Living With Hope – Reflection By Henri Nouwen With An Anonymous Meditation

I think this reflection and the meditation that follows captures how powerful the principle of hope can be when we’re facing life’s PUH’s …the pain,uncertainty and hard work that Phil Stutz describes in this article. I love the distinctions Henri makes between optimism and hope … which, to me, is very consistent with the realityContinue reading “Living With Hope – Reflection By Henri Nouwen With An Anonymous Meditation”

Getting To Know Our Differentiated Self – 12 Essential Insights For Emotional Sobriety By Dr. Allen Berger

I think there is a strong connection between this article and what I like to call the ‘mini-steps’ suggested as responses to a spot inventory of what disturbs us. These mini-steps are suggested in the Twelve £ Twelve in Step 10. Specifically, I see this article as very prescriptive when I find myself taking thingsContinue reading “Getting To Know Our Differentiated Self – 12 Essential Insights For Emotional Sobriety By Dr. Allen Berger”

Origin Of The Twelve Steps – Grapevine Article July 1953 By Bill W

This post on December 23rd 2024 is post #1000 on the gugogs.org website. Our first post took place as the pandemic began on April 26th 2020. Our Get Up, Get Out, Get Sober Group (GUGOGS) was attempting to figure out if and how we would function. The group evolved from a physical meeting to aContinue reading “Origin Of The Twelve Steps – Grapevine Article July 1953 By Bill W”

Great Temptation Of Self Rejection – Discernment By Henri Nouwen

Henri Nouwen is thought of as one of the greatest spiritual teachers and authors of the 20th century. I found this short extract from his book entitled ‘Discernment’ to have a great deal of relevance to the Toxic Shame section of our website. One of my favorite books of his so relevant to what happensContinue reading “Great Temptation Of Self Rejection – Discernment By Henri Nouwen”

Can Healing Begin By Accepting Our Contradictions – Litanies Of The Heart By Gerry Crete

As you may know , our website has a section entitled ‘Healing Our Jekyll/Hyde Divided Self. This extract from a book ‘Litanies of the Heart’ further supports the idea of accepting the existence of many parts within us … what is called multiplicity. How often have you heard yourself or others say ‘a part ofContinue reading “Can Healing Begin By Accepting Our Contradictions – Litanies Of The Heart By Gerry Crete”

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.”

AA Principles & Purpose Are Portable – A Spiritual Principle A Day December 12th

“Being able to focus on a primary purpose and work creatively toward it is so much part of our way of life that we may not realize how valued that is in the world at large.” Living Clean, Chapter 5, “Bridging Two Worlds” The idea that what we learn in recovery applies outside AA isContinue reading “AA Principles & Purpose Are Portable – A Spiritual Principle A Day December 12th”

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”

A New-Found Providence – As Bill Sees It #328

When dealing with a prospect of agnostic or atheistic bent, you had better use everyday language to describe spiritual principles. There is no use arousing any prejudice he may have against certain theological terms and conceptions, about which he may already be confused. Don’t raise such issues, no matter what your own convictions are. ‹‹Continue reading “A New-Found Providence – As Bill Sees It #328”