It's a very vague question is what it is. But I have found in my 11 years of experience and a small lifetime that it is a question well worth asking. And to me it's the mental or emotional state of being in mind, and sometimes out of it. Something I think we all seek to achieve a balance between. That fine and wondrously magical line between one point of reality and dozens or hundreds of them. That "telescopic view" of life, celestial beings and the universe...ok rambling.
I am not sure what I am looking to achieve by posting here, but I was for a brief moment while the camp was around a member of the mental health committee. My original interest was in the sobriety tent at millrace. But my contribution and services were not needed at that time, and the move to W/J park discontinued that service altogether. And shortly after it also was apparent that my skills as a mental health facilitator would not be needed. Which was unfortunate because at that point the only other way I was able to contribute was to be a...peacekeeper, that didn't last long. And I have been wandering aimlessly on facebook ever since a few weeks before w/j sputtered out.
I still believe that some form of sobriety education is fundamentally key to a healthy procession of our current culture. And my view of what's addictive or not is pretty open....I think everything and anything could be considered addictive. And I believe that there is an almost epidemic proportion of over indulgences in this current culture. I also believe this is a very important topic to keep alive because all of our mental states will morph and adapt as things progress and I may need to be mentally reined back in next week so to speak or, it may be you.
This is evolution...lol. A grinding and seeming forgiveless process, but it grinds on at a rate of 3 steps forward and 2.9 back, but always .1 forward.
Lets talk...
I agree with you both that it does take a loving and forgiving environment to do the sometimes terrifying, courageous work of self-examination. As we know too well, that sort of environment can be hard to find. If we all do our part though, there can be more of these spaces. I am still healing and I still hurt but just knowing that so many of us are in the same boat (whether they are aware of that or not) I don't feel alone and I am confident that we are finding each other and progressing together.