Spiritual Parapraxis

Confusing one word for another is not a modern spell check problem; it has been a problem for a long time.

Parapraxis, or a Freudian slip, is a speech mistake. A mistake in the words we use, a mistake that might have psychological implications. Some believe that these mistakes reflect a deeper unconscious thought. It is because of the possibility of deeper psychological meaning that we refer to them as Freudian slips. A slip of the tongue might reflect a mental attitude that the speaker is trying to hide.

For example: A newsman reporting on a story about Prince William and his wife in California described him as the “douche of Windsor.” When a Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron, was asked about recent tax cuts for the wealthy, he replied, “we are raising money for the rich.” Tiger Woods, the famous golfer, suffered a back injury; he had a bulging disc; a sports broadcaster reporting on the injury said, “Tiger Woods has a bulging dick.”

Parapraxis, a slip of the tongue, can lead us to wonder what was going on in the speaker’s mind.

We in AA have much experience with Parapraxis.

Once I heard a reading of How It Works and the AA brother said, “I was powerless over alcohol, and my wife was unmanageable.” Of course, the correct reading is, “my life was unmanageable.” He may have completed Step #1, but he might see some issues on the home front when he gets to his inventory.

Another brother, reading the 9th Step promises at the end of the meeting, said, “we will instinctively know how to handle situations.” The correct word is intuitively. Instinct is a thoughtless reaction, while intuition is a mindful reaction.

Every once in a while, you will hear at the end of the Serenity Prayer, “my will, not thine, be done.” The reversal of God’s role and mine is clear.

My personal favourite is one sometimes heard on a reading of Step 12. It is a small slip, hardly noticeable. The reader will say, “having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps.” The correct reading is, “having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps.” If we do the Steps, a spiritual awakening is a certainty; it is the result of the Steps. It is not a probability or one possible result of many. The Steps are aimed at the result, which is a spiritual awakening.

We don’t sober up because we have an unmanageable wife; it is our life that is unmanageable. Before we are halfway through, we will not instinctively react; we will intuitively know what to do. And it works better if Thy will is done rather than mine. Lastly, if we do these steps, we will awaken spiritually, no ifs, ands, or buts.