Have you already read Alcohol Explained by William Porter?
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No not yet. The only things I’ve read are from links on this site. I say ‘only’ that dosnt do this site justice there are 100s of them and of course everyones experiences.
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Recovey Dharma is a good one to read. Let’s face it there are many facets to buddhism…it really focuses on looking with in.
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Wow there’s so many great threads in here, about not having to be believing in higher power / god to have a way to help in this sober path, but to me no matter my beliefs it’s all just about living a better life. It reminds me of a quote I loved that I read somewhere. It said, “Give up everything for one thing, or give up one thing to have everything.” It just seems that sobriety truly does give you a better outlook, and a real opportunity to be the great people we really are. I feel as you get older you start to see how precious time, & life really is. I guess I feel like I don’t want to miss anymore of it, or let it pass me by. One definite thing we can all agree on, is we’re only on this planet for so long before it’s over. The world is too amazing to miss out. Maybe I just was on a random rant, but those are my thoughts.
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I don’t know how accurate all the science is but I found This Naked Mind pretty helpful in getting some insight to how drinking patterns form and become entrenched. There are so many books and resources out there though.
Have you seen this thread?
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Yeah, that’s so comprehensive. I shared it on the reading thread on Sunday. Theres always something to read.im really enjoying my ebook but…I must sleep. I’m considering putting a 10pm cut off on here 
good night all. 
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This made me giggle! 
love it
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I’m reading it now and it’s super simple but I’ve actually noticed myself thinking differently about drinking already. Definitely recommend it as well.
I actually think one of the things most religions do pretty well is give a way of accepting that there are so many things we don’t have the answers to. In Christianity etc it is God’s will or moving in mysterious ways.
So for those of us without those structures around us, and a desire to know the unknowable or find some ultimate truth which may or may not exist, that’s quite a difficult thing I think.
Still many religious people make the claim to have it all figured out. It is written in their scriptures after all. But as soon as they don’t, they will use god’s will and the mysterious way he moves in as easy cop out. Anyway, I’m not here to discuss religion.
IMO finding an ultimate universal truth is nonsense. Unless that truth is 42 that is.
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Hey Siand! Thanks for chiming in. I do understand what you’re saying here and I think I agree with you. I think that also here, what Radcliffe might be getting at and not necessarily saying well, is that though religion leaves space for mystery and the unknowable, it often purports to have an answer to the gray spaces we find ourselves in?
So upset with your family you want to leave? Pray about it. Find yourself lusting after your younger coworker? Go to confession.
Maybe it’s more that: there can sometimes be a bit to simple an answer to life’s complex questions?
What someone without those structures around them might do is say: “oh wow…your lusting after your coworker who is half your age? Hmm…that’s difficult. It sounds like maybe speaking to a therapist would be a good idea. The therapist then could ask you questions about how your marriage is currently. What your childhood was like. Ascertain that you have been on eggshells at home, and that with the stress you’ve been feeling at work after not getting the promotion you were counting on to get more money in the door, you reverted to your tendency from puberty to put your attention on a romantic interest to satisfy your need to escape. Or some such interaction.
So maybe what he was trying to say is that religion’s answers can subvert a lengthier opportunity for seeking and self knowledge?
Then again: who is to say that a devoutly religious person wouldn’t go “pray about it” and receive a divine message to…go to a therapist who would ask them those same questions!
It’s always tricky with questions like this, but….I really delight in picking through them anyway😁
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How could I forget about that!! I’ll get my towel 
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It is always tricky and of course I don’t know what Mr. R was referring to in his quote. Like you though I very much enjoy picking these things apart!
I was at a yoga festival at the weekend with a strong emphasis on vedanta and the philosophy of it all. I always find myself amazed and (happily) challenged by the amount of questions that there can be on the religious path. And also how diverse that path is.
It also makes me think about how I want to engage with things like that (yoga etc). I don’t think everyone who practices yoga should have to be Hindu or anything, but how much my crossover beliefs and interests in philosophy are valid or otherwise… Maybe not valid exactly, but whether it’s respectful I guess to engage in something without really understanding or believing in the whole structure that underpins it! Same with meditation and Buddhism. On the one hand I feel like it doesn’t matter, if I get some benefit from the practice it doesn’t necessarily matter if I don’t share all the beliefs. It’s OK to find relevant points in the philosophy that feel applicable to my daily life etc. I’m not making money from it or anything. I do make money from belly dancing (not much, ha, but still) which has a whole host of cultural appropriation potential in it, and I just get around that by trying to be honest about what I know and what I don’t. It still makes me feel a little uneasy though.
Something that’s been on my mind the last couple of days. Not sure it really fits in here but it’s where I’ve put it!
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I’d say this sort of musings fit here very well. Thanks for sharing them.
Just one thing. Replace ‘the religious path’ with ‘life’s path’ in the next quote and it fits even better as we don’t talk religion here 
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I was at a Catholic wedding once. I am very much not Catholic. During the ceremony I was unable to take communion because I didn’t “know the traditions” or whatever. It was super off putting to be the only member of the bridal party standing alone while everyone else snacked on Jesus.
I enjoy the occasional yoga session to keep myself limber. I haven’t the slightest clue about the purpose, history and traditions around it. All I know is that physically it’s beneficial.
I think inclusivity is the highest form of human compassion and so long as people are being respectful then it should be encouraged.
I think it’s completely okay to delve into other cultures etc whilst not being fully versed in tradition
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That’s a nice way to put it. The festival I was at was certainly inclusive and encouraging. And the people organising/ delivering the classes and workshops clearly aren’t bothered about not everyone being on the exact same spiritual oath as them. So I shouldn’t worry about it!
I’ve been trying to work out what my issue actually is and I think it’s a part of my all or nothingness. Do yoga? Gotta be a yogi. Meditate? Be a Buddhist… Over the last year or so I’ve gotten around these headfucks I create for myself by letting everything go. Now I am starting to build back up, possibly too much too soon. I’m not sure if these are the signs of overwhelm creeping in or if I just have some learning to do on how to actually enjoy doing things I enjoy without having them become the rulers of my identity.
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Ooohhh, good stuff there!! In my experience, the work of becoming who we are never ends. We continually change and grow as the days move from one to the next and years become decades. The process of being our selves is ever changing and we ‘try on’ various personas during the various phases of our lives. At least that is how my life has progressed so far. We do not arrive at the destination…it is all a journey. 
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That is so true and very helpful to remember. What is the right thing (or best fit, or whatever) right now won’t always be. Different things at different times!
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