“We Must be One Thing or the Other” or can We be Something in Between- Step 4

A snake coiled around an apple peering at a ray of light from above

USING WHAT WE GOT FOR THE POWER OF GOOD OR EVIL –  “When applied to the right things at the right times, these same traits which have hurt us so much become great assets.” (OA 12 &12, p. 65)

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What shortcoming(s) have you turned from a liability to an asset, lately?

OR

How can we use our stubbornness to soar instead of staying chained?

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Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz (3:42)

Incident by Countee Cullen (1:01)

Good vs. Evil Immunity Hz Chakra Meditation (4:48)

English Analysis

In It Works: How & Why, the writers demand we confront our hidden selves. We must dive beneath excuses. Carl Jung believed the “shadow” hides truths we fear. The moral inventory exposes these shadows. By naming faults, we reclaim power. Friedrich Nietzsche argued that honest self-examination frees the individual. Thus Spoke Zarathustra teaches us to “become who we are.”

Next, OA 12 & 12 urges us to reframe traits once seen as flaws. It echoes William James’ pragmatism. James said our beliefs become true when they work for us. Stubbornness, once destructive, can fuel commitment. The same trait that chained us can now anchor recovery. We wield traits for good or ill. This idea aligns with Jung’s concept of integrating the shadow. Integration, not denial, creates wholeness.

Countee Cullen’s line reminds us: we choose to be asset or liability. His metaphor — sinew or chain — pierces us. Viktor Frankl argued in Man’s Search for Meaning that our freedom lies in choosing our response. We decide whether our traits lift us skyward or drag us down. When we drill into the real self, we see a middle ground. We need not remain stuck as one thing or the other. Transformation demands we see both sides, choose, and act.


SFZ Quotes in Spanish

“Debemos ser una cosa u otra” o ¿podemos ser algo intermedio? – Paso 4

PERFORANDO HASTA EL VERDADERO YO –

“¿Qué significa
un ‘inventario moral
profundo y sin miedo’?
Hacemos un balance de
nuestros activos y pasivos.
Tratamos de llegar al fondo
de quiénes somos, de exponer
las mentiras que nos hemos contado
sobre nosotros mismos.” (Funciona, Cómo y Por Qué, p. 27)

USANDO LO QUE TENEMOS PARA EL PODER DEL BIEN O DEL MAL –

“Cuando se aplican
a las cosas correctas en los
momentos adecuados, esos mismos
rasgos que nos han herido tanto
se convierten en grandes activos.
Por ejemplo… cuando trabajamos un
programa de doce pasos… la terquedad
puede ser un activo. Puede ser lo único
que nos mantiene regresando…”
(OA 12 y 12, p. 65)

“Porque debemos ser
una cosa u otra, un activo
o un pasivo, el tendón
en tu ala para ayudarte
a volar, o la
cadena que te ate
a la tierra.”
— Countee Cullen (1906–1943) poeta afroamericano estadounidense


Spanish Translation of the Analysis

En Funciona: Cómo y Por Qué, los autores nos exigen confrontar nuestro yo oculto. Debemos ir más allá de las excusas. Carl Jung creía que la “sombra” oculta verdades que tememos. El inventario moral expone esas sombras. Al nombrar fallas, recuperamos poder. Friedrich Nietzsche argumentó que el autoexamen honesto libera al individuo. Así Habló Zaratustra nos enseña a “convertirnos en quienes somos.”

Luego, OA 12 y 12 nos anima a replantear rasgos antes vistos como defectos. Esto refleja el pragmatismo de William James. James decía que nuestras creencias se vuelven verdaderas cuando funcionan para nosotros. La terquedad, antes destructiva, puede sostener la constancia. El mismo rasgo que encadenaba ahora ancla la recuperación. Usamos rasgos para el bien o el mal. Esta idea se alinea con Jung y su integración de la sombra. Integrar, no negar, crea totalidad.

La línea de Countee Cullen nos recuerda: elegimos ser activo o pasivo. Su metáfora — tendón o cadena — nos traspasa. Viktor Frankl argumentó en El Hombre en Busca de Sentido que nuestra libertad está en cómo respondemos. Decidimos si nuestros rasgos nos elevan o nos hunden. Al explorar el verdadero yo, vemos un punto intermedio. No tenemos que quedarnos atascados. La transformación exige ver ambos lados, elegir y actuar.

¿Cómo podemos usar nuestra terquedad para volar en lugar de quedarnos encadenados?

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Comments

6 responses to ““We Must be One Thing or the Other” or can We be Something in Between- Step 4”

  1. Eli🌱🫶🏾🫡🪱 Avatar
    Eli🌱🫶🏾🫡🪱

    Stubbornness can look like determination. I’m too stubborn to drink today. And too stubborn to give up on everything. So there’s that.

  2. Ari L Avatar
    Ari L

    I think if we use stubbornness to be principled, then we are able to stay strong within positive things like sobriety. I think it matters where and how we direct our stubbornness and balancing it with open mindedness.

  3. E-Dawg Avatar
    E-Dawg

    That’s a great reading this morning. For years I’ve tried to be both by straddling the fence and eventually falling off. One example of that was trying to stay clean and sober while hanging out with people who were using… I now choose to be one with the program… the only side I choose to be on now is with God ,my recovery,and people who are not using …

  4. Sabrina J Avatar
    Sabrina J

    Patience. While I was using I would avoid any and every thing in favor of using. Now in my recovery, my patience is a strength when I let it be. The anxiety impatience causes me is a stress that can have severe health impacts. It is not only smart to be patient, it is in my best interest health.

    Thank you for sharing in recovery with me. Grateful.

  5. Adam Avatar
    Adam

    I was told my my boss I was too nice to an employee who left on bad terms. I’m often accused of being too nice which I think translates in to they think I’m so nice it hurts me. So they think this is a liability. I spoke to him via email at his new company and simply explained he could have communicated better but that I was not angry with him. He has since helped me out with a couple things as I’m still trying to fill his position. If I wasn’t as nice I would have not gotten that help. Also, he is very bright and good to know professionally.

  6. Margot E. Avatar
    Margot E.

    For we must be one thing or the other. At all point in time I am learning. I move continually between the two – asset one minute, liability, the next. The best that I can do is do the right thing for me, spiritually, physically, and mentally. For when I do the best for me – really, truly, the best for me – I look for spiritual solutions – I look for spiritual lessons – I look for spiritual awareness, acceptance and action. When I am my best spiritually, I am an asset to the whole of the world.

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