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Should Indians attend AA?
or rely on their own teachings/traditions?
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These are compatible...
The Wellbriety movement started by Mohican Don Coyhis through his White Bison Organization combines 12 Step with Tradition. That is the best way to go about this. I am a certified drug and alcohol counselor who works many folks including those in the Native population. We have much better success incorporating tradition with Bill Wilson's 12 Step philosophy.
from White Bison:
The Wellbriety Movement
The Wellbriety movement was born with Hoop Journey I in 1999 and is carried through each succeeding Hoop Journey. During Hoop Journey I, the many Wellbriety Days presentations that took place at the Tribal colleges on the Hoop Journey showed what Wellbriety could be. Each local community shared what it meant to them. The birth of the Wellbriety Movement on Hoop Journey I was also the birth of the grassroots Firestarters program.
Firestarters Circles are made up of Native and non Native people in their own communities who work the Medicine Wheel and the 12 Steps program of sobriety, recovery and cultural healing with the help of learning videos for both men and women. They are people who use the White Bison book The Red Road to Wellbriety to learn how to heal in a cultural way. They learn about the traditional Red Road Journey, also known as being in the Good Mind. They meet in talking circles together and learn how to bring appropriate ceremony and their local traditional ways into their own healing journeys. There are now more than 350 Firestarters Circles throughout Turtle Island.
Culture is Healing
The Wellbriety movement teaches that culture is prevention of chemical dependency and other dysfunctional behaviors. It utilizes the Daughters of Tradition prevention program to help girls avoid negative behaviors before they start. Likewise, it utilizes the Sons of Tradition Program for boys and young men to bring preventative attitudes and behaviors to young Native Americans.
The Wellbriety Movement makes use of the Healing Forest Model and its many different practices. This means that elements of sobriety, recovery and community healing, which are often treated separately, are welcomed into the great Circle of Wellbriety. So, for example, Recovery, Treatment, Intervention and Prevention are not separate and unrelated parts of healing from chemical dependency. In the Wellbriety Movement they are all just doors that a person can walk through to enter his or her own healing process. Once you walk through any one door, you are interconnected to the other three. All must be worked on simultaneously.Last edited by Plenty Fox; 12-07-2004, 07:20 PM.Damme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.
The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."
The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!
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interesting, thx for sharing. im sincere.
motsComment
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Damme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.
The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."
The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!
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Hi my name is Danielle and im a pw'er.com aholic. Is there a place i can seek help? ayez. I'm kidding......anywho
Well you see, what ever will help you be healthy mentally and physically is a good thing. whether its AA or your own traditions. I'm thinking that most Urban Natives dont have thier traditions (didnt grow up with them) to keep them sober so if AA will do it then right on. Ive seen some skins in Seattle living on the streets...its really hard to see them like that but some do find it in themselves to seek help as in AA.(¯`·._.·`*CeDaR RoSe*`·._.·´¯)Comment
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Yep, it's sad to see our 'estranged' urban brothers and sisters. I went to a 'talking circle' put on by the County Alcohol and Drug Department. Most of the attendees were individuals out on a two hour pass from residential treatment for the sole purpose of group therapy AND almost all hadn't been near a rez their entire lives, nor were they raised in the traditions. Very sad. The group session was the closest they came to connecting with being Native. You can feel the loss, the disenfranchisement, the shame (their perception of having something to be ashamed of) in the room. For many, the 'circle' was part of a court order--get treatment or get put in the can. Heartbreaking.Originally posted by this1ndnchicDamme ape’semmai, "Andabichidaiboonee’ gimmadu’i.Wihyu memme hainjinee’ nahandu’i. Enne wizha sudei’ tsaangu mabizhiahkande," mai.
The Creator said, "A foreign race of white people will come, who will become your friends. You should treat them well."
The Creator sure had a strange sense of humor!
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My dad is a recovering alcoholic..hes been sober for almost 15 yrs...he attends AA on a regular basis and has even founded the AA group on my reserve....he doesnt only use this..he uses the traditional teachings as well..
I think that its up to the individual ..they have to find the program which works best for them..and then stick to it..Happiness is like peeing your pants, everyone can see it, but only you can feel the warmth
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lots of prayers to all that have been going through alcohol problems, its hard, what ever helps right.In the power to change yourself is the power to change the world around you
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Pws.com Addicts
:Chatter...ummm we have a pws.com addicts thread here..if you're interested! LMAO.. ummmm but it got shuffled to the "49 Forum" cuz it got dutty! LMAO :TongueOriginally posted by this1ndnchicComment
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should they attend?
they should go regardlessComment
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I cant go in the '9....lol its too dutty. Maybe i'll just put 1986 for my year of birth.LOLOriginally posted by Burberrilish(¯`·._.·`*CeDaR RoSe*`·._.·´¯)Comment
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Originally posted by Burberrilish
Hmmm Really??:rofl2:Why doesnt tht surprise me..j/k:D
*Kalilsha*
If the sun refused to shine, I would still be loving u
When mountains crumble to the sea, there will still be u an me..
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"we do not wish to engage in controversy, neither endorse nor oppose any causes"
Thanks for all the replies, thats it for me:)Comment
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My sentiments exactly! :clapping:Originally posted by cutemiaComment
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In my opinion, Indians ought attend AA meetings. Although most are structored. Traditional, YES IMO. VA system has alcohol treatment programs for veterans.Mostly on going all the time. From the vet's attending it seems a good program. Seems like every VA hospitial addresses drug abuse, and alcohol abuse. I don't drink, so never have been tapped for those programs.The law enforcement people insist that treatment as such be given DWI's. My motherin law was so chosen. She met an indian,at the facility that rendered an original "protection to those that enter the Tipi," for my son.He still has it from many years ago. It to me is striking. This was a state facility that both attended(Motherinlaw and Indian.) She is gone now for several years. Don't know about the indian. There seems to me to be a lot of secret information discussed at AA. Only those in attendance know it.Never been so don't know.!!IMO GESComment
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