There are over 200 fellowships around the world that have adopted the 12-steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Each fellowship has adjusted the language to fit with the primary problem of its members. Within each step lies a spiritual concept and a principle that is a part of daily life.
The essence of the 12-steps is to create a change that brings a power to your life. Developing a spiritual path is the core to a fellowship’s purpose. A spiritual way of life that strengthens your resolve to overcome addictions, abuse, alcohol, self-harming behaviors and a variety of problems faced in life.
If you search, there is a definite chance, you will find a fellowship for anything. Gambling, sex, food, cigarettes, trauma, alcohol, and a fellowship for almost every type of drug. The steps direct members to the same goal, find a god of your understanding and get to know her.
The first three steps lead you to accept you do not control the problem, that a god can, but only if you ask and accept that help. These steps are the foundation to success. They can be applied to everything and anything.
The spiritual aspect of the first three steps entails developing a belief in something beyond and within you. A something that will guide you to overcome the problems in your life and develop skills to manage anything. A. A. members like to say, “I can’t. He can; I think I will let him.”
Anyone can use these principles and spiritual practices. They are not exclusive to 12-steppers. All it takes is a moment of reflection, followed by application. Spiritual practices are a great foundation to life.
For those who utilize the principals and the spiritual concepts each day, may say, living without them would be like starvation. This is not about religion and dogmatism. Nor is it about believing only one way. The path to Divinity is not a singular one, nor do you have to adhere to any rigid rules or take an oath of singularity. Only fidelity to spiritual progress and growth is important. A desire is required, as is the willingness to look beyond your current way of life.
Before you begin your journey, there are a few supplies to pick up. A notebook, spiral or loose leaf paper in a three-ring binder is good. A spiral notebook is easier to maintain, no loose pages to lose. No tearing pages out, every word stays in the book. An ink pen, pencils, or a mix of both are great to have. Using different colors, drawing, scribbling, and writing are all allowed in your notebook.
If you do not like to write, get a tape recorder, with plenty of tapes. A word-processing program with a program like Dragon Speak or the video recording on your computer are also ways to keep a note of your journey. The choice is yours, and creativity is the key.
The concept of creating a new way of life can be exciting. Expectations of success are wonderful, until problem’s crop up. Obstacles do appear no matter how well planned your journey is. Doing too much at once, or expecting your change to happen easily will stop you in your tracks.
Failure is not a block to success. It is an expected part of the journey. You have permission to make detours and u-turns The path is not straight and clear. Your worst enemy is looking back at you when you look in the mirror. Beliefs are strong, behaviors perhaps stronger. It took you years to hone the skills that have brought you to this day. This is how we learn patience, tolerance, and understanding. Mistakes are expected, and no one started out knowing how or being perfect for the task set before him or her.
Permission to falter, become angry, sad, and joyous, to be human and learn is granted. Take it easy, one day at a time In the beginning, one second at a time Take a breath in and exhale like you are blowing out a candle. Repeat three times and then get back to it. As in all things, this is about learning and practice makes perfect.
What is spiritual counseling? Does it mean I have to believe in God? I do not belong to a religion, does that matter?
These are just a few of the questions I have been asked over the years. There are more, but my fingers would get tired. Actually every question I have heard is tied into the same questions above.
Spiritual is not religion. Spiritual is a part of all religions, though the way some people act, it can make you wonder. Religion is an organization with rules and governing bodies, much as the government of countries. There are sets of beliefs tied to those rules. Some are based on fear and punishment.
Spirit is not about punishment, rules, fear, or control. It is that ethereal part of self, the part we cannot touch, feel, hear with out body or human senses. We can hear, feel and touch spirit with our inner senses, that part of us that is called intuition.
Being spiritual is about living in harmony with that part of self that is connected to the Divine. The universal self, where every being is one. There is nothing magical or special that one must do to become spiritual. The only requirement is a willingness and desire to listen.
Listening is probably the hardest act that anyone has ever had to do. There are a long list of things many believe are the hardest in their life. Yet, listening is still difficult. Just not talking, is not enough. Listening is more than quiet. It is about attention, observing, noticing, and non-action.
The spiritual part of your daily life is being. Nothing more is required of you. Be. Observe. Notice. When you practice noticing you will begin to hear a whisper. Your intuitive self, the spiritual aspect of you, begins to gain a louder voice.
It is not the same as hearing voices. Only a thought, one that seems not so connected to you.
The 12-step program, Alcoholics Anonymous, contains a line in the Promises, “you will intuitively know how to handles situations that use to baffle you.” This is the spiritual aspect of every 12-step fellowship, one of the greatest promises ever made.
Spiritual counseling guides you through different practices. Those practices depend on the spiritual counselor and his or her area/s of study. For many spiritual counselors there is a set way of teaching, a tie to a belief system.
As a spiritual counselor I work with your belief system, not mine. After all you are the person seeking assistance, guidance, and insight to create a spiritual life. My belief systems do not matter. Though when asked I will share some of what I believe. The primary common belief is in the spiritual path, the intuitive self that can and will guide you in your life. The Secret to your life.
To uncover your spiritual secret, use my contact page and send me an invite to chat. I look forward to getting to meet you and share in the journey.
There are several reasons that you may not feel up and bright today. Stress is one of the biggest. Listening to the news, reading about the financial difficulties the country is having, work related worries, and family related worries.
How do you get relief? If you are like I was, reaching for the bottle, aspirin or ibuprofen, can be one way. However, the after effects are not healthy and it does not help with the emotional stress.
Is This Hormone Creating Chaos In Your Health?
Cortisol, known as the “stress hormone,” is integral to our body’s “fight or flight” response.
Originally designed to help us survive life in the wild, the “fight or flight” response was essential when our ancient ancestors were faced with sudden, brief danger like, let’s say, a tiger.
However useful in short bursts, releasing cortisol too frequently, as we seem to be doing in response to the ongoing or “chronic” stress of modern life, may have serious, even scary, impacts on our physical, mental and emotional health.
In fact, living in this kind of biological “survival mode” may be making us more vulnerable to everything
from cancer to heart disease, and more.
New research, however, is showing one technique extremely effective in helping to reduce cortisol levels.
In fact, in a study of 83 participants this technique demonstrated a 24 percent decrease in cortisol levels, while the two other groups, one that received no treatment and one that received talk therapy, showed no real change.
This technique, known as EFT or Tapping is causing shock waves in the medical world as more and more science is proving its effectiveness in improving health, both physically and emotionally.
A new video, just released today, explains some of this new research and shows you exactly how you can use it right now to improve your health.
Go here to watch it now:
To your health,
Connie S Kirkpatrick
P.S. – If you’re ignoring your levels of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm then you might as well ignore what you eat and exercising…because those emotions have just as big of an impact on your health…
P.S.S. Click Here to register Free today.
There are a great number of activities occurring this month, April. But there is even more occurring in my brain. 
April is:
Listing the three that seem the most important today. All links open in a new window or tab, depending on your browser settings.
Each one of the causes listed are very important to the world population. Children deserve to be treated as a human being, not some possession or object to be used and ignored. Children rely on adults to be role models and guides to learning how to live in the world.
Sexual violence is a matter of power, nothing more, it has nothing to do with the sexual gratification that may or may not occur. Rape is rape. The words used to define it are mostly nonsense. She or he said no and the other person went through with it anyway.
The sites listed above provide English and Spanish literature. If you are parent it is never to late to work with your children and teach them what being an adult means. If you need help with this, there are several parenting sites available to help. Parents need help too, so reach out. Get with other parents and work as a community to raise healthy children.
Teens and children can access the information and help to create change in their schools. It is happening everywhere. If there is not a program at your school yet, start one. The sites are there to help you.
Thank you for visiting. I look forward to sharing the journey. I am also available.
What has the title got to do with spirituality and recovery? Plenty. Your health effects your mood and mind, altering the way you feel and perceive the world. Think about it for a minute, the last time you got sick, how did you behave and feel? Hard to be kind and generous when you feel like….
Ever wonder what it means to “Go Green?” What is green? A color, the color of plants, Mother Earth in all her finery. But how does it apply to your home? Sure dozens and millions of articles about Green products fills the internet. Nearly everyone has climbed on board the “fad” of green. But is it a fad? And if not, how do you make changes without wasting money and products? Here are a few simple steps to help get you started.
But first, let me state that nearly, if not all of your household, personal care, and laundry products, even pet products have a carcinogenic and toxin in them. I hear you now, scoffing. As a friend would say about now, “Everything in this world is bad for you.” Well, nearly everything is bad for you.
Steps to “Go Green.”
1. Learn to read the labels of your products. Next, learn to understand what those ingredients are and they effect your body and mind.
2. Replace all products that contain some form of toxin, one at a time.
3. Personal care products and cosmetics are next or first. Again replace one at a time.
Now, where to dispose of your current toxic products? Not in your trash. All containers must be cleaned, then wrapped and disposed of. But, you cannot dump the contents just anywhere. What are you going to do? Contact your local recycling or trash center and ask about disposing of household products. That means all products, cleaners, laundry, hair, skin, and cosmetics. Oh, lets not forget the solvents and drain cleaners.
Going green can seem overwhelming when you consider everything in your household, if you are not green, is toxic. My steps may not seem that simple either. Not every action is doable by every person the same way. The easiest way is to work it out for your self. If you are a person concerned with money, consider the health costs. Concerned with waste? Consider the savings when you switch and recycle with your local trash service or recycle center. Find the way that will help you create a non-toxic life.
Please visit Skin Deep to learn more about the ingredients in your hair and skin care products.
Would you like coaching on how to clean your home and personal life of toxins? I am available by chat or video chat, send me a chat message here.
Next to consider is your food. Oh, no, grumble, grumble, moan and groan.