Vital Spiritual Experiences in Addiction Treatment
A focus of addiction treatment at Cirque Lodge is on providing vital spiritual experiences. As a 12-step based alcohol and drug rehab, we use the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous as a basis for our recovery program. The Big Book relates a story between an alcoholic and a doctor. The doctor in giving professional advice tells the alcoholic that the exception to overcoming alcoholism is through vital spiritual experiences. It creates a huge emotional displacement and rearrangement. The guiding forces of alcohol or drug addiction (ideas, emotions and attitudes) are replaced with new concepts. At Cirque Lodge, we feel these changes come from within.
To help our residents make these internal changes, we strive to provide them with a number of opportunities to have a personal and vital spiritual experience. Our addiction treatment program consists of a number of venues for this to occur. As each individual is unique, we try to give them different opportunities to achieve such an experience. For some it can come in group, or in 12-step meetings. Others may achieve these experiences by working closely with their primary counselor. The many venues of our experiential program can also be a source for making internal changes and having spiritual experiences.
We use the mountain as an element to addiction treatment at Cirque Lodge. These activities are more than just going on hikes, or going fishing. They are ways to connect to a higher power and to have vital spiritual experiences. There is a healing found in nature that can touch those struggling with alcohol or drug addiction. Mountain based activities give residents a chance to find for themselves this healing on a personal level. It can be a means for having vital spiritual experiences and making the needed significant internal changes.
