On page 552 of the Big Book, we find this provocative assertion “The only real freedom a human being can ever know is doing what you ought to do because you want to do it.” For me , my often unconscious, unquestioned belief is in freedom through my self will and the delusion that “IContinue reading “Step 3 From Right Dependence We Gain True Freedom – Practice These Principles By Ray A”
Category Archives: Awareness
Surviving and Thriving – Grapevine Article By Jennifer T.
A horrific accident ultimately leads her to the rooms and recovery Alcohol has always been a part of my story. I grew up in a home with an alcoholic father. I started sipping alcohol as a toddler. My story is not unusual. At some point growing up, I went from a confident, outgoing young girlContinue reading “Surviving and Thriving – Grapevine Article By Jennifer T.”
Our Thinking Problem – Big Book Substitution p.30
One of our group members, Jack, has used this substitution of ‘thinking’ rather than ‘drinking’ as a great asset in his ongoing recovery . I also find this very, very helpful as I move to accept the obsessive thinking that leads to restless, irritable and discontent and then embrace steps 2 and 3 throughout theContinue reading “Our Thinking Problem – Big Book Substitution p.30”
The Mysterious Source Of Love & Awareness – Tracy Cochran Reflection December 4th
As some of you may know, Wayne S.’s meditation teacher, Tracy Cochran, is also an author who has published an excellent book entitled ‘Presence: The Art of Being at Home in Yourself’. We used an extract of her book in the post ‘How Meditation Can Move Us From Conscious Separation To Conscious Connection’. Wayne passedContinue reading “The Mysterious Source Of Love & Awareness – Tracy Cochran Reflection December 4th”
What Is Priceless About Our Struggles – Poem You, Too, Must Weep By Anonymous
I recently attended the funeral of a friend who lived a life filled with giving unconditionally to those in need, often in desperate situations. His family found many copies of this poem in his home. I had never heard it before and found its message piercing, moving, powerful. It offers a perspective on the valueContinue reading “What Is Priceless About Our Struggles – Poem You, Too, Must Weep By Anonymous”
From Willfulness To Willingness – Practice These Principles By Ray A.
I believe our daily, moment by moment movement between willfulness and willingness is at the heart of the phrase used in the Big Book … the ‘proper use of the will’ (BB p.85). I also see this movement as having tremendous value in adding a new paradigm of ‘response ability’ to this way of livingContinue reading “From Willfulness To Willingness – Practice These Principles By Ray A.”
Discovering What I’m Missing – Touchstones Refection November 8th
Normally, we do not so much look at things as overlook them.—Alan Watts As we live our very busy lives, we might say, “How full and rich my life is!” But are we stopping long enough to look, to take in experiences, digest them, and grow from them? Or is our attention always focused onContinue reading “Discovering What I’m Missing – Touchstones Refection November 8th”
Win Or Lose – Grapevine Article August 2001 By Jim M.
As a hard-charging marketer, I used to focus only on winning. I worshiped people like football coach Vince Lombardi, revering him as the patron saint of conquest. So any time one of my victories was less than complete–or, God forbid, I actually lost–my sense of failure was absolute. And this always made me a sittingContinue reading “Win Or Lose – Grapevine Article August 2001 By Jim M.”
Anxiety, Worry, Avoidance, Excitement, Dread, Fear, Vulnerability – Places We Go When Things Are Uncertain – Chapter 1 Extract From ‘The Atlas Of The Heart’ By Brené Brown
I love the quote below that begins the section on anxiety. It reminds me of how much of my alcoholism relates to my delusion of control. This short article from the book ‘Not God’ by Ernst Kurtz does a good job of exploring this along with the corresponding denial of the spiritual. Kurtz writes “RealityContinue reading “Anxiety, Worry, Avoidance, Excitement, Dread, Fear, Vulnerability – Places We Go When Things Are Uncertain – Chapter 1 Extract From ‘The Atlas Of The Heart’ By Brené Brown”
Realizing We Know But A Little – Touchstone Reflection October 30th
That which is lacking in the present world is a profound knowledge of the nature of things.—Frithjof Schuon Most of us have very narrow, limited ways of understanding what happens to us. We are generally practical and if something goes wrong we immediately begin to think of how to fix it. We take a cause-and-effectContinue reading “Realizing We Know But A Little – Touchstone Reflection October 30th”