The sign was upside-down—but so was his thinking! I was 21 when I went to my first AA meeting. I enjoyed it. I felt I was home and with my people and for once in the right place. At that first meeting I met a friend and former drinking buddy named “Big Dan.” He cameContinue reading “Think, Think, Think! Grapevine Article August 2023 By Jim C.”
Category Archives: Change
I Didn’t Want to Want to … Grapevine Article June 1960 By Warden Clinton Duffy
San Quentin’s former warden tells how Prison Groups offer alcoholic inmates a means for recovery from the disease that is often directly responsible for criminal records ONE OF the hundreds of alcoholic inmates who appear before the California Adult Authority (Parole Board), for fixing of sentence and possible parole consideration, said to me: “I couldContinue reading “I Didn’t Want to Want to … Grapevine Article June 1960 By Warden Clinton Duffy”
Enduring Loss; Reclaiming Joy – A Spiritual Principle A Day June 16th
“We come to understand that happiness is an inside job, a spiritual experience that can get stronger with recovery. We find that no matter what happens on the outside, joy can still live within us.” Living Clean, Chapter 7, “Love” As far as spiritual principles go, joy is uncomplicated. It can be elusive, however. InContinue reading “Enduring Loss; Reclaiming Joy – A Spiritual Principle A Day June 16th”
Connections Between The Four Agreements & Recovery June 2022 By Mark S.
Recently I found myself returning to a book I had read many years ago – The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz. As I reflected on his thoughts about these “Four Agreements,” I began to see connections with our efforts to achieve and maintain sobriety. In this article, I hope to show youContinue reading “Connections Between The Four Agreements & Recovery June 2022 By Mark S.”
Own Your Reality – Off Balance On Purpose By Dan Thurman
Dan Thurman has written an excellent book entitled ‘Off Balance On Purpose’. I believe his chapter on ‘Own Your Reality’ has some very useful complements and pragmatic wisdom to help us to a more accurate and meaningful self examination that has no ceiling and the reality that more can always be revealed. I see muchContinue reading “Own Your Reality – Off Balance On Purpose By Dan Thurman”
Unlikely Teachers – Grapevine Article April 1990 By Kit K.
“When the student is ready, the teacher appears.” How I hated to hear those words at meetings. They implied humility and a willingness to listen to whatever stranger happened to sit next to me or approach me on the street. Yet during five years of sobriety, many teachers have appeared in my life. Some wereContinue reading “Unlikely Teachers – Grapevine Article April 1990 By Kit K.”
Releasing Expectations & Soaring – Touchstones May 13th
As long as you keep a person down, some part of you has to be down there to hold him down, so it means you cannot soar as you otherwise might. –Marion Anderson Because of our resentments we sometimes get tense. We say we aren’t going to have contact with our parents until they doContinue reading “Releasing Expectations & Soaring – Touchstones May 13th”
Obstacles In Our Path – As Bill Sees It # 131
We live in a world riddled with envy. To a greater or lesser degree, everybody is infected with it. From this defect we must surely get a warped yet definite satisfaction. Else why would we consume so much time wishing for what we have not, rather than working for it, or angrily looking for attributesContinue reading “Obstacles In Our Path – As Bill Sees It # 131”
Make Me A Channel – Grapevine Article November 2020 By Michael J.
How a sponsor’s suggestion to meditate on a prayer led him on a path to peace, love and a sense of belonging I remember when my sponsor gave me an assignment for Step Eleven. After we reviewed the Step in our book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, he told me to read the Eleventh StepContinue reading “Make Me A Channel – Grapevine Article November 2020 By Michael J.”
Freed Prisoners – As Bill Sees It #234
Letter to a prison group: Every A.A. has been, in a sense, a prisoner. Each of us has walled himself out of society; each has known social stigma. The lot of you folks has been even more difficult: In your case, society has also built a wall around you. But there isn’t any really essentialContinue reading “Freed Prisoners – As Bill Sees It #234”