Sunday, January 20, 2008

Collective Prayer

I've been growing in my spirituality since beginning my journey of recovery. Recovery from many things really - anxiety medication, depression and anxiety and smoking.

Here's what I know - you have to pray. Whatever form that takes for you, "God, get me through this craving" is a simple utterance that is so effective it would be foolish not to do it.

Now, smokers meditate a lot. We go out and reflect and have an internal conversation.

Talking to so many smokers I hearing the same thing over and over again: I've been praying for something like Chantix for 10 years.

Well, it worked!

For me it seems obvious that while we created our own addiction prisons - most of us were only children who didn't understand the implications until it was too late.

But, by the same token, perhaps through collectively praying for a cure, something to help us quit effectively, we created our own cure.

We gave God the motivation to inspire whatever doctor and whatever financing it took to create our own blue miracle.

So fellow smokers - Thank You!

God, Thank You for listening to our collective prayers for freedom.

Be proud. Be grateful. Give thanks.

9 comments:

Jeff Cox said...

Tracee I love your site, and have been posting from time to time since your first Chantix post. I too have had a very big change in my life since quitting smoking. Besides being a restaurant manager, I am also a certified spinning instructor, and a soon aerobics instructor.

I really have mixed emotions about Chantix. Yes, I was able to get through the side effects of Chantix, but many cannot. It is a strong drug! It's side effects can mess people up. I was lucky that I could get through the side effects of the drug and actually quit smoking.

Wonder Drug? For me it has been

Would I try CHANTIX yes I would

Tracee Sioux, Sioux Ink: Soul Purpose Publishing said...

It may not work for everybody - but it was an answer to prayer for millions who have tried it and millions who have yet to try it

Anonymous said...

Hi, Tracee. I'm back on Chantix and struggling this second time. It's feels like starting all over. My lapse seems to have opened the proverbial can of worms. So I begin again and give thanks that Chantix is there for all of us. Feels harder this time. But then I remember that I gave birth to premature twin boys at 35 and lived to tell about it! So did they! :) Thanks for being there. Susie

Tracee Sioux, Sioux Ink: Soul Purpose Publishing said...

Susie, What is it emotionally that you don't want to give up?

Anonymous said...

I guess I could offer some deep, psychological insights-and I'm sure they'd all be true-but I mostly miss the taste. The rest of the habit is dangerous, expensive, and inconvenient. Smoking is stupid. I know. Who would volunteer to be addicted to something so pointless? I did for 35 years. Letting go isn't easy, but all I can do is try. Susie

Tracee Sioux, Sioux Ink: Soul Purpose Publishing said...

cigarettes taste generally like dirt Susie. They taste like total crap.

Think back to when you cheated and what those cigarettes tasted like.

If you're having this much trouble quitting even with the Chantix then I would say it's more than the taste. Maybe it's worth the deep psychological insights.

You don't have to share them with me - but getting honest with yourself may very well be what you need to move forward.

Author said...

Beautiful post, and I agree with you 100%. I DO thank God, almost every night, for helping get past this addiction one day at a time.

Anonymous said...

Yes. They do taste terrible. When I cheated I couldn't believe how bad they tasted. I'm thinking of how they used to taste to me when it was "ok" in my mind to smoke. It's not ok anymore and I'm not smoking and I'm taking Chantix. But I still struggle with the idea of smoking. Addiction isn't easy, but I try to move forward every day. Susie

Sherri said...

It was a miracle for me, so I join your prayer. I will still meditate, hopefully towards more things that are healthy.