March 1 “Turning it over” Step Three brings us into the heart of the program and gives us a new set of challenges. To begin, there is a question of what it means to “turn our lives over,” whether to God or anything else. What many people find when confronting this Step for the firstContinue reading “Turning It Over and Acceptance – Buddhism And The Twelve Steps March 1st & 2nd Reflections By Kevin Griffin”
Category Archives: inventory
No Orders Issued – As Bill Sees It # 237
Neither the A.A. General Service Conference, its Board of Trustees, nor the humblest group committee can issue a single directive to an A.A. member and make it stick, let alone mete out any punishment. We’ve tried this lots of times, but utter failure is always the result. Groups have sometimes tried to expel members, butContinue reading “No Orders Issued – As Bill Sees It # 237”
The Faith To Believe In What Is – Grapevine Article July 1972 By J.W.
Faith must be structured in the bright light of truth as we see it THERE IS a joke which tells of God’s decision to grant a personal interview to one member of the world press. The duly elected representative departs, and all the luminaries of church, state, and the communications media gather to await hisContinue reading “The Faith To Believe In What Is – Grapevine Article July 1972 By J.W.”
The Light Of Rigorous Honesty Overcomes The Darkness Of Victimhood
I found the article below very helpful in understanding why ‘How It Works’ (BB p.58) describes rigorous honesty as a recovery demand in this way: “Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honestContinue reading “The Light Of Rigorous Honesty Overcomes The Darkness Of Victimhood”
Truth, the Liberator – As Bill Sees It #70
How truth makes us free is something that we A.A.’s can well understand. It cut the shackles that once bound us to alcohol. It continues to release us from conflicts and miseries beyond reckoning; it banishes fear and isolation. The unity of our Fellowship, the love we cherish for each other, the esteem in whichContinue reading “Truth, the Liberator – As Bill Sees It #70”
Relational Sponsorship – 12 Step Philosophy By Steve K
In the context of 12 Step recovery “relational sponsorship” is an ongoing recovery-based relationship that supports humility, accountability, and spiritual discernment through honest dialogue rather than authority or instruction. It’s a form a sponsorship that sometimes follows an initial introduction to the 12 Steps. It’s not written anywhere within the literature of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)Continue reading “Relational Sponsorship – 12 Step Philosophy By Steve K”
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”
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.”
Applying The St Francis Prayer To Our Inside Job Of Reconciliation & Healing By 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. Very recently Dr. Berger gave a very powerful talk about how to apply the St.Continue reading “Applying The St Francis Prayer To Our Inside Job Of Reconciliation & Healing By Allen Berger”