Assigning labels to his behaviors helps an AA to change I took a Fourth and Fifth Step several times. Everytime, I rationalized my behavior, saying to myself: Yes, I did some bad things–but I am basically a really nice guy, so no further action is necessary. In 2001, I was doing the Steps again withContinue reading “A Matter Of Character – Grapevine Article February 2009 By Hal W.”
Category Archives: Forgiveness
Practicing Principles Of Hospitality & Welcoming – Touchstone Reflection July 18th
How should one live? Live welcoming to all.—Mechthild of Magdeburg Welcoming is a spiritual practice we met when we came to this program. We may recall our first meetings and how welcome we felt in this group of fellow sufferers. The group gave us hope when we felt desperate and continues to provide us withContinue reading “Practicing Principles Of Hospitality & Welcoming – Touchstone Reflection July 18th”
Doing A Thorough 4th Step – Practice These Principles By Ray A.
Step 4 is not only about what we did, but about what we are. It is not only about the wrongs we did to others, but about the wrongs that are in us. Though most of these are tied to things we did, some may also be significantly tied to things that others did. InContinue reading “Doing A Thorough 4th Step – Practice These Principles By Ray A.”
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”
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”
It’s What We Do – Grapevine Article May 2024 By Alex M
What all does AA give us? A member in Kentucky attempts to answer A newcomer recently asked me what AA taught me. I thought, how on earth can I possibly summarize my time in the Fellowship? First off, it taught me how to be a decent person and how to live a life inconceivablyContinue reading “It’s What We Do – Grapevine Article May 2024 By Alex M”
Dependence – Unhealthy Or Healthy – As Bill Sees It #72
Dependence—Unhealthy or Healthy Nothing can be more demoralizing than a clinging and abject dependence upon another human being. This often amounts to the demand for a degree of protection and love that no one could possibly satisfy. So our hoped-for protectors finally flee, and once more we are left alone—either to grow up or toContinue reading “Dependence – Unhealthy Or Healthy – As Bill Sees It #72”
Letting Go – Grapevine Article June 2017 By Lynne D.
When a defect arises, she tries to release it like a balloon and let it float up to the sky. It feels so much lighter when it’s gone For a long time I thought Step Six meant doing nothing, just waiting around and being ready. I wondered why it had to be a separate Step.Continue reading “Letting Go – Grapevine Article June 2017 By Lynne D.”
Unpacking The 4th Step Example P.65 In The Big Book – Practice These Principles By Ray A.
Making a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves in Step 4 is fundamentally a spiritual enterprise. Yet it is at the same time intensely practical and uncompromisingly moral. Indeed, as we have seen, in AA the spiritual is understood to encompass the practical and the moral. The interaction of these three, the spiritual, theContinue reading “Unpacking The 4th Step Example P.65 In The Big Book – Practice These Principles By Ray A.”
Reframing Awareness – Days Of Healing April 6th By Earnie Larson
“I’m a lot less hard on myself these days. I’ve realized that my demons are really angels that have gone astray.—Manny J. “Oh no! Not something else to work on!” How often we feel discouraged when we become aware of yet another self-defeating pattern in our lives. “Who needs this much awareness?” we may wonder.Continue reading “Reframing Awareness – Days Of Healing April 6th By Earnie Larson”