When does something that offers relief begin to own you?
In this episode of the Orthodox Health Podcast, Dr. Mike & John sit down with Fr. Michael Marcantoni to explore alcoholism, addiction recovery, the passions, & the Orthodox Christian understanding of sobriety.
Drawing on his personal journey through alcoholism & recovery, Fr. Michael connects the Twelve Steps with the ancient Orthodox practices of nepsis (watchfulness), repentance, asceticism, & the discernment of thoughts.
We explore why relapse can begin with resentment long before someone reaches for a drink, why hitting rock bottom looks different for everyone, & how someone can be chemically sober while remaining enslaved to anger, bitterness, or other compulsions.
The conversation also moves beyond substance addiction into the more respectable things that can quietly master us: work, food, exercise, our phones, & even the pursuit of health. Along the way, we discuss Orthodox fasting, yoga, spiritual freedom, & the work of St. Anastasia Orthodox Recovery Fellowship.
Fr. Michael closes with a challenge rooted in rigorous honesty: Are your habits making your life unmanageable? Are you willing to recognize it? And what are you prepared to do about it?
Because the Christian life ultimately calls us toward freedom: freedom to repent, to love, & to say yes to the good.
Chapters:
00:00 Coming Up | What Owns You?
01:00 Orthodox Health Intro
02:28 Welcome & the Universal Problem of Addiction
07:38 Fr. Michael's Conversion to Orthodoxy
15:07 Orthobros, BJJ & Spiritual Maturity
20:51 Orthodox Anthropology: Nature, Sin & Recovery
26:30 Fasting, Intention & Hamartia
29:00 When the Passions Become Your Master
32:55 High Bottom, Low Bottom & Getting Sober
37:33 Nepsis: Sobriety Beyond Alcohol
48:04 Can You Be Addicted to Anger?
50:17 St. Anastasia & Orthodox Recovery
1:01:37 Can Yoga Be Christianified?
1:07:52 Exercise, Vanity & Proper Measure
1:09:19 Rigorous Honesty & the Road to Recovery
1:15:06 Is John Actually Real?
1:15:49 What Are We Being Freed For?
1:20:31 Final Thoughts & Outro
Resources:
St. Anastasia Orthodox Recovery Fellowship:
https://saintanastasiafellowship.org/
Fr. Michael's Nashville recovery group:
https://www.stjohnnashville.com/st-anastasia-recovery-group/
Steps of Transformation by Fr. Meletios Webber:
https://store.ancientfaith.com/steps-of-transformation
Returning the Lost Sheep by Fr. Dimitrios Moraitis:
https://orthochristian.com/69642.html
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Intro & Outro Music: St. John of Chicago Orthodox Church Choir (Arkansas) - Please support their building fund by buying the whole album here
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