This post is extracted from Chapter 1 ‘The Fragrance Of A Rose’ of the book ‘The Spirituality Of Imperfection’ “Those who know do not say; those who say do not know.” When the Master entered, they asked him what the words meant. Said the Master, “Which of you knows the fragrance of a rose?” AllContinue reading “Earthly Spirituality, Realism & Paradox – The Spirituality of Imperfection By Ernst Kurtz”
Category Archives: Healing
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.”
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”
Step 1 Understanding What Is Unmanageable – Recovery The Sacred Art By Rami Shapiro
If I’m in control, I’m not powerless. If I’m not powerless, my life is not unmanageable; I am only refusing to manage it. The error here is to assume that life’s unmanageability stems from our powerlessness. On the contrary, the unmanageability of our lives is not caused by powerlessness; powerlessness is a symptom of life’sContinue reading “Step 1 Understanding What Is Unmanageable – Recovery The Sacred Art By Rami Shapiro”
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.”
AA Communication Can Cross All Barriers – Grapevine Article October 1959 By Bill W.
EVERYONE must agree that we AAs are unbelievably fortunate people; fortunate that we have suffered so much; fortunate that we can know, understand and love each other so supremely well–these attributes and virtues are scarcely of the earned variety. Indeed most of us are well aware that these are rare gifts which have their trueContinue reading “AA Communication Can Cross All Barriers – Grapevine Article October 1959 By Bill W.”
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 Secrets Keep Us Stuck – Each Day A New Beginning June 30th
. . . in silence might be the privilege of the strong, but it was certainly a danger to the weak. For the things I was prompted to keep silent about were nearly always the things I was ashamed of, which would have been far better aired . . . –Joanna Field It has beenContinue reading “Our Secrets Keep Us Stuck – Each Day A New Beginning June 30th”
Reframing Pain – From Consolations By David Whyte
I believe a fundamental of my recovery is coming to see and relate differently to my pain. I love the phrase from ‘pain killer to pain healer” as a way of describing this new relationship I can experience using the steps to see and respond differently to my pain. Much of my alcoholism has itsContinue reading “Reframing Pain – From Consolations By David Whyte”
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”