Learning to be open did not come easily for her WHEN DO one’s liabilities evolve into one’s assets? And when do one’s weaknesses become one’s strengths? For this alcoholic, the journey began at the very moment I opened my heart and my mind to the program and fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Somewhere along the wayContinue reading “Dare to Be Vulnerable – Grapevine Article August 1979 By E.P.”
Category Archives: Loneliness
When We Stop Negotiating With Reality – Take The 12 Blog May 2026 By Rick W.
Step One, Acceptance, and the Freedom Found in Surrender One of the most exhausting things an alcoholic ever does is negotiate with reality. We negotiate with consequences. We negotiate with truth. We negotiate with our own patterns, our own pain, our own powerlessness. We say things like: And perhaps the most dangerous negotiation of all: “IContinue reading “When We Stop Negotiating With Reality – Take The 12 Blog May 2026 By Rick W.”
God In Each Other – Just For Today Reflection July 7th
We’ve heard it said that we often see God most clearly in one another. We see the truth of this when we practice our Twelfth Step. When we carry the recovery message to another, we sense the presence of a Power greater than ourselves. And as we watch the message take hold, we realize somethingContinue reading “God In Each Other – Just For Today Reflection July 7th”
Rewiring the Way We Speak, Listen, and Think – Take The 12 Blog June 2026 By Rick W.
Sobriety Didn’t Just Change What I Said, It Changed How I Communicate. How Recovery Rewired the Way I Speak, Listen, and Think One of the most overlooked miracles of recovery has very little to do with alcohol. Most of us came to Alcoholics Anonymous because drinking had become unmanageable. We stayed because we discovered somethingContinue reading “Rewiring the Way We Speak, Listen, and Think – Take The 12 Blog June 2026 By Rick W.”
Letting Go Of Old Beliefs – The Language Of Letting Go June 23rd By Melody Beattie
Try harder. Do better. Be perfect. These messages are tricks that people have played on us. No matter how hard we try, we think we have to do better. Perfection always eludes us. Messages of perfectionism are tricks because we can never achieve that goal. We cannot feel good about ourselves or what we haveContinue reading “Letting Go Of Old Beliefs – The Language Of Letting Go June 23rd By Melody Beattie”
Practicing Surrender – Extract From Progloue/Epilogue Of Surrender To Love By David Benner
How does surrender address the fundamental reality of ‘lack of power, that was our dilemma’ (BB p.45) ? What is the dynamic between the surrender of offering myself or abandoning myself and finding who I really am … my true self … distinguishing the true from the false ? Is it possible that to “thineContinue reading “Practicing Surrender – Extract From Progloue/Epilogue Of Surrender To Love By David Benner”
You Are Accepted – Finding Our Way Home In An Age Of Anxiety June 2nd Daily Meditation By Henri Nouwen
Henri Nouwen is thought of as one of the greatest spiritual teachers and authors of the 20th century. I found this short extract from his book ‘Finding Our Way Home In An Age Of Anxiety’ to be relevant to the Toxic Shame and Emotional Sobriety sections of our website. I also believe the 3rd step and 7thContinue reading “You Are Accepted – Finding Our Way Home In An Age Of Anxiety June 2nd Daily Meditation By Henri Nouwen”
Accepting Life As It Is – Interview With Pema Chödrön By Ezra Klein
My alcoholism and its personal and collateral damage evoke a lot of emotions. And yet, as I work the program and move from the bedevilments of my addiction(s) (BB p.52) to the ‘new freedom’ (BBp.84) of recovery, I have an experience of acceptance as well as conscious contact and spiritual fitness from a God ofContinue reading “Accepting Life As It Is – Interview With Pema Chödrön By Ezra Klein”
Feel, Deal, Heal – Grapevine Article By Briggs C.
A three-word phrase that he didn’t understand—until he spent some quality time in the program There are very few original thoughts in the rooms of AA, but this may be one. It was a cold November morning years ago now that I walked through the door of Dawn Patrol in Albuquerque. I wanted to beContinue reading “Feel, Deal, Heal – Grapevine Article By Briggs C.”
Using Written Dialogue To Improve Conscious Contact With Your Higher Power – Video By Robert Falconer
In our group meditation, we refer to mindfulness as this ‘wise companion’ with our goal not being to become great meditators but rather to experience this Presence in every aspect of our lives. How do we come to recognize and know this wise companion? Certainly through prayer and meditation but this article explores another pathContinue reading “Using Written Dialogue To Improve Conscious Contact With Your Higher Power – Video By Robert Falconer”