Her father’s death taught her the true meaning of acceptance FOUR WORDS have kept coming into my mind ever since I lost my father, a few short days ago. “Shall we dance, Daddy?” That’s what I often used to say to my alcoholic father to get him to bed. I couldn’t carry him, and heContinue reading “Thy Will, Not Mine – Grapevine Article October 1978 By C.C.”
Category Archives: Maturity
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”
Emotional Sobriety Growing Toward Our Fullest Potential – Audio May 2026 From Dr. Allen Berger
I found this 5 minute slice of a recent YouTube from Allen Berger very helpful. You can listen and follow the complete transcript of his short talk below. This past Wednesday we read the story ‘Acceptance Was The Answer’. Buried in that story is a very important idea that is not generally recognized as aContinue reading “Emotional Sobriety Growing Toward Our Fullest Potential – Audio May 2026 From Dr. Allen Berger”
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”
Emotional Sobriety And Relationships Video By Dr. Allen Berger
What does emotional sobriety look like in our relationships ? Here are a few ideas that Dr. Berger has helped me to discover and begin to work on: The video is about 30 minutes and is packed full of meaningful insights from Dr. Berger’s very recent talk in 2026. Allen Berger is a leader inContinue reading “Emotional Sobriety And Relationships Video By Dr. Allen Berger”
Willingness To Rely On God – Extract 7th Step Chapter ‘Drop The Rock’
This extract from the book ‘Drop The Rock’ provides a practical application of the 7th Step Prayer from page 76 of the Big Book: “My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character which standsContinue reading “Willingness To Rely On God – Extract 7th Step Chapter ‘Drop The Rock’”
Honest Self-Appraisal In The Steps – Spiritual Principle A Day May 11th
To say that honesty wasn’t a top priority may be an understatement. We gain a new awareness of honesty’s value once we clean up. With a clear head and a restored conscience, we find that dishonesty comes at a price. Regret is no joke, so we try to avoid it. Practicing honesty with ourselves canContinue reading “Honest Self-Appraisal In The Steps – Spiritual Principle A Day May 11th”
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”