What does it mean to be sober?
I just have to stop drinking or smoking or looking at porn or gambling or raging, then I'm good...right?
This counselor says abstinence alone is not enough. A good sobriety process, like a good spiritual practice, is not about what you're avoiding, but rather about what you are gaining. What are you seeking? Adding to your life? Creating with your energies? What values are you upholding? Relationships you are forging?
In this episode, I reflect on different concepts of sobriety that go beyond merely stopping a thing. I talk about becoming more present, more connected, and living more congruently with your core values(see last episode about values). I talk about how neither sobriety nor spirituality work well when done part time, or when we try to "hobbify" them. Sobriety and a spiritual practice(especially one like the Orthodox concept of theosis) is meant to be all-encompassing, and entirely transformative.
If this sort of conversation is helpful for you, please consider supporting this work through likes, shares, reviews, and through dollars by becoming a patron at patreon.com/outercircle.
For more information about Rhys Pasimio, visit www.newpatterncounseling.com or follow him on instagram at @newpatterncounseling
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