What does planting have to do with wellness and recovery? When we plant we prepare for growth. We have a goal when we plant that our seed takes hold or takes root. The rooting process helps create a stronghold that allows the plant to be anchored in the soil. Once the plant is anchored, it has an opportunity to reach for the sun and to progress in its growth. The roots continue to grow beneath the ground allowing for an even stronger anchoring of the plant so that is can grow even larger and still maintain its stability.
And so it is also true for recovery. To be, and remain in recovery, we are constantly preparing for growth and growing and then continually preparing for additional growth and growing.
Many in recovery forget that there is preparation to begin the recovery process and that is to abate the addiction. This preparation is commonly referred to abstinence. Abstinence is a crucial first step to prepare for recovery. Abstinence is akin to laying the foundation before you begin the actual building or growth. Therefore, it is important to honor the process and move steadily and deliberately from abstinence into recovery.
If you are continuing to use mood altering substances, even if they are not your drug of preference, you are not able to move fully into recovery. If you move from one compulsive behavior to another, it is difficult to move into recovery. As an example, if you are an alcoholic and have given up drinking, but continue to smoke pot, rationalizing that it helps you to calm down or sleep, it is likely that you are not in recovery. How can you be focused in a clear way to identify what is important to you and embrace that importance, making the changes that are necessary to improve the quality of your life?
Recovery follows abstinence. Recovery is about changing the quality of your existence. It is not about how many days you have abstained from your addiction. It is also assisted with the right environmental conditions. The right amount of sunshine and water help a plant to grow in the same way meetings, therapy and other forms of support nurture recovery.
If you are in question about this, just consider the seed that does not take root and have an anchor or get the nutrients necessary for it to survive. It has little chance of ever reaching its full potential of becoming a plant.
Whether abstaining from a substance abuse/dependence or process addiction, recovery cannot happen and take hold, unless abstinence precedes it and the recovery journey is nurtured.
After all, abstinence is the seed which fuels the recovery journey.
©2007 Renee Siegel, MA, LISAC, NCGC-II. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reproduced without the permission of the author.
