drugs again, I would be back to dreaming my same old grandiose fantasies that end up sitting on the shelf of life like an invisible trophy. Very well said John. Throughout my addiction I have always thought of myself as this undiscovered genius waiting for the world to recognize. And even though I have a couple of God given talents, my addiction would have me fantasizing about greatness but unable to follow through because drugs were the fuel that kept that fantasy alive. And I was so busy chasing money for drugs I never had time to do anything but dream, and believe that one day, the world would recognize my true uniqueness, and guru-like musings. What a schmuck I was.

You mentioned your medical difficulties and being worried more about your carotid arteries than your heart. I thought about that and got to thinking about my own medical condition. I have PAD in my legs and need surgery to correct it. From the lower aorta down to my legs is closed off. But I have this one little artery that branches off from the aorta that is feeding my legs and has kept me mobile. But this condition has had me more worried than when I used to shoot up dope having no clue as to its real contents. That’s my irony, and the fact that I have worried about my heart more than anything else, yet I continued to assault it with chemicals for decades. And despite my passing a chemical stress test for the heart, it continues to plague me. Even my several years clean time doesn’t override my concern.

Your article on surrender then, for me means letting these things go that continue to plague me, because I am a work in progress also, and far from having my game together. However, if I started using drugs again, I would be back to dreaming my same old grandiose fantasies that end up sitting on the shelf of life like an invisible trophy.

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