Pagans In Recovery

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Pagans in Recovery (sometimes abbreviated as PIR) is the phrase which is frequently used to describe the collective efforts of Neopagans to achieve abstinence or the remission of compulsive/addictive behaviors through twelve-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Al-Anon/Alateen, etc. These efforts generally focus on modifying or adapting the twelve steps to accommodate the Pagan world-view as well as creating Pagan-friendly twelve step meetings either as part of a pre-existing twelve-step program, or as independent entities.

Contents

[edit] History and development

The term 'Pagans in Recovery' appears to have first been used in a Neopagan newsletter from Ohio prior to 1989 which was titled "Pagans in Recovery" [1]. Isaac Bonewits also used the term in an essay he wrote in 1996 [2].

[edit] Why separate from regular twelve step meetings?

Many Pagans are uncomfortable with traditional twelve step meetings because of the use of Christian prayers, the difficulty in finding supportive sponsors, the assumption that a person's Higher Power is male, etc. [3]. Some Pagans find the 12 steps themselves too reminiscent of Christian theology to be applicable to their belief systems [4]. On rare occasions, Pagans have been "ousted from A.A. meetings or shunned" when members of that A.A. group discovered that they were Pagans. [5]

In 1992, Dr Charlotte Kasl, an addiction counselor and author, published a book titled Many Roads, One Journey: Moving Beyond the 12 Steps, a work which has greatly influenced the Pagan Recovery Movement. [6] In her book, Dr. Kasl notes that Bill W., Dr. Bob and the other men who helped them put together the AA program and the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous all came from similar backgrounds. In other words, they were all privileged, white males who wrote the bulk of these influential works in the middle of the 20th century. As a result, Kasl argues, the focus of the traditional recovery movement is rooted in a white, middle class, heterosexual mindset, steeped in the teachings of Abrahamic religions [7] and greatly influenced by the conservative U.S. culture of the 1950's. She claims that the well meaning but patriarchal attitudes inherent within the program, coupled with Judeo/Christian teachings which focus strongly (some say exclusively) on guilt and shame are deeply problematic for many who attempt to find a place at 12 Step meetings. Kasl argues that this view of alcoholics and others as those with "ego run rampant" can be foreign to the experience of many women, gays, and lesbians, survivors of sexual and/or physical abuse, people of color, those from non-western cultures, and those who practice alternative forms of spirituality. Such groups, she notes, often have self esteem issues brought on by a culture that sees them as “less than” and she argues that that their core issues are often centered around feeling power-less, not power-ful. Among these groups, the challenge is finding their voices, telling their truth, and speaking up for their rights. While some Pagans in recovery are indeed former abusers and many have made unhealthy choices, many are also talented, strong, creative survivors. Dr Kasl argues that these groups need need to own and use their strength, not deny it, and she offers her own 16 Steps as an alternative to the problems and prejudices which she believes are inherent in the original 12 Steps. Her work has influenced the creation of other alternative programs, among them Spiral Steps. [8]

Anodea Judith (a Pagan counselor) [9] and Dj (the founder of Spiral Steps), among others, have argued for a recovery format that is more in tune with earthwise practice and ethics. Starkhawk and other Pagan writers have noted that the challenge for our culture as a whole is not seeking “power over” but finding ways of using “power with”, while Dr. Kasl and others have begun offering programs and groups that incorporate a holistic view of healing that involves mind, body and spirit. As a result, many alternative groups now focus on empowerment, balance, and connection to the sacred as opposed to the 12 Step requirement in Step 3 "to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God".

Alternative groups also support their members who may choose to use non-traditional healing techniques, such as alternative medicine, meditation and visualization techniques, inner child work, ritual, yoga, and other forms of healing which they feel can compliment treatments offered by western medicine. The use of such alternative healing techniques is often frowned upon or viewed with suspician by traditional 12 Step groups.

The focus in alternative groups tends to be on tolerance, balance, building better boundaries, healing old wounds, making amends, taking our power back and right action. As a result, these groups tend to be more in tune with Pagan, New Age, Native American, humanistic, feminist, and Buddhist teachings, as well as with the more progressive versions of the mainstream faiths.

Another issue among Pagans in recovery is the one-sided image of addicts, alcoholics, codependents, and survivors of dysfunctional families portrayed in official 12 Step literature and in the many books published on recovery and dysfunctional family systems since the 1980's. For example, Kasl and others in the field of addiction have long noted that the classic "Characteristics of Adult Children of Alcoholics" [10] and the list known as “The Problem” in ACA [11](which are read at every ACA meeting) focus strongly on "character defeats" and do not adequately support the creation or celebration of character strengths, strengths which are often the result of surviving these very systems. In a 2005 article written for The Witches' Voice [12] titled Making a Sea Change [13] Dj writes that "Much of what we learned as survivors has made us stronger, better, deeper and often as not, uniquely gifted. This is something to be valued, even if it did come at a very high price." (Quoted with full knowledge of and with permission from the author. SV)

It should also be noted that many Twelve Step programs, such as Narcotics Anonymous, have special interest groups, typically meetings specifically geared towards young people, men, women, gays and lesbians, etc. [14] Alcoholics Anonymous has also started meetings specifically for Native Americans which accommodate the Native American view of spirituality [15]. However, it is not uncommon for Pagans who are recovering alcoholics to start A.A. meetings specifically for Pagans [16] though these meetings may not be included in local meeting directories.

While some 12 Step groups take a "My way or the highway" approach and can't understand, for example, why using The Lord's Prayer at the end of meetings and referring to God as "He" and to partners as "husband and wife" is problematic, others are more accepting of their Pagan brothers and sisters and willing to use more inclusive language in their meetings. As a result, many Pagans have a foot on both worlds. They treasure the camaraderie, support and dedication to service they find in traditional 12 Step meetings, and they appreciate the ability to truly be themselves, and discuss all aspects of the healing process in alternative venues.

[edit] What is different about recovery programs for Pagans?

Many Pagans seem to prefer a mutually supportive, spiritually based twelve step approach to recovery [17] over non-spiritually based programs such as Secular Organizations for Sobriety, where one is expected to keep his or her spiritual beliefs separate from recovery [18], or Rational Recovery, which is not spiritually based and does not encourage members to seek support from others in recovery [19].

Generally speaking, Pagan twelve step meetings follow the same format as other twelve step meetings except that they use Pagan friendly readings (which have not been approved by the General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous or other twelve step organizations), and substitute Pagan friendly prayers for the Lord's Prayer and the Serenity Prayer [20]. For example, the Recovery Spiral: A Pagan Path to Healing by Cynthia Jane Collins [21] is sometimes used instead of or along with the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, and the Native American Great Spirit prayer may be substituted for the Lord's Prayer [22]

Some Pagan twelve step groups have reworked or reworded the twelve steps so as to make them more applicable to Pagans, especially in allowing for a Polytheistic and non-gendered view of divinity [23]. The members of Pagan twelve step groups are still expected to work the twelve steps as a means of spiritual growth, obtain a sponsor, make amends for harm they have caused, and to help others. [24] [25]

Some twelve step meetings for Pagans are eclectic, meaning that anyone from a twelve step recovery program, regardless of the nature of their addiction, may participate in the meeting. This is in sharp contrast to Alcoholics Anonymous' concept of "Singleness of Purpose" which holds that alcoholics should only work with other alcoholics. [26]

[edit] External links

[edit] Internet Forums and Mailing Lists

[edit] Pagan recovery groups and organizations

[edit] Newsletters

Pagans in Recovery Newsletter, c/o Bekki 6500 S.R. 356 , New Marshfield OH 45766 (cost is $8/year)

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