Shows / Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
In this podcast, we discuss mystical works of literature, primarily Taoist text, and how they relate to alcohol recovery. Taoist Philosophy can be an excellent tool for embracing the idea of a "Higher Power." Nature offers all of the examples necessary for a concept of a source of all life, much different but yet very similar in many ways to more traditional religious thinking. Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching…
Episodes
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu - Kengs Disciple Part 2 – Forgetting What I Know!
Is sobriety like everything else? Get educated, work hard, and if you don't get it at first, double down and work even harder? Or is sobriety the opposite?…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 14 Tao Te Ching – Intuitive Knowing!
Recovery, similar to the path of virtue, can only be described. Words cannot explain the power of love; love must be experienced. Shareable link to download 23…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Enjoying the Holidays Sober!
In this episode, we discussed the tools we use to enjoy the holidays sober. For many, this is the first holiday season sober. Can we go to functions? How do we…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu - Kengs Disciple – Self Effort – Part 1!
Why is it that some of us can get sober and others cannot? Where is our effort needed? Where is our effort not required? Is it just about working harder and…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 13 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston! Is hope as dangerous as fear?
Sensei Michael Elliston shares his thoughts on the 13th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective. Good conversation about the trap of hope and how some…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 80 The Tao Te Ching – Contentment!
Where do we find lasting contentment? We discussed how our search for contentment must turn inward and that one of the first steps of looking inward is…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 81 The Tao Te Ching – Emptiness!
Why does giving make way for us to receive? Can we live empty of judgment and ego so we can be the mirror for our friends to see solutions to their perceived…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Keng Sang Chu – The Sage Dwells in the Fruit Not the Husk!
We learn in recovery that we change from the inside out. When we try to satisfy life from the outside inward, this story is the result. We saw the problem in…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 12 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston!
Sensei Michael Elliston shares his thoughts on the 12th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective. Our outward senses can dull the sensitivity of our…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Starlight and Non-Being!
Could Non-Being be described as love? Excellent conversation concerning surrender and Step 2. Could relief come from our surrender and stopping the fight…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Where is Tao?
Where is the Tao? What is the Tao? What actions can we take to become more aware of the Tao at work in all things? All situations? All people? At work in…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Importance of Being Toothless! Freedom from Needing to Know!
This story reminds us of the gift of not having to know. This is a gift most of us never realize that we already possess. Excellent conversation! Order Sensei…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – When Knowledge Went North! Emptiness Part 2
This is a story about Knowledge seeking the Tao. The answer was not in Knowledge but in Nothingness(emptiness)—a good discussion of applying the principle of…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 11 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston! Emptiness Part 1
Sensei Michael Elliston shares his thoughts on the 10th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective. From the text, this became a conversation about…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Flight of Lin Hui – The Extraordinary is Found in the Ordinary!
This story reminds us of the paradox of truth; what gives us peace and joy is not in what we thought would give us peace and joy. What we are looking for can…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Empty Boat – Living in Emptiness!
The empty boat is a story that has been mused by many. Today we discuss how this story relates to recovery and how to apply these principles in our everyday…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – When The Shoe Fits – Another Example of Wu Wei!
This story brought out another discussion of wu wei – effortless effort. How free we become when we stop trying to control what we think keeps us from being…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Woodcarver – Surrendering Your Way to the Place of Rest!
Incredible discussion of how to surrender your way to that place of rest, that place of calmness and serenity as seen in the serenity prayer; God grant me the…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Fighting Cock – Learning How To Be Free of Fear!
Why do we fight? Are we fighting because we are afraid? "The chief activator of our defects has been self-centered fear – primarily fear that we would lose…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Sacrificial Swine – The Achievement Trap!
Many of us fall for the idea that outer success will bring us the inner success we crave. This story reinforces the fact that true achievement comes from…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Need to Win – the Need to Win Causes Us to lose – Not Win!
How do we stay in the moment, enjoy the journey, and surrender expectations? If this is one of your struggles, you will enjoy this conversation! Order Sensei…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Wholeness – Resting in the Hidden Place!
Another story showing us the path of unlearning – resting in the eternal, hidden place of no-place. This story also brought out the dynamic of alcohol being a…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 10 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston!
Sensei Michael Elliston and special guest Seigstsu Roger Cochran, aka Dr. Cochran, share their thoughts on the 10th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Symphony of a Sea Bird – Acceptance!
"The road to hell is paved with good intentions" is a phrase we have heard often. When we refuse to accept what is, we try to fix and change people, places…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Perfect Joy – Is It Possible to Have a Fulfilled Life?
This story addresses the age-old question, "What is it that will make me fulfilled?" An excellent discussion of how we seek outwardly for what will bring…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 9 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston!
Sensei Michael Elliston shares his thoughts on the 9th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective. The desire for more and how to determine when a…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Joy of Fishes – Does Fear Produce Happiness?
Are our fears keeping us from being happy? An excellent discussion of how our fears and resistance bend our path of love. This bending keeps happiness out of…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Owl and Phoenix – The Illusion of Fear!
At first, I thought this story was more about the deception that desire brings into our lives. After our discussion, I believe this story is more about fear…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Turtle – Paradox of True Happiness!
What makes us happy? What is your definition of happiness? Does outward success bring happiness? Or, do I have to look within, regardless of my outward…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Alan Watts – The Unblocked Mind Part 2 You are the Boulder!
We completed reviewing a transcript today of an episode of the podcast, The Alan Watts Audio Experience titled, "The Mind Will Do What It Wants". A very good…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 8 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston!
Sensei Michael Elliston shares his thoughts on the 8th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective. Much discussion around the water analogy and Zen…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Alan Watts – The Unblocked Mind
We started reviewing a transcript today of an episode of the podcast, The Alan Watts Audio Experience titled, "The Mind Will Do What It Wants". We started an…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Man of Tao
Another description of learning to be the witness to life; allowing the Tao to work in our lives without obstruction. Contact us at Wisdom56321@gmail.com Order…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Great and Small – Looking for your gift to give instead of comparing your gifts to those of others!
Fantastic conversation! We see in this reading how we can approach compliments with humility and yet miss the mark with envy. Contact us at…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 7 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston!
Sensei Michael Elliston shares his thoughts on the 7th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective. Much discussion around the idea of fulfilling our…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Autumn Floods – Finding a Way to Give!
This story not only shows the need for humility but how humility is found. The story then shows us a description of enlightenment and not to take ourselves so…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Duke Hwan and the Wheelwright!
What makes words valuable? Is it the words themselves or the experience being conveyed within the words? How important is it to view text with open-mindedness?…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Action and Non-Action; Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!
What is stillness? How do we really apply wu wei in everyday life? Contact us at Wisdom56321@gmail.com Join our private Facebook group and continue the…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 6 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston!
Sensei Elliston shares his thoughts on the 6th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective. Much discussion about the feminine verse the masculine parts…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – When A Hideous Man and The Five Enemies!
These stories reminded us of how our perceptions are always incorrect; what we think is normally distorted by our fears and hopes. We lose our true nature when…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – When Life Was Full There Was No History – Living Life in the Moment!
This story was an example of how to live in the moment, free of the swings in emotions and hooks that keep us trapped. We also discussed how anger becomes the…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – In My End Is My Beginning!
Your new beginning can be found in EVERY ending! What a promise! The question for me is if I can slow down – pause – and allow the new beginning time to show…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 5 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston
Craig M. prepared great questions this week for Sensei on verse 5. Sensei Elliston shares his thoughts on the 5th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Lost Pearl!
We search everywhere for what we think will make us happy. If we are fortunate, we find that we had what we were really in need of all along. That is, if we…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – How Deep Is Tao!
More discussion of the characteristics of someone practicing the kingly life, living in "the way" or "the Tao." The Tao thrives in stillness. What are the ways…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The Kingly Man!
The kingly man is content in all things. We saw this as another example of Wu Wei – learning to live in the moment, with no agenda or selfish motives. We also…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 4 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston
Sensei leads us in meditation training with a short meditation. He then shares his thoughts on the 4th verse of the Tao Te Ching from a Zen perspective…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Leaving Things Alone!
The title says it all. Another view of the Wu Wei from a slightly different angle. How do we not interfere, allow, stay in balance, be at rest, be human, be…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – What Would a Taoist Pray and Cracking the Safe!
Before our discussion of this story, we discussed prayer - what we thought a Taoist would pray. Concerning the story, we talked about how our fears keep us…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Two Kings and No-Form!
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. A good discussion of how difficult it is to let go and let God. The more we try to fix and control, the bigger…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Monkey Mountain!
I want to thank Craig M. for filling in as host. A listener, Devin P, requested this story, which was close to the end of the book, so we moved it up. After an…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Man is Born in Tao!
Excellent discussion on the Moral of this story: "All the fish needs is to get lost in water. All man needs is to get lost in Tao." How do you get lost in Tao?…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Acceptance in Unacceptable Situations!
Are our actions different when there is a situation we can change versus a situation we cannot change? Or are our actions, in reality, the same? The emphasis…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Zach E. and Buddy C. Convo – Gospel of Thomas verses 5 - 7
In this episode, Zach E. and Buddy C. discuss verses five through seven of the Gospel of Thomas. We use rules to debate and stay trapped in self and be…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Metamorphosis – Where is There a Reason to Be Discouraged?
Great discussion today! We saw gratitude from looking at what is, leading to acceptance as the theme of this story. Why should I be upset? Contact us at…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Verse 3 Tao Te Ching Discussion with Sensei Elliston
Through pure and selfless action, we can practice not doing (not doing selfish action). Sensei was running late today, so we had time for a good discussion…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – The True Man – Easy Come Easy Go!
An example of a life that is lived by the Tao. We discussed our daily routines; how we connect spiritually every day, including our meditation routines…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Zach E. and Buddy C. Convo – Gospel of Thomas verses 1 - 4
In this episode, Zach E. and Buddy C. discuss the first four verses of the Gospel of Thomas. An excellent discussion of the process of seeking, finding, being…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Confucious and the Madman – The Value of Uselessness!
An excellent discussion of the paradox of uselessness in all areas of our life. A very in-depth discussion on the role of a sponsor and how to be useless in…
- Tao of Our understanding Alcohol Recovery Podcast
Chuang Tzu – Lao Tzu's Wake - Let go of What Is Dead and Embrace What Is Being Born!
Our discussion included acceptance and the life cycle. Everything in our lives at some phase of birth – life- death, etc. The key is to learn to let go of what…