One of the greatest gifts of recovery is the ability to experience a spiritual awakening. The experience, although powerful, can easily be forgotten or diminished in our memory overtime. A spiritual awakening must be nurtured and maintained through a process of continuous spiritual growth if we are to stay happy, joyous, and free in our sobriety. The spiritual awakening that we experience in sobriety is indescribable. It is different for everyone, but results in an entire psychic change, shifting our ways of thinking and perceiving the world in a way that allows us to achieve sobriety. We begin to understand the need for spiritual principles and a spiritual connection to guide us through life, so that we can be free of the fear-drive selfishness and self-centeredness that controlled our lives in active addiction. The spiritual experience does not mean we are out of the woods, however. We must embark upon a journey of vigorous action and service to others if we are to continue growing. In De Profundis, Oscar Wilde said, “To regret one’s own experiences is to arrest one’s own development. To deny one’s own experiences is to put a lie into the lips of one’s own life. It is no less than a denial of the soul.” Instead of feeling regret for our past addiction, or ignoring the pain and suffering we experienced in a state of active addiction, we use our experiences as way to help others achieve the same spiritual awakening that we experienced. We fin that the best way to continue on our journey of spiritual growth is through service to others. Our experiences in the darkness of addiction and alcoholism put us in a position where we are able to pull others into the light of the spiritual life that we have come to know through recovery. We pray and meditate each morning, asking for the removal of our selfishness so that we are better able to be of maximum service to our fellows. Through sobriety and service, we find that our spiritual connection is strengthened each day and our resulting sense of purpose and meaning keeps us protected from the potential for relapse.
The darkness and suffering of addiction does not have to be a part of your story. You can choose to seek help now and begin the rewarding process of personal growth and development in recovery. Oceanfront Recovery, a treatment facility in Orange County, California, offers the opportunity to develop all the tools necessary to achieve sobriety in a beautiful beachfront environment. For more information about treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
