Ingrid Clayton - Recovering Spirituality: Achieving Emotional Sobriety in Your Spiritual Practice

Ingrid Mathieu, PhD

Hazelden Publishing
Center City, Minnesota 55012-0176
800-328-9000
hazelden.org/bookstore

2011 by Ingrid Mathieu, PhD
All rights reserved. Published 2011
Printed in the United States of America

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwisewithout the express written permission of the publisher. Failure to comply with these terms may expose you to legal action and damages for copyright infringement.

ISBN: 978-1-61649-089-8
Ebook ISBN: 978-1-61649-200-7

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Mathieu, Ingrid, 1974
Recovering spirituality : achieving emotional sobriety in your spiritual
practice / by Ingrid Mathieu.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 179).
ISBN 978-1-61649-089-8 (softcover)
1. Recovering addictsReligious life. 2. AddictsReligious life.
3. Twelve-step programsReligious aspects. 4. Spirituality. I. Title.
BL625.9.R43M38 2011
204.42dc23

2011016721

Editors note: The names, details, and circumstances have been changed to protect the privacy of those mentioned in this publication.

Alcoholics Anonymous, AA , and the Big Book are registered trademarks of Alcoholics Anonymous World Service Inc.

The brief excerpts from Alcoholics Anonymous, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Pass It On, A.A. Comes of Age and from the pamphlet Questions & Answers on Sponsorship are reprinted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. ( AAWS ). Permission to reprint these excerpts does not mean that AAWS has reviewed or approved the contents of this publication, or that AAWS necessarily agrees with the views expressed herein. A.A. is a program of recovery from alcoholism onlyuse of these excerpts in connection with programs and activities which are patterned after A.A. , but which address other problems, or in any other non A.A. context, does not imply otherwise.

Direct quotations from Textbook of Transpersonal Psychiatry and Psychology, copyright Bruce W. Scotton, Allan B. Chinen, John R. Battista, are reprinted by permission of Basic Books, a member of the Perseus Books Group.

Brief quotes from pages xii, 5, 134, 150, 182, and 200 from Stages of Faith: The Psychology of Human Development and the Quest for Meaning by James W. Fowler are copyright 1981 by James W. Fowler. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.

Wild Geese from Dream Work by Mary Oliver. Copyright 1986 by Mary Oliver. Used by permission of Grove/Atlantic Inc.

Cover design by David Spohn
Interior design and production by David Farr, ImageSmythe
Copyediting and production management by Jean Cook, ImageSmythe

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED to Claire Wineland, one of the wisest and kindest spirits I have been fortunate to know and love. They say that it takes a village to raise a childbut this child has truly raised a village. Thank you Claire, for all you have taught me about courage, compassion, gratitude, and grace. Thank you for sharing your creativity and your friendship. I am a better person because I know you.

Introduction

I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE AA MEMBERS who participated in the research for this book. They willingly provided their time, their trust, and the opportunity for me to witness true courage, humility, and honesty. Without their articulate, personal reflections, this endeavor would have been impossible.

Throughout this journey, many individuals have provided their expertise and support. I am forever indebted to the following people for helping to make this dream a reality. Thank you to Beverly Berg, John Creswell, Katie Cusick, Ron Diliberto, Rachel Drews, Jay Edwards, Sid Farrar, Loretta Grant, Vivien Kooper, Gisela Kunstler, David Laramie, Martin Mathieu, Hillary Metz, Suzanne Oaks-Brownstein, Peter Schletty, Jennifer Schmidt, Bob Schmitt, and Marvin Seppala.