The White Book says:
.

I'm struggling with accepting this, because it's so much more comfortable to focus on the value of being dry without diluting it (no pun intended) with a higher goal. Any thoughts?

Also, having just started reading it, I have many other questions. Is there a thread / forum dedicated to discussing the Book?

eslaasos wrote:


One can be 'dry' although he is strugglin' mightily.
'Sober' is a state of livin'; he is at peace; not wagin' war every other minute.

May you be zoche to appreciate sobriety over dryness.

Amen.

From reading these forums (I'm still a newbie) I got the impression that sobriety can be living at peace but still needing to overcome the YH, because for some the addiction never goes away completely. Not disagreeing with you, just wondering if there's more than one truth for different people.

Some of us were restless, irritable and discontent. This may have started at a young age and may have come later, but the bottom line is that we felt like we were missing something. Maybe we felt we didn't belong and were different than others and just didn't fit in. Maybe we were just plain miserable and suffering or maybe we just felt a void. We found that lust filled that void for us that it provided fantasy and escape. It became the answer to our suffering more and more. Now comes a long Cordnoy and says, no more lust for you. So now you have all your problems back, but no solution. Your just in a miserable state, with no relief. That's "dry". Then Cordnoy says, come on my 1:20 PM call and lets try to fill that void with a spiritual way of life, with fellowship and support of others. Lets see if we can find a solution that gives you peace of mind and a sense of purpose. Then we start living positive principles of sobriety, including honesty, reliance on God, making amends, helping others etc. That's living sober.

R' Serenity,
Do you have a publish date yet for your footnotes on The White Book? I'll be waiting in line for it. Maybe Artscroll wants to consider it... or maybe not

No offense to Cordnoy, I'm not on his level to understand the nuances in the shorter version without the extended Pirush.

Back to the point, initially I thought this sounds similar to logotherapy, not that I'm an expert on either subject, but on second thought, meaning can be found in many ways, whereas the white book and Cordnoy's calls are focused on helping us find meaning in this struggle specifically. It seems to me that some people might need to go through that process and still need to find an additional the solution to the cause of the original RID.

Pardon my ramblings as I discover and explore this new world. For me, I'm still in Pre-1A as I'm still working on coming to terms with myself. I think I hit my rock bottom and found meaning in life before finding GYE, but need both to reach full potential. The new lifestyle made me 90% sober (and dry), but GYE is helping me to be 100% dry which will help me be 100% sober. Anyway, 90% dry doesn't work because it easily becomes 80%, 70%, 60%...

Tizku Lmitzvos

The reason Cordnoy writes short is because he does not comprehend the inner and deep intricacies of these analogies and psycho-thinkin'. While you look forward to graduation to higher grades, i have been here a while, and I am still in Pre1A, and guess what? I am comfy right where I am. I don't need to know all the reasons for my beginnin's middle and end. It doesn't interest me much. I need to focus on right now. By me, when the urge hits (and by the way, it is hittin' now), there is a simple choice starin' in front of me: "Cords, do you wanna live in peace and serenity, or would you rather listen and watch Iggy?" It's that simple! Sadly, that damn Australian accent has had some wins in the past 12 hours; but you know what? She ain't winnin' now!

b'hatzlachah

Hang in there, we have a date in 2 hours that we are all waiting for. Prep your notes or something. Actually I have a meeting at 1 so I may be late for the call, but will do my best to make it on time.

I really hope I'm not coming across as snotty, it's obvious from your posts and the phone calls that you are way ahead of most of us. I have always been introspective and it didn't help me very much, and sometimes it's been a drawback.

BTW, can I lend you some G's because you seem to be missin' some?

eslaasos wrote:


No problem at all.

Thanks

I try not to borrow what I don't need....iggy has two.

Someone here should write a commentary on the Big Book bringing all the sources in Torah. I'm not anywhere near qualified for that though.

I'd like to see the Artscroll version of SA

serenity wrote:


there is one on the white book.
Look in the thread - tryin', where we spent weeks on it.

I'd love to see the Torah sources for the book, but your thread has 44 pages! Fascinating as it is, I don't know how soon I can go through it all. If you know which page ranges it's on let me know.

Cordnoy



Iggy also has 2 k's...