One of the saddest things to me and one of the primary reasons why I do what I do, is because the teeth have been ripped out of recovery with reckless abandon – the spiritual and moral teeth, that is – and without the teeth, there is no recovering wholly, in body, mind and spirit. The hope, however, is there exists something so simple and free, and it will literally change the fundamental make-up of any addict or alcoholic in the world, regardless of how sick or deranged they may be.
Service the food by which we live and sustain our spiritual health. It is the one of the greatest gifts God has given us because all we need is the willingness to serve and we will be not only showered with opportunities but we will be lifted up beyond words. Nothing so effectively and comprehensively cleans the mind and heart of an addict as service. It is the breath we survive on, and if we make it our sober mission to serve God by serving others, drugs and alcohol will never be a problem again. We will see them as a poison, an evil that destroys our ability to give and to love and to get closer to God. Our inner experience can either grow or shrink, and whens it grows and we feel it growing, there is nothing in this world that compares.
So this is why service works…
1) Because when we go to help another addict, or anyone for that matter, we are bringing God into the room, as well as into ourselves and perhaps the other person. When we do anything that expands the presence of God within, it heals us, calms us and makes us sane.
An empty mind is the key to freedom and inner peace, but as we begin thinking too much, mental clutter begets more clutter, and then suddenly we’ve become a hoarder with all sorts of toxic, self-created problems. The emptier a mind, the fewer the problems. I used to work in a kitchen, cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for 200 senior residents for eight hours straight. I was so busy that the right hours went by and rarely did a single thought enter my head about anything other than what I was doing in the moment, like burning my face off when I opened the steamer. Pure freedom. I loved that job. If our minds are empty or other-centered, it really doesn’t matter what we are doing.
3) Because it repairs our soul. Working with others heals us spiritually, mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and perhaps even physically. Why? How? For one, you are helping others to change, which changes the world. Since we are all inter-connected and made of energy, when someone is altered, the world is altered. In fact, the entire universe is altered, and this shift in the energy of the person you are working with will also have an effect on you. That’s not fluff, that’s science.
4) Because it helps us to grow and become stronger, thereby adding to our reservoir of relief and sanity, as the act of helping someone or speaking publicly requires us have courage and to step outside of ourselves.
5) Because it lifts us up inside, which is perfect for drug addicts and alcoholics who always need to feel good.
6) Because it sets in motion the law of cause and effect, so any selfless action all but guarantees a positive and rewarding return.
7) Because it is the antithesis of being a selfish drug addict.
So that was the old post from August of 2014. I mean, really, why be self-absorbed losers, clinging to our fragile comfort zones? How will that sustain us, let alone others? Why be a taker and not a maker? Why be useless as opposed to useful? Addicts who become recovered and lit up with God are some of the most productive, amazing people in the world. Conversely, those who simply hold on for dear life in a constant fit of insanity and self-absorption, do nothing for themselves or anybody else. The world needs people to step up and teach, show and guide others who cannot, will not, or simply refuse to teach, show and guide themselves.
Listen to your gut, does it feel right? If not, repel it. If it does, get up immediately and go do it. And to all of you parents and spouses out there, if the addict has not had this fundamental change, you will know, because when they do, you will feel it. You will just know that they are okay. You will look in there eyes and see a glow.
Also, do yourself a favor and remember that you cannot trust anything that comes out of the mouth of both an active addict or a sober yet untreated one. Both are completely insane and subject to do any number of fucked up, harmful things at will.
And finally, there are ALWAYS people to help. Just say this prayer to yourself quietly, “God, please bring me the opportunity to help others,” and they will come out of the woodwork.