Spirituality Spirituality in Dual Recoveryin Dual RecoveryWhat does the concept of a What does the concept of a

“Higher Power” mean to you?“Higher Power” mean to you?

Spirituality and Religion – What’s Spirituality and Religion – What’s the difference?the difference?

• Spirituality – all-encompassing of any relationship with a Higher Power, including all religions, personal relationships with a HP, and contact with nature

• Religion – an organized set of beliefs and guidelines for people to follow, whose beliefs are consistent with that religion

Spirituality and ReligionSpirituality and Religion

• “Spirituality is as unique to each individual as one's thumbprint”

• “Religion is for people who are scared of Hell, and spirituality is for people who have already been there . . .”

““Whole-Person” ViewWhole-Person” View

• Philosophers and others have long held the view of humankind that we are each an integration of – Body (physical self)– Psyche / Soul (mind, will and emotion), and – Spirit (spiritual self)

• In this view, tending to our spiritual needs is an important part of self-care . . .

Spirituality and Quality of LifeSpirituality and Quality of Life

• Is there a connection between spirituality and quality of life?

• 12 Questions to consider, from the World Health Organization’s “Quality of Life” Scale . . .

How important to you are your How important to you are your personal beliefs? personal beliefs?

How important to you is it to feel How important to you is it to feel connected to a spiritual being or connected to a spiritual being or

force? force?

How important to you are your spiritual, How important to you are your spiritual, religious or personal beliefs in religious or personal beliefs in

understanding the meaning of life? understanding the meaning of life?

How important to you is it to feel How important to you is it to feel awe? awe?

How important to you is it that your How important to you is it that your spiritual, religious or personal beliefs spiritual, religious or personal beliefs

help you to feel whole?help you to feel whole?

How important to you is it to have How important to you is it to have inner spiritual strength? inner spiritual strength?

How important to you are your spiritual, How important to you are your spiritual, religious or personal beliefs in helping religious or personal beliefs in helping

you to feel hope and optimism? you to feel hope and optimism?

How important to you is it to have How important to you is it to have faith? faith?

How important to you is it to feel How important to you is it to feel inner peace? inner peace?

How important is it to you to have How important is it to you to have love and compassion? love and compassion?

How important is it for you to How important is it for you to experience kindness to others without experience kindness to others without

expecting anything in return? expecting anything in return?

How important to you are your How important to you are your spiritual, religious or personal spiritual, religious or personal beliefs in coming to terms with beliefs in coming to terms with

death and dying? death and dying?

Spirituality and DRA’s 12 StepsSpirituality and DRA’s 12 Steps

1. We admitted we were powerless over our dual illness of chemical dependency and emotional or psychiatric illness - that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Higher Power of our understanding could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of our Higher Power, to help us to rebuild our lives in a positive and caring way.

4. Made a searching and fearless personal inventory of ourselves.

Spirituality and DRA’s 12 StepsSpirituality and DRA’s 12 Steps5. Admitted to our Higher Power, to ourselves, and to

another human being, the exact nature of our liabilities and our assets.

6. Were entirely ready to have our Higher Power remove all our liabilities.

7. Humbly asked our Higher Power to remove these liabilities and to help us to strengthen our assets for recovery.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

Spirituality and DRA’s 12 StepsSpirituality and DRA’s 12 Steps

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when wrong promptly admitted it, while continuing to recognize our progress in dual recovery.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with our Higher Power, praying only for knowledge of our Higher Power's will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others who experience dual disorders and to practice these principles in all our affairs.