SIxth Step – Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character THE FIRST STEP was a cinch for me. I had run out of options, and the results of my drinking had been devastating; so self-debate about drinking simply didn’t exist. I knew I couldn’t drink safely. I did the FirstContinue reading “Are We Really Willing to Change? – Grapevine Article December 1980 By R.B.”
Category Archives: Maturity
Forgiveness And The Amends Process – A Spiritual Principle A Day January 12th
Many of us want to skip ahead to Step Nine and apologize to those we’ve hurt in hopes of receiving their forgiveness. We desperately want to shed some of our guilt and shame. We may be convinced that getting others to forgive us would provide a shortcut to feeling better about ourselves. We’re reminded thatContinue reading “Forgiveness And The Amends Process – A Spiritual Principle A Day January 12th”
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”
Group And World-Wide Community – As Bill Sees It #9
The moment Twelfth Step work forms a group, a discovery is made—that most individuals cannot recover unless there is a group. Realization dawns on each member that he is but a small part of a great whole; that no personal sacrifice is too great for preservation of the Fellowship. He learns that the clamor ofContinue reading “Group And World-Wide Community – As Bill Sees It #9”
From Loneliness To Solitude – Daily Meditations January 4 -6 By Henri Nouven
Henri Nouven, in his classic book Reaching Out, has a powerful way of describing the new ‘response ability’ we can experience ‘with God’ as we encounter our loneliness. He outlines what he describes as this movement from loneliness to solitude. These three daily meditations along with their reflection questions may be a good way toContinue reading “From Loneliness To Solitude – Daily Meditations January 4 -6 By Henri Nouven”
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”
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.”
Living With Our Conscience – A Spiritual Principle A Day December 19th
“In the end, we are the ones who must live with our conscience. In order to do so comfortably, we must decide what is, and what is not, morally acceptable in our lives.” It Works, Step Ten Page 365 There’s some irony in the fact that self-centeredness can make it difficult to stay in ourContinue reading “Living With Our Conscience – A Spiritual Principle A Day December 19th”
Toward Maturity – As Bill Sees It #244
Many oldsters who have put our A.A. “booze cure” to severe but successful tests still find they often lack emotional sobriety. To attain this, we must develop real maturity and balance (which is to say, humility) in our relations with ourselves, with our fellows, and with God. *************** Let A.A. never be a closed corporation;Continue reading “Toward Maturity – As Bill Sees It #244”
Fear, Faith And The AA Perspective – 12 Step Philosophy Blog By Steve K.
I find this article quite helpful and complimentary to some key topics explored in the gugogs.org website such as emotional sobriety, toxic shame, and healing our jekyll/hyde divided self. I’d like to offer a few specific articles as complimentary resources/background to this excellent article by Steve K. Healthy Fear & Unhealthy Self Centered Fear SelfContinue reading “Fear, Faith And The AA Perspective – 12 Step Philosophy Blog By Steve K.”