To perceive is to suffer. — Aristotle In this program, we have given up our compulsive escapes from life. Our escapes may have been through dependent relationships with others, or with money, sex, food, drugs, work, or emotional binges. But now we are learning to live without them, and this has brought us in touch withContinue reading “FEAR (Face Everything And Recover) – Touchstones January 28th Reflection”
Category Archives: Awareness
Bedevilments Are Transformed Into Promises – Big Book Awakening By Dan Sherman
On page 52 of the Big Book, we have a description of what has come to be known as the ‘bedevilments’. The bedevilments are fundamental life problems many of us were unable to solve in our active addiction and perhaps in our dry drunk state of abstinence without the practice of the Twelve Steps. DanContinue reading “Bedevilments Are Transformed Into Promises – Big Book Awakening By Dan Sherman”
When Age Happens – Grapevine Article February 2026 By Anonymous
The pains of getting older are no fun. But she uses every AA tool she’s got and copes a day at a time I got sober when I was 54, and I’m not so young anymore. Aging with pain has been one of the most emotionally challenging things I’ve had to deal with in sobriety.Continue reading “When Age Happens – Grapevine Article February 2026 By Anonymous”
Are We Really Willing to Change? – Grapevine Article December 1980 By R.B.
SIxth Step – Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character THE FIRST STEP was a cinch for me. I had run out of options, and the results of my drinking had been devastating; so self-debate about drinking simply didn’t exist. I knew I couldn’t drink safely. I did the FirstContinue reading “Are We Really Willing to Change? – Grapevine Article December 1980 By R.B.”
Rigorous Honesty & Vulnerability In Accepting Life As It Is – Consolations By David Whyte
I found this short reflection on ‘Honesty’ by the outstanding poet and author David Whyte in his book Consolations very useful in helping understand the challenge of rigorous honesty which ‘How It Works’(BB p.58) identifies as a ‘demand’ for a sustainable recovery. His reflection also helps to connect us to the experience of the powerlessness, uncertainty andContinue reading “Rigorous Honesty & Vulnerability In Accepting Life As It Is – Consolations By David Whyte”
Finding Connection & Losing Self Centered Fear – Each Day A New Beginning January 11th
“Fear is only an illusion. It is the illusion that creates the feeling of separateness, the false sense of isolation that exists only in your imagination.”—Jeraldine Sounders We are one. We are connected, interdependent parts of the whole. We are not separate from each other except in the mind, in our false understanding of reality.Continue reading “Finding Connection & Losing Self Centered Fear – Each Day A New Beginning January 11th”
Relational Sponsorship – 12 Step Philosophy By Steve K
In the context of 12 Step recovery “relational sponsorship” is an ongoing recovery-based relationship that supports humility, accountability, and spiritual discernment through honest dialogue rather than authority or instruction. It’s a form a sponsorship that sometimes follows an initial introduction to the 12 Steps. It’s not written anywhere within the literature of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)Continue reading “Relational Sponsorship – 12 Step Philosophy By Steve K”
From Loneliness To Solitude – Daily Meditations January 4 -6 By Henri Nouven
Henri Nouven, in his classic book Reaching Out, has a powerful way of describing the new ‘response ability’ we can experience ‘with God’ as we encounter our loneliness. He outlines what he describes as this movement from loneliness to solitude. These three daily meditations along with their reflection questions may be a good way toContinue reading “From Loneliness To Solitude – Daily Meditations January 4 -6 By Henri Nouven”
If You Spot It You Got It – How We Distort Reality With The ‘Blind Spot’ Of Our Projections
This article is a good follow up to a post I entitled ‘Changing The Way We See’. The articles ‘Revolutionary! How Step 10 Suggests A Novel Response Ability When We’re Disturbed’ as well as ‘Make A U-Turn As We Seek To Understand Our Part(s) In A Disturbance’ are also quite relevant to this topic ofContinue reading “If You Spot It You Got It – How We Distort Reality With The ‘Blind Spot’ Of Our Projections”
Clancy’s Seven Journaling Questions About Guilt, Resentment, Fear, Feeling Inadequate, and Loneliness By Dallas B
The very well known AA speaker Clancy I. shared these questions with one of his sponsees Dallas B. who published them on the AA resource website step12.com as a tool for sponsors. Thanks to Jim A. who extracted these questions and this background from that very useful website. You can find the full article thisContinue reading “Clancy’s Seven Journaling Questions About Guilt, Resentment, Fear, Feeling Inadequate, and Loneliness By Dallas B”