Walking the Road of Freedom

In recovery, one of the most powerful shifts we experience comes from realizing that true freedom doesn’t come from our attempts to control the conditions of life, but from developing an ability to observe those conditions without being ruled by them.

In recovery, we speak of unmanageable lives - the feeling we might experience of being pushed and pulled by conditions seemingly beyond our control. The more unmanageable our lives become, the more we try to exert our will - and the cycle continues. The Buddha offered many teachings, particularly the principles of 'impermanence' and 'no-self', that we may want to apply. He taught that the conditions in which we find ourselves, just like our own perceptions of "self", are undergoing continuous change - and in that very change lies the potential for liberation.

Letting Go of Control with the Buddha

The Buddha taught us that everything in life is impermanent (anicca). This idea of impermanence can be a real eye-opener for those of us in recovery. We learn that shame, regret, pain, anger, jealousy, or any of the other negative states in which we may find ourselves are not permanent states. They arise, they stay for some time, and then they pass. By recognizing and acknowledging the impermanence of these and of all things, we can begin to let go of our attachments to these experiences and the dominance they may have over us.

This detachment, though, doesn’t mean numbness or indifference. It is merely the awareness of the transient nature of the qualities of life - which in turn allows for a greater freedom. Instead of fighting every urge or negative emotion, we have the opportunity to observe these urges or emotions as passing clouds - allowing them to appear and pass by.

This leads us to the teaching of anatta, or no-self. In alcoholism or addiction, we often cling to a particular sense of self—one that is usually defined by our past mistakes, regrets, or labels: “I am a failure”; “I'm no good”; or "I'll never be good enough". However, the teaching of anatta offers a more expansive view: there is no fixed, permanent self. Our identity is fluid, like a river whose flow is always changing. This means that we change just as the conditions of life change.

This is a major shift in perspective for the vast majority of us. We are not our misdeeds or our past. We are not confined to the labels we have created for ourselves and attached to. As we walk the road of recovery, we realize that our freedom doesn't lie in controlling all aspects of our lives but in recognizing that our true nature is expansive, inclusive, and a reflection of an ever-changing reality.

Our Union with Creation in the Teachings of Meister Eckhart

Eckhart’s belief that we are all a part of Creation can help us move beyond the sense of isolation that often comes with alcoholism or addiction. These conditions thrive on disconnection... disconnection from others, disconnection from ourselves, disconnection from God and from the world. As we begin to reconnect with life in recovery, we begin to realize we are not alone. Just as 'anatta' and 'anicca' teach that we do not possess a separate/independent existence and that we are always in a state of change, Eckhart reminds us that our true nature is intertwined with and inseparable from the Universe - all that is.

In this light, recovery is not simply about avoiding alcohol or substances. Recovery is about aligning with the deepest truth of who we are: beings of Creation, constantly changing, and inseparably connected with all that is. When we understand this, the challenges we encounter in life become opportunities for growth, rather than obstacles based in fear.

Freedom Beyond the Conditions in Which We Find Ourselves

True freedom is not about eliminating the challenges we encounter in life. True Freedom is about learning to move through them with grace and equanimity. Conditions of life will continue to come. In recovery, we are given an opportunity to develop the ability to observe them without falling prey to them. Rather than simply reacting out of habit, we can respond based on our measured observation.

The shift from reaction to response is at the heart of walking the road of freedom. We can create a space between feeling an emotion and acting on it, between experiencing stress and letting it dictate our behavior. It is in this space that freedom is found - freedom not from the conditions of life, but a freedom within them.

By embracing the principles of 'anicca', 'anatta', and the teachings of Meister Eckhart, we can begin to walk a road that is not defined by struggle, but by a renewing sense of peace—a peace that comes from knowing we are part of something far greater than our past - a peace that arises from knowing that, in each moment, we are free to choose how we walk this road of freedom.