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”
Category Archives: Middle Way
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”
Steps Six and Seven – Daily Meditation June 5th 2016 By Richard Rohr
Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. Humbly asked God to remove our shortcomings. [1] Here again we see how Alcoholics Anonymous is aware of the power of powerlessness. All we can really do is be “entirely ready” to have God do the work. A. A. knows the limits of humanContinue reading “Steps Six and Seven – Daily Meditation June 5th 2016 By Richard Rohr”
Material Achievement – As Bill Sees It #40
No member of A.A. wants to deprecate material achievement. Nor do we enter into debate with the many who cling to the belief that to satisfy our basic natural desires is the main object of life. But we are sure that no class of people in the world ever made a worse mess of tryingContinue reading “Material Achievement – As Bill Sees It #40”
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’”
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”
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”
Finding True Agency & Empowerment ‘With God’ – April 24th 2026 Reflection By Bruce M.
I’ll begin with a couple of reminders. First, progress not perfection … that true agency is a North Star I set my compass toward not a possession I’m expecting to acquire or achieve … I navigate with this aspiration not delude myself that it’s mine. Second, the Twelve & Twelve assertion “the more we becomeContinue reading “Finding True Agency & Empowerment ‘With God’ – April 24th 2026 Reflection By Bruce M.”
Practicing Open-Mindedness and Goodwill – A Spiritual Principle A Day April 17th
Before we found recovery, we served our own selfish desires almost exclusively. We used kindness and generosity as tools to manipulate, nothing more. The idea of serving others didn’t even enter our thoughts when we were out there hustling. After we’re clean for a bit, we learn to take actions that open us up toContinue reading “Practicing Open-Mindedness and Goodwill – A Spiritual Principle A Day April 17th”
Fear Of Financial Insecurity Will Leave Us – Twelve & Twelve Pages 120 – 122
One of the 9th step promises can be especially elusive for many of us …”fear of economic insecurity will leave us”. I believe the Twelve & Twelve actually goes into a very useful review about how this fear leaves us. It’s important to note that the promise isn’t that economic insecurity leaves us but thatContinue reading “Fear Of Financial Insecurity Will Leave Us – Twelve & Twelve Pages 120 – 122”