February Blog of the Month February 6, 2010
Reverend Johnny Dragon
http://reverendjohnnydragon.com/
I am the Reverend Johnny Dragon. What’s a Reverend Johnny Dragon you may ask? Simple, I am a college educated, father, husband, recovered alcoholic/drug addict, who is fascinated by dragons and always wanted to be Johnny somebody.
The Reverend thing…well that was an unfortunate internet accident. Apparently by entering a limited amount of information and hitting submit you are instantly ordained by the Universal Life Church and Monastery. I can now perform marriages, baptisms, funerals, and absolve you of all your sins…for a nominal fee. It will also come in handy when I start my own cult, but I digress.
One thing is for sure, I am on a spiritual journey. I discovered something through my struggles with alcohol and drugs. I needed to connect with something bigger than myself. I came to the realization that if I am the biggest thing out their then we as a society are totally screwed. I never had a problem with believing in God. I was smart enough to understand that I could not hate something that did not exist. At my darkest moment, He and I made peace. I know that making deals with the Creator of the Universe is usually frowned upon, but that day that is what went down. The terms are simple, He allows me to look at myself squarely in the mirror each day, and in return all I have to do is absolutely everything He tells me to do…for the rest of my life. This is not as hard as it sounds, and the benefits package is awesome.
I am not sure what I hope to accomplish with this site, but I know it is suppose to exist. So if you got nothing better to do, then why don’t we figure it out together. I welcome your questions and your feedback.
J.D.
A Burning Desire: Dharma God and the Path of Recovery January 5, 2010
A Burning Desire is a gift for those who struggle with the Twelve Step program’s focus on the need to surrender to a Higher Power. Taking a radical departure from traditional views of God, Western or Eastern, author Kevin Griffin neither accepts Christian beliefs in a Supreme Being nor Buddhist non-theism, but rather forges a refreshing, sensible, and accessible Middle Way. Griffin shows how the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha, can be understood as a Higher Power. Karma, mindfulness, impermanence, and the Eightfold Path itself are revealed as powerful forces that can be accessed through meditation and inquiry.
Drawing from his own experiences with substance abuse, rehabilitation, and recovery, Griffin looks at the various ways that meditation and spiritual practices helped deepen his experience of sobriety. His personal story of addiction is not only raw, honest and engrossing, but guides readers to an inquiry of their own spirituality. In doing so, he poses profound questions, including:
- How can I understand God from a Buddhist perspective?
- How can I “turn my will and my life over” as a Buddhist?
- How can this idea of God “remove my shortcomings”?
- How do I “improve my conscious contact” with this God?
- How do I learn this God’s “will”?
About the Author
Kevin Griffin is the author of One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps, the breakthrough book that established him as a leader in the mindful recovery movement. Since its publication, Kevin has toured extensively, giving workshops and lectures at places as diverse as Harlem, the Colorado Rockies, and Hawaii. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he teaches “Dharma and Recovery” at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. In addition, Kevin is co-founder and board member of the Buddhist Recovery Network an international organization that serves people in the recovery community through training, treatment, and research. He continues to offer workshops, lectures, and retreats around the country. For more information about him and his teaching schedule, see his website: www.kevingriffin.net.
January Blog of the Month January 1, 2010
Improve Our Conscious Contact
Writings And Discussions About Step Eleven From Varied Religious Views
Take the IOCC Challenge! In the chapter “Into Action” of Alcoholics Anonymous it says on page 87 “Be quick to see where religious people are right. Make use of what they offer.” In our case the writers are not all religious people but believers. So the challenge is to go back over the 2009 year and see how we can “Make use of what they offer.”
Recovery Threads December 19, 2009
We are in recovery, We are Recovery Threads™
Recovery Threads™ is dedicated to providing the highest quality T-shirts and clothing to the recovering community. All of our shirts are printed with the highest quality inks, multiple screens, and precision dryers. Each Recovery Threads™ T-shirt is constructed from premium 6.1 ounce, preshrunk, heavyweight 100% cotton. All T-shirts are fully taped shoulder to shoulder, and double needle hemmed for long-lasting durability.
We offer clothing with attitude and all of our items offer messages to other recovering people without breaking anonymity.
We currently employ a staff of artists, representing many different 12-step programs. It is this special mix that has produced the first designs in our product line which are currently enjoying a wildly popular reception among the recovering community throughout the nation! We recognize that the recovering community is ever-changing, yet MUST be strongly rooted in tradition. It is this philosophy that charged the formation of Recovery Threads™. We truly believe that recovering people are “not a glum lot” and we absolutely insist on having fun. This belief is strongly evident in all of our designs. We think you’ll agree!
VISIT RECOVERY THREADS
New Hope Recovery Center – Interventions December 8, 2009
Understanding Intervention Services
Interventions explained
There is some misconception about intervention services. Interventions are often portrayed in the media as highly conflictual meetings in which friends and family members air out their grievances towards one person. Certainly, interventions are confrontational, and they usually involve close family members. With a trained interventionist, however, an intervention session will be well run and contained.
An intervention is generally defined as an attempt to disrupt a person’s pattern of negative and addictive behaviors. Some individuals are unable to see how the disease of addiction has affected their lives and the lives of those around them. While some friends and family may have expressed anger, worry and frustration, their message does not get through. Addiction is so powerful and insidious because it causes the mind to rationalize compulsive and destructive behaviors to maintain the addiction. A trained interventionist can break through an individual’s false sense of reality. The objectivity that a professional interventionist brings to the intervention dissipates some of the intensity of the emotions that surface, preventing blaming, shaming and other defeating communication.
Only a trained clinician can assess whether an intervention would be appropriate for your friend or loved one.
The New Hope Recovery intervention difference
New Hope Recovery Center offers professional intervention services when needed. If you contact us, we can give you more detailed information on the intervention process and how it can help your loved one take the first step to recovery from addiction. Intervention services are tailored towards the needs of your family member or loved one. After speaking with you, we can get a better idea of the friends and family members to be present at an intervention, the format for the session and the most effective addiction treatment for the individual in need. Please contact us with your questions or concerns about interventions. We are here to help.
Recovery Comedy is Proud to Present David Kleinberg November 28, 2009
David Kleinberg is a native of San Francisco who was an editor and writer
at the San Francisco Chronicle for 34 years, and was editor of the Sunday
Datebook the last 14 years. He is a comedian who has appeared with Robin
Williams, Dana Carvey; Richard Lewis and Sinbad. He is currently working on
a one-person autobiographical performance piece titled, “Dad, Comics Are
Just People Who Can’t Afford Therapy.” He has performed two parts of the
work — “Vietnam Revisited” and “The Command Module” — at the Marsh
Theater in San Francisco.
Meet the Creator of Serenity Sacs! November 24, 2009
Hi guys. My name is Rhonda and I live in Northern Kentucky. I’m a wife of 27 years and have a 22 year old son (the light of my life!).
A bit about Serenity Sacs……I have been clean and sober for 3+ years and am extremely active in a 12 step program. While in treatment, I learned of a God Box. We were told to write our problems, fears and anything else we were powerless over on a piece of paper and put it in our God Box. Some stuff you just have to trust God to take care of. This past Christmas, I wanted to make something for my sponsees. Somehow this idea popped into my head. I had no intention of ever selling them, but then a girl at work just “had” to have some. Here it is November and I’m still cranking. I feel this talent of mine (never sewed before in my life) is God given and that it’s his way of letting me give back and help increase his childrens’ reliance on him.
Until next time, you can find me at the sewing machine!
Hugs.
Holiday Tips for Twelve Steppers November 17, 2009
Staying Sober and Sane Through The Holidays 
The holidays have a way of affecting us all. It can be subtle or very direct. The pace increases in our lives and the events become plentiful. Being able to enjoy the holidays is a goal I strive for every year. So what have I learned with 18 sober holidays under my belt?
1. Don’t let meetings take a back seat. If an event is in conflict make sure you have an alternative meeting to pick up.
2. This is a great time of year to practice NOT people pleasing. Do what you can and feel comfortable with. No explanations needed.
3. Come late leave early. This is a favorite of mine and cuts out much of the emotional baggage that can accumulate at a function.
4. Keep literature in the car with reinforcing pages marked. If your not ready to leave take five and read something that will help you stay connected.
5. Remind yourself of the true meaning of the holidays. Whatever you celebrate ~ key into the spiritual and try to flush the commercial.
6. Allow a few moments extra to slow down before holiday tasks such as shopping, cleaning, entertaining, decorating etc. Key in on that spiritual aspect again.
7. Don’t forget to HALT (Hungry Angry Lonely Tired.) Basic needs can get skipped in all the hub bub. Again slow down for a few minutes to make sure your needs are met ~ including meetings.
8. Get out that gratitude list ~ remember how it use to be ~ share your ESH if you are having trouble remembering.
9. Attend a sober activity instead of a function that may be too much too soon.
10. If the best you can do is not use ~ that is HUGE and should not be dismissed ~ that can be the BIGGEST gratitude you will ever have. Let all other aspects of the Holidays take the back seat.
11. Stay close to meetings, sponsors, support and counselors ~ pick up a commitment ~ you may not be aware of the effects the Holidays could be having on you.
12. Finally don’t forget the many alkathons that are held during this time of year. Find out where they are and put the information in your wallet.
written by Gwen R.
Recovery Swag November 12, 2009
Recovery Swag specializes in Recovery, 12-Step, and Fellowship Gifts & Merchandise. We carry a large and unique selection of gifts, including T-Shirts, Women’s T-Shirts, Purses, Buttons, Magnets, Jewelry, Key Chains, Purse Holders, Cuff Links, Hats, and much more.
Stop by and see the updated site with a new look and 100’s of new products!
Recovery Universe November 8, 2009
Recovery Universe is going on it’s 5 year of serving online recovery to suffering alcoholics and addicts worldwide.
The idea for Recovery Universe was born in a treatment facility in Atlanta, Georgia. I spent 110 days there and got really close with a few people there that I wanted to keep in touch with after treatment. I was a application developer and did not know too much web programming at the time but I made the commitment to setting up a video chat room that my friends and I could use to keep in touch after we all got home. Ironically this never ended up happening but something even more exciting transpired. In February of 2004 Recovery Universe launched still with the intention of only being for a few friends. By the late summer of 2004 RU had over 500 members and the forums and chat rooms were growing fast.
In 2005 RU underwent its 1st real transformation since the inception. This is the version that adapted the popular logo that has been used since. The colors of the site have always reamained the same (blue and tan) but the site has undergone 4 major overhauls.
By 2006 the site was running strong and I was getting emails daily thanking me for providing a safe and clean place for people to share their experience, strength, and hope online. This reinforced in me the reasons I started the site to begin with and made me more active than ever in the site itself.
By 2008 things had been up and down. Good times and bad times and I had all but stepped out of using it as a tool for myself and more just hid behind the scenes and worked on improving the site. 2008 was a rough year for me and I had stepped away completely as I got a new job and supported my wife while she began going to alanon. I needed the time to work on myself and get things right in my life. The computer was just simply taking too much of my time.
2009 is now here and my life has seemed to settle somewhat. I am getting a good balance going in my life and have returned to RU with newly aquired web programming skills and a strong desire to use Recovery Universe as an outlet for my programming hobby. What you see now is a compilation of 5 years of hard work and dedication to Recovery Universe. It is a safe clean enviroment for people to share. The people I have met and memories I have from this website are priceless. I hope to be alot more involved in the site in the future and will do my best to make sure that the doors of Recovery Universe stay open for the newcomer.
So please enjoy yourself and come share your experience, strength, and hope with us…
Yours in Recovery,
J.J.D.
November Blog of the Month November 2, 2009
Why the name “Naked Daze?” When I surrendered I became exposed and all the evil was stripped away… Then for the first time in my life, I was free to explore… Anyway it’s a new blog! Which hopefully gives a better experience for everyone. There are some posts on the old blog which I want to save so bear with me as I cross everything over… Thanks
Sober Sites Blog 
