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”
Category Archives: Fear
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”
What a Sponsor Is and Is Not – Grapevine Article December 2004 By Hilary T.
The opportunity to help another alcoholic work the Steps and live in the solution keeps me in the heart of what recovery is all about. It has helped me to feel a “part of”–something I had tried to do for years. But it turned out to be as simple as sharing my experience, strength, andContinue reading “What a Sponsor Is and Is Not – Grapevine Article December 2004 By Hilary T.”
The Man I’ve Always Wanted To Be – Grapevine Article October 1990 By WM.J.
In November 1977, during one of my many stays “around” the program, an Al-Anon member asked me why I wouldn’t work AA’s Twelve Steps. In all sincerity I told him, “I don’t need the Steps to stay sober. The Fellowship of AA is enough to keep me sober.” I kept slippin’ and slidin’ around theContinue reading “The Man I’ve Always Wanted To Be – Grapevine Article October 1990 By WM.J.”
“Hope” Is The Thing With Feathers – Recovery Poem By Emily Dickinson
Our friend Owen G. suggested this poem as one that has been foundational in his recovery and his experience in helping others. It has been added to the growing ‘Recovery Poems’ section of the gugogs.org website. Do you have a poem that has helped in your recovery that you’re willing to share with us? LetContinue reading ““Hope” Is The Thing With Feathers – Recovery Poem By Emily Dickinson”
Living With Our Conscience – A Spiritual Principle A Day December 19th
“In the end, we are the ones who must live with our conscience. In order to do so comfortably, we must decide what is, and what is not, morally acceptable in our lives.” It Works, Step Ten Page 365 There’s some irony in the fact that self-centeredness can make it difficult to stay in ourContinue reading “Living With Our Conscience – A Spiritual Principle A Day December 19th”
Toward Maturity – As Bill Sees It #244
Many oldsters who have put our A.A. “booze cure” to severe but successful tests still find they often lack emotional sobriety. To attain this, we must develop real maturity and balance (which is to say, humility) in our relations with ourselves, with our fellows, and with God. *************** Let A.A. never be a closed corporation;Continue reading “Toward Maturity – As Bill Sees It #244”
Fear, Faith And The AA Perspective – 12 Step Philosophy Blog By Steve K.
I find this article quite helpful and complimentary to some key topics explored in the gugogs.org website such as emotional sobriety, toxic shame, and healing our jekyll/hyde divided self. I’d like to offer a few specific articles as complimentary resources/background to this excellent article by Steve K. Healthy Fear & Unhealthy Self Centered Fear SelfContinue reading “Fear, Faith And The AA Perspective – 12 Step Philosophy Blog By Steve K.”
Powerlessness; We Learn By Doing It Wrong March 23rd 2023 Daily Meditation By Richard Rohr
Father Richard describes the futility of trying to “fix” ourselves: The genius of Twelve Step programs is that they situate powerlessness and surrender right where they belong—at the beginning. They teach how sin or addiction are overcome not through willpower or by control, but much more by recognizing that we are powerless to overcome them. ForContinue reading “Powerlessness; We Learn By Doing It Wrong March 23rd 2023 Daily Meditation By Richard Rohr”