Many people begin recovery and do not know what spirituality is even though those in 12-step meetings talk about it and others talk openly about their relationship with their higher power. What does this mean for you? If you are not a religious person, an understanding of spirituality can be confusing. If you are religious, you might already have an idea of what spirituality looks like.

The difference between religion and spirituality is this. Religion is a set of beliefs and practices typically associated with God, as one defines God. Spirituality is a search for meaning in life and to experience something, maybe a power, greater than yourself. Religion is practiced by many but spirituality is defined by you based on your experiences. Spirituality gives you purpose, love, and perspective through connections with others.

Spirituality is important in recovery because there was probably a loss of spirituality or no spirituality at all while you were using. Your addiction kept you away from the things that were important such as family or other things outside of yourself. Recovery allows us the opportunity to connect on a spiritual level once again to the areas of life that were lost to addiction.

Spirituality can provide choice by exploring our purpose and meaning in life. The choices you made during your addiction are all about using. Addiction keeps you from choosing anything but the addiction. It also takes away your ability to change and grow as a person. We are unable to be our true selves when we are addicted. Our connections to others was also about using and our addiction. It is difficult to connect to others that are outside your addiction.

Were there ever times during your addiction that you experienced the beauty of the world around you? The answer is probably not. Did you ever watch a sunset during your addiction? Again, probably not. There is so much that spirituality can give you during recovery that is not found in drinking alcohol or doing drugs.

In recovery, get in touch with your spirituality again. Celebrate what you are grateful for and experience the wonders of your life. Connect to family members again and take an ordinary moment and make it extraordinary by this connection. Redefine yourself and what recovery means to you and experience it!