Readers: Kevin Griffin is a Buddhist author, teacher, leader in the mindful recovery movement and a very hip musician. My 3 Bill's are:
Bill T is a counselor on Long Island that's been working with me on waking up...growing up...and showing up for life...on life's terms. I'm now back for a second round of work together.
Bill W is of course Bill Wilson, one of the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous. Again, I'm back in the rooms again. I need to stay here for my thinking.
Bill K is Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann. Like Fonzie, when "I'm so confused..." I follow the advice of Bill's band of Merry Pranksters that followed me around the US of A:

--lyrics are from Franklin's Tower (1) and are a fun way to practice a popular recovery room slogan...
"Move a muscle...change a thought..."
...I heard it few months ago from Mike F at my home group at the...
Witches Brew Coffee House in West Hempstead: Thursday's 11 am to 12 pm. Enter through rear parking lot, but, please do not park there or in the fire department lot across the street. There's ample street parking.
FYI - I try to practice his advice. Today, I woke up in a strange and uncomfortable emotional space. WHEW!!! Funky...So, I practiced "If you get confused...listen to the music play" and put on Kevin Griffin's "Laughing Buddha" CD...and went to the sink...
"Chop wood...Carry water...Wash Dishes..."
...and whistled and danced as I cleaned up last night's dishes. And from the ashes...this post emerged like the Phoenix...
(1) I chose one of Jack Abramson's (a.k.a., "The Bacon Man") "grate" mashups. I highlighted his outrageously funny and creative mashups that mix songs with TV shows, movies and bands.
Bill T

BILL: I just mailed you this CD - I hope you enjoy it (with detachment : )))
There were no more new so I got a used one.
“Progress Not Perfection”
Before mailing it, I listened to it and it’s “Perfect” : )))
Laughing Buddha CD – Kevin Griffin
BILL: Track 4 – “Metta Nova” - includes lyrics “radiating kindness…” seems like you, as part of the One, influenced his composing with your wisdom. Everyone with whom I've shared it...love your gem!!!
“Radiate…don’t Infiltrate”
Track 7 – “Vipassana Blues” – describes what I’ve been experiencing and we’ve been discussing: the pain of facing our shit as our awakening proceeds.
Kinda like from pink clouds to dark clouds…

Here's a sticker on the back of my iPhone case. It's from the Wharf Rats - a group of sober Deadheads...Yup! You read that right. They have a Facebook group. The sticker shows one of their slogans with lyrics from "Franklin's Tower." It was a gift from a guy I met at my home group at Witches Brew. He invited me to hang out with him, his wife and his buddies at the August 19, 2022 Half Step show at the Jones Beach Bandshell - right on the boardwalk. Half Step is Long Island's premier Grateful Dead cover band.
Curious about the Grateful Dead but not willing to take a WHOLE step? Take a HALF STEP... (2021 blog post)
Recovery is DEADly serious business...

EnLIGHTenment
I just got introduced to a band – The Lumineers – that sings about recovery. I was introduced to them during my ride to Shoreham for the Tesla Science Museum’s recent celebration of Tesla’s birthday. My friend Richie drove me there and shared from his amazing playlists. Richie was a fellow surfer, partier and Deadhead who retired as a NCPD Detective. He resonates with Buddhism and has been a practitioner and teacher of various martial arts.
He’s the guy who’s been teaching me and others Tai Chi, Qi Gong and other healing arts on the dock at Hempstead Lake Park. [Field 2 Tue & Thu 7:45-9ish AM] COME JOIN US!!!
After listening to some Lumineers’ tracks, several days later, I was in a doctor’s office and heard one of their songs accompanying an ad for a recovery treatment center.

Lyrics from the Grateful Dead's "Scarlet Begonias" - See "Barton Hills Choir" at end of this section.
The messages are all around us…
The Lumineers Trace The Cycle Of Addiction: 'It's A Progressive Disease' (2019 NPR Article)
Here's one of their "Move a muscle...Change a thought" tunes...Whadya waitin' for?
...Get up and dance...like your life depended on it...It MIGHT...
Ho, Hey! - The Lumineers (02:41)
Grateful Dead's 'Scarlet Begonias' by the Barton Hills Choir and DeadEye (04:00) #DeadCoversProject2017
Just for fun…Some of my other musical therapists…
PLAYING FOR CHANGE
BILL: Since you like to play drums and guitar, I selected a favorite from each instrument.
GURUGANESHA SINGH
GuruGanesha Singh
--I got to see him at a yoga studio on the North Shore. In interviews, he’s said that he was influenced by the Grateful Dead. He’s part of the kundalini yoga tradition I practice.
GuruGanesha Band - In the Light of My Soul + What You Won't Do for Love (Bobby Caldwell's Classic) (08:17)
ALEX DAV
Alex Dav – Creates music for meditation, relaxing, healing, inspired dancing...
--Richie plays appropriate music for our time on the dock. Handpan is one of the featured instruments in his playlists.
One for the road...
--Richard's "Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps" was used to draw me into the rooms...and I am forever grateful!!!
--YouTube has a few more of Kevin's insights.
--Please interpret "11" in as many ways as are helpful for all our today's...and tomorrow's...Then repeat with ever-new eyes...
--Celebrating a friend's 30-year AA anniversary. 10,950 "one day at a time's"...

There's Power in the Group...Sangha...Community




#music #recovery #humor #12Steps #AA #AlcoholicsAnonymous #WitchesBrewCoffeeHouse #Buddhism #KevinGriffin #PlayingForChange #GuruGaneshaSingh #AlexDav #RamDass #GratefulDead #TheLumineers #BartonHillsChoir #RichardRohr
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