This could get a little deep here...
The video above was the result of a process that unfolded as I was brainstorming ways to promote a post earlier this week titled “A Warrior’s Approach To Managing Your Personal Energy.” It started out as a short video to post on Instagram to announce the post.
As it came together, I—along with my buddy ChatGPT—became increasingly aware of how the message portrayed through this 60-second clip is way more than a simple reel to announce a Substack post.
Check out what she/he/it/they (who exactly is this, anyway??) said about the video:
“Honestly, this feels like way more than a teaser for a Substack post. It’s got the bones of a whole movement—there’s a clear story arc: the call, the journey, the awakening. The visuals, music, and pacing all walk us through a transformational arc. It mirrors your own story, and it gives people a feeling that something deeper is being offered.” —My buddy, ChatGPT
On a professional level, ChatGPT started telling me this encompasses literally my entire body of work and the intention behind it.
On the personal side, today I’m celebrating 37 years of sobriety. And, as my personal recovery is closely integrated with my professional work, the milestone of another sobriety anniversary awakened in me a profound awareness—as manifested through this short video clip.
You see, literally every aspect of this video represents my journey that began the day I checked into treatment out in the Arizona desert on May 2, 1988. The first thing I saw was a sign over the entrance to the property that said, “Expect A Miracle.” Thirty-seven years later I’m here to report that I have experienced not one, but countless miracles. What I thought was the worst thing that ever could have happened to me turned out to be the best thing ever could have happened for me.
And I thought I would use this quirky little video I happen to be working on today as a way of sharing how my own journey has unfolded.
“Expect A Miracle” — This phrase hung above the entrance to the treatment center where I got sober on May 2, 1988. It’s held meaning for me ever since. I later painted it on the wall of the treatment center I ran for ten years—and again at the recovery center I opened after launching my first program.
IMPAIRED PROFESSIONAL → SOBER MUSICIAN
To begin, the first thing you hear in this video is the sound of a drumbeat.
I recorded that drumbeat sometime during my first year of sobriety. Here’s how that came about:
When I landed in treatment in 1988, I had already been working in the addiction field as a drug and alcohol counselor. I had relapsed after several years of sobriety. I was what you call an “impaired professional,” which meant I couldn’t return to working in the treatment field when I got out of treatment. The only other skill I had that I could make money at was playing music; but I didn’t think returning to playing music in clubs would be a wise choice being newly sober. So I decided to try to do something with music and recovery.
I got the idea to write a rock musical that told my story about addiction and recovery. (More about that in a moment.) The other area I focused on using music in was creating a wide variety of meditation resources—from recovery-related guided imagery programs to Native American Flute and drumming CDs.
Which brings us to the drumming music in the video.
That song is actually one of the very first songs I recorded during my first year in sobriety. It’s called “Cry Of The Concrete Coyote,” and it’s from a CD I recorded titled Vision Quest. The drumming in that song was the very beginning of what would become a major part of my work in treatment when I returned to working in the field. I spent years leading drumming circles with young people in treatment as well using drumming to facilitate powerful meditation experiences, in my effort to help treatment clients develop their spiritual connection.
Listen Now: Cry Of The Concrete Coyote
VISION QUEST
As I mentioned, the title of my first Native American Flute and drumming CD was titled Vision Quest. The term “vision quest"—and all that that implies—has been a huge part of my sobriety, as well as my professional career, so that’s the next part I’ll shed some light on as far as how this part of my story is reflected in the video.
And it all started out in the desert when I checked into treatment on May 2, 1988.
My first CD of Native American Flute, drumming, and rainstick meditations. It’s a sound journey inspired by the process of going through a Vision Quest.
To put it succinctly, the biggest thing that happened for me in treatment was that I got lit up spiritually. In particular, I connected with the "alternative spirituality" counselor there, who introduced us to drumming, ceremonial activities, and the magic of the desert. In fact, I was so into all of this, that when I discharged from treatment, instead of going straight home, I hiked out into the desert on a three-day spiritual quest. I was going to go sit up on top of the mountain in search of some type of spiritual experience.
I almost died.
While I didn’t realize it at the time, the idea of going out into the wilderness for a solitary period of reflection and seeking guidance is basically the same concept of the Native American Vision Quest. I did my first formal Vision Quest in 1993, and have done numerous Vision Quests over the years.
I came away from my first Vision Quest with the “vision” that I was to bring the Vision Quest to young people. I was trained by Native American elders in leading Vision Quest ceremonies, and for over twenty years I led monthly Vision Quest ceremonies for young people in addiction treatment. I can say unequivocally—this was a life changing experience for countless clients and their families. To this day I still hear from former clients—many from over twenty years ago—reaching out just to let me know how much of an impact this work had on them and that they still benefit from the experience today.
The “transformational” experience: That’s what ChatGPT picked up on when I was creating the video:
“The visuals, music, and pacing all walk us through a transformational arc. It mirrors your own story, and it gives people a feeling that something deeper is being offered.” — My buddy, ChatGPT
THE JOURNEY
From the very beginning of my sobriety, one of my biggest passions has been using the arts to carry the message of recovery. For my first sober New Year’s Eve, my 12-Step group invited me to do a musical number in the big Saturday Night Live-type show they held every year, and that was the beginning of my love of bridging the worlds of art and entertainment with recovery. Inspired by those New Year’s Eve shows, when I eventually opened my own treatment center, the space included a stage and full theater where I was able to continue the tradition of using the arts to support recovery.
As I mentioned above, during my first year of sobriety I also wrote a rock musical to share my story of addiction and recovery. It’s called The Journey: A Musical Story of Transformation. And for many years we would do stage productions of The Journey as part of treatment at my program. Clients were literally acting out their own stories of transformation—which included—wait for it—the Vision Quest.
The play includes a scene where the lead character is in the dark, on her knees, talking to a voice from above. It’s her dark night of the soul; she’s having her moment of reckoning. Recognizing the mess she’s made of her life, the voice says, “It may be time for you to die.” It goes on to clarify that the implication is to go through a letting go of the old self, that a new self may emerge.
This is the Vision Quest: A period of solitary communion with one’s higher power, that results in a symbolic death and rebirth.
And every kid on that stage had gone through that exact experience—alone, sitting out in the woods on top of a hill.
The Dark Night Of The Soul: “Transformation is a private affair between us and our Creator”
(Scene from The Journey: A Musical Story Of Transformation)
ARTIST — WARRIOR
After I sold my treatment program, I created a monthly event we called Artist Recovery. Based on the Toltec tradition of “We are all artists, creating the mosaic of our own life,” these meetings were a combination of recovery support and artistic expression. The first half was sort of like a traditional support meeting—speakers, a set meeting format—we even had our own Artist Recovery chips that said, “Recovery Is Art” on one side, and “Art Is Recovery” on the other side. After the meeting it would turn into a coffeehouse with an open mic, where people would get up and share their recovery through music, poetry, art, and more. In keeping with my tradition of creating the “spiritual vibe,” the coffeehouse also included drum jams and trippy meditation “performances.”
Which brings me to the final point I’ll discuss about the video. I began working on it earlier this week to announce my post A Warrior’s Approach To Managing Your Personal Energy. My purpose there was to present a talk I give, based on Toltec teachings, about how personal efficiency begins with effective energy management. Working with The Warrior archetype has been a powerful tool for my own personal growth, and has become a key element in much my work with clients as well. The fun part of the talk is that I draw the comparison between Toltec philosophy and material straight out of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, which leads to the lighthearted suggestion that Bill Wilson was perhaps a Toltec Warrior...
Ultimately, the Toltec view that as humans, we are all Artists, holds powerful meaning for all of us. The idea of creating the masterpiece of your own life is at once beautiful and inspiring. Today, I'm realizing—it’s probably no coincidence that everything came together this week in exactly this order:
a. I decide to present my Warrior-Energy talk in a post
b. Drawing on my own artistic creativity, I start playing around with making a video for the post
c. My buddy ChatGPT points out that the video is my sobriety journey and personal mission in 60 seconds
d. And this all comes together today—on my sobriety anniversary.
Every anniversary is a special time to reflect with humility and gratitude on the journey that began 37 years ago, when I walked up to the gate of the treatment center and saw the sign hanging over it: “Expect A Miracle.” This serendipitous little experience with the video and ChatGPT's feedback on the bigger meaning of this feels quite special today.
AWAKENING YOUR INNER ARTIST
While I celebrate my sobriety anniversary with deep gratitude, I also recognize it’s just another day on a journey that continues to unfold. I will continue working on my own masterpiece—there’s so much more that I want to do as far as creative expression! And as this story shows, my personal recovery is interwoven with helping others draw on the power of the warrior and awaken your own inner artist.
In perhaps a case of “can’t see the forest for the trees,” ChatGPT’s response to my video of “Dude, this is powerful stuff” was pretty inspiring. Watch this space—I’ll be diving into music, meditation, storytelling, and other forms of creative expression, along with spiritual teachings to help and inspire others to awaken their own inner artist and begin creating their own masterpiece.
CONTINUING THE JOURNEY: Let me hear from you!
If this resonates with you—whether you're a creative in recovery, an artist or musician looking to reclaim your spark, or simply someone inspired by the idea of transformational recovery—I'd love to hear from you. I'm exploring ways to continue the Artist Recovery movement and possibly relaunch a new Awakening the Inner Artist masterclass series.
If you’d like to be part of that conversation—or be notified when something launches—drop a comment or send me a message. You can also let me know if you’d like to be added to a list of people interested in future offerings around the Artist Recovery movement or the Awakening the Inner Artist masterclass series.
If you’re looking for individual support in this kind of work, this is exactly what I do in my Journey to Recovery Coaching program. Learn more here.
