My Best Friend – Grapevine Article March 2025 By L.G.

Once alone and full of self-pity, she made a decision to let Step Three introduce her to a partner for life When I came into AA, my will was pretty much dead. I didn’t want to quit drinking and definitely didn’t want to be an alcoholic, but that was where I fit, on the bottomContinue reading “My Best Friend – Grapevine Article March 2025 By L.G.”

The Coming Of Faith – As Bill Sees It #51

In my own case, the foundation stone of freedom from fear is that of faith: a faith that, despite all worldly appearances to the contrary, causes me to believe that I live in a universe that makes sense. To me, this means a belief in a Creator who is all power, justice, and love; aContinue reading “The Coming Of Faith – As Bill Sees It #51”

Feeling Stuck; Try Surrender & Withdrawal – Consolations By David Whyte

The Big Book Chapter 3 ‘More About Alcoholism’ begins with a warning about what happens when we attach ourselves to the old idea that we can control our drinking: “The idea that somehow, someday he will control and enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker. The persistence of this illusion isContinue reading “Feeling Stuck; Try Surrender & Withdrawal – Consolations By David Whyte”

One Man’s Deep Dive Into The Principles Of Each Step By Herb K.

PRINCIPLES: Foundational TRUTHS: core VALUES which regulate moral behavior; guidelines and guardrails:

Finding Security Within Us By Phil Stutz

At the heart of recovery is the principle of paying it forward. This article is a great illustration of how this principle, when combined with another key AA principle of anonymity, can build a resilient inner security in the face of incredible, and often unconscious, uncertainty in our lives. The reflection below is poignant forContinue reading “Finding Security Within Us By Phil Stutz”

4th Step Inventory – Phase 1 – Flaws & Assets Evaluation By Bruce M.

Let’s begin the 4th step inventory process with a focus on the big picture before we get down into the many details this process suggests.  This is consistent with the instructions in the Big Book to ‘first, we searched out the flaws in our make-up which caused us failure’ (BB p.64). AA Big Book pagesContinue reading “4th Step Inventory – Phase 1 – Flaws & Assets Evaluation By Bruce M.”

Mashup – Should I Move From A Manager To A Wise Navigator Of My Life

This mashup of two articles should allow us to explore what lies after the dash in the 1st Step …‘that our lives had become unmanageable’. Is our goal in sobriety to manage/control OR is it to learn to wisely navigate through a reality of what we can control and what we cannot? How do weContinue reading “Mashup – Should I Move From A Manager To A Wise Navigator Of My Life”

Step 3 From Right Dependence We Gain True Freedom – Practice These Principles By Ray A

On page 552 of the Big Book, we find this provocative assertion “The only real freedom a human being can ever know is doing what you ought to do because you want to do it.” For me , my often unconscious, unquestioned belief is in freedom through my self will and the delusion that “IContinue reading “Step 3 From Right Dependence We Gain True Freedom – Practice These Principles By Ray A”

The Mysterious Source Of Love & Awareness – Tracy Cochran Reflection December 4th

As some of you may know, Wayne S.’s meditation teacher, Tracy Cochran, is also an author who has published an excellent book entitled ‘Presence: The Art of Being at Home in Yourself’. We used an extract of her book in the post ‘How Meditation Can Move Us From Conscious Separation To Conscious Connection’. Wayne passedContinue reading “The Mysterious Source Of Love & Awareness – Tracy Cochran Reflection December 4th”

What Is Priceless About Our Struggles – Poem You, Too, Must Weep By Anonymous

I recently attended the funeral of a friend who lived a life filled with giving unconditionally to those in need, often in desperate situations. His family found many copies of this poem in his home. I had never heard it before and found its message piercing, moving, powerful. It offers a perspective on the valueContinue reading “What Is Priceless About Our Struggles – Poem You, Too, Must Weep By Anonymous”