My friend Big Adam shared this poem with me. His poem reminds me of this article from Henri Nouven about how hope so fundamentally differs from optimism. Nouven says “the person of hope lives in the moment with the knowledge and trust that all of life is in good hands” and “hope is the trustContinue reading “Holding Hope Close – Recovery Poem By Adam M.”
Category Archives: Humility
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”
Move Toward Not Away From What Disturbs Us – By Jenna Riemersma
I love the phrase ‘let the best in me lead the rest in me’ that Dr. Allen Berger came up with. This article can help us realize that within us there is an ‘unsuspected inner resource’ (BB p.567) where we experience a ‘place of neutrality’(BB p.85) and discover this ‘best in me’. It further helpsContinue reading “Move Toward Not Away From What Disturbs Us – By Jenna Riemersma”
See The Divine All Around You – Journey To The Heart May 2nd Reflection By Melody Beattie
The woman was old, perhaps ninety. She had the frailness we sometimes see in the elderly, but her life force was strong, vital. She sat in the cafe eating breakfast with a younger woman. “You’ve been through a lot,” the younger woman said. “It must be hard since your husband died. How are you doing?”Continue reading “See The Divine All Around You – Journey To The Heart May 2nd Reflection By Melody Beattie”
The False Comfort Of Self Pity – A.A. Daily Reflection April 13th
Self-pity is one of the most unhappy and consuming defects that we know. It is a bar to all spiritual progress and can cut off all effective communication with our fellows because of its inordinate demands for attention and sympathy. It is a maudlin form of martyrdom, which we can ill afford. AS BILL SEESContinue reading “The False Comfort Of Self Pity – A.A. Daily Reflection April 13th”
A Viewer-With- Alarm – As Bill Sees It #183
I went through several fruitless years in a state called ‘viewing with alarm for the good of the movement.’ I thought it was up to me to be always ‘correcting conditions.’ Seldom had anybody been able to tell me what I ought to do, and nobody had ever succeeded in effectively telling me what IContinue reading “A Viewer-With- Alarm – As Bill Sees It #183”
Self-Acceptance: Waking Up from the Trance of Unworthiness – Interview/Video With Tara Brach November, 2025
I have added this video to the sections of gugogs.org on Toxic Shame and Healing our Jekyll/Hyde Divided Self. You may also find this article from Tara entitled ‘The Trance of Unworthiness’ relevant and useful. The interview below is about 30 minutes and full of insights and wisdom on this crucial topic that helps usContinue reading “Self-Acceptance: Waking Up from the Trance of Unworthiness – Interview/Video With Tara Brach November, 2025”
From My Head to My Heart – Grapevine Article May 2026 By Terri R.
After years of being dry, a woman in Texas discovers a new hope and freedom by diving back into the Steps This past December I decided to visit one of my favorite recovery clubhouses to commemorate 28 years of sobriety. It had been a long time since I was in an AA meeting and evenContinue reading “From My Head to My Heart – Grapevine Article May 2026 By Terri R.”
Letting Go Of Perfectionism – Forgiving and Moving On May 23rd 2016 By Tian Dayton, PhD
Today I will not demand that my life be perfect in order for me to love it nor will I demand that all of my relationships be perfect for me to value and respect them. If I try to make my life and relationships perfect, I will be constantly engaged in a neurotic battle withContinue reading “Letting Go Of Perfectionism – Forgiving and Moving On May 23rd 2016 By Tian Dayton, PhD”
What Pain Teaches – Each Day A New Beginning April 26th
Pain is the root of knowledge. —Simone Weil We don’t want pain in our lives. We dread the situations we anticipate will be painful. We probably even pray to be spared all painful experiences. But they come anyway, at times in profusion. And we not only survive the pain, we profit from it. It seemsContinue reading “What Pain Teaches – Each Day A New Beginning April 26th”