One of the great surprises on the human journey is that we come to full consciousness precisely by shadowboxing, facing our own contradictions, and making friends with our own mistakes and failings. People who have had no inner struggles are invariably superficial and uninteresting. We tend to endure them more than appreciate them because theyContinue reading “Falling Upward – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation May 30th”
Category Archives: Powerlessness
Owning Our Power In Relationships – The Language Of Letting Go By Melody Beattie
So much of what I call my codependency is fear and panic because I spent so much of my life feeling abused, trapped, and not knowing how to take care of myself in relationships. — Anonymous No matter how long we have been recovering, we may still tend to give up our power to others,Continue reading “Owning Our Power In Relationships – The Language Of Letting Go By Melody Beattie”
Humility – The Spirituality Of Imperfection (Extract From Chapter 14) By Ernest Kurtz
Humility as earthiness may be less a distortion than humility as groveling or timidity, but each of these modern interpretations misses the essence of this ancient, classic virtue. For humility signifies, simply, the acceptance of being human, the acceptance of one’s human being. It is the embrace of the both-and-ness, both saint and sinner, bothContinue reading “Humility – The Spirituality Of Imperfection (Extract From Chapter 14) By Ernest Kurtz”
What We Resist Persists; Acceptance And Willingness – Get Out Of Your Mind & Into Your Life (Chapter4) By Stephen Hayes
This article focuses us on the pragmatic idea that we must be willing to accept our pain to begin to heal as we move from a life of being a pain killer to become a pain healer. Experience avoidance and denial do not work. What we resist persists. The truth can set us free butContinue reading “What We Resist Persists; Acceptance And Willingness – Get Out Of Your Mind & Into Your Life (Chapter4) By Stephen Hayes”
Serenity Circle – Grapevine Article August 1986 By S.F.
I am an alcoholic. I live on an Indian reservation. My home sits perched on a desert mountain overlooking the largest hydroelectric power plant in the world, and I remember wishing Grand Coulee Dam could be filled with Canadian whiskey. Boy, then we could party! I was forty when “Frank” and I found each other.Continue reading “Serenity Circle – Grapevine Article August 1986 By S.F.”
Emotional Sobriety, Humility, and Radical Response Ability – Video By Dr. Allen Berger
As many of you know, Dr. 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. I found this video very helpful in setting a firm foundationContinue reading “Emotional Sobriety, Humility, and Radical Response Ability – Video By Dr. Allen Berger”
Growing Up Emotionally – 12 Smart Things To Do When The Booze And Drugs Are Gone By Dr. Allen Berger
Emotional sobriety doesn’t spontaneously appear. We have to work hard at growing up. Bill did. In addition to the time he spent working the Steps, getting spiritual direction from the Reverend Sam Shoemaker, spending time alone in contemplation, and working with others, he also sought out psychotherapy. His therapist was the famous Dr. Harry Tiebout,Continue reading “Growing Up Emotionally – 12 Smart Things To Do When The Booze And Drugs Are Gone By Dr. Allen Berger”
Will A.A. Ever Have A Personal Government – Grapevine Article January 1947 By Bill W.
The answer to this question is almost surely “no.” That is the clear verdict of our experience. To begin with, each A.A. has been an individual who, because of his alcoholism, could seldom govern himself. Nor could any other human being govern the alcoholic’s obsession to drink, his drive to have things his own way.Continue reading “Will A.A. Ever Have A Personal Government – Grapevine Article January 1947 By Bill W.”
Anxiety/Tension—All Bad? – Grapevine Article March 1969 By J.C.
An AA suggests that stress reminds us to plunge deeper into the program NO, SERENITY doesn’t mean a lack of any stress or tension. It means, instead, the inner security that enables us to bear these stresses and to use them as occasions for growth. I need not fear or shun anxiety, because there isContinue reading “Anxiety/Tension—All Bad? – Grapevine Article March 1969 By J.C.”
The Professor and the Paradox – 2nd Edition Big Book Story By John B
Note – Excerpts regarding paradox from the end of this story were also posted as a Grapevine article entitled ‘The Four Paradoxes’ which you can access here. – Bruce M. Says he, “We A.A.’ s surrender to win; we give away to keep; we suffer to get well, and we die to live.” I amContinue reading “The Professor and the Paradox – 2nd Edition Big Book Story By John B”