Around 1943 or 1944, the Central Office asked the groups to list their membership rules and send them in. After they arrived we set them all down. A little reflection upon these many rules brought us to an astonishing conclusion. If all of these edicts had been in force everywhere at once it would haveContinue reading “Membership Rules? – As Bill Sees It #41”
Category Archives: Creative
Learning To Support Not Punish Ourselves By Dr. Kristin Neff
The most important boundary I have is with myself. It is not OK for me to condemn or hate myself. Instead of believing and accepting that judgment; I can pause and gets curious about this reaction of so much hate and disgust for myself. What I usually find is that I’m believing a bunch ofContinue reading “Learning To Support Not Punish Ourselves By Dr. Kristin Neff”
Relief From Outcomes Beyond Our Control – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 26th 2026
As we consider the basis for our hope, let us recall who God is…. The hope we have lies in the radical transcendence of God…. God’s transcendence—God’s power of creative, redeeming, and sustaining love—is closer to us than we are to ourselves. God is the milieu, the source, of power and love in which our world,Continue reading “Relief From Outcomes Beyond Our Control – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 26th 2026”
Now I Am Enough – Recovery Poem By Damon E December 2008
I love this short poem my friend Damon shared with me yesterday. I also love the Big Book’s variety in describing a Higher Power … unsuspected inner resource’ ( BBp.567/568) , ‘a position of neutrality’ (BB p.85)… even as ‘a new found Friend (BB p.13). Allen Berger in his writing and talks has shared theContinue reading “Now I Am Enough – Recovery Poem By Damon E December 2008”
Practicing Surrender – Extract From Progloue/Epilogue Of Surrender To Love By David Benner
How does surrender address the fundamental reality of ‘lack of power, that was our dilemma’ (BB p.45) ? What is the dynamic between the surrender of offering myself or abandoning myself and finding who I really am … my true self … distinguishing the true from the false ? Is it possible that to “thineContinue reading “Practicing Surrender – Extract From Progloue/Epilogue Of Surrender To Love By David Benner”
What You Practice Gets Stronger – Radical Compassion Extract From Chapter 2 By Tara Brach
I like to tell students the story of a man who went to a mindfulness retreat because his therapist said he’d feel better if he learned to meditate. The retreat turned out to be a real roller coaster. Yes, there were moments of calm, but he also plunged deeply into fear, anger, and grief. TheContinue reading “What You Practice Gets Stronger – Radical Compassion Extract From Chapter 2 By Tara Brach”
Steps Six and Seven – Daily Meditation June 5th 2016 By Richard Rohr
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings. [1] Here again we see how Alcoholics Anonymous is aware of the power of powerlessness. All we can really do is be “entirely ready” to have God do the work. A. A. knows the limits of humanContinue reading “Steps Six and Seven – Daily Meditation June 5th 2016 By Richard Rohr”
We Are Survivors – Touchstones Meditation June 14th
The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt. — Max Lerner When we consider all the troubles and crises in our lives and all the scrapes we’ve gotten into, we might feel overwhelmed. With what we have gone through, it seemsContinue reading “We Are Survivors – Touchstones Meditation June 14th”
Material Achievement – As Bill Sees It #40
No member of A.A. wants to deprecate material achievement. Nor do we enter into debate with the many who cling to the belief that to satisfy our basic natural desires is the main object of life. But we are sure that no class of people in the world ever made a worse mess of tryingContinue reading “Material Achievement – As Bill Sees It #40”
The Freedom Of Emotional Sobriety By Dr. Allen Berger
As many of you know, Allen Berger is a leader in Emotional Sobriety. His book 12 Essential Insights For Emotional Sobriety is featured prominently in the Emotional Sobriety section of the gugogs.org website. He is a Gestalt therapist with over 50 years of sobriety. Recently we completed a 5 Saturday series on Emotional Sobriety. – Bruce M. As weContinue reading “The Freedom Of Emotional Sobriety By Dr. Allen Berger”