Essentials Of Recovery

Friday, 15 November 2019

Dealing with Depression Fr_Melitios Webber

DAILY DOSE OF EMMET FOX #essentialsofrecovery

DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrecovery

VITAL SUSTENANCE

Those of us who have come to make regular use of prayer would no more do without it than we would refuse air, food, or sunshine. And for the same reason. When we refuse air, light, or food, the body suffers. And when we turn away from meditation and prayer, we likewise deprive our minds, our emotions, and our intuitions of vitally needed support.

~ TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 97 ~

Step Eleven doesn’t have to overwhelm me. Conscious contact with God can be as simple, and as profound, as conscious contact with another human being. I can smile. I can listen. I can forgive. Every encounter with another is an opportunity for prayer, for acknowledging God’s presence within me.

Today I can bring myself a little closer to my Higher Power. The more I choose to seek the beauty of God’s work in other people, the more certain of His presence I will become.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrecovery

Letting Go

“Take my will and my life. Guide me in my recovery. Show me how to live.”

~ Basic Text p. 25

How do we begin the process of letting our Higher Power guide our lives? When we seek advice about situations that trouble us, we often find that our Higher Power works through others. When we accept that we don’t have all the answers, we open ourselves to new and different options. A willingness to let go of our preconceived ideas and opinions opens the channel for spiritual guidance to light our way.

At times, we must be driven to the point of distraction before we are ready to turn difficult situations over to our Higher Power. Anxiously plotting, struggling, planning, worrying – none of these suffice. We can be sure that if we turn our problems over to our Higher Power, through listening to others share their experience or in the quiet of meditation, the answers will come.

There is no point in living a frantic existence. Charging through life like the house is on fire exhausts us and gets us nowhere. In the long run, no amount of manipulation on our part will change a situation. When we let go and allow ourselves access to a Higher Power, we will discover the best way to proceed. Rest assured, answers derived from a sound spiritual basis will be far superior to any answers we could concoct on our own.

Just for today: I will let go and let my Higher Power guide my life.

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY

A.A. Thought for the Day

I am less sensitive and my feelings are less easily hurt. I no longer take myself so seriously. It didn’t used to take much to insult me, to feel that I had been slighted or left on the outside. What happens to me now is not so important. One cause of our drinking was that we couldn't take it, so we escaped the unpleasant situation. We have learned to take it on the chin if necessary and smile. When I am all wrapped up in A.A., I do not notice the personal slights so much. They do not seem to matter so much. I have learned to laugh at self-pity because it’s so childish. Am I less sensitive?

Meditation for the Day

God’s miracle-working power is as manifest today as it was in the past. It still works miracles of change in lives and miracles of healing in twisted minds. When a person trusts wholly in God and leaves to Him the choosing of the day and hour, there is God’s miracle- working power becoming manifest in that person’s life. So we can trust in God and have boundless faith in His power to make us whole again, whenever He chooses.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may feel sure that there is nothing that God cannot accomplish in changing my life. I pray that I may have faith in His miracle-working power.

© 1954, 1975, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation

AS BILL SEES IT #essentialsofrecovery

Two Authorities

Many people wonder how A.A. can function under a seeming anarchy. Other societies have to have law and force and sanction and punishment, administered by authorized people. Happily for us, we found that we need no human authorities which are far more effective. One is benign, the other malign.

There is God, our Father, who very simply says, “I am waiting for you to do my will.” The other authority is named John Barlicorn, and he says, “You had better do God’s will or I will kill you.”

<< << << >> >> >>

The A.A. Traditions are neither rules, regulations, nor laws. We obey them willingly because we want to. Perhaps the secret of their power lies in the fact that these life-giving communications spring out of living experience and are rooted in love.

~ 1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 105 ~
~ 2. A.A. TODAY, P. 11 ~
© 1967 by Alcoholics Anonymous ® World Services, Inc

WALK IN DRY PLACES #essentialsofrecovery

THE LOSS OF CHOICE

Freedom

Many alcoholics are vigorous defenders of free choice. We have to concede, however, that our choices are not always limited by the tyranny of others. Our own actions can take away our freedom of choice.

Recovering people in AA have learned that taking even one drink will result in the loss of choice, and it is not just a temporary loss of sobriety that one faces. It’s always possible that the person who drinks again may never recover sobriety.

In the same way, other actions represent loss of choice in our lives. A person who cheats, for example, may learn that he or she has no choice over the unpleasant outcomes that follow.

We can protect our freedom of choice by deciding only to take actions that will strengthen such freedom in the future. At no time should we make any choices that rob us of our precious right to choose.

Every action I take today must help me keep favorable options open in the future. My right to choose was restored by AA, and I must help protect it.

© 1996 by Hazelden Foundation

KEEP IT SIMPLE #essentialsofrecovery

The best way to know God is to love many things.

~ Vincent Van Gogh

Now that we’re in recovery, we’re learning to love people. We’re learning to love nature.

We’re learning to love new ideas about life. The result? We love the way we feel now that we’re taking care of ourselves.

Is our Higher Power really so close? Can we really find our Higher Power just by loving many things? Yes! When we love, we wake up that part of us that is part of all creation—our spirit. We really come to life when we love!

Prayer for the Day:

Higher Power, remind me that You are near when I love someone or something. The energy of love come from You.

Action for the Day:

I will list three things I love that help me know my Higher Power is near me.

Copyright © 1988 by Hazelden Foundation

FR LEO'S DAILY MEDITATION #essentialsofrecovery

COMFORT

“No one knows of what stuff one is made until prosperity and ease try one.”
~ A. P. Gouthey

I must not get too comfortable or self-confident. I must not plateau at this stage of sobriety. I cannot afford to relax in past achievements. Sometimes, I hear my addiction saying “You’ve done all you need. Relax and take it easy.” Other times, the sick voice commands, “Listen to the stupidity of these newly recovering people. Avoid them! You don’t need meetings now.”

Based on my experience, when things are going well I need to be careful. A complacent sobriety is dangerous. It leads to the disarming slip of arrogance and false pride. I need to remember the pain of my yesterdays and keep listening to the newly recovering.

Teach me to embrace humility and enjoy a realistic sobriety.

© 2008 Leo Booth

A DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrecovery

Reflection for the Day

As a newcomer, I was told that my admission of my powerlessness over alcohol was my first step toward freedom from its deadly grip; I soon came to realize the truth of that fact. In that regard, surrender was a dire necessity. But for me that was only a small beginning toward acquiring humility. I’ve learned in the Program that to be willing to work for humility—as something to be desired for itself—takes most of us a long, long time. Do I realize that a whole lifetime geared to self-centeredness can’t be shifted into reverse in a split second?

Today I Pray

May I search for my own humility as a quality that I must cultivate to survive, not just an admission that I am powerless over my compulsive behavior. Step One is just that—step one in the direction of acquiring an attitude of humility. May I be realistic enough to know that this may take half a lifetime.

Today I Will Remember

Pride blew it; let humility have a chance.

© 1989 by Hazelden Foundation

ONE DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrecovery

STEP TWO

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.”

~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

While in the grip of my disease I tried many things to deal with my compulsive overeating. I tried many, many diets, fasting, exercise programs, treatment, therapy, church and even resorted to weight loss surgery. I did the same thing over and over again – I tried outward solutions to fix an inward problem. And the sad thing was I somehow thought that I would get different results: a permanent change of my compulsive overeating. But it did not work that way. It was acting with insanity. I was frustrated and very, very sad. All along, I knew there was something wrong with me, that I was not “normal”, but I didn’t know what to do about it.

Then the blessing of the program came to me. I learned about Step Two: “Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.” I came to believe that was true. I finally was doing something different. Never before had I approached my compulsive overeating on three levels all at the same time. I had never seen my disease as a physical, emotional and spiritual disease that needed addressing at the same time, one day at a time. I began to slowly learn how to do this through the steps and the tools, with the help of sponsors and friends in the program. I found myself doing something different and getting different results. I found my sanity returning, piece by piece.

One Day at a Time . . .

I will do something different, knowing I will get different results.

~ Carolyn

ELDER MEDITATION OF THE DAY #essentialsofrecovery

“Our Spiritual belief is that we were created as part of the land – so our identity, our names, and our songs are all tied to the land.”

~ Chief Roderick Robinson, NISGA’A

In the traditional way, the names of native people had great meaning. We even had naming ceremonies. The naming of someone was very important and had great significance because it was tied to the Earth. The identity of each member and the teachings of the songs were all tied to Mother Earth. We need to know these teachings from our culture. This knowledge will help us heal the people.

My Maker, today help me find my identity.

Today's Gift #essentialsofrecovery

When one door closes, fortune will usually open another. — Fernando De Rojas

Sometimes, especially in early recovery, we concentrate on our losses instead of our gains. We see a chapter in our life closing, and we mourn. We must leave some friends behind, or say good-bye to a social life we enjoyed. We must give up active addiction, which had become our best friend and only comfort. We may even have to leave our families, at least for a time, in order to concentrate on our own needs.

We need to grieve all these losses. Then we can see more clearly what recovery has brought us. For every loss, we’ve gained blessings. For every friend gone, we have the chance to make many more. A whole new sober life awaits us when we’re ready to be part of it.

When we gave up the fake comforts of addiction, we found genuine comfort in sound sleep and healthy bodies, in peaceful days and serene nights. When we were ready to give up anger and resentment, we found generosity and forgiveness toward other people, and toward ourselves, too. In recovery, it’s true, one door has closed. But another, better door has finally opened.

Today help me be grateful for my new life. Help me grieve my losses so I can appreciate all that awaits me.

From the book:

Body, Mind, and Spirit by Anonymous

The Eye Opener #essentialsofrecovery

We alcoholics were accustomed to look at the world through whiskey glasses and, consequently, what we saw of the world made it appear as one big case of DT's.

Sobriety corrected our vision and the world took on a more ordered appearance. The world hadn't changed – our viewpoint had.

If the world still doesn't look good to you – probably you are still looking through your old glasses.

Hazelden Foundation

Daily Tao / 319 – Sustaining #essentialsofrecovery

Orange and gold carp,
Living beneath ice.
Uncaring of the world above,
Sustained by the water below.

In the rapidly chilling autumn, ponds begin to ice over. The waters become deep, dark, and mysterious, but in those depths the fish can survive the coming winter.

Tao may be known as directly as water is knowable to a fish. My Tao will not be the same as your Tao. We are both individuals, with different backgrounds and thoughts. As soon as Tao enters into us, it takes on the colors of our inner personalities. When it passes out of us, it returns again to its universal nature. This is an ongoing and constant process, like water flowing through a fish’s gills. Just as the water nurtures the fish, so too does Tao nurture and sustain us. As long as we continue our immersion in Tao, we will be as safe as a carp in water. When we separate from Tao, we are as helpless as a fish out of water.

Daily Zen #essentialsofrecovery

My teaching does not require anyone to become homeless or resign the world unless he wants to, but it does require everyone to free himself from the illusion that he is a permanent self and to act with integrity while giving up his craving for pleasure.

-Majjhima Nikaya

Walk In Dry Places

Friday, 15 November 2019