Rev. Leo Booth
Unity minister, published author and conference speaker

Often when I’m giving lectures I feel the need to explain the difference between spirituality and religion; however it is also important to stress the vital difference between abstinence and sobriety.

As a young boy growing up in England it was not unusual to hear about Christian people who had “taken the pledge”, this meant that they had decided to set an example in society, not to drink alcohol. The taking of the pledge was not exclusive to any one denomination, Catholic and Protestant groups often made this life affirming decision and it was often done within the context of a religious service.

Groups of people would, at the appropriate time, walk to the front of the congregation and swear a statement, before God and the people, that they would never drink alcohol; it was an affirmation of abstinence.

I don’t hear this happening so much today, although there are certain Christian and Muslim groups that do not drink. However, abstinence is still practiced by many people for religious or health reasons and it is surely noble. Abstinence affirms a number of ideas :

A person does not drink because it causes irresponsible behavior or makes them feel sick.

As an example to the community, in the light of the tragedies created by alcohol consumption and alcoholism, they take the pledge to create a healthier society.

For health or dieting purposes.

Personally, I’m delighted that some people, who may not be alcoholic, have made the decision to abstain from alcohol.

When we come to consider sobriety, we embrace a much broader and more comprehensive definition; sobriety involves taking a responsible appraisal of all areas of life, including our relationships with other people.

The Twelve Step program often talks about the difference between being dry and being sober. I’ve often explained this distinction with the example of a ‘dry leaf’; if you place any pressure on a dry leaf it will crack and splinter. This is what happens to people who are dry or abstinent. When challenges or upsets appear in their life they can so easily fall apart...often relapsing into alcohol consumption.

However, when we examine the idea of being sober, sobriety, I describe a supple leaf, a juicy leaf that will bend under pressure; when challenges come it will not break apart. This is sobriety.

How is it achieved? Well, the concept of sobriety is not unique to Twelve Step but for most people who are seeking alcohol recovery it is found within the Twelve Step...program. And the program examines a number of areas of life that create sobriety...much more than not drinking. Much more than abstinence. Indeed, if you only wanted abstinence you would only need to apply the First Step...not the Twelve Steps!

As I have said in earlier articles, the program that is used to create and sustain sobriety involves a number of concepts. Let’s look at then in the order they are presented:

Admittance (Step One) - We start to recover or heal when we are willing to admit that there’s something wrong. If a person is unwilling to face their particular issue it is next to impossible to help them.

Discover a God...as we understand him (Steps Two and Three) It is amazing to think that A.A. proclaimed, over sixty years ago, such a freeing and open concept. Our God, Higher Power or Source need not be religious. The Twelve Step program does not belong to any one religion or denomination, it is absent of any dogma or creed, and in this powerful sense it is seen to be a spiritual program.

Cleaning House (Step Four – Step Nine) Long before physicians and therapists began to talk about Wellness Programs, A.A. felt that it was necessary to direct alcoholics, who wished to recover, to free themselves of unhealthy attitudes or behaviors that were related to their drinking escapades. The arguments, lies, manipulations, sarcasm, violence...all need to be ‘cleaned up’ so that a new spiritual journey of living can begin. And it is certainly true that a new freedom is experienced when sincere amends are made and forgiveness is experienced. It just simply feels good.

The Journey Continues (Steps Ten and Eleven) Most addictions, personality defects and life challenges cannot be removed permanently; it’s not like a flu-germ that we can get rid of. Also The Twelve Step program, again ahead of it’s time, saw the value of utilizing prayer and meditation in the on-going healing process. Today, statistical surveys suggest that people who pray on a regular basis or engage in the art of meditation are more serene, healthy and at peace in their world. A.A. was suggesting this years ago! Wellness is recovery and recovery surely requires wellness.

A Spiritual Awakening (Step Twelve) The last principal that is reflected in The Twelve Step program suggests that after practicing the
principals of

(a) Admittance,
(b) Discovering a God...as we understand Him,
(c) Cleaning House,
(d) Continuing the Journey

...we then experience a spiritual awakening. Something happens to us; we recognize that we have changed, we feel better, we are living (in all areas of our lives) the spiritual life. And this experience we need to share in service. The recovery paradox is affirmed:

If you want to keep a thing then you must be willing to give it away!

I’ve been connected with sobriety for over thirty years. For me it is a much deeper concept than abstinence and it has surely changed my life; a miracle.