Browsing: spiritual gangster

SPIRITUAL GANGSTER

Three Timeless Roadmaps for Recovery: How the 12 Steps, 10 Commandments, and the Beatitudes Lead Us Toward Being Happy, Joyous, and Free

By Alysse BrysonAugust 27, 20257 Mins Read

A Spiritual Toolkit for Recovery When I got sober, I wasn’t looking for religion—I was looking for relief. You see,…

SPEAK OUT! SPEAK LOUD!

Peace Be With You: Devotionals to Offer Peace and Hope

By Mark NymanJuly 18, 20255 Mins Read

“Peace be with you.” “And also with you.” Growing up Roman Catholic, I had always felt the liturgy to be…

The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James Book Review The Sober Curator

SELF HELP

The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James is a Timeless Classic

By Tony HarteFebruary 18, 20254 Mins Read

I bought my copy of The Varieties of Religious Experience when I read that Ebby Thacher had recommended it to…

Jennifer Siegel photo by joel conrad bechtolt sober yoga at the sober curator

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Sobriety in Flow: Healing Trauma with Yoga and Other Body-Centered Practices. An Interview with Jennifer Siegel

By Teresa BergenFebruary 5, 20257 Mins Read

Jennifer Siegel grew up being a ballerina. By the time she was 15, her chiropractor warned her that she was…

Classy Problems

Classy Problems: Some Thoughts on Thinking and Planning | Recap From December 2 – 8

By Dan T. RogersDecember 23, 20245 Mins Read

Welcome to the Classy Problems weekly mash-up for Monday, December 2 – Sunday, December 8, 2024. Classy Problems is a daily…

Classy Problems

Classy Problems: Developing Courage | Recap From November 25th – December 1st

By Dan T. RogersDecember 16, 20246 Mins Read

Welcome to the Classy Problems weekly mash-up for Monday, November 25 – Sunday, December 1, 2024. Classy Problems is a daily…

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Tapas – Harness Your Zeal to Build Better Habits | Sobriety in Flow

By Teresa BergenOctober 27, 20246 Mins Read

Yoga’s third niyama, or ethical mandate, is tapas. This means burning zeal for practice. It refers to directing our greatest…

SOBRIETY IN FLOW

Santosha in Yoga: Cultivating Contentment for a Happier Life

By Teresa BergenOctober 4, 20243 Mins Read

Yoga’s second niyama, or moral imperative, is santosha. This translates from Sanskrit as “contentment.” To be our happiest, we must…

Continuing with our study of yoga philosophy, this month’s column delves into the yama, or ethical restraint, of asteya. What’s the difference between a drug addict and an alcoholic? The alcoholic will steal your wallet and run. The addict will steal your wallet and help you look for it. I’ve often pondered this old joke, which portrays the blundering drunk and the wily addict as thieves. But either way, they’re both thieves. And that’s what this month’s yoga philosophy column is about: the yogic principle of asteya, or non-stealing. Are you a thief? Back when I got sober a loooong time ago, the psychologists and counselors I talked to seemed to think many problems were unrelated. For example, my eating disorder couldn’t possibly be connected to my addiction problems, right? Wrong. Continuing research shows more and more that mental and behavioral problems often overlap and intertwine. Take stealing. Science’s current perspective seems to be that people can have shoplifting addiction or kleptomania, which sometimes correlates with substance use disorder. Researching this article, I found that in addition to teens shoplifting for thrills, it’s common for people in early recovery to steal things. Favored items include energy drinks, tooth-whitening kits, spices, and cell phone charging cables. Why? Take away substance use, and people crave a dopamine hit. The thrill of stealing petty stuff delivers. Interestingly, that buzz kill drug naltrexone takes the thrill out of drinking, drugs, and stealing. So, these things are definitely related. And if you’re sober enough to be reading this, you probably realize stealing is going to get you in trouble. So, stop it. Not only will you have better karma, but you might also stay out of jail. Okay, you’re not a thief. Or maybe this doesn’t describe you. Perhaps you were an honest drunk who never stole so much as a beer. Then asteya may sound easy. Even former juvenile delinquents might say to themselves, “Well, I’ve got that one covered. Gave up shoplifting at 15.” But there are other ways to steal, including leaning too hard on people for their time and energy. Perhaps you have a friend who’s been complaining about her relationship for years. After she spends an hour covering the same grievances you’ve heard 100 times before, she says, “I always feel so much better after talking to you.” But you don’t. You feel like you’ve been sucked dry by an energy vampire. This friend is stealing your emotional energy as well as your time. Or maybe you’re the emotional vampire! If you recognize yourself in the above description, perhaps you could be kinder to your confidantes by working through your problems in a journal, support group, or with a competent counselor. Or you could buy a pet rock to whine to so you don’t bore your cat to tears. Sometimes, we also take from each other by overusing somebody else’s skills. It’s lovely to help others out and to accept their help. But if we’re assuming that every weekend, our friend should snake our drains, clean our gutters, update our websites, hem our pants, or otherwise donate all their leisure hours to us, it’s time to learn to do these tasks ourselves or pay somebody to do them for us. Parents who work at home, self-employed people, or anybody with a flexible schedule are particular targets of time thieves. Asteya also involves not taking what is not freely offered. If we’re nagging people for favors, those favors are not being freely offered. When we steal what’s not ours, we usually operate from a place of lack or entitlement. Neither is a pretty locale. To ensure we’re not stealing, we should examine our relationships and consider whether we’re doing our fair share. Sometimes, we all face hardships and should be willing to give or take a bit more. But over time, we should strike an approximate balance. SPIRITUAL GANGSTER: Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Satya – Truth « The Sober Curator SPIRITUAL GANGSTER: Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Satya – Truth « The Sober Curator

SPIRITUAL GANGSTER

Exploring Yoga Philosophy: Understanding Ahimsa and Its Role in Sobriety and Personal Growth

By Teresa BergenMarch 17, 20246 Mins Read

Yoga is more than poses. The word yoga means “to yoke.” In this case, we’re trying to yoke our own…

Browsing: spiritual gangster

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Sober Saturday Night

Sober Haven: 7 Day Water, Sun, Sea & Earth Healing Retreat in Styra, Greece

2025 True North Recovery Scramble!

Sip & Paint Park Slope

TRIVIA NIGHT! Presented by The Pathfinder and Still Social

Rec Night at Twin Lakes Park | Teetotal Initiative Pittsburgh

Sober Songs | New York City

NYFW Fashion Presentation Powered by Break Free

Brushes & Bevees: A Zero-Proof Paint & Sip Experience | SOBER AF Tacoma

Charlie Sheen celebrates THE BOOK OF SHEEN at B&N The Grove

2025 Pittsburgh Recovery Walk | Teetotal Initiative Pittsburgh

Minnesota Walk for Recovery 2025

Make it, Mix it, Master it: A Two-Part Non-Alcoholic Experience

Still Social Book Club: Drunk-ish

Recovery Day at the Mariners – Seattle, WA

Sound Bath Float at Serenity Farm & Stables