Human/Spiritual Interacting… And Drinking

SUN., JULY 14, 1991, 8:11 AM
STONIER HALL, RUTGERS

As I told you yesterday I shall offer you suggestions about the seminar, notes for which you left on your desk at home. You see, thus far, that what you have forgotten has been of no real consequence, so continue to trust in Me. I am your Teacher Supreme!

Present the concept first as one of the Wellsprings. This can be done briefly, but they should see the positive context from which it comes. Then introduce your personal bias – a positive health educator with an ecological, relational perspective. Note also that you are impressed with the science that says all is ultimately energy, and that energy is neither lost nor gained, but transformed. You see a close relationship between energy and spirit, with spirit being inherent in humans. It must, however, be transformed, and can be, by circumstances, by will, and by relationship with Me, in several ways.

The several ways can be represented by the facets, and these can be developed, briefly. You can then note that you were impressed, years ago, with the perception that alcoholism was a disease caused by a sickness of the mind and an allergy of the body… but the best treatment was social and spiritual – a group to which the ill person had to relate and a Higher Power, defined and conceived as what seemed best for the person.

Each of you is human… but with a spirit that is eternal energy. It is natural for humans to relate one with another, but such interaction is influenced by self and by situations. You related quite well and quite jovially with the women who met you here last evening, but you related not at all with the couple with whom you shared the seat on the plane. For many people drinks containing alcohol, by their chemical action and by their symbolic qualities, facilitate human/spiritual interacting. A few of these discover, sadly, that alcohol, in increasing amounts, allows behaviors that are harmful to others, and, ultimately, to self.

Self esteem, an essential factor in how human/spiritual interacting relates to drinking, is intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual… and is influenced by social situations and the general environment. Self esteem is, basically, how you see and how you value yourself. If you see yourself as one with positive accomplishment and abilities self esteem is positive. Likewise if you tend to express and feel positive emotions more so than negative ones. A spiritual sense of being and of purpose in life stems from and also enhances self esteem. When your body has a good, healthy appearance and functions well this is another boost to self esteem.

The general environment that you are in and the people with whom you can interact are the other important influences. If that environment encourages the drinking of alcoholic beverages self esteem will be tested. The one who knows she cannot drink without harm to self and others must either leave that environment or must be able to function in it without drinking.

Thus, for some people alcohol abets human/spiritual interacting, even with Me. For some it is not a crucial factor; they can function equally well with or without it. For the few… that constitute a “many” in a large national population… that are the reason for this conference, alcohol damages and destroys human/spiritual interacting and lowers self esteem. Yet within a welcoming and nurturing fellowship, particularly when I am acknowledged, consulted, even worshipped, that spirit and self esteem can be energized and rebuilt.