“After twenty years of listening to the yearnings of people’s hearts, I am convinced that all human beings have an inborn desire for God,” is the introductory sentence of Gerald G. May’s book, “Addiction and Grace: Love and Spirituality in the Healing of Addictions,” which sets the pace for the rest of the pages.
“Addiction and Grace: Love and Spirituality…” deals partly with the existential crisis that addiction conflicts upon the individual, as well as, the process of recognizing attachment to the addiction and learning how to let go of it through the practice of spirituality.
Gerald G. May, however, does not solely focus on narcotic and alcohol addiction but rather on the spectrum of addiction, including sex addiction and an addiction to working also. May, who has treated chemical addiction for years in the field of psychiatry, asserts that addiction can be viewed as an attempt, on the individual’s part, to control his/her environment. After reading several reviews by recovering addicts that praise May’s approach in “Addiction and Grace…,” it is clear to see that the practice of contemplative spirituality plays a crucial role in opening the eyes of individuals who live with addiction in their lives.
