Featured in "The Doctors Opinion" of the "Big Book" of Alcoholics Anonymous is a letter from Dr. William D. Silkworth. Dr. Silkworth was the Medical Director of Townes Hospital in New York City, a renowned
hospital in the field of alcoholism. One of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous and the
primary author of the "Big Book", Bill W., was under Dr. Silkworth's care on
three separate occasions there. Within Dr. Silkworth's letter he stated, "We doctors have
realized for a long time that some form of MORAL PSYCHOLOGY was of
urgent importance to alcoholics... unless [the alcoholic] can
experience an entire psychic change there is very little hope for his recovery."
Dr. Silkworth and his colleagues believed that not only did
the thought processes of the mind need to be transformed but the source
of what powered those thought processes had to change. The
American Heritage Dictionary defines psychology as "the science that deals with mental processes and behavior." Furthermore, it deems moral synonymous with virtuous. Therefore the thought processes of the mind had to become virtuous. In
order for this to occur, the mind of the alcoholic could no longer be
propelled by the human's nature or instincts, but rather by the will
of God through inspiration. As the back half of the Eleventh Step bids, "praying only for the knowledge of God's will for us and the power
to carry that out."
The psychic change is the heart of the
solution to our alcoholism. Through the grace of God (the source that powers the thought processes), a transformed and virtuous thought process is possible and real.
The disease of alcoholism centers in our minds. I have come to know that There is a God I can fully trust. By continued practice of the 11th step of Alcoholics Anonymous I have conscious contact with God. This relationship with Him requires that my mind, this great gift from Him now may think with His thoughts . I now have an even better realization into the science of my mind ! How does a mind so warped and damaged due to years of alcoholism and mental illness. The Doctors Opinion states that there must be a "Pyscic Change". God through the Science of my mind is explaining to me constantly about the physical workings of my mind . God is Omnipotent , I Impotent ! He guides my mind in the way that an orchestra is guided by The Conductor! He is the True Virtuoso !
ReplyDeleteDon In the Third Step we make a decision to turn our will (our thoughts) and our life (our behavior) over to the care of God. In the back half of the Eleventh Step we "are praying only for knowledge of God's Will for us and the power to carry it out." The purpose of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is for our thoughts to no longer be propelled by our human nature but rather by the will of God..Thank you...Armand
ReplyDeleteThe moral psychology issue gets to the heart of the problem for me. I knew there was a right way, and an even righter way, but I was powerless to live up to that notion in my daily life. That ongoing dilemma gnawed its way into my thoughts and actions, eventually resulting in absolute alcoholism. In simple terms, my mind couldn't live up to my soul. In AA, I learned that the transformation needed to set my life in a new direction was psychic, or of the mind. My problem was not only mental it was gravely spiritual. Only a spiritual awareness could lead to an awakened spirit. That occurred by incorporating The Twelve Steps into my life, in meeting The Power Within me, and trusting that His Will for me was far more peaceful than my overwrought self-will. The need for alcohol to fill that void no longer exists, one day at a time.
ReplyDeleteMichael as an alcoholic knowing what is right, if opposed to our self will, makes no difference in our behavior. It is only by abandoning our human nature and living in the will of God that knowing what is right and behaving as such can occur...Thanks so much...Armand
DeleteThis is so true Armand and a wonderful passage. I am reading the 12 in 12 book with my sponsor. I had a real experience whIle reading the 3rd step. It speaks of how much it is essential to realize that our will is not Gods will. I never realized how all my wants and desires, could very well just be not meant to be. God may have a completely different plan for me, I never had this type of thought process. I always thought what I wanted and felt I needed to survive had to be in some form gods will. God's will not mine be done... truly means just that
ReplyDeletePaul wonderful that you are having that experience. The transformation of thought is essential if you are to recover from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body...Thank you...Armand
DeleteBeing always driven by my own meager thoughts meant my behavior was of a low and impure caliber. If humanly acts are powered by humanly thoughts there are but few certainties: life subsists incompletely and continues on deceptively. By the enemies of my own corrupt spirit and mind I was blinded from the truth, the freedom, and the relief in the release of myself to something and someone so much mightier than all. This Might has plunged into the deepest and most sacred parts of me, infiltrating the treacherous ways I lived by and planting seeds of new. As light appears to be brightest in the darkest shadows so does the darkest hour in this new life seem encompassed by a silent radiance. An Almighty change in the source of all thoughts trickles this light into of all of my being. Change isn't simple nor is it easy, especially when aiming for completeness, but it is necessary.
ReplyDeleteCaitlin In the back half of the Eleventh step we are "praying only for knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry that out." The power to do the will of God cannot come from our human nature as our nature will only try to satisfy our human instinct. The surrender of our nature to the will of God must be complete and absolute and can only occur through the loving grace of God. Once received it negates the power of our nature to control our behavior. Our human nature and our human instinct still exists but has lost the power to alter our emotion or effect our behavior...Thank you...Armand
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