A
wildly imaginative dianoetic rambling concerning the the “basic
text” of Alcoholics Anonymous (viz. the Big Book) (our comments in
red print)
Chapter 2 There Is A Solution (pp. 26-29)
“A certain American business man had ability, good sense,
and high character [this
would suggest that those suffering from alcoholism do not necessarily
lack these attributes nor that when they recover they are
mysteriously rendered incapable of taking responsibility for their
OWN lives!]. For years he had floundered from one
sanitarium to another. He had consulted the best known American
psychiatrists. Then he had gone to Europe, placing himself in the
care of a celebrated physician (the psychiatrist, Dr. Jung) who prescribed for him. Though experience had made him
sceptical, he finished his treatment with unusual confidence. His
physical and mental condition were unusually good. Above all, he
believed he had acquired such a profound knowledge of the inner
workings of his mind and its hidden springs that relapse was
unthinkable. Nevertheless, he was drunk in a short time. More
baffling still, he could give himself no satisfactory explanation
for his fall [ie
relapse is not based purely on a failure of cognition. This faculty
is merely insufficient of itself].
So
he returned to this doctor, whom he admired, and asked him
point-blank why he could not recover. He wished above all things to
regain self-control. He seemed quite rational and well-balanced
with respect to other problems [see
above]. Yet he had no control whatever over
alcohol. Why was this?
He
begged the doctor to tell him the whole truth, and he got it. In the
doctor’s judgement he was utterly hopeless; he could never regain
his position in society and he would have to place himself under lock
and key or hire a bodyguard if he expected to live long. That was a
great physician’s opinion.
But
this man still lives, and is a free man. He does not need a
bodyguard [or
even a sponsor!] nor is he confined. He can go
anywhere on this earth where other free men may go without
disaster, provided he remains willing to maintain a certain simple
attitude [an
attitude which he or she elects to adopt ie. NOT one which is forced
upon them].
Some
of our alcoholic readers may think they can do without spiritual [ie.
not necessarily religious] help. Let us tell you
the rest of the conversation our friend had with his doctor.
The
doctor said: “You have the mind of a chronic
alcoholic. I have never seen one single case recover, where that
state of mind existed to the extent that it does in you.’’
Our friend felt as though the gates of hell had closed on him with a
clang.
He
said to the doctor, “Is there no exception?’’
“Yes,’’
replied the doctor, “there is. Exceptions to cases such as yours
have been occurring since early times. Here and there, once in a
while, alcoholics have had what are called vital spiritual
experiences [not
to be confused necessarily with any 'theistic' experiences].
To me these occurrences are phenomena.
They appear to be in the nature of huge emotional displacements
and rearrangements. Ideas,
emotions, and
attitudes
which were once the guiding forces of the lives of these men are
suddenly cast to one side, and a completely new set of conceptions and motives begin to dominate them.
In fact, I have been trying to produce some such emotional
rearrangement within you. With many individuals the methods which
I employed are successful, but I have never been successful with an
alcoholic of your description.”*
Upon
hearing this, our friend was somewhat relieved, for he reflected
that, after all, he was a good church member. This hope, however, was
destroyed by
the doctor’s telling him that while his religious convictions were
very good, in his case they did not spell the necessary
vital spiritual experience.
_________________
*
For amplification—see Appendix II.
Here
was the terrible dilemma in which our friend found himself when he
had the extraordinary experience, which as we have already told you,
made him a free
man.
We,
in our turn, sought the same escape with all the desperation of
drowning men. What seemed at first a flimsy reed, has proved to be
[or not] the loving and powerful hand of
God [or Higher Power, principle etc of each
individual's conception]. A new life has been given us or, if
you prefer, “a design for living’’ that really works.
The
distinguished American psychologist, William James, in his book
“Varieties of Religious Experience,’’ indicates a multitude of ways
in which men have discovered God [or some other
entirely non-theistic conception]. We have no desire to
convince anyone that there is only one way by which faith can be
acquired. If what we have learned and felt and seen means
anything at all, it means that all of us, whatever our race, creed,
or colour are the children of a living Creator [or
not] with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and
understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest
enough to try. Those having religious affiliations will find here
nothing disturbing to their beliefs or ceremonies [and
those among us who do not possess such affiliations may well find
such notions “disturbing”]. There is no friction among us
over such matters [evidently things have
changed – or at least in some areas!].
We
think it no concern of ours what religious bodies our members
identify themselves with as individuals. This should be an
entirely personal affair which each one decides for himself in the
light of past associations, or his present choice. Not all of us
join religious bodies, but most of us favour such memberships [and
an increasing number don't. See here
and here].
In
the following chapter, there appears an explanation of alcoholism, as
we understand it, then a chapter addressed to the agnostic. Many who
once were in this class are now among our members. Surprisingly
enough, we find such convictions no great obstacle to a spiritual
experience.
Further
on, clear-cut directions are given showing how we recovered. These
are followed by forty-two personal experiences.
Each
individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own
language and from his own point of view the way he established
his relationship with God [or Higher Power of
their understanding]. These give a fair cross section of our
membership and a clear-cut idea of what has actually happened [ie.
their own experience] in their lives.
We
hope no one will consider these self-revealing accounts in bad taste.
Our hope is that many alcoholic men and women, desperately in need,
will see these pages, and we believe that it is only by fully
disclosing ourselves and our problems [therefore
it is insufficient to present a purely one-sided view of recovery –
warts and all should be revealed!] that they will be
persuaded to say, “Yes, I am one of them too; I must have [note: NOT
'you must have'!] this thing.””
(our
emphases)
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
Excellent!
ReplyDelete