Essentials Of Recovery : March 2024

Created to carry the message of recovery to all addicts. Whether the addiction is alcohol, drugs, food or any other addiction the program of recovery is the same. I am a recovering alcoholic of over twenty-seven years, a day at a time of course and I believe my primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve recovery. Remember seven days without a meeting makes one weak. Sign up to get emails.This Blog is NOT IN ANY WAY affiliated to either A.A. or N.A. Help to stop drinking.

Sunday 31 March 2024

Face Everything And Recover...

EssentialsOfRecovery

Random Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous #essentialsofrec #Recovery #BigBook #BillW

Krista M. "Alcoholism is not my Master!" - AA Speaker #essentialsofrec #Recovery #Alcoholism

DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrec #love #Grace

NO ONE DENIED ME LOVE
On the A. A. calendar it was Year Two. . . . A newcomer appeared at one of these groups. . . . He soon proved that his was a desperate case, and that above all he wanted to get well . . . [He said], “Since I am the victim of another addiction even worse stigmatized than alcoholism, you may not want me among you.”

~ TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, pp. 141-42 ~
I came to you—a wife, mother, woman who had walked out on her husband, children, family. I was a drunk, a pill-head, a nothing. Yet no one denied me love, caring, a sense of belonging. Today, by God’s grace and the love of a good sponsor and a home group, I can say that—through you in Alcoholics Anonymous—I am a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a woman. Sober. Free of pills. Responsible.

Without a Higher Power I found in the Fellowship, my life would be meaningless. I am full of gratitude to be a member of good standing in Alcoholics Anonymous.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrec #NA #Addiction

“Insides Outsides”

“Our real value is in being ourselves.”

~ Basic Text p. 101 ~
As we work the steps, we’re bound to discover some basic truths about ourselves. The process of uncovering our secrets, exposing them, and searching our characters reveals our true nature. As we become acquainted with ourselves, we’ll need to make a decision to be just who we are.

We may want to take a look at what we present to our fellow addicts and the world and see if it matches up with what we’ve discovered inside. Do we pretend that nothing bothers us when, in truth, we’re very sensitive? Do we cover our insecurities with obnoxious jokes, or do we share our fears with someone? Do we dress like a teenager when we’re approaching forty and are basically conservative?

We may want to take another look at those things which we thought “weren’t us:” Maybe we’ve avoided NA activities because we “don’t like crowds!” Or maybe we have a secret dream of changing careers but have put off taking action because our dream “wasn’t really right” for us. As we attain a new understanding of ourselves, we’ll want to adjust our behavior accordingly. We want to be genuine examples of who we are.

Just for today: I will check my outsides to make sure they match my insides. I will try to act on the growth I have experienced in recovery.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY #essentialsofrec #AA #Recovery

A.A. Thought for the Day

Since I’ve been in AA., have I made a start toward being more unselfish? Do I no longer want my own way in everything? When things go wrong and I can’t have what I want, do I no longer sulk? Am I trying not to waste money on myself? And does it make me happy to see my family and my home have enough attention from me? Am I trying not to be all “get” and no “give”?

Meditation for the Day
Each day is a day of progress, steady progress forward, if you make it so. You may not see it, but God does. God does not judge by outward appearance. He judges by the heart. Let Him see in your heart a simple desire always to do His will. Though you may feel that your work has been spoiled or tarnished, God sees it as an offering for Him. When climbing a steep hill, people are often more conscious of the weakness of their stumbling feet than of the view, the grandeur, or even of the upward progress.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may persevere in all good things. I pray that I may advance each day in spite of my stumbling feet.

© 1954, 1975, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation

AS BILL SEES IT #essentialsofrec #Loneliness #Isolation

Page 90 ~

To Watch Loneliness Vanish

Almost without exception, alcoholics are tortured by loneliness. Even before our drinking got bad and people began to cut us off, nearly all of us suffered the feeling that we didn’t quite belong. Either we were shy, and dared not draw near others, or we were noisy good fellows constantly craving attention and companionship, but rarely getting it. There was always that mysterious barrier we could neither surmount nor understand.

That’s one reason we loved alcohol too well. But even Bacchus betrayed us; we were finally struck down and left in terrified isolation.

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

Life takes on new meaning in A.A. To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends—this is an experience not to be missed.

~ 1. TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 57 ~
~ 2. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 89 ~

© 1967 by Alcoholics Anonymous ® World Services, Inc

EASY DOES IT #essentialsofrec #progress #recovery

“ALMOST” PEOPLE

If a man has a talent and cannot use it, he has failed. If he has a talent and uses only half of it, he has partly failed.

~ Thomas Wolfe ~

Every step of progress that we make in our Program takes us farther away from being one of the “almost” people. We know today that we cannot settle for “almost” living up to our potentials and capabilities.

We used to think that near-misses meant coming close to victory. This was satisfying, we thought. But we actually were making sure our efforts always got worse, never better.

In recovery, we see the wisdom of “half measures availing us nothing.” Today when we miss, we learn from a “near success” and try again, harder.

Even the slogan “Easy Does It” can encourage me to see worth in almost-good efforts, but I must quickly add to that “But DO It!”

©1990 by Anonymous. All rights reserved. Published by Hazelden®.

WALK IN DRY PLACES #essentialsofrec #Journey #Sobriety

A JOURNEY, NOT A DESTINATION

How It Works

“Now that you’re sober, why do you stay in AA?” AA members frequently hear this from others not familiar with the fellowship, but it’s understandable. They see AA as a place where one goes to be “cured,” whereas we learn to see it as an ongoing recovery process that is never really completed.

Sobriety is not an object that one can acquire and then put on a shelf somewhere or on the wall like a diploma. It is more of a journey in living, with each day’s march being a goal in itself.

You could also say that sobriety is like the “manna from heaven” described in the Old Testament. Fresh manna arrived each day, but could not be saved for the future. It is the same with us. Today’s experience in sobriety is what sustains us, and we’re in trouble if we’re trying to depend on what was accomplished in the past.

Though we do use the term permanent sobriety, we never truly possess it. Our quest for sobriety is a lifetime journey.

I’ll be on guard against any feeling of “having it made.” Sure, past success should be helpful in maintaining today’s sobriety. But the quality of today’s sobriety will depend only on today’s thinking and behavior.

© 1996 by Hazelden Foundation

KEEP IT SIMPLE #essentialsosrec #Laughter #Shame

You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself.
~ Ethel Barrymore ~
There was a time when we wouldn’t let anyone laugh at us—even ourselves. We had too much shame. We had too much pain. We took the world too seriously. If we laughed, it was at others—not at ourselves.

Over time, real and honest laughter returns to us. Laughter is a way of accepting ourselves as human. To be human means we can make mistakes. It means we can lighten up. It also means growing up. And growing up means being happy with all of who we are—even parts of us that may seem odd or funny. If we can’t laugh at ourselves, we shut ourselves off from the world. We shut ourselves off from the parts of us we need to accept. Am I willing to accept the fact that I’m human?

Prayer for the Day
Higher Power, You made laughter. Help me use it to make my life easier. Help me accept all of me.

Today’s Action
Today, I’ll share with someone close to me a funny mistake I’ve made.

Copyright © 1988 by Hazelden Foundation

FR.LEO'S DAILY MEDITATION #essentialsosrec #Recovery #FrLeo

WORLD

“All wars are civil wars, because all persons are brothers and sisters. . . . Each one owes infinitely more to the human race than to the particular country in which one was born.”

~ Francois Fenelon ~
The disease of addiction kept me separate, isolated, and alone. I was so busy seeing how I was different from other people that I missed the similarities. I missed the oneness of creation by always placing myself above it, below it, or outside it; and I was the loser.

Even my religion kept me separate. By being Christian, I was not a Jew, Muslim, or Hindu. As such, I failed to see the similarities of these major philosophies. I also failed to recognize what all religious people have in common: the inclusiveness of Love, Truth, and Forgiveness.

God is found in the difference and sameness of all people.

Dear God, I am discovering that differences, when understood, become similarities.

© 2008 Leo Booth

A DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #illness #Relapse

Reflection for the Day

My illness is unlike most other illnesses in that denial that I am sick is a primary symptom that I am sick. Like such other incurable illnesses as diabetes and arthritis, however, my illness is characterized by relapses. In the Program, we call such relapses “slips.” The one thing I know for certain is that I alone can cause myself to slip. Will I remember at all times that the thought precedes the action? Will I try to avoid “stinking thinking”?

Today I Pray
May God give me the power to resist temptations. May the responsibility for giving in, for having a “slip,” be on my shoulders and mine only. May I see beforehand if I am setting myself up for a slip by blame-shifting, shirking my responsibility to myself, becoming the world’s poor puppet once again. My return to those old attitudes can be as much of a slip as the act of losing my sobriety.

Today I Will Remember
Nobody’s slip-proof.

© 1989 by Hazelden Foundation

ONE DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #Recovery #OA

WORDS
“Handle them carefully …for words have more power than atom bombs.”
~ Pearl Strachan Hurd ~

A friend wrote to me tonight about the “healing power of words” I began to think about that and she was right. Words can truly heal. I thought back to times in my life when the right word at the right time by the right person made an enormous difference in my life. I also thought of the times when words devastated me.

Many times I get busy and don’t think about what I’m going to say and words come out and in my “busyness” of the moment, I don’t realize they could have a double meaning. It is afterwards … many times days afterwards …. that I realize my choice of words were inappropriate. We speak and listen to tens of millions of words in our lifetime and, perhaps, we need to weigh the words we use more carefully. I hope, however, that I don’t ever find myself saying words to others I don’t mean or out of fear restrict words that need to be said.

Although this British politician of the 1930s, Pearl Strachan Hurd, said that words have more power than atom bombs, there is something that I find even more powerful. Silence. Silence when there should be words can hurt. Silence when someone should have the courage to speak harms. I tend to think of silence as the ultimate insult. And yet some of the most beautiful words ever spoken to me were the silent ones.

One day at a time…
Let me choose my words carefully but not so carefully that I become callous. Let me use words to heal and not hurt; to make things better and not worse; to express feelings, even negative feelings to and about others, kindly … courageously … carefully.

~ Mari ~

ELDER MEDITATION #essentialsofrec #Lakota #Oglala #Native

“The old Lakota was wise. He knew that man’s heart away from nature becomes hard; he knew the lack of respect for growing, living things soon led to a lack of respect for humans too. So he kept his youth close to its softening influence.”

~ Luther Standing Bear, OGLALA SIOUX ~
When we live in nature it’s like constantly being in school. We are in an environment that is always teaching. We are constantly being reminded hat there are laws, Natural Laws, which are running the universe. Once we know these laws and we drift from them, we start to live our lives in a different way. Soon we become discontent, selfish and disrespectful. Then, we get in trouble. If our lives have become this way, it can be reversed by going back to nature to be among our teachers.

Great Spirit, teach men, again, the Natural Laws.

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT #essentialsofrec #positivity #Attitude

Even on a rainy day, I can feel the sunshine.
Even when the clouds are gray, I can feel a glow.
There’s a little light inside me, just keeps burning.
I take it with me, everywhere I go.

~ Jill Clark ~
We carry within ourselves the single necessary Ingredient for our happiness: a positive attitude. Nothing can ruin our day, unless we let it. No remark can devastate us, unless we let it. No person can have a harmful, lasting impact on us, unless we let him or her. No unhealthy, negative attitude controls our thoughts without our assent.

Feeling good about the experiences we’re having, regardless of their nature, is a decision. Trusting that some good will come out of every one of them is a habit we can form. We can acquire un attitude of hope for growth and positive change.

I will see the sunshine even through the clouds if that’s my choice. Today I have twenty-four hours to practice this.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

THE EYE OPENER #essentialsofrec #Recovery #AA

We as alcoholics are so used to getting by with a minimum of effort on our part that we sometimes fail to appreciate that only those things earned have any real and lasting value.

We allowed our families to cover up for us and support us, we panhandled, we were experts in the game of something for nothing.

Nothing free is worth having. AA has no initiation fees or dues but it also costs a lot if you want to get a lot. You can procure a two-bit brand of AA but we don’t guarantee it will work.

Published by Hazelden

Daily Tao / 90 – Longevity #essentialsofrec #Tao #Taoism #Zen

Contemplate in the morning.
Pull weeds in the afternoon.
The joys and labor of a single day
Are part of a whole journey.

If all you want is spiritual realization, it isn’t that difficult. For the average person, a dozen years under the guidance of a good teacher will probably give it to you. That’s shorter than what it takes to be a good musician, athlete, or artist. It’s even shorter that the time it will take you to collect your pension. If you have the good fortune to study with the right person, you can succeed in a relatively short amount of time.
But after you get it, then what? Many of us place such an emphasis on attaining realization that we may forget to put it in context. What actually matters is to walk Tao, maintaining vitality until we meet our end in a timely way. Spiritual realization is essential, but it is not everything.

A starving person dwells inordinately on the thought of food. Likewise, a spiritually hungry person can only think of realization. One who has food can place it in the right context, just as one who has understanding can place it in the correct perspective. Followers of Tao therefore do not emphasize enlightenment as an ultimate goal. For them, realization is a means, not an end. Their emphasis is on the act of living. They use the word longevity, not because they want to live forever, but because it symbolizes their determination to live the entire course of their lives well.

AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX #essentialsofrec #Religion #Emmet #Fox

THE PURE IN HEART

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God (Matthew 5:8).

This is one of those wonderful gnomic sayings in which the Bible is so rich. It is a summing up in a few words of a whole philosophy of religion.

Let us begin by considering what the promise in this Beatitude is. It is nothing less than to see God. To “see” in the sense referred to here, signifies spiritual perception, and spiritual perception is just that capacity to apprehend the true nature of Being that we all so sadly lack.

We live in God’s world, but we do not in the least know it as it is. Heaven lies all about us—but because we are lacking in spiritual perception, we are unable to recognize it, to experience it, and, therefore, so far as we are concerned, we may be said to be shut out of Heaven.

We are very much in the position of a color-blind man in a beautiful flower garden. All around him are glorious colors; but he sees only blacks, whites, and grays. If we suppose him to be also devoid of the sense of smell, we shall see what a very small part of the glory of the garden exists for him. Yet it is all there, if he could but sense it.

Our task is to surmount these limitations as rapidly as may be, until we reach the point where we can know things as they really are—experience Heaven as it really is. That is what is meant by “seeing God.” To see God is to apprehend Truth as it really is, and this is infinite freedom and perfect bliss.

© 1931 by Emmet Fox

Saturday 30 March 2024

Alcoholism Recovery Stories | Tony Hopkins | Getting sober #essentialsofrec #Speakers #Recovery

RANDOM BIG BOOK ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS #essentialsofrec #Recovery #BigBook #BILLW #Quotes

DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrec #Group #Recovery #Unity

OUR GROUP CONSCIENCE
“. . . sometimes the good is the enemy of the best”

~ ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS COMES OF AGE P- 101 ~
I think these words apply to every area of A.A.’s Three Legacies: Recovery, Unity and Service! I want them etched in my mind and life as I “trudge the Road of Happy Destiny” (Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 164). These words, often spoken by co-founder Bill W., were appropriately said to him as the result of the group’s conscience. It brought home to Bill W. the essence of our Second Tradition: “Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.”

Just as Bill W. was originally urged to remember, I think that in our group discussions we should never settle for the “good,” but always strive to attain the “best.” These common strivings are yet another example of a loving God, as we understand Him, expressing Himself through the group conscience. Experiences such as these help me to stay on the proper path of recovery. I learn to combine initiative with humility, responsibility with thankfulness, and thus relish the joys of living my twenty-four hour program.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrec #NA #Addiction

God – Centeredness

“Gradually as we become more God-centered than self-centered, our despair turns to hope.”

~ Basic Text p. 92 ~

What a glorious thing to have hope! Before coming to Narcotics Anonymous, many of us lived lives of utter hopelessness. We believed we were destined to die from our disease.

Many members speak of being on a “pink cloud” their first months in the program. We’ve stopped using, made some friends, and life looks promising. Things are going great. Then reality sets in. Life is still life—we still lose jobs, our partners still leave us, friends still die, we still get sick. Abstinence is no guarantee that life will always go our way.

When the reality of life on its own terms sets in, we turn to our Higher Power and remember that life happens the way life happens. But no matter what occurs in our recovery we need not despair, for there is always hope. That hope lies in our relationship with our Higher Power.

This relationship, as expressed by the thought in our text, develops over time: “Gradually we become more God-centered.” As we rely more and more on the strength of our Higher Power, life’s struggles don’t have to drag us into the sea of despair. As we focus more on God, we focus less on ourselves.

Just for today: I will rely on my Higher Power. I will accept that, regardless of what happens, my Higher Power will provide me with the resources to live with it.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY #essentialsofrec #AA #Recovery

A.A. Thought for the Day

Before I met A.A., I was very unloving. From the time I went away to school, I paid very little attention to my mother and father. I was on my own and didn’t even bother to keep in touch with them. After I got married, I was very unappreciative of my spouse. Many a time I would go out all by myself to have a good time. I paid too little attention to our children and didn’t try to understand them or show them affection. My few friends were only drinking companions, not real friends. Have I gotten over being nobody but myself?

Meditation for the Day
Be calm, be true, be quiet. Do not get emotionally upset by anything that happens around you. Feel a deep, inner security in the goodness and purpose in the universe. Be true to your highest ideals. Do not let your-self slip back into the old ways of reacting. Stick to your spiritual guns. Be calm always. Do not talk back or defend yourself too much against accusation, whether false or true. Accept criticism as well as you accept praise. Only God can judge the real you.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may not be upset by the judgment of others. I pray that I may let God be the judge of the real me.

© 1954, 1975, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation

AS BILL SEES IT #essentialsofrec #AA #Recovery

~ Page 89 ~

Review the Day
When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we have done better? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could pack into the stream of life?

We must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflections, for that would diminish our usefulness to ourselves and to others. After making our review we ask God’s forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken.

~ ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS ~

© 1967 by Alcoholics Anonymous ® World Services, Inc

EASY DOES IT #essentialsofrec #Enemy #Self

WORST ENEMY

Self is the only prison that can ever bind the soul.
~ Robert Graham ~
We refuse to keep putting ourselves down. Sometimes that seems like a virtue, but it isn’t. It’s a defect. The honest approach is to know our strengths and our weaknesses. The Program provides us the tools to work on both.

In recovery, each of us chooses to become our own best friend. Liking ourselves will assure us that we can become the best person we can be. Who have we hurt more than we have hurt ourselves? Would we let anyone do to us what we have done to ourselves?

We are learning to think about our assets rather than focusing on our liabilities. Our self-talk no longer always puts us down.

I can strike a solid blow at “me, my worst enemy,” by concentrating on the small triumphs of each today rather than on yesterday’s disasters.

©1990 by Anonymous. All rights reserved. Published by Hazelden®.

WALK IN DRY PLACES #essentialsofrec #Judgement

IDENTIFY, DON’T COMPARE

Good Judgment

There’s always danger in com-paring ourselves with others. If we use behavior and drinking as yardsticks, such comparisons can lead us to believe that we might not really be alcoholics. This mistaken conclusion has been the un-doing of some alcoholics.

The better course is to identify with the problems others have in common with us. Though drinking patterns and habits may vary between two people, individuals may at least share the fears and delusions that drinking brought.

Other common factors that bind alcoholics together are emotional immaturity, a misplaced faith that alcohol solves problems, loneliness, and a tendency toward resentments. These also make good discussion topics for meetings.

At the very beginning of AA, the founders had trouble coming up with a real definition of alcoholism. Since then, we’ve done very well by letting members “diagnose” themselves. It’s best to leave it this way: If your drinking is a problem in your life, AA has an answer for you.

Today I will not waste time comparing myself with others. Having accepted my alcoholism, I’ll devote my attention to the things that enhance sobriety.

© 1996 by Hazelden Foundation

KEEP IT SIMPLE #essentialsofrec #Spirituality #Survival

Spirituality is…the awareness that survival is
a savage fight between you and yourself.

~ Lisa S. ~

As recovering people, we’re getting stronger each day. We go to meetings to learn how to be better people. But we also go to remind ourselves of the beast inside us—our addiction. This beast is waiting for us to slip—to go back to our addiction—so it can regain control.

Thus, it’s wise to learn all we can about our disease. That’s why it’s important to do a good job on our Fourth Step. When we work Step Four, we learn how our addiction acts, thinks, and feels. With the help of our pro-gram, we can quiet the beast, One Day at a Time.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, I’m fighting for my life. Thanks to You, I’m winning today and my life is free.

Action for the Day

I’ll talk to a friend about my addiction, the beast inside me. I’ll do this so it will have less power over me.

Copyright © 1988 by Hazelden Foundation

FR. LEO'S DAILY MEDITATION #essentialsofrec #Reason #FrLeo

REASON

“For here we are not afraid to follow wherever it may lead, or to tolerate error so long as reason is free to combat it.”

~ Thomas Jefferson ~

As an alcoholic, I was often afraid to challenge the thinking and ideas of other people. My people-pleasing demanded peace at any price. Yet I did not agree with so much of what I heard, read, and practiced. Now I see that my attitude and behavior—along with my alcohol consumption—kept me sick.

In my spiritual program, I am free to reject, consider, and have my own opinions in life. I do not have to agree with everything that is said. In this way, I am discovering my value and self-esteem.

Lord, I am grateful for the freedom to cooperate.

© 2008 Leo Booth

A DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #virtue

Reflection for the Day
“When I meditate upon such a vision,” Bill W. continued, “I need not be dismayed because I shall never attain it, nor need I swell with presumption that one of these days its virtues shall all be mine. I only need to dwell on the vision itself, letting it grow and ever more fill my heart…Then I get a sane and healthy idea of where I stand on the highway to humility. I see that my journey towards God has scarcely begun. As I thus get down to my right size and stature, my self-concern and importance become amusing.” Do I take myself too seriously?

Today I Pray
May the grandiosity which is a symptom of my chemical addiction be brought back into proportion by the simple comparison of my powerlessness with the power of God. May I think of the meaning of Higher Power as it relates to my human frailty. May it bring my ego back down to scale and help me shed my defenses of pomp or bluster or secret ideas of self-importance.

Today I Will Remember
God is great. I am small.

© 1989 by Hazelden Foundation

ONE DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #OA #overeaters

DISLOYALTY

“Health is the greatest gift,
contentment the greatest wealth,
faithfulness the best relationship.”

~ Buddah ~
I have a history of chaotic relationships filled with destructive drama and a lack of loyalty. For many years, however, I believed that I was in fact a very loyal friend – and that it was my friends who were disloyal to me.

I was an avid ─ even rabid ─ people-pleaser. I drove myself crazy trying to figure out what people wanted and how I could best provide that for them. Because I thought I knew what was best for everybody, I failed to truly listen to the people in my life. Instead, I tried to impose my will upon them…then I wondered why they didn’t appreciate all of my efforts on “their” behalf. When they inevitably became frustrated with me, I was wounded by what I perceived to be their lack of loyalty to me.

Only recently in my recovery program have I come to learn that my efforts at people-pleasing were actually symptoms of my own disloyalty. I was failing to relate with people as they are – rather I was relating to them as I thought they “should be”. That is perhaps the most egregious form of disloyalty…insisting that others be loyal to my concept of them and myself.

Now I am taking steps to honestly listen to people and to relate with them as they are – and as I truly am. I am no longer hiding behind food. In order to be loyal in my relationships, I must be loyal to the ‘Truth of Reality.’ Only then can we share the joy of faithful relationships.

One day at a time …
I will practice listening to the people in my life and I will honor them as they are. Each day I can choose to be loyal, rather than critical or people-pleasing.

~ Lisa ~

ELDER'S MEDITATION OF THE DAY #essentialsofrec #CHUMASH #Elders

“If anyone has children, they better teach their children to follow the traditions that we’re leaving behind because it is later than we think with all that’s going on.”
~ Juanita Centeno, CHUMASH ~
The habits, attitudes and beliefs that carry the human through the trials of life are developed at a very young age. If we are taught respect at a very young age, the odds are we’ll be respectful through our whole lives. If we are taught to dance at a young age, we’ll dance our whole lives. If we are taught to sing the traditional songs while we are young, we’ll sing those songs throughout our whole lives. And who do we drum and sing songs to? Our children. This is how we keep it going.

Great Spirit, today, teach me to teach the children.

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT #essentialsofrec #Rejection #self-esteem

By embracing the unfair, I no longer feel fear or rejection or lack of self-esteem.
~ Eileen Fehlen ~
It’s so human to quickly label an unwanted situation as unfair and to assume we know what’s best for us. We reason that if God would answer our prayers, our lives would unfold appropriately. It’s also terribly human to have to relearn repeatedly that God’s will and God’s timetable don’t always match our own; however, without fail they serve us well.

Learning to appreciate the good in everything that comes our way makes us courageous. In time few things will fill us with fear, and that is measurable progress. We were tormented by fear for so many years that we never expected this rebirth of spirit. Life is beginning to feel inviting, exciting, and safe. Let’s step forth together.

I can be certain that God will give me only what is right for me today.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

THE EYE OPENER #essentialsofrec #Humility

The truly great man can afford to be humble, for hundreds of others are exalting him. You have only one horn to blow and other people can’t toot it if you are eternally tooting it yourself.
The proud man is aggressive in his own interest; the humble man is aggressive in the ideals he believes in. Humility is not passive resignation; it is rather, subjecting self for lofty purposes.

Published by Hazelden

Daily Tao / 89 – Disengagement #Daily Zen #Tao #Taoism #essentialsofrec

Wearily I open my prayer book,
Sepia photograph of sage on amber page,
Flaming raven Sanskrit, strange syllables,
Intone, chant, repeat.
Number vows with beads :
Every resolution is inspiration petrified.

There are some days when one is disengaged from Tao, not interested in devotion, and everything just becomes an empty form. Gone are spiritual bliss, deep insight, and integration with the rhythm of the universe. Instead, there is duty, form, and stiff discipline. One can try to remember the reasons for one’s quest, think of the achievements of the past, reaffirm one’s goals, and still not be inspired to do one’s practice. What do you do?

Every once in a while, it is permissible to skip things for a day. If you are angry, under great stress, or ill, then it is best simply to rest. But if one has made vows, if it is only a matter of laziness or indifference, then you must exert your discipline and practice even if it means that you are just going through the motions. In at least half the cases, something significant will happen. The rest of the time, going through your forms is in itself a good practice. It builds a tremendous momentum that will manifest itself in later times.

DAILY ZEN #essentialsofrec #Zen #Buddhism

If a person does what is wrong, let one not do it again.

Let one not find pleasure in wrong.

Painful is the accumulation of bad conduct.

AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX #essentialsofrec #Emmet #Fox

THE MERCIFUL

Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy (Matthew 5:7).

This is a brief summary of the law of life that Jesus develops more fully later in the Sermon (Matthew 7:1-5).

As it stands, this Beatitude is as obvious in its meaning as the law in question is simple and inflexible in its action.

The point that the Christian needs to note is that the principle covered in this Beatitude lies in its application to the realm of thought. Let us be merciful in our mental judgments of our brother, for, in truth, we are all one, and the more deeply he seems to err, the more urgent is the need for us to help him with the right thought, and so make it easier for him to get free.

Because in deed and in truth we are all one,, component parts of the living garment of God, you yourself will ultimately receive the same treatment that you mete out to others; you will receive the same merciful help in your own hour of need from those who are farther along the path than you are.

© 1931 by Emmet Fox

Friday 29 March 2024

DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrec #servants

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrec #Truth #NA

Our Own True Will

“God’s will for us consists of the very things we most value. God’s will… becomes our own true will for ourselves.”

~ Basic Text p. 46 ~

It’s human nature to want something for nothing. We may be ecstatic when a store cashier gives us back change for a twenty though we only paid with a ten. We tend to think that, if no one knows, one small deception won’t make any difference. But someone does know—we do. And it does make a difference.

What worked for us when we used, frequently doesn’t work long in recovery. As we progress spiritually by working the Twelve Steps, we begin to develop new values and standards. We begin to feel uncomfortable when we take advantage of situations that, when we used, would have left us gloating about what we had gotten away with.

In the past, we may have victimized others. However, as we draw closer to our Higher Power, our values change. God’s will becomes more important than getting away with something.

When our values change, our lives change, too. Guided by an inner knowledge given us by our Higher Power, we want to live out our newfound values. We have internalized our Higher Power’s will for us—in fact, God’s will has become our own true will for ourselves.

Just for today: By improving my conscious contact with God, my values have changed. Today, I will practice God’s will, my own true will.

© 1991 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY #essentialsofrec #recovery #AA

AS BILL SEES IT #essentialsofrec #BillW #Choice

Page 88 ~

Will Power and Choice

“We A.A.’s know the futility of trying to break the drinking obsession by will power alone. However, we do know that it takes great willingness to adopt A.A.’s Twelve Steps as a way of life that can restore us to sanity.

“No matter how grievous the alcohol obsession, we happily find that other vital choices still be made. For example, we can choose to admit that we are personally powerless over alcohol; that dependence upon a `Higher Power’ is a necessity, even if this be simply dependence upon an A.A. group. Then we can choose to try for a life of honesty and humility, of selfless service to our fellows and to `God as we understand Him.’

“As we continue to make these choices and so move toward these high aspirations, our sanity returns and the compulsion to drink vanishes.”

~ LETTER, 1966 ~

© 1967 by Alcoholics Anonymous ® World Services, Inc

EASY DOES IT #essentialsofrec #Togetherness

TOGETHERNESS

Nothing that is worth doing can be done alone, but has to be done with others.
~ Dr. Reinhold Niebulur ~

Countless troubled people have agonized and sometimes died, many by their own hand, because they were defeated loners. They never learned that they needed help in solving what seemed like overpowering problems. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help. It’s a sign of strength.

The more closely we identify with others today, the more certain we are that nobody can solve our problems for us. But caring friends can guide us by sharing their experiences. The secret behind the magical success of sharing is that sharing cannot be done without caring. To care is to experience, the most vital part of love.

Sharing problems is only a small part of giving. We must share strengths, successes, experiences and hopes.

Whenever I am practicing the principles of my Program, I am comforted by knowing that I never work alone. Sometimes, I am led. At other times, I can show the way.

©1990 by Anonymous. All rights reserved. Published by Hazelden®.

WALK IN DRY PLACES #essentialsofrec #winners #choice

STICK WITH THE WINNERS

Making the Right Choices

In the world of drinking, people lead each other down paths of further destruction. In the world of AA, that same destructive process can still go on through wrong thinking. It’s possible for AA members to encourage resentments, criticism, gossip, and other dead-end practices.

That’s why people are urged to “stick with the winners” in order to find and maintain sobriety. Seek out people who are doing well in the program, people whose progress is noticeable and admirable. They can be of real help as sponsors, as friends, or simply as role models.

It’s important to remember that the winners can be from all walks of life. The first AA member in Detroit earned only a modest living, while the second Detroit member became a wealthy manufacturer after finding sobriety. In AA terms, both men were winners. They stayed sober, they stayed active in the fellowship, and they helped others.

“Sticking with the winners” does not mean we should shun people who are having difficulty with the program. It does mean we should avoid accepting ideas and ways of living that do not lead to sobriety.

I’ll spend time in the company of people who have a good record of following the program.

© 1996 by Hazelden Foundation

KEEP IT SIMPLE #essentialsofrec #Recovery #illness

Whatever is in the heart will come up to the tongue.

~ Persian proverb ~

During our illness, we wouldn’t let people get close to us. We spoke much of what was in our heart. And much of what filled our heart was sadness, anger, and hopelessness. Those who wanted to be close to us heard what was in our heart. In short, we had become our illness.

Recovery is about changing what’s in our heart. We open our heart to the program and to its healing. We open our heart up to our Higher Power.

The first three Steps are about opening our hearts. They’re about honesty and needing others. They’re about turning our will and our lives over to a Higher Power. If you’re wondering where you are with these Steps, listen to the words you speak.

Prayer for the Day

Higher Power, keep my heart open to the first three Steps.

Action for the Day

Today, I’ll work at really listening to what I have to say.

Copyright © 1988 by Hazelden Foundation

FR.LEO'S DAILY MEDITATION #essentialsofrec #opinions

OPINIONS

“Opinions cannot survive if one has no chance to fight for them.”

~ Thomas Mann ~
As a result of my sobriety, I have opinions on a great number of subjects. Drugs have a tendency to make insane remarks appear brilliant. Drunks often see them-selves as unsung poets or victimized geniuses when they are “in alcohol.” I did not have opinions when I was drinking but rather a series of chaotic and incoherent reactions.

Today I have considered opinions. I am able to think and make decisions. I make a contribution to life and the world in which I live. I am involved. More than this, I have the spiritual confidence to fight for what I believe and speak out my concerns in love. I am alive, and I love it!

Let me always hear the opinions of others but not fail to express my own.

© 2008 Leo Booth

ONE DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #Isolation #Loneliness

ISOLATION

“Isolation is the sum total of wretchedness to a man.”
~ Thomas Carlyle ~

This past summer I was forced to play “catch-up” at work in order to compensate for time lost while recovering from a serious ankle injury. As a result of my increased responsibilities, I stopped touching base with my friends and family ─ Program family included ─ except via the occasional email or phone call.

Fortunately, my friends and my sponsor are not the “shrinking violet” types. They took me to task about my whereabouts and well being. Because COE is a disease of isolation, it’s extremely important to make sure we’re making contact with others. We do this by using the tools of the Program: sharing with our support group, meetings, and sponsor.

When we don’t allow ourselves to have regular, daily social outflow and personal accountability – even with a good excuse – we are more likely to relapse.

One day at a time…
I will make a determined effort to connect and share with others.

~ Rob R. ~

A DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #Humility #BillW

Reflection for the Day
What is the definition of humility? “Absolute humility/’ said A A co-founder Bill W., “would consist of a state of complete freedom from myself, freedom from all the claims that my defects of character now lay so heavily upon me. Perfect humility would be a full willing-ness, in all times and places, to find and to do the will of God.” Am I striving for humility?

Today I Pray
May God expand my interpretation of humility beyond abject subservience or awe at the greatness of others. May humility also mean freedom from myself, a freedom which can come only through turning my being over to God’s will. May I sense the omnipotence of God, which is simultaneously humbling and exhilarating. May I be willing to carry out God’s will.

Today I Will Remember
Humility is freedom.

© 1989 by Hazelden Foundation

As Bill Sees It #essentialsofrecovery

Alone No More, p.252

Alcoholism was a lonely business, even though we were surrounded by people who loved us. But when our self-will had driven everybody away and our isolation became complete, we commenced to play the big shot in cheap barrooms. Failing even in this, we had to fare forth alone on the street to depend upon the charity of passers-by.

We were trying to find emotional security either by dominating or by being dependent upon others. Even when our fortunes had not totally ebbed, we nevertheless found ourselves alone in the world. We still vainly tried to be secure by some unhealthy sort of domination or dependence.

For those of us who were like that, A.A. has a very special meaning. In this Fellowship we begin to learn right relations with people who understand us; we don’t have to be alone any more.

12 & 12, pp. 116-117

ELDER'S MEDITATION OF THE DAY #Essentialsofrec #Lakota #Native

“Tell the people not to cry. Tell them to be happy.”
~ John Fire Lame Deer, LAKOTA (told to his son, Archie) ~
Our Elders know about the two Worlds, the Physical World and the Spiritual World. Many times, before we pass to the Spirit World, our relatives, who have gone there before us, will come for us and they will help us. The Spirit World, the Elders say, is a good, happy and harmonious place. When we die, it means we have only entered another world. We will all see one another again.

Great Spirit, allow me to understand both the Spirit World and the Physical World. Today, let me be happy.

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT #essentialsofrec #HigherPower #Truth

Inside me is a stirring truth that is guided by my Higher Power. I am empowered by truth and joy.

~ Laurel Lewis ~
Remembering that our Higher Power’s wisdom and truth are as dose as our quiet moments offers us welcome relief in troubled times. However, we must guard against hearing the voice of our injured ego instead of the voice of God. Many of us have for decades been led by our disabled ego. When faced with fear and discouragement, we need profound willingness to follow God’s will rather than our own.

Having access to God’s truth every minute of our lives can make each decision less frightening. No experience, regardless how unfamiliar, can be too much for us if we remember to listen for our Higher Power’s direction.

As we strengthen our reliance on the Messenger within, we experience new levels of joy and inner peace. And we understand the real meaning of life.

I will listen to the still, small voice within and feel secure and joyful, knowing that my actions are God’s will.

© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

THE EYE OPENER #essentialsofrec #happiness

Do you want to be happy? Then go buy that strange kid on the corner a bag of candy. It may help cause his teeth to decay but what’s a tooth between glad hearts.

Published by Hazelden

Daily Tao / 88 – Interpretation: part 2 #essentialsofrec #Tao #Taoism #Zen

The sage whose words are ambiguous you call great.
Those who advocate discipline you shun.
With one, you treat words the way you want.
With the other, you resent having no quarter.

It is unfortunate that we need the words of the wise. Though they are essential to our beginnings on a spiritual path, they can cause problems because they must be interpreted to be understood. Because words are imperfect, every generation rewrites itself.
People love ambiguity, especially when it comes to religion. They can interpret things any way they want. If they are unhappy with the cast given to a particular teaching, they invent ways to circumvent it, which is why we have so many authorities, schools, and sects.

It is no accident that the most revered sages are dead. They aren’t around to correct our misguided notions, to change their teachings, or even to make mistakes that might mitigate our reverence. Christ, Mohammed, Buddha, Lao Tzu — how many of us are actually devoted to the wisdom that they embodied? Or have we made them mere screens upon which we project our own ideas?

It is important to spend time with a living teacher, one who can correct mistakes and discipline you. But the object of such study should not be the creation of a new orthodoxy. Rather, your goal should be to bring yourself to a state of independence. All teachings are mere references. The true experience is living your own life. Then, even the holiest of words are only words.

DAILY ZEN #essentialsofrec #Zen #Buddhism

A person of wisdom should be truthful, without arrogance, without deceit, not slanderous and not hateful. The wise person should go beyond the evil of greed and miserliness.

Do not get excited by what is old, do not be contented with what is new. Do not grieve for what is lost or be controlled by desire.

-Sutta-nipata, translated by H. Saddhatissa

AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX #essentialsofrec #Righteousness

HUNGER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteouness: for they shall be filled (Matthew 5:6)
Righteousness is another of the key words of the Bible, one of those keys that the reader must have in his possession if he is to get at the true meaning of the book. Like earth and meek and comfort, it is used in a special and definite sense. Righteousness means not merely right conduct, but right thinking. In the Sermon on the Mount, every clause reiterates the truth that outer things are but consequences. As within, so without.

When people awaken to a knowledge of these truths, they naturally begin to apply them in their own lives. Realizing at last the vital importance of “righteousness” they begin immediately to try to put their house in order. The principle involved is simple, but unfortunately the exemplifying of it is anything but easy. Now, why could this be so? The answer lies in the potency of habit; and habits of thinking are at once the most subtle and the most difficult to break.

Perhaps failure to achieve righteousness is the failure of halfheartedness; you long but not too deeply. Your hunger and thirst do not rise from a sense of total need. Have a mental stocktaking or a review of your life. It could not happen that a wholehearted search for truth and righteousness, if persevered in, should not be crowned with success. God is not mocked, nor does He mock His children.

© 1931 by Emmet Fox

Thursday 28 March 2024

Forgive For Peace...

EssentialsOfRecovery

RANDOM BIG BOOK ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS #essentialsofrec #BigBook #AA #Quotes

‎The less people tolerated us, the more we withdrew from society, from life itself. As we became subjects of King Alcohol, shivering denizens of his mad realm, the chilling vapor that is loneliness settled down. It thickened, ever becoming blacker. Some of us sought out sordid places, hoping to find understanding companionship and approval. Momentarily we did—then would come oblivion and the awful awakening to face the hideous Four Horsemen—Terror, Bewilderment, Frustration, Despair.

~A Vision For You, pg. 151

Guided Meditation for Detachment From Over-Thinking (Anxiety / OCD / Depression) #essentialosrec #recovery #OCD #Depression

DAILY REFLECTIONS #essentialsofrec #equality

EQUALITY
Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.

~ ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 565 ~
Prior to A.A., I often felt that I didn’t “fit in” with the people around me. Usually “they” had more/ less money than I did, and my points of view didn’t jibe with “theirs.” The amount of prejudice I had experienced in society only proved to me just how phony some self-righteous people were. After joining A. A., I found the way of life I had been searching for. In A.A. no member is better than any other member; we’re just alcoholics trying to recover from alcoholism.

Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc

JUST FOR TODAY #essentialsofrec #NA #Recovery

Facing Feelings

“We may fear that being in touch with our feelings will trigger an overwhelming chain reaction of pain and panic.”

~ Basic Text p. 29 ~

While we were using, many of us were unable or unwilling to feel many emotions. If we were happy, we used to make us happier. If we were angry or depressed, we used to mask those feelings. In continuing this pattern throughout our active addiction, we became so emotionally confused that we weren’t sure what normal emotions were anymore.

After being in recovery for some time, we find that the emotions we had suppressed suddenly begin to surface. We may find that we do not know how to identify our feelings. What we may be feeling as rage may only be frustration. What we perceive as suicidal depression may simply be sadness. These are the times when we need to seek the assistance of our sponsor or other members of NA. Going to a meeting and talking about what is happening in our lives can help us to face our feelings instead of running from them in fear.

Just for today: I will not run from the uncomfortable emotions I may experience. I will use the support of my friends in recovery to help me face my emotions.

TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY #essentialsofrec #meetings #Inventory

A.A. Thought for the Day
When you come into an A. A. meeting, you’re not just coming into a meeting, you’re coming into a new life. I’m always impressed by the change I see in people after they’ve been in A.A. for a while. I sometimes take an inventory of myself, to see whether I have changed, and if so, in what way. Before I met A.A., I was very selfish. I wanted my own way in everything. I don’t believe I ever grew up. When things went wrong, I sulked like a spoiled child and often went out and got drunk. Am I still all “get” and no “give”?

Meditation for the Day
There are two things that we must have if we are going to change our way of life. One is faith, the confidence in things unseen, the fundamental goodness and purpose in the universe. The other is obedience: that is, living according to our faith, living each day as we believe that God wants us to live, with gratitude, humility, honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love. Faith and obedience, these two, will give us all the strength we need to overcome sin and temptation and to live a new and more abundant life.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may have more faith and obedience. I pray that I may live a more abundant life as a result of these things.

© 1954, 1975, 1992 by Hazelden Foundation

AS BILL SEES IT #essentialsofrec #BillW #God

~ Page 87 ~

Keystone of the Arch

Faced with alcoholic destruction, we soon became as open-minded on spiritual matters. In this respect alcohol was a great persuader. It finally beat us into a state of reasonableness.

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

We had to quit playing God. It didn’t work. We decided that hereafter, in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He would be the Principal; we, His agents.

Most good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphal arch through which we passed to freedom.

~ ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS ~
1. P. 48
2. P. 62

© 1967 by Alcoholics Anonymous ® World Services, Inc

EASY DOES IT #essentialsofrec #EGO

EGO

E.G.O. = Edge God Out

Ego can be one tough customer. It generally fights this business of recovery and a Higher Power tooth and nail. It can cry like a baby and tell us how much care it needs. It can scream like a pouting teenager demanding that we leave it alone. It can romance us like a long-lost lover seducing us into sleep.

The ego can take on many disguises to get its own way. It wants no competition for affection. When we were caught up in our disease, the ego and the drugs and alcohol met up and made an unholy alliance against us. The disease told the ego what it wanted to hear, and the ego fed the disease its poison.

My ego must be cut down to size. This will help stop my disease from doing further damage to my life. My ego will never provide serenity, only endless demand. Only my Higher Power, the Program, and my friends can end this war within me.

©1990 by Anonymous. All rights reserved. Published by Hazelden®

WALK IN DRY PLACES #essentialsofrec #Fortitude

KEEP COMING BACK— IT WORKS IF YOU WORK IT

Fortitude
A popular self-help book noted that there is tremendous power in repetition—like the tap-tap-tap of a hammer that finally drives the nail through a board. AA works in much the same way; attendance at meetings is the steady tap-tap- tap that helps bring about lasting sobriety and personal improvement.

Attending meetings is also much like attending school. Nobody learns everything in one classroom session, and it’s also true that the student must put forth an effort to learn.

We should accept AA as something that will gradually grow on us if we become part of it and apply ourselves to its principles. The willingness to continue attending meetings is some evidence of sincerity and commitment. We discover that there are few meetings that bring us world-shaking revelations and experiences, but as we keep coming back and working the program, our own lives will improve steadily. This is the result of many meetings, not just a few.

I’ll do everything possible today to strengthen my sobriety and my understanding of the program. Rather than seeking shortcuts, I’ll be grateful for steady progress.

© 1996 by Hazelden Foundation

KEEP IT SIMPLE #essentialsofrec #God #Recovery

God is not a cosmic bellboy.

~ Harry Emerson Fosdick ~

We have to laugh when we look back at the times we treated God like our servant. Who did we think we were, ordering God to do something for us? But we got away with it. God even did some of the things we asked.

Now we know that our Higher Power is not a servant. As we work the Steps, we know we don’t give orders to our Higher Power. We don’t expect God to work miracles every time we’d like one. We’re asking our Higher Power to lead us. After all, who knows what is best for us—our Higher Power or us?

Our Higher Power has many wonderful gifts for us. Our Higher Power will show us goals, help us live in love and joy, and give us strength.

Prayer for the Day
Higher Power, show me ways to help others as You’ve helped me. I’m grateful that You love me and help me.

Action for the Day
Today, I’ll make a list of times my Higher Power has helped me out of trouble.

Copyright © 1988 by Hazelden Foundation

FR. LEO'S DAILY MEDITATION #essentialsofrec #frleo

FUTURE
“The future is hidden even from those who made it.”

~ Anatole France ~
Life is a glorious mystery. I will never fully understand it. It wall always confuse and amaze me. After I have understood one thing, I am presented with a fresh problem. I am not perfect. I am not God.

Years ago, this angered and irritated me. I wanted to know everything. I wanted to have the answer to all life’s problems. I wanted the power that comes with perfection. I hated being vulnerable, weak, and confused! I hated being human. Yes, that was my problem. I hated being a human being.

Today I enjoy the adventure of life. I kneel in awe at life’s mingled complexity. Now life is a paradox I can live with.

Help me accept the mystery of life.

© 2008 Leo Booth

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A DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #faith #Recovery

Reflection for the Day

We must think deeply of all those sick persons still to come to the Program. As they try to make their return to faith and to life, we want them to find everything in the Program that we have found, yet more, if that be possible. No care, no vigilance, no effort to preserve the Program’s constant effectiveness and spiritual strength will ever be too great to hold us in full readiness for the day of their homecoming. How well do I respect the Traditions of the Program?

Today I Pray

God, help me to carry out my part in making the group a lifeline for those who are still suffering from addictions, in maintaining the Steps and the Traditions which have made it work for me for those who are still to come. May the Program be a “homecoming” for those of us who share the disease of addiction. May we find common solutions to the common problems which that disease breeds.

ONE DAY AT A TIME #essentialsofrec #OA #Gratitude

GRATITUDE
“Gratitude is a fruit of a great civilization – you do not find it among gross people!”

~ Samuel Johnson ~
Samuel Johnson quote from the TOUR OF THE HEBRIDES could easily been writing about the Recovery Program. The attitude of gratitude is an absolutely crucial tool to a successful recovery. Gratitude is the measure of our appreciation for what we’ve been given. We in Program have SO much for which we should be thankful. We stand on the shoulders of giants – we are indebted to those members who’ve proceeded us in Program and handed down the tools, wisdom and resources – the bedrock upon which our recovery is based. We are indebted to our HP, our sponsors, to those who do service in innumerable ways at the Recovery Group and – to each other – for mutual love and support – and for our precious gift of recovery. Be grateful for each day – each moment.

One Day at a Time . . .
I will continue to practice the attitude of gratitude and learn to forgive others.~ Rob R.

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ELDER MEDITATION #essentialsofrec #Cheyenne #Elders

“Sacred sites and areas are protection for all people” the four colors for mana” and these sites are in all areas of the earth in the four directions.”

~ Traditional Circle of Elders, NORTHERN CHEYENNE
The Elders say that values come from the Mother Earth. Different places and areas around the Earth have different values. The Water people live in harmony and know the values that correspond to that particular part of the Earth. The Desert people know the values of the desert and respect and live in harmony with that part of the Earth. The Woodland people know the values of their part of the Earth and live in harmony. If you live in harmony with the Earth, you will live a life that is full of values. We should have great respect for the Mother Earth. Grandfather, today, let me learn values from Mother Earth.

A WOMAN’S SPIRIT #essentialsofrec #Truth #Struggle

There are many realities. We should remember this when we get too caught up in being concerned about the way the rest of the world lives or how we think they live.

~ Natalie Goldberg ~

One of the most elusive truths we’ll ever struggle to grasp is that everyone has a unique perspective about every circumstance, a perspective that reflects a personal understanding of the universe. We never doubt that truth for ourselves, of course. We simply fail to acknowledge that it’s true for everyone else too.

There are times we can’t shake the need to be right; our egos seem to depend on it. Unfortunately, we can’t maintain any real peacefulness if we are always in conflict with others who have their own viewpoints. Winning the “battle” then becomes a painful victory. Believing in valid, separate realities is only difficult at first. But like any other opinion or attitude, it can become habit with enough practice. We have nothing to lose by giving it a try.

I don’t need everyone to agree with me today. I only think I do.
© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation

Daily Tao / 87 – Integration #essentialsofrec #Tao #Taoism #Zen

Be still to know the absolute.
Be active to know the outer.
The two spring from the same source,
All of life is one whole.

In stillness, one seeks the absolute Tao. There is neither beauty nor ugliness in it. Because it has no opposites, it is called absolute. By contrast, nothing of this world is absolute, because all things that we experience are relative.
Seeking the absolute may be among the greatest goals, but you cannot remain on your meditation cushion forever. You must go out and explore life as well. This is the investigation of the outer Tao — that aspect of Tao that flows through all existence. You must not fail to explore anything that interests you. Any skill you want to master should be learned. Any subject that arouses curiosity should be examined. Every insecurity should be overcome. Every question should be answered. If you do not do this, then you cannot freely flow with the outer Tao : Every one of your uncertainties will be an obstacle.

Initially, it will seem as if there is no connection between your time meditating and the outer things in your life. After all, the masters themselves constantly stress the difference between the spiritual and the social. But eventually, you will reach a point where the quiescence of contemplation and the activeness of living are integrated. Then there is no anxiety about whether one is living a spiritual life or not. You realize that it is all part of the same seamless whole.

DAILY ZEN #essentialsofrec #Zen #Buddhism

It is not that anger and desire are inherently evil or that we should feel ashamed when they arise. It is a matter of seeing them as the delusions that they are: distorted conceptions that paint a false picture of reality. They are negative because they lead to unhappiness and confusion.

-Kathleen McDonald, "How to Meditate"

AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX #essentialsofrec #Emmet #Fox

Walk In Dry Places

Sunday 31 March 2024

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Thursday 28 March 2024