As some of you know, I took a break in order to write and teach a class on eco-awareness to a group of women. It went awesomely well ( and I was so very nervous about writing and teaching a class--tsk, where's all that confidence I thought I'd built up?) I had fifteen students within the first 8 hours, and had to close the class for new students,and set it up for a second session down the road.
Anywho, in the course of teaching this class and drawing on things regarding spiritual ecology, I ran into this totally cool section on 'consciousness in action'. Even though it was written in direct relation to ecology, I was wowed by how applicable it is (to my) sobriety. It went something like this:
1) Normal awareness is the 'bare branch' 2) Awakening experience is a trigger mechanism that initiates the third stage of transformation 3) Integrating awareness, like a flower bud beginning to open whether from dramatic occurance or a long process 4) Gracious awareness which contains the seeds of change. And it's in the process of changes and changing that our foundation is built.
It made me think about the flow of the Steps, and how carefully they are set up to support eachother as we do them the first time in order; to become aware of the problem and admitting it; moving onto our respective ways of admitting that action needs to be taken; taking the actions; and then going forward to do all we need to do to stay in a place of peace, of acceptance, of surrender, and realizing that we will do absolutely whatever it takes to stay sober. I love it when I find synchronicities in things. Or maybe it's just the 70s creeping back in. Cha cha cha changes........
Welcome back Wren. Thanks for the awareness lesson. Just the word awareness reminds me to get out of my head and go outside for a walk or a bike ride thru the park to see all the nature that was here long before I was and will be here long after I leave. It's humbling and reduces the importance of my petty struggles and teaches me how little of those are actually related to my basic existence.
Welcome back Wren! You were missed alot around here! The class sounds so interesting! My thought is everything happens for a reason...Life will flow how life is gonna flow!!!! Good to see you! Lani
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"We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have. "
Welcome back O Sober One lol Good to have you here again, Chris. Thanks for sharing this process with us. I like synchronicities too. I was born 77, do you think that's it!? lol Synchronicities remind me of fractals & fractals make the world go round & round & round. I love them. They make me laugh inside with glee & joy. The positive ones anyways :) God as a metaphor or essence is a fractal for me but that's a wander into this deeply intense & ambiguously abstract head of mine (alcoholic head lol) I'm glad you're back. Stay close, Danielle x
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Progress not perfection.. & Practice makes Progress!
Very cool stuff, Wren!! Sounds like such a rewarding experience!! I have seriously considered teaching (in my field) in a few years. But teaching people who are striving for greater self-responsibility sounds amazing. So glad you are getting to do something awesome like that! An dglad to have you back!
((((hugs)))) Joni
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~~"It's hard to be hateful when you're grateful."~~
