I want to hear what people have to say about this. One cannot get onto the true path of recovery if he doesn't understand what being powerless truly means. I dont understand what it means.

Everyone. Veterans of recovery. Newbies. All of you can answer this question in whatever your perspective is.

Here's what being powerless means to me thus far.
It means if I try to control a situation that's not in my hands, if I try to take lust down on my own.
It means that not only to I need to 'GuardMyEyes', but my thoughts as well. It means waking up in the morning, not knowing whats goign to happen throughout the day and being OK with it because my life is in Gods hands, not mine.
It means davening with as much Kavanah as possible in davening because if I cant control it, the Only One that can is God.
It means speaking to God throuhout the day, not just when I need Him. It means thanking God for what He has done for me in the past.
It means doing everything for God and not for myself.
It means allowing others to help me.
It means being able to look in the mirror and say, "God cares about me."

I'd love to hear from all of you. You dont need to do it in the format that I did. This was just the easiest way to express myself. More may be added later.

Thanks everyone!

-Yiddle

i look at it like this. i tell myself that i am insignificant and not the best person (sounds positive doesn't it?) but even so Hashem loves me and cares about me and wants to do the little things for me as well as the big things. realizing that as soon as i start to take on the Y'H on by myself is futile and that i will lose every single time and that i need to avoid even thinking about a fight. i also realize that Hashem helps me in ways that allow me to combat the Y'H by putting my battle in someone elses hands. that is what GYE is it is something Hashem does for me he put such helpful people here to help take me out of isolation and to get information, tips, attitude, how to keep away from bad thoughts as much as possible ans so much more!

i just need to look for ways Hashem is helping me. i am powerless. who am I to go into the ring with Floyd Mayweather (the best boxer in the world today)? i can't beat Floyd Mayweather i certainly can not beat the Y'H one on one! i am powerless! Hashem can destroy Floyd Mayweather! absolutely demolish! wipe him from the face of the earth! Hashne wants me to persevere though, he does not want to just take the Y'H away and suddenly i am fine. he wants me to learn and grow.that is why Hashem supplied me with GYE, Davening, ways to escape isolation and so much more! i am not taking the Y'H on by myself any longer because i cant...I am powerless.

According to Dov, it simply means accepting that we have this addiction disease and that we can't struggle with lust at all. We don't want to be "stronger" or "beat" it, we don't want to prove any thing to anyone, we simply need to avoid it - and surrender it to Hashem when it comes.

Ok Guard thats an excellent idea....from Dov. But how do YOU view it? What does being powerless mean to YOU???

-Yiddle

Well, as Chazal say, a person is not "yored lesof da'ato" of his Rebbe till the age of 40, I've still got a few years to go... But I'm getting there.

I will add my two sense.
I am powerless. I have zero control to stop lusting, I had way too many last times, I had crossed lines, looked at stuff that I said, oh that never. While looking I knew I had to stop but had no control. If I had the power then I would have stopped long ago.
The white sa book is great to read

for me it meant I had to take Hashem off of my keychain...

you know - take Him out of my pocket only when I needed Him - like at the craps table...when I needed a good roll of the dice.

This was my power!

but now that I am powerless... I no longer have Him on my keychain.
Hopefully one day if I ever merit it, He will place me on His keychain... and carry me along