Hi all. I just wanted to share something that recently happened to me and I sincerely hope that it can be of help to another or others. I recently experienced something called Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome and I didn't even know what that was and it can really play havoc on you, mentally, spiritually and physically. I remember hearing from the gnostic lecturer all the time that alcoholics don't have a real understanding through direct experience of how it affects their body, because if they did, they would NEVER drink another drop. I really didn't comprehend this concept until my very direct experience of this syndrome. I mean I understood it intellectually but I really didn't take it in. What I learned was that you can't escape from your problems by being catatonic or on autopilot. I realized in a MAJOR way that I was in a "fog" of my own making. Through direct experience I learned that life isn't just the way you want it, it is what it is; I learned through direct experience that WHATEVER you put in your body or take out of it is exactly what you get back, and there is absolutely NO way around that; I learned that karma or cause and effect are VERY real and affect a person from moment to moment. Most importantly I learned that being present is absolutely 100% essential in the recovery process, i. e. being aware of what is happening to you and accepting it completely in order to move forward. The world is a better place with this knowledge in existence. Thank you for being an avenue for others to have access to this knowledge.