http://the12stepbuddhist.com/be-ism-or-theism In stores now! Integrating Buddhism and 12-Step recovery from all addictions. Meditations, reviews, tips and more at the12stepbuddhist.com Sat, 29 Oct 2011 17:13:09 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://the12stepbuddhist.com/be-ism-or-theism/comment-page-1#comment-65 je19 Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:44:43 +0000 http://the12stepbuddhist.com/be-ism-or-theism#comment-65 Thanks for this. Funny, I've just been struggling with this issue myself. Like you, I'm a 12-stepper (guess I'd classify as an old-timer) who does Buddhist practice (a Tibetan school). Where this issue comes up for me is in situations where I feel really overwhelmed (for ex., if I suddenly get pretty physically ill). At moments like that, I find myself calling out mentally for the Higher Power, as other than myself (because "myself" feels too weak). Guess this struggle is part of the long (for me) journey between dualistic and non-dualistic spirituality. This may be a complicated journey for recovering people, as we have a tendency toward dependency. The strategy of the 12 steps, I guess, may be to substitute one dependency (on an "HP"), a less harmful one, for addiction. But as your piece suggests, perhaps one grows out of this. Thanks for this. Funny, I’ve just been struggling with this issue myself. Like you, I’m a 12-stepper (guess I’d classify as an old-timer) who does Buddhist practice (a Tibetan school). Where this issue comes up for me is in situations where I feel really overwhelmed (for ex., if I suddenly get pretty physically ill). At moments like that, I find myself calling out mentally for the Higher Power, as other than myself (because “myself” feels too weak). Guess this struggle is part of the long (for me) journey between dualistic and non-dualistic spirituality. This may be a complicated journey for recovering people, as we have a tendency toward dependency. The strategy of the 12 steps, I guess, may be to substitute one dependency (on an “HP”), a less harmful one, for addiction. But as your piece suggests, perhaps one grows out of this.

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