“Hi, my name is ____ and I’m an alcoholic and an addict.”
What is it about this statement that makes it so powerful? Powerful enough that it causes extreme reactions. Reactions that go in polarizing, opposing directions.
Regardless of one’s personal relationship with this statement, its power and the reactions it provokes are why I love it.
Why? Because—wherever you stand—it offers a place to begin the conversation.
So, whether we…
* Refuse to say it because it makes us feel like we’re reinforcing the problem.
* Say it daily because it instills the humility necessary on this path.
* Can’t say it because then “I’m joining their club.”
* Say it because it just makes sense.
* Say it and feel nothing.
* Don’t say it because I feel like a victim when I do.
* Say it because I never was able to admit it before.
…we’ve got a starting place.
There’s no wrong way to do the exercise. That’s why I’ve chosen it for Lesson 1 of The Sober Shaman’s Path of Recovery.
Give it a try and let me know what it’s like for you today—or how you’ve noticed it change over time.
With Blessings,Randal
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#10: Shamanic Power Statement: Admission or Rejection