8ystem: A New NA Recovery

About 8SYTEM: A proven, creative, dynamic living system of recovery from addictions.


8YSTEM heralds a new phase of recovery. Twenty years ago when the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous was written, much had been written about addiction, but little about recovery (see the opening to Book One of the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous). Likewise, now much has been written now about recovery, but this work primary concerns itself with the all the aspects of living recovery.


Recovery is a living system.

A system is defined in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) as “a complex whole” a “set of interconnected parts”. OED also defines system as a method of organization of considered principles of procedure. Finally, OED says “system” comes from the Greek for “a set [of things or ideas]”.

Now the new word, 8YSTEM, indicates the multiple play of meaning and relationship and inquiry and experience that is recovery.


Recovery: A Map to Joy.

There is no right way to seek recovery. But there are many slow and painful ways. In accordance with our creative freedom, then, and in devotion to our Higher Power, these following suggestions are given. They have been found to greatly accelerate recovery, and bring much joy and happiness besides.

1. Work the 12 steps by turning them into actions you have taken. (Slower, more painful way: work the 12 steps by feeling, thinking, or arguing with others about them).

2. Talk about what you have done and how it worked or failed to work, and talk with others about what they have done. (Slower, more painful ways: talk about what you are going to do and what others are going to do; work the steps alone; work the steps with people who are active addicts; work with thinkers rather than doers.)

3. Treat recovery like an radical experiment, and your soul the laboratory. Test everything out for yourself. Look for solid results. (Slower, more painful way: treat recovery like an obligation, the end of your life, a social group, a support group, a self-help group. Recovery is a radical spiritual process of awakening.)

4. Define spirit in terms of how alive you feel and how functional you are in the world and in yourself. In other words, do inspired actions rather than be spiritual; live in a spirited and creative way, rather than stick to rules that keep you shut down. (Slower, more painful way: define spirit as a set of rules and restrictions to our creative freedom, stay negative and shallow, breathe from the top of your chest.)

Take these four suggestions and you have the basic traits of the 8YSTEM:

- The 8YSTEM is a living system of actions. See suggestion 1.

- The 8YSTEM is a proven system of definite practical suggestions to be taken with others. Suggestion 2.

- The 8YSTEM is a dynamic system. Dynamic means it has the power to move you. Letting yourself be so moved is Suggestion 3.

- Finally, the 8YSTEM of recovery is precise in its goal: the 8YSTEM aims to recover our creative freedom as human beings. This goal combines the inspirational and functional aspects of the spiritually awake, as per suggestion 4.

If that sounds exciting to you (it does to me!) then you are in the right place. Welcome.