Lektion 1
Fear
We look at root causes of fears, which include past experiences, present circumstances, and future concerns. We recognize harmful actions taken when overcome by fearfulness, and we make a commitment to take contrary and healthy actions moving forward so that fear cannot control our way of being in the world.
Lektion 2
Loneliness
We look at loneliness as a cause of isolation which leads to inferiority and dependency. We examine where loneliness comes from and how to be part of healthy-minded communities or groups. We learn to ask for help when we need it. And we learn to cultivate contentment and peacefulness whether we are alone or not.
Lektion 3
Despair
We learn what wrecks our heart and what makes us despondent. We examine how darkness, hopelessness, and forfeiture accompany despair. We learn to overcome despair by cultivating inner reserves of gratitude and hopefulness, regardless of outer circumstances.
Lektion 4
Unhappiness
We examine our childhood, teenage years, and adulthood to look for patterns that outline when we have been unhappy. We pinpoint details and similarities around these occurrences; we draw parallels to see how unhappiness and sorrow manifest; and we learn how to use suffering as a basis for transformation. We also contemplate how unhappiness is both personal and collective.
Lektion 5
Anger
We learn how anger touches every aspect of our lives. We learn where anger is stored in the body and how to release it. We learn that resentments, grudges, and grievances are unhealthy forms of anger and create disharmony within the mind, body, and spirit. We also learn to properly embrace anger, befriend it, and make good use of it.
Lektion 6
Guilt
We look at how guilt is experienced when we do things that we know we should not do. We look at how we can feel guilty when certain things are done to us. We discuss ways to overcome guilt and how to move forward in life without guilt. We vow to no longer act in ways that we know to be incorrect or immoral.
Lektion 7
Shame
We discuss what happens when we do things against our better nature. We explore times in our lives when we knew what the right thing to do was, but we did not do it. We look at how shame is self-created and how it can also be thrust upon us by family members, co-workers, and others.
Lektion 8
Regret
We look at how to let go of things we could have done differently. We learn to trust that we will do better moving forward and no longer make similar mistakes. We talk about living life with no regrets – to leave nothing unsaid; to leave nothing behind; to extend our best and highest efforts to become our best and highest self.
Lektion 9
Rejection
We talk about what it feels like to be left behind or left out. We discuss how this brings up feelings of unworthiness, betrayal, anger, or low self-esteem. We talk about how to take right actions when rejected, and to let go of the results of these actions as an antidote to the ramifications of rejection.
Lektion 10
Stress
We talk about how illnesses are created through stress at psychological and physiological levels. We discuss how to alleviate stress by no longer living in ways that create mental, emotional, or physical suffering. We examine solutions that prevent stress and how to relieve stress if it manifests.
Lektion 11
Betrayal
We talk about how we feel when others betray us or take advantage of our trust. We discuss consequences of betrayal from others, and how we betray ourselves by not listening to our inner knowing. We discuss remedies for feelings that come after betrayal, how to rebuild individual confidence, and how to learn to trust ourselves and others.
Lektion 12
Depression
We talk about levels of sadness and hopelessness that can lead to temporary, intermediate, and prolonged states of depression. We make the connection between alcohol being a depressant and how alcoholics suffer from depression. We examine yogic practices and meditations that help us leave the darkness of depression behind forever.
Lektion 13
Inferiority
We talk about the value of comparison with others. We examine how we are unique expressions of a higher creative power or force and we are here to do specific things with specific skill sets. And we ultimately learn inferiority is not a useful concept since our lives are not comparable with the lives of others.
Lektion 14
Self-loathing
We transform thoughts of self-loathing and cultivate self-love in its place. We learn how to never go back to thinking that generates actions which can lead to self-destruction. We also investigate where self-loathing originates and travel to that place in our consciousness to heal who we were at that time.
Lektion 15
Grief
We discuss how unprocessed grief leads to addictions. We talk about the levels or stages of grief as circular rather than linear. We pinpoint moments of personal grief that may lead to addictive tendencies and how to overcome grief through creative expression, movement, and meditation.
Lektion 16
Joy
We remember times in our lives when joy was our predominant and natural state of being. We differentiate joy from similar emotions or feelings like happiness, euphoria, and bliss. We look to sacred texts for another perspective on joy. And we learn where the human body stores joy so that the mind and heart can be gladdened by this awareness.
Lektion 17
Happiness
We learn that happiness is our birthright when awareness of the present moment is intact. We discuss conditions for happiness and how gratitude engenders happiness. We see how happiness and active addiction cannot truly coexist, and we learn to consciously choose how we wish to live a life filled with happiness in recovery.
Lektion 18
Love
We learn where love resides within the body and how to open, heal, and harmonize this area. We learn about giving and receiving love. We also learn about self-love, love for others, and love for God (or a higher power of one’s own understanding).
Lektion 19
Compassion
We learn to deepen our awareness of compassion and its many benefits. We learn that compassion is to suffer with others, not to be overwhelmed by the suffering of others. We meditate on lovingkindness and how it relates to our ability to remain compassionate for ourselves and others.
Lektion 20
Curiosity
We talk about the importance of curiosity in regard to being open-minded, teachable, and childlike with our perspective. We learn how being curious about the world and others protects us from stagnancy and complacency. We learn to ask ourselves the right questions to properly engage with all dimensions of life.
Lektion 21
Contentment
We learn to be at peace with what we think we may need at any given time. We learn how to be a safe space for others when we are content with ourselves and our circumstances. We also learn that humility and simplicity are integral components of contentment.
Lektion 22
Enthusiasm
We learn what excites us about life and how this makes us feel. We learn how we become inspired at both an intuitive level of awareness and how the energy of others can also generate enthusiasm within our lives. We learn what to do with the power of enthusiasm and how to apply it to our personal purpose.
Lektion 23
Hopefulness
We learn that hope is the primal essence upon any path in recovery. We learn that hope is central to not only recovery but all worthwhile endeavors. We also learn that hope is contagious, so when others become hopeless, we can offer them our hope and it will suffice.
Lektion 24
Kindness
We learn what it means to be kind by examining the lives and sayings of those who know kindness. With reverence, we honor these people and others who have exemplified kindness throughout their lives and works. We also learn their strategies for kindness and personalize them for our lives.
Lektion 25
Thankfulness
We learn that gratefulness is the secret to inner peacefulness. We create rituals for how to meditate on gratitude. And we learn to survey our daily activities to source conditions for thankfulness so we are never without the energy of gratitude in our lives.
Lektion 26
Purposefulness
We learn that we need purpose or we may not feel we are heading in the right direction or that our life is important. We learn to figure out our individual purpose and how it fits into a collective purpose. We also learn how to align our thoughts, words, and actions to enrich and support the development and fruition of our purpose.
Lektion 27
Equanimity
We learn that calmness is necessary if we are to manage our emotions and feelings. We learn to cultivate equanimity through awareness of breath, meditation, and present-moment clarity. We learn that equanimity is established when we let go of things that no longer serve our highest good.
Lektion 28
Empathy
We learn to open our hearts to our own misery and pain so we can empathetic to the misery and pain of others. We discover that those who do the deep inner work of recovery become uniquely skilled to help others on similar paths because they have seen and overcome their own darkness and they can use their experiences to help others do the same.
Lektion 29
Oneness
We learn that we are all connected; we all have the same emotions and feelings; and we all wish for happiness and peace. We learn that we all must work together to come home to the awareness of our shared human emotionality if we are to survive and thrive together in recovery and in all areas of life.
Lektion 30
Faith
We learn that we must believe in something if we are to sustain our recovery. Whether this be God, a higher power, nature, or an inner goodness, we learn that if we do not believe or trust or have reverence for something that gives life purpose and meaning, we cannot be at peace or find autonomy or freedom.
