Emotional Sobriety (ES) loosely follows the path of AA’s Twelve Steps, but through necessity, is formatted to suit a new approach. In our system, there is a need to group some steps in order to undertake certain goals. These groups are looked upon as Stages of progress or development aimed at attaining all of the 12 Steps, toward Emotional Sobriety.
The Stages are as follows:
Stage1,The Recovery Stage
Involves Steps 1, 2, and 3
This Stage of ES is comprised of the effects of the first three steps of AA. The first year for some of us is a rest period in which we restore our emotional equilibrium and come back to our old selves. In effect a recovery of what we had squandered.
Stage 2, The Intermediate Stage
Involves Steps 4 and 5
This Stage addresses an investigation into what went wrong in the past by taking the 4th and 5th Steps to get us back on a constructive path and start us on the habit of becoming self-aware.
Stage 3, The Transition Stage
Involves Steps 6, 7, 8, and 9
This Stage addresses those things that we do which need to be examined and reordered if we are to change. In effect where we are transformed from reacting to life in a knee-jerk, automatic or learned fashion to responding to events and people in a responsible proactive and natural manner. This is brought about by “assuming the responsibility of our own existence” and as a consequence of this new outlook, “developing an attitude of reconciliation toward our fellowman.” In effect we are freeing ourselves of unwanted clutter.
Stage 4…..The Contemplative Stage
Involves Step 10
This Stage of emotional growth will free us from making the bad decisions that were so common in the past. By reflecting, we make better decisions about our lives, and more importantly, about those new explorations we are now free to make. Step 10 stands alone in its unique role to a healthier life.
Stage 5,The Responsive Stage
Involves Steps 11 and 12.
Great decisions without action are as empty as not making decisions. The new person we have become needs to respond to the new challenges that come calling. Without the courage to assume the responsibilities of our new found sobriety we are doomed to unnecessarily recycle ourselves through the very Steps that have brought us to this readiness in the first place.
Steps 11 and 12 are the most difficult - and of course the most rewarding. This is where we feel present to everyday life. We are not moved by happiness or achievement as much as by a feeling of involvement, - of being present to each event.
This Posting is taken from the website, wwwEmotional Sobriety.com
Agree, there are those days when everything appears to feel kinda Greek, and I dont even speak Italian.
Then we have better day, Thanks to a Higher Power, we can rely on.
As Chris said the other day, linear time has no meaning, you and I are Proof of that eh? Absolute Proof, it is only a 24 hour Program. I think you and are are the only ones that admit to occasional screws falling out of brain, and have to go in and have them reset, gets expensive too, (smile)
Do you remember that song by John Denver, Someday are Diamonds, somedays are stones. Maybe he was in Recovery?
I had never really looked at the steps from this perspective. VERY interesting and thought provoking. Thanks for posting it Toni.
And Phil....the basketball thing?....I get it.....sometimes I let my emotions run the show, and I'm like Charlie Brown running hell bent to kick that football, but the ball is always missing when I get there, and the momentum always ends up sending both feet higher than my backside.......aaaaaaaaaauuuuugh!!!!!!!!......THUMP!!
This reminds me of the true story of the 49 game that my sister attended, many years ago, where the guy that had the football, ran to the goal, on the other teams goal line.
Everyone in the Stadium was screaming at him to stop, but no, he just keep going. What do you think the chances were that he was an Alke.
Toni, I'm certain he was just sharing his Experience with us, because, obviously, it could not apply to us, could it? If he is, what, are we Ramblers? I tend to think of myself as more of a graceful John Deere, myself........hugs Wren
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i found god in myself/and I loved her/i loved her fiercely--Ntozake Shange
Yes, a big ol' tractor, but a graceful one! I wake up in the morning and say " I AM GOING TO SHAKE AND MOVE THE EARTH TODAY, IN A VERY FEMININE MANNER". Then my ego says, go back to sleep, you rattling old rambler, and don't get up til you get real.
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i found god in myself/and I loved her/i loved her fiercely--Ntozake Shange
That's okay, Toni. I'm still studying Emotional Maturity, and haven't been having a hell of alot of luck. Look on the bright side--next year is only 7 months away......I'll bet you're emotional sobriety will be more ensconsed than my emotional maturity---help??????
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i found god in myself/and I loved her/i loved her fiercely--Ntozake Shange
Well, first going to do the steps in a formal way, again, and see where that takes me, am looking forward to doing them formally.
Still is baby steps, eh? when we are stumped. you wrote about getting to the center of that onion, in one of your Post, you were just kidding right???????
Yknow, Toni, in thinking about that? I'm thinking, every single feeling, emotion, issue, thought process is its own onion. We aren't just one big onion, we are several big onions. And I personally, can only take one issue at a time, peel off that one see thru piece at a time off of those onions that reach as far as the eye can see.........
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i found god in myself/and I loved her/i loved her fiercely--Ntozake Shange
And now it just keeps getting worse. Now, we are looking at a big cluster of those onions that need peeling. What a thought, like a cluster of Grapes, only they are Big fat ole Onions, What a visual, eh? And the hits just keep coming!
Ha ha,
And Hugs to you Sissy
Toni
Normally, I would quit while ahead, but in this case I'm goin quit while I'm pretty far behind. (Smile) ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
