Since most of us are born with an abundance of natural desires, it isn’t strange that we often let these far exceed their intended purpose. When they drive us blindly, or we willfully demand that they supply us with more satisfactions or pleasures than are possible or due us, that is the point at whichContinue reading “The Building Of Character- As Bill Sees It #204”
Category Archives: Guidance
Let’s Be Friendly With Our Friends …The Clergy – Grapevine Article September 1957 By Bill W.
EVERY RIVER HAS A WELLSPRING at its source. AA is like that, too. In the beginning, there was a spring which poured out of a clergyman, Dr. Samuel Shoemaker. ‘Way back in 1934 he began to teach us the principles and attitudes that afterward came to full flower in AA’s Twelve Steps for Recovery. IfContinue reading “Let’s Be Friendly With Our Friends …The Clergy – Grapevine Article September 1957 By Bill W.”
Growing Into, Not Out Of , The Steps – Recovery The Sacred Art By Rami Shapiro
MATURATION VERSUS MATURITY I define addiction as a state of mind committed to maintaining the illusion of control. In addition, I define spirituality as the practice of spiritual maturation, designed to continually cut through the illusion of control and return you over and over again to reality and your powerlessness over it. And I understandContinue reading “Growing Into, Not Out Of , The Steps – Recovery The Sacred Art By Rami Shapiro”
Reclaimed By Something Deeper – Daily Meditation February 20th 2024 By Richard Rohr
Richard Rohr connects the spiritual journey to how we respond to our suffering. I believe that only people who have suffered in some way can save one another—exactly as Twelve Step programs have discovered. Deep communion and dear compassion are formed much more by shared pain than by shared pleasure. I do not know whyContinue reading “Reclaimed By Something Deeper – Daily Meditation February 20th 2024 By Richard Rohr”
Our Design For Living – Each Day A New Beginning September 14th
What a strange pattern the shuttle of life can weave – Francis Marion How shortsighted is our judgment about today’s experiences! We’ll see with clarity where they may lead us only after we’ve reached our destination. Of one thing we can be certain: Today’s experiences, in concert with yesterday’s and all that’s gone before, areContinue reading “Our Design For Living – Each Day A New Beginning September 14th”
Persist Or Let Go – Touchstone Reflection July 3rd
Vitality shows not only in the ability to persist but in the ability to start over.—F. Scott Fitzgerald Many situations require fierce persistence, but in others we need to start over. Early in recovery, most of us haven’t had a good way of knowing the difference. Perhaps with every challenge we tried harder and heldContinue reading “Persist Or Let Go – Touchstone Reflection July 3rd”
Think, Think, Think! Grapevine Article August 2023 By Jim C.
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.”
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”
The Faint Ember – Grapevine Article July 1997 Bg Cathy L.
The first time I walked into an AA meeting, I had that eerie experience so many newcomers seem to have: the speakers were telling my story. Secrets and feelings I thought were uniquely mine were being revealed to a room of a hundred people. After I got over the feeling that it was all aContinue reading “The Faint Ember – Grapevine Article July 1997 Bg Cathy L.”
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”