Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast

By Tao Recovery Community

Religion & Spirituality Buddhism

What's Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast about?

In this podcast, we discuss mystical works of literature, primarily Taoist text, and how they relate to alcohol recovery. Taoist Philosophy can be an excellent tool for embracing the idea of a “Higher Power.” Nature offers all of the examples necessary for a concept of a source of all life, much different but yet very similar in many ways to more traditional religious thinking.

Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching; https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:1

Thanks for checking out our podcast. If you listen and enjoy this podcast, please share with your friends in recovery!

Do you want to stop drinking? Does alcoholism or addiction run in your family? Are you considering how to get sober? Are you seriously thinking about sobriety for the first time being alcohol is controlling your life as never before? Has the idea of a "Higher Power" kept you out of Alcoholics Anonymous or other 12 Step recovery programs?

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Interview with Todd W. – Th...

03.23.2023

Todd discusses his Christian heritage as the foundation of his evolving belief in the Higher Power. We are experimenting with a new format for this podcast. We are taking a break from the weekly group meeting and interviewing some past ...

Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast episodes:

03.23.2023 Interview with Todd W. – The God of our misunderstanding Todd discusses his Christian heritage as the foundation of his evolving belief in the Higher Power. We are experimenting with a new format for this podcast. We are taking a break from the weekly group meeting and interviewing some past ...
03.20.2023 Interview with Dennis B. and Buddy C. – How has studying the Tao helped your recovery? We are experimenting with a new format for this podcast. We are taking a break from the weekly group meeting and interviewing some participants. Unlike future interviews, the host, Buddy C. was also interviewed and shared some of his story. ...
02.03.2023 Beginner Meditation with Sensei Elliston! We were initially going to discuss verse 28 of the Tao Te Ching. Sensei Elliston started answering meditation related questions, so we decided to wait until next month for the verse 28 discussion. Atlanta Soto Zen Center; https://www.aszc.org/ Zen Home ...
01.10.2023 Tao Te Ching – Verse 27 – Giving and Receiving are One! “He who gives himself to this path is like a block of wood that gives itself to the chisel — Cut by cut it is honed to perfection. Only a student who gives himself can receive the masters’s gift.” TTC ...
12.02.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 26 with Sensei Elliston – Living Undisturbed! A good discussion of verse 26 of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective with Sensei Elliston. “The inner is the foundation of the outer. The still is master of the restless. The Sage travels all day yet never ...
11.04.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 25 with Sensei Elliston – A Description of the Tao! A good discussion of verse 25 of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective with Sensei Elliston. “It is serene. Empty. Solitary. Unchanging. Infinite. Eternally present. It is the mother of the universe. For lack of a better name, ...
10.29.2022 Mixing It up a Little! You can access all meetings at www.TaoAAMeeting.com. This is a new link for all meetings. Other than the first Thursday of the month, we are forgoing recording for the moment. We also have a new unrecorded Tao AA Meeting every ...
10.14.2022 Tao Te Ching Verse 36 and Wen-Tzu Verse 9 – An Ancient Version of the Saint Francis Prayer If you want to possess something, you must first give it away. — Tao Te Ching, J. H. McDonald, Verse 36 Don't forget to use the resources mentioned below for tools to stay sober any time during the year. You ...
10.07.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 24 with Sensei Elliston – A Description of Attraction Not Promotion! A good discussion of verse 24 of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective with Sensei Elliston. “He who tries to shine dims his own light.” TTC Verse 24, Stephen Mitchell Don’t forget to use the resources mentioned below ...
09.30.2022 Byron Katie – The Work Part 4 of 4 Today we finished our discussion of The Work by Byron Katie. We discussed her questions and answers on page 35 of the handout (link below to download) and her Katieisms. These quotes from her teachings demonstrate how "The Work" functions ...
09.27.2022 Byron Katie – The Work Part 3 of 4 Today we continued our discussion of the work of Byron Katie. We used examples to better understand how to turn our frustration around and see our part. Lots of tools to use in working steps 4 – 9. Next week ...
09.19.2022 Byron Katie – The Work Part 2 Today we continued our discussion of the work of Byron Katie. A good discussion of how compromise in one area of life affects all of life. Link to Download Byron Katie’s Workbook; https://thework.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/English_LB.pdf Don't forget to use the resources mentioned ...
09.08.2022 Byron Katie – The Work Part 1 Today we started discussing the work of Byron Katie. Lots of acceptance and laying the groundwork for next week when we get into more of the meat of her message. We also discussed how our thoughts are not us and ...
09.02.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 23 with Sensei Elliston! A good discussion of verse 23 of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective with Sensei Elliston. “Open yourself to the Tao, then trust your natural responses; and everything will fall into place.” TTC Verse 23, Stephen Mitchell Don’t ...
08.19.2022 Wen-Tzu – Verse 8 – How Do We Respond Like an Echo? …to perceive things without being blinded and to respond echolike without minding — Thomas Cleary, Wen-Tzu, Verse 8 Don't forget to use the resources mentioned below for tools to stay sober any time during the year. You can find a ...
08.14.2022 Wen-Tzu – Verse 7 – How Desires Affect Your Essential Nature When people lose their essential nature by following desires, their actions are never correct. To govern a nation in that way results in chaos; to govern oneself in that way results in defilement. Therefore those who do not hear the ...
08.08.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 22 with Sensei Elliston A good discussion of verse 22 of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective with Sensei Elliston. “If you want to be given everything, give everything up”. TTC Verse 22 Don’t forget to use the resources mentioned below for ...
07.28.2022 Wen-Tzu – Verse 6 – Taoist Guidance Sages do not replace the celestial with the human. Outwardly they evolve along with things, yet inwardly they do not lose their true state. So those who realize the Way return to clear tranquility. Those who find out about things ...
07.22.2022 Wen-Tzu – Verse 5 – Real Knowing Do we make progress spiritually by reading more books and learning more? Is our intellectual knowledge helpful? What does verse 5 mean when it says, "let your body be like a withered tree and your mind like dead ashes"? We ...
07.15.2022 Wen-Tzu – Verse 4 – Real People Are Those Following the Way (Tao) Today we discussed the fourth verse of the Wen-Tzu. We also discussed verses 13 and 80 of the Tao Te Ching, among others. A lot of discussion about looking within and learning to observe through stillness. As with all truth, ...
07.08.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 21 with Sensei Elliston – Enlightenment A good discussion of verse 21 of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective with Sensei Elliston. We discussed, among other things, enlightenment, being in the moment, and the role meditation can play in the spiritual awakening process. Don’t ...
06.30.2022 Wen-Tzu – Verse 3 – How to Follow the Way! Today we discussed the third verse of the Wen-Tzu. We also discussed verses 21 and 39 of the Tao Te Ching. A lot of discussion of "How to" today means a lot of discussion about Acceptance. We also discussed how ...
06.25.2022 Wen-Tzu – Verse 2 – Unlearning Today we discussed the second verse of the Wen-Tzu, which compliments several verses of the Tao Te Ching. We discussed verses 48, 81, and several more. A good discussion today! The Sage's work is to "lay to rest their learned ...
06.17.2022 Wen-Tzu – Verse 1 – A Description of a Higher Power Today we discussed the first verse of the Wen-Tzu, which works very well with the first verse of the Tao Te Ching. A good discussion of how we see God, acceptance, providence, and how Love works in our life. Don’t ...
06.10.2022 Wen-Tzu – Introduction – Looking Within Today we started Thomas Cleary’s 1991 translation of Wen-Tzu. According to the introduction, this is the first translation of this text into English. We covered all the pre-chapter material and will start on the first verse next week. A good ...
06.06.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 20 with Sensei Elliston – Must I Fear What Others Fear? How much of a role does unnecessary fear play in your life? A good conversation today with Sensei. Don’t forget to use the resources mentioned below for tools to stay sober any time during the year. You can find a ...
05.30.2022 Chuang Tzu – Flight From the Shadow and Chuang Tzu’s Funeral Today we finished Thomas Merton’s book discussing the writings of Chuang Tzu. Our discussion brought out a great conversation that was totally unexpected; issues with pride and ego parallel venturing out of the shade and trying to outrun our shadow. ...
05.19.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 73 – All Is As It Should Be? Verse 73 of the Tao Te Ching reminds me that nothing escapes the net of Love! A fun recovery discussion of the thread of Love that is sewn into everything. Don’t forget to use the resources mentioned below for tools ...
05.12.2022 Chuang Tzu – Means and Ends – Is Suffering Our Greatest Teacher? There was a great discussion today about grasping the ideas presented by the words rather than focusing on the words themselves. Do we focus on the finger rather than the moon that the finger is pointing at? Is it the ...
05.09.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 19 with Sensei Elliston – Remain In The Center and Let All Things Take Their Course We have many substitutes for letting go, each with a greater degree of self-effort. Don’t forget to use the resources mentioned below for tools to stay sober any time during the year. You can find a much longer list of ...
04.29.2022 Chuang Tzu – The Useless – How Can I Find Gratitude in This? A good discussion about the need to allow gratitude to bring us out of difficult situations: we also discussed the role fear plays in our life and if fear is necessary with differing opinions. Don’t forget to use the resources ...
04.22.2022 Verse 74 of the Tao Te Ching – Living Without the Fear of Loss! Verse 74 reminds us that expectations of the future will harm us. When we live in fear of the future, we cause harm to our lives and those around us. The “God” Word Pamphlet - https://www.aa.org/sites/default/files/literature/assets/p-86_theGodWord.pdf Don’t forget to use ...
04.15.2022 Chuang Tzu – Tao – You Have to Taste the Strawberry! Describing a strawberry does not compare to tasting a strawberry. The Tao cannot be mentally understood; the Tao can only be experienced! Thanks everyone for an excellent discussion! Don’t forget to use the resources mentioned below for tools to stay ...
04.12.2022 Verse 18 of the Tao Te Ching – Shadows and Substitutes of Living Life Our Way! Verse 18 describes the spiral downward when we take back control in any area of life. Don’t forget to use the resources mentioned below for tools to stay sober any time during the year. You can find a much longer ...
04.04.2022 Verse 75 of the Tao Te Ching – Playing God Does Not Work! This story reminds us of how playing God does not work; We either demand too much or provide too much. Whenever we look to our understanding for the solution, we are looking in the wrong direction. The solutions for each ...
03.27.2022 Chuang Tzu – Flight from Benevolence – True Guidance! What a great meeting! We have several possible names for this episode; Flight from the Moment, God is NOW, The Behaviors that take us out of the Moment, Aspects of Unacceptance, Acceptance is the Answer, etc. Regardless of how this ...
03.20.2022 Verse 76 of the Tao Te Ching – How to Stay Flexible in Life! Excellent discussion! This verse gives us instructions on how to discern life and death in everyday situations. The challenge is not only to remain flexible when life is difficult but also to allow flexibility in success. Don’t forget to use ...
03.11.2022 Chuang Tzu – Good Fortune – Fear or Acceptance! Today I find it's the best thing that has ever happened to me. This proves I don't know what's good for me. And if I don't know what's good for me, then I don't know what's good or bad for ...
03.04.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 17 with Sensei Elliston – The Master does not talk; he acts! How does the master act? He takes the next righting action – not right action (vs. the wrong action). The next action that balances like righting a ship. Thank you, Sensei, for that nugget! We also discussed instead of having ...
02.25.2022 Chuang Tzu – Active Life and Monkey Mountain – The Trap of Self-Effort! How do we use our talents without stressing over our job performance? How far can our talents take us? Do we have access to anything more than our talents? What is our part? How do we live life from a ...
02.18.2022 Verse 77 of the Tao Te Ching – Using Strength Not Our Own How do we use our experience, rather than excessive effort, to draw in our extremes and prepare us to serve? Is this process similar to drawing a bow? We also discussed the names we give our Higher Power and how ...
02.10.2022 Chuang Tzu – Advising The Prince – I Cannot Trust My Motives! The peace I am looking for is always found within – never in my successes or selfish deeds that I disguise as altruistic. We also discussed the difference in Alanon between the desire to fix others and genuine loving kindness. ...
02.03.2022 Verse 16 of the Tao Te Ching – How do we work the steps when we do not believe in a traditional Higher Power? One of our best discussions ever concerning several topics relating to working the program without a traditional God belief! Who do we surrender to? What is acceptance? Does acceptance mean I approve of the situation? How are our character defects ...
01.27.2022 Chuang Tzu - Apologies – The Downward Spiral from Spiritual Fitness! Our spiral from spiritual fitness to thinking a drink would be a good idea can be very subtle. This story demonstrates the spiral. For me, if there is something in my life that I start to control that I should ...
01.21.2022 Tao Te Ching - Verse 78 – How to be Like Water! Verse 78 of the Tao Te Ching is all about the characteristics of water. We discuss how water is our example of acceptance in all life interactions. 30 Tools to Stay Sober: https://buddyc.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/30-Tools-to-Stay-Sober120921.pdf Info on the new book, Powerless But ...
01.15.2022 Chuang Tzu - The Inner Law – Being Governed from Within! Being governed from within is one way to describe the purpose of all spiritual practices. How do we recognize our inner, intuitive knowing? What are the warning signs that we are looking outward again? How has recovery helped us with ...
01.07.2022 Tao Te Ching – Verse 15 with Sensei Elliston – We already possess the solution to every perceived problem within our stillness. Good discussion on stillness and meditation too! Don’t forget to use the resources mentioned below for tools to stay sober any time during the year. You can find a much longer list of resources at https://buddyc.org/recovery-resources/ 30 Tools to Stay ...
01.03.2022 New Years Resolutions and the Tao! Excellent conversation! What does Taoist Literature say about new years resolutions? Is it ok to make plans? Can I set goals and still follow the Tao? Don’t forget to use the resources below for tools to stay sober, not only ...
12.26.2021 Chuang Tzu - The Tower of the Spirit – How to Protect Your Inner-Self! We believe this story is all about how we protect ourselves from losing our peace and joy. Don’t forget to use the resources mentioned below for tools to stay sober, not only during the holidays but at any time during ...
12.17.2021 Tao Te Ching - Verse 79 - Risking Injury for Kindness! An excellent discussion of how to mend family relationships. Someone has to be vulnerable and reach out in kindness to mend relationships. Each attendee brought an example of working with relatives in difficult situations and how to apply what they ...

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