25th March 2020 • Sticky Post

Recovery and Spirituality: Understanding the links

“Spirituality” is a difficult concept to pin down, and one that many people have a strong response to. Some might instantly conjure up images of the Bible, the Star of David, or another organized religion. Others might immediately think of new-age touchstones like healing crystals or meditation. And most people have strong, instinctive positive and negative responses to religious concepts and images. But spirituality isn’t some vague riddle or standard set of rules and morals. Spirituality is something that is woven into the fabric of your everyday life, and learning to access it, explore it, and draw strength from it can be an invaluable resource as you go through the process of recovery

Understanding "Spirituality"

Many people are put off by the religious overtones of the concept of spirituality, but at Iboga Tree Healing House we feel that spirituality is the search for meaning, purpose, and a sense of connection to the world around you. For many people, it involves a search for connections with something greater than oneself, such as God, the universe, humanity, or nature. But it doesn’t have to be anything more specific than exploring the meaning of your experiences. There isn’t a right or wrong way to be spiritual, and for most people perspectives on spirituality evolve as they go through life, encounter new ideas, and develop new perspectives.

What Spirituality Isn’t

Many people who consider themselves Atheists or Agnostics and others who have painful or traumatic memories connected with religion are justifiably leery of being compelled to join in religious practices and ceremonies. But spirituality shouldn’t be tied to any particular God, moral code, or set of practices. While closely connected to religious belief, spirituality is personal and can remain private. The search for meaning and purpose can be undertaken through prayer, yoga, and tai chi. But it can also be accomplished in ways that don’t carry any religious baggage such as mindfulness practice, keeping a journal, or spending time in nature. You can define your own spiritual beliefs and the path which will keep your soul in tune with them.

Why Is Spirituality Important In Recovery?

One of the greatest benefits of spiritual practice is the connection you’ll rebuild with yourself. One of the first things people lose in addiction is their connection to their own personal sense of morality. Spirituality will allow you to re-discover your sense of right and wrong. Knowing your own beliefs and principles will allow you to develop your own, personalized guide to living a good life, and pursuing your goals in a positive and constructive fashion. One incredibly important pillar of the recovery process is re-learning how to be honest and truthful in your dealings with yourself and others, and spiritual practice is immeasurably helpful in this regard. 

Another moral lesson that spiritual exploration often imparts is the importance of respecting yourself and others. Addiction has a corrosive effect on self-esteem and creates a deep sense of shame among the addicted. The overwhelming desire to get more of what you need also forces the addict to take advantage of others, ignore their needs and desires, and behave with monstrous selfishness. If you grew up an in abusive situation, the need to learn respect for yourself and others is even more acute. The good news is that embarking on a spiritual journey is almost guaranteed to build a sense of respect. As cultural anthropologists have noted: “Respect is essential to all the world's religions and is universally seen as a building block to a more human and humane world.”

Spirituality is also a wonderful tool for gaining perspective on your problems. An understanding of the inter-connectedness of people, nature, and the universe can help you realize that seeking understanding and support from those around you isn’t a sign of weakness or failure. Learning to admit the existence of problems and ask for help in dealing with them can make all the difference when you’re attempting to heal yourself and rebuild your life, and the sense of fellowship that can be developed with spiritual practice makes it much easier to share your burdens with the people around you. Spirituality makes it much easier to let go of your pride, admit that you are flawed, and receive support from your peers, friends, and family. Exploring your humanity allows you to see that we all share human weaknesses and that by working together we can turn that weakness into a strength.

Spirituality is also beneficial for giving recovering addicts a sense of purpose and meaning in their new lives. One of the most attractive elements of addiction is that it boils down all of life’s myriad problems into a single, simple dilemma: how can I get more of the substance I need? When you enter recovery, you might feel overwhelmed by all of the new challenges that appear. Getting your finances in order, sorting out relationships that have been strained to the breaking point, re-building your professional life, and dealing with legal issues are a few common issues that spring up. If you don’t find a sense of purpose and meaning as you confront these thorny problems, relapse will seem like a tempting way of escape.

Spiritual exploration will also push you towards building a meaningful life, allowing you to discover your unique talents, abilities, and gifts, and illuminating the ways you can make use of them for the benefit of yourself and others. Most spiritual paths will help seekers realize the importance of using their wisdom, struggles, and experiences to help others. For those in recovery, this is a beautiful way to help yourself and rebuild your shattered self-esteem by helping others. Watching others follow the 12 Steps or another path towards sobriety will reinforce the lessons you’ve learned, and fill your heart with hope, love, and renewed conviction. 

Iboga Tree Healing House and Spirituality

At Iboga Tree Healing House, we feel that nurturing spirituality is an integral part of the recovery process. Iboga therapy is a fundamental part of the Bwiti spiritual traditions of Africa, and one of its effects in addition to interrupting addiction is building connections to what Douglas Adams called “Life, the Universe and Everything.” We also attempt to create a sense of spirituality in our clients by offering a wide range of holistic therapies, including yoga, mindfulness and meditation. If you’re looking for a treatment center that fosters spirituality as it helps patients to recover, don’t hesitate to get in touch!