Introduction
“Alcohol and drugs are detrimental to your happiness. They obliterate the real joy and intelligence of your soul. Even one drink may start a permanent habit, because there may be such a tendency already imbedded in your subconsciousness from past lives.” – Yogananda
Alcohol has a powerful, alluring sway, advertised in sparkling beauty and presented as an elegant, sophisticated pastime. When we consume this magical substance, in a short time, anxieties, fears, and worries are gone, replaced by a calm sense of confident self-satisfaction. Is it any wonder people are drawn to alcohol, in a world where fear abounds? We are afraid of interacting with other people, of financial insecurity, of loneliness, of sickness, of death. We are afraid of success, of failure, and there is the lurking sensation at present, that we are sleepwalking into a great cataclysm of one kind or another.
But when alcohol floods our system, the connections between brain and body slow down, reducing fear, anxiety and worry, placing us in a psychological and physiological space of calm acceptance. If only there were no side effects!
Unfortunately the negative and spiritually damaging consequences of alcohol use far outweigh its short-term relief. This substance does untold damage to the person who abuses it.
Yogananda taught that the three greatest delusions in human life are money, wine, and sex, because they are, “The most addictive to the mind…they dull the sensibilities, and cloud and confuse the mind” This is especially true of alcohol, wherein we see that the drinker becomes confused and mentally dull.
If you have struggled with alcohol or find you are unable to stop drinking, most likely this is a habit carried over from past lives. Spiritual seekers, in early life, may be drawn to alcohol (and other drugs) since it offers an alternate form of consciousness, an escape from mundane reality, which is what we are seeking after all, in Self-realization. But whereas alcohol leads to a dreary low-energy state, the spiritual path leads to an uplifted, high energy state of consciousness.
A Story
One student of Yogananda wanted to follow the teachings, but was unsure what he was allowed and not allowed to do. Here is the conversation (paraphrased).
Yogananda: “Do you smoke cigarettes?”
Student: “Yes”
Yogananda: “Well, you may continue. Do you drink alcohol?”
Student: “Yes”
Yogananda: “Ok, you may continue. Do you have relations with women?”
Student: “Yes”
Yogananda: “Then you may continue.”
Student: “Ok…” (looks a little puzzled)
(Pause)
Yogananda: “However, as you follow these teachings, I cannot promise that you will want to continue doing these things.”
I love this story. The Master did not tell him he must stop, that these things are harmful, or that they are destructive to spiritual growth. He simply told him, follow the teachings and all these things will fall away.
Why alcohol is a problem for spiritual seekers
The spiritual path becomes more painful
Alcohol use is problematic for anyone who drinks it, whether they know it or not, but once you are on the spiritual path, a whole new problem arises. The practice of meditation and Kriya Yoga purifies your consciousness, and you get a taste of what peace feels like. Descending back into the spiral of alcohol use seems to make us feel even worse than before, as we have now grasped a feeling of true peace and freedom, from a higher plane.
It can affect your social circle and therefore your own energy
Drinking attracts you to a type of person that is also fond of drinking, and you may find yourself hanging around in drinking circles. People who drink a lot tend to have lower energy and duller minds. Satsang or fellowship is considered to be one of the most important aspects of the spiritual path. You become like the people you associate with so be very careful who you spend time with. Heavy drinking will place you in environments which are not conducive to spiritual growth, and with people who lower your energy.
Reawakens dark karmas and samskars
Meditation and the spiritual path propels us into the future. It helps to burn up karma and can even help you avoid problems that might otherwise have been in your path. Having the blessings of a true Guru like Yogananda can protect you from the seeds of karma you have sown in previous lives. But alcohol does the reverse. It takes you out of the Divine realm of the Guru and outside of his protection. Instead it can regress you back to a karmic past, or reawaken negative karmas that will involve suffering and pain. In a worst case scenario, these choices may be irreversible. People have made choices in a drunken state that have completely changed the path of their life.
Reduces natural joy and self-control
Alcohol floods the neural circuit with dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter related to pleasure. Dr Shanti Rubenstone says that, “The over stimulation of this system produces the euphoric effects sought by people who abuse drugs and teaches them to repeat the behavior.” As a result the brain produces less dopamine on its own, and therefore the alcohol user feels depressed and lifeless until he takes another drink. This painful cycle is what leads to addiction and self-control becomes considerably more difficult.
Dulls awareness
Your awareness is one of the most important gifts you have and is a key to the spiritual path. Without it, you become insensitive to the reality of what is going on inside of you, to your own feelings and intuition. So it means you will be out of touch with yourself, that you won’t be able to make wise choices, and you won’t be able to tune into other people’s realities either. Awareness is tuning in to what is really going on in the present moment, and with continued alcohol use, that awareness grows dull.
Tips to stop drinking
Here are a few tips to help you stop drinking alcohol and focus your energies on the spiritual path.
Follow the teachings
As in the above story, the most important aspect is to follow the teachings as laid out by Yogananda. Meditate twice a day, do the techniques, learn kriya yoga, pray, and join others in Satsang. This, in itself, is one of the most powerful things you can do to overcome alcohol addiction.
Admit it’s a problem
If you have tried quitting but can’t; if you find it hard to stop once you’ve started; if you find your life gets subtly worse when you drink, then the best place to start is by just admitting that it’s a problem and that you need support. When I finally realised this, it was actually very liberating. When I broke down all that self-deception and said, “I need help” I was already half way there, because for most of us, that’s the hardest step.
Seek support
For me, it meant joining a group of people who were in recovery and were committed to staying sober; for someone else it might mean speaking to a friend, getting a therapist, or going to rehab. There are many ways to seek support, but the important thing is that you don’t try and do it alone. And you don’t need to be a full blown alcoholic to get support!
Spiritual solutions
An important step on the journey of recovery is embracing a higher power and asking/praying for help and guidance. On this path, we are lucky because the spiritual aspect comes easily to us. For many people this is a huge obstacle. Ask God and Guru to guide you, to keep you sober today, and to help you keep your wellness and your clarity of mind.
Quitting drinking is just the first step
The most important part of sobriety is not putting down the drink. It’s learning how to live your life without alcohol, so that you can face life on life’s terms, and never have the need to pick up a drink again. Some of the most important aspects of the sober life are prayer, meditation, service, and daily inventories, where we review our day, and admit where we were wrong.
I have not succeeded yet
Be sure never to think of yourself as bad or a sinner or a failure. If alcohol has you under its spell, you are dealing with a cunning and powerful foe. If you slip, pick yourself back up and say to yourself, “I just have not succeeded yet. I will get there; with the help of God and Guru, I will quit this painful habit.” Don’t give into failure consciousness. Yogananda said “The greatest sin is to call yourself a sinner.”
Final word
Many people think that once they quit drinking, all of their problems will magically disappear and they will live happily ever after. Unfortunately, that is not quite how it goes. Instead you have to start again, to relearn how to live without the crutch of alcohol. You have to face up to all you’ve been hiding from, burying, and shovelling into the closets. It isn’t easy, but once you stop, you begin to find you feel more joy in the simple things, your relationships heal, your meditation becomes deeper, your finances become easier to manage; fear, although still present, becomes manageable. Challenges come, and instead of hiding, you can confront them. In fact, many people who were addicts and alcoholics make rapid progress once on the spiritual path, if they can redirect their energies to God and Guru. Every AA meeting ends with the serenity prayer, so I’ll leave you with these powerful words to reflect on.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
This Post Has 5 Comments
A really excellent article Surya. Thank you for your wisdom and honesty 🙏
God Calms my Thinking to Accept what I cannot Change (the past)
Courage to Let go and Let God Now,
And Wisdom to Know, to Realise the Difference,
In my Thinking, my Altered Attitude.
Surya, this is such a thoughtful, insightful reflection on why we are drawn to use mind-altering substances and their effect on our spiritual development. I especially appreciate your loving, non-judgmental tone. Thank you.
Dear Surya, I came here after reading your other article, ” Meditation & ADHD”, both are really well written and inspiring – thank you so much for your openess & sharing this very personal stories of yours! Beside this, I, too, like the above talk between a disciple and Yogananda very much; it is indeed one of my favorites. Yes, “Follow the teachings and all these things will disappear by themselves”. – Also, this dialogue says so much about how broadminded and unconditionally loving Master is!
Thank you Jaykumar. Glad you found it helpful. Yes we just have to follow these teachings, do our kriyas, and all these things can fall away. Jai Guru.