TorquoiseB writes snipped: Everyone I've ever met who seemed to be enlightened or close to it was, above all, comfortable being themselves. Some people think that this is an attribute of enlightenment, something that happens *after* realization, one of the "perks" of enlightenment. These days, I tend to believe instead that being comfortable with one's self is one of the prerequisites of enlightenment.
TomT: After 15 years on the spiritual path I ended up in an Alanon group and consider myself to be still a part of that group also, 18 years later. What was not apparent at the beginning of working the 12 steps is that you do end up just learning to be OK with the hand that was dealt. It seems like the initial focus is to nip and tuck but it does come down to moving on from denial to acceptance and finally awareness of how much that has been denied can only finally be healed by looking at it and loving it all. It is your hand, play it. The steps can be broken into three groups first four are awareness and movement from denial. second four are action to own what your are, last four are total acceptance of who you are while you figure out how you might love all those unloved pieces of your life. Tom
