Namaji: Pride, Dignity, Honor, Respect

Pride, Dignity, Honor, Respect: First toward myself, then toward others, then toward all of the Universe. This Ojibway concept is strikingly similar to the Yogic principle of Ahimsa, non-harming. With life in general, I hear most of us struggle with anything to do with self-love. Those of us recovering from addiction seem to encounter a monumental battle with self-love, self-esteem, self-pride, ….. There is a great emphasis on love of others without due energy to love of self. Why?

Personally, my journey has taken me directly to my relationship with my Higher Power, my God, my Divinity. Regardless of our affiliation with an organized religion or a personal Spirituality, I have found it necessary to develop a very personal relationship with my Divinity. Recently in my home, there have been several discussions regarding the definition of a “personal relationship”. Direct reference to the terminology would point me to a person. Hmmm? How then to I personify Divinity? Yikes! Am I getting in over my head? Absolutely. Way over my head. Then I will leave my head and enter my heart. I will enter a virtual unknown space. Aha! A space! Have I created a space for my Divinity? Ssssshhhh. I will have to be very still to enter that space.

Recovery and yoga provides us with a direction to this space. Each requires honest identification of the stuff that is occupying the space which has locked me out of my Devine contents. Each requires painful inventory of the stuff in this space. As I take the responsibility to sort through the stuff in this space, I can literally clean it out and come to know Who lives in residence here. Talk about a journey in to the unknown. Yet, slowly and with persistency, I begin to find the space for honor of self; a place for glimpses of dignity; hints of pride; opportunities for respect. With courage, the support of a loving community, and a purposeful direction, the journey unfolds and the discoveries are experienced. This is personal and leads to the restful waters of sanity, sobriety, ease, and stability.