Topic of the Week: Seven Deadly sins

[caressa]

SEVEN DEADLY SINS

These considerations were taken from pages 48, 49, 66 & 67 of the Twelve and Twelve

The bold type presents definitions from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.



PRIDE: An over high opinion of oneself; exaggerated self-esteem; conceit, arrogance, vanity, self-satisfaction.



1)Have I been so proud that I've been scorned (disrespected) as abraggar(bragger)?

2)Have I acted prideful, consciously or unconsciously out of fear?

3)Have I used pride to justify my excesses in my sex conduct?

4)Do I like to feel and act superior to others?



GREED: Excessive desire for acquiring or having; desire for more than one needs or deserves.



1)Have I been so greedy that I've been or could be labeled a thief?

2)Do I long for the possessions of others out of fear of not getting enough?

3)Do I let greed masquerade as ambition?



LUST: To feel an intense desire, especially sexual desire; to long: after or for.



1)Have I been lustful enough to rape, if not physically what about in my mind?

2)Do I fear I will never have the sex relations I need?

3)Do I have sex excursions that have been dressed up in dreams or delusions of romance?



ANGER: A strong feeling excited by a real or supposed injury; often accompanied by a desire to take vengeance, or to obtain satisfaction from the offending party; resentment; wrath.



1)Have I been angry enough to murder?

2)Do I get angry out of fear when my instinctive demands are threatened?

3)Have I enjoyed self-righteous anger in the fact that many people annoy me and that makes me superior to them?

4)Have I enjoyed gossiping as a polite form of murder by character assassination?



GLUTTONY: One who eats too much. One with a great capacity for something; as, a glutton for work.



1)Have I been gluttonous enough to ruin my health?

2)Do I grab for everything I can, fearing I'll never have enough?

3)Do I bury myself in my work, hobbies or activities?



ENVY: To resent another for excellence or superiority in any way, and to be desirous of acquiring it.



1)Do I agonized over the chronic (persistent or recurring) pain of envy?

2)Does seeing the ambitions of others materialize make me fear that mine haven't?

3)Do I suffer from never being satisfied with what I have?

4)Have I spent more time wishing for what others have than working towards them?



SLOTH: Disinclination to action or labor; sluggishness; habitual indolence; laziness, idleness; slowness; delay.



1)Have I been paralyzed by sloth?

2)Do I get alarmed with fear at the prospect of work?

3)Do I work hard with no better motive than to be secure and slothful later on?

4)Do I loaf and procrastinate?

5)Do I work grudgingly and under half steam?

[caressa]

Many of these when I look at them are not as bad as they use to be, others still need lots of work, while others are just okay in today.

One that I am fighting at the moment is 'sloth' be it no energy to do, no motivation, and going with the thought, tomorrow is another day. As they say, procrastination is a 5 syllabol word for sloth.

Everything seems an effort. I thought with no swelling and no pain, I would have more energy, but it is worse instead of better. Hopefully, the body is in transition and changing and this too shall pass.

The Cymbalta is suppose to help with fibromyalgia. It helps with the pain but seems to have triggered fatigue and loss of memory.

I guess when I get really honest about it, I want a quick fix and thngs to be all better. Enough is enough, I want the pain to ALL go away and that isn't going to happen.

I think expectations should be the 8th deadly sin!

[caressa]

Osho says that greed is being other than where you are in the moment. A different way of saying, "The grass is greener on the other side of the fence."

My drug of choice was always more. One or two were not concepts that I understood. It was always two or more. Some is good, more is better. Always looking for that instant gratification, looking for something outside of myself to make me feel better.

Recognizing when enough is enough. Turning the thinking over to my Higher Power. Asking for help to change and as they say, "Nothing changes if nothing changes." If you have a greedy addict and he gets clean, you still have a greedy person who needs to have that spiritual change in his attitude.

[caressa]

A long time since I felt 'lust' although there was a time when it was always on my mind. I lived my life through my relationships and I lived to make them happy. I thought it was my job to keep them happy and content and in return, it was there job to return the favour. Only it didn't work out that way. It was pretty sick thinking. Two needy people together makes for a very sick relationship.

[rhawnie]

Just wanted to say that I find this article very interesting Caressa. You seem to know yourself extremely well but are maybe just a bit too hard on yourself. Don't beat yourself up just because you're not perfect. You are so open and honest about yourself and I find that to be commendable. I know I'm certainly not perfect but I do the best I can every day from when I open my eyes and thank God for a new day until I close them at night, grateful for having been blessed with that day. I've been ever so thankful for each and every day now since I had a bad asthma attack and went into respiratory failure and nearly died 1 1/2 years ago. Anyway Caressa, I think you sound like a very good person and I will pray that you not be too hard on yourself but thank you for giving me this insight into the "Seven Deadly sins". Luv Rhawnie

[caressa]

Thank you for sharing. All we can do is try to be the best 'me' we can be in today. You are right, I do take myself to task for not living up to my expectations. I am much better than I use to be, it is something God and I are still working on.

[caressa]

Just read all the questions under anger and cringed. My answer was "Yes" to all of the above.

I never felt anger enough to be able to let it go. It didn't make itelf known until I was 7 years in the program. Some was buried so deep that it took a long time to surface. My counselor said, "If you don't feel anger you should. You have a lot to be angry about."

When I got angry, it was often compounded interest because I hadn't let go of the past. You done me wrong, and I may forgive but I won't forget! Sure suicide and a way of keeping yourself sick.

I still get memories after 20 years. The nice thing is that I have the tools to deal with it.

[caressa]

For anger check the post that I brought forward on this topic.

eor.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Tiger&action=display&thread=1800&page=1

[caressa]

Gluttony was the story of my life. I always wanted more. More alcohol and pills, more affection and attention, more food and anything else that I thought would make me feel better. I could stop an enough, I had to have more. I had to turn this feeling over to my HP.

Even in recovery, I had to have more. More meetings, more sponsors, more knowledge, more atention, etc.

Whenever I have extra money, I often use it to stock my pantry. I realized that I had a fear of doing without and not having faith that my God will see me through. Buying without needing it isn't really saving money.

Wanting more, even though you have enough to be comfortable, shows me that I am missing something spiritually.

[caressa]

Sloth is another word for procrastination.

My father told me I was born lazy. I never really tried too hard to prove him wrong. The only time I tried was when I wanted something for me.

I just don't notice things. I always say, "I dust it when I see it is dirty." I don't look too hard. Today I came into my apartment and my friend had swept the floor, moved some things around and I didn't even notice. Things like that are just not important to me.

[caressa]

Looks like I skipped envy. I read a line early tonight in one of the readings, "Not wanting to be envied" and realized I had really thought of it in those terms. That would go back to the old days of looking for approval, needing validation and affirmation from others.

Don't have much in this world as far as material things go. What I do have, thanks to recovery are gifts that are priceless.

Sometimes I get into the "Wanna Bees" or thinking I don't have enough and need more, forgetting that God supplies my needs, over and above that they are wants and desires. He sometimes meetings those too!

[majestyjo]

Always good for me to review.