Study Materials · Life Dynamics
A way of looking at life as eight urges toward survival — moving outward from the self to all of existence. In recovery, keeping every dynamic in view helps a person rebuild a whole and balanced life, not just a sober one.
A dynamic is an urge toward survival. Life can be divided into eight of these urges, each a wider sphere than the last. A person is healthiest when no single dynamic is neglected and none is allowed to swallow the rest. Below, each dynamic is defined with a note on how it applies to life in the residence.
The urge to survive as and for oneself.
The first dynamic is the individual — your own body, mind, and existence as one person. It is the drive to reach your fullest potential as yourself.
In recovery: Sobriety, honesty with yourself, physical health, and self-respect all live here. This is where the work begins, one day at a time.
The urge to survive through creativity, family, sex, and raising children.
The second dynamic covers procreation and the family unit — partners, children, and the home. It is the drive to create and continue the future through others.
In recovery: Repairing relationships with partners and children, and learning healthy intimacy, are central second-dynamic work.
The urge to survive through a group and as a group.
Any group a person is part of — friends, a team, a company, a community, a fellowship. The third dynamic is the survival of the group itself.
In recovery: The house, your AA home group, and your sponsor network are third-dynamic. Communal living and fellowship are this dynamic in action.
The urge to survive as and for all humankind.
The fourth dynamic is the whole human species — all people, everywhere. It is the drive toward the survival of mankind as a whole.
In recovery: Service work, sponsoring others, and carrying the message are ways of contributing to the fourth dynamic.
The urge to survive as and for all living things.
The fifth dynamic includes every living thing — animals and plants, anything alive. It is the urge to help life itself survive.
In recovery: Caring for a pet, tending the yard and garden, and respecting living things restore gentleness and responsibility.
The urge to survive of the physical universe — Matter, Energy, Space and Time.
The sixth dynamic is the material world itself (sometimes called MEST). It is the drive to survive within and care for the physical universe around us.
In recovery: Keeping your room and shared spaces clean, managing money and possessions, and handling the practical world are sixth-dynamic skills.
The urge to survive as a spiritual being.
The seventh dynamic is the spirit — the person as a spiritual being, and the source of life itself, apart from the physical body.
In recovery: The Twelve Steps, meditation, prayer, and study of scripture all nurture the seventh dynamic — the spiritual awakening at the heart of recovery.
The urge toward existence as infinity — the Supreme Being, or Creator.
The eighth dynamic is the urge toward the infinite. It is often called the God dynamic, and is symbolized by the infinity sign (∞) standing upright — the figure 8.
In recovery: A Higher Power, as each person understands it, belongs here — the ground of hope that makes the other seven dynamics possible.