Father Richard describes the futility of trying to “fix” ourselves: The genius of Twelve Step programs is that they situate powerlessness and surrender right where they belong—at the beginning. They teach how sin or addiction are overcome not through willpower or by control, but much more by recognizing that we are powerless to overcome them. ForContinue reading “Powerlessness; We Learn By Doing It Wrong March 23rd 2023 Daily Meditation By Richard Rohr”
Category Archives: Pride
Applying The St Francis Prayer To Our Inside Job Of Reconciliation & Healing By 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. Very recently Dr. Berger gave a very powerful talk about how to apply the St.Continue reading “Applying The St Francis Prayer To Our Inside Job Of Reconciliation & Healing By Allen Berger”
Reclaiming the Self: 12-Steps, a Higher Power, and Inner Healing By David G. Zacharias
I find this article quite helpful in exploring this possibility of how we can learn to ‘reparent’ parts of us that have been exiled or left behind. I’ve also added this article to the ‘Healing Our Jekyll/Hyde Divided Self’ section of the gugogs.org website. In my own journey , I have found it very helpfulContinue reading “Reclaiming the Self: 12-Steps, a Higher Power, and Inner Healing By David G. Zacharias”
To Rebuild Security – As Bill See It #301
In our behavior respecting financial and emotional security, fear, greed, possessiveness, and pride have too often done their worst. Surveying his business or employment record, almost any alcoholic can ask questions like these: In addition to my drinking problem, what character defects contributed to my financial instability? Did fear and inferiority about my fitness forContinue reading “To Rebuild Security – As Bill See It #301”
Releasing Obsessions – The Language Of Letting Go October 4th By Melody Beattie
I encountered my first obsession when I was eleven years old. I’d been sent to church by my mother on this Sunday morning and was trudging down a large hill as I began the ten-block walk when a girl I didn’t know, who seemed to be about my age, stopped me. “This will help,” sheContinue reading “Releasing Obsessions – The Language Of Letting Go October 4th By Melody Beattie”
Victory In Defeat – As Bill Sees It #135
Convinced I never could belong, and vowing I’d never settle for any second-rate status, I felt I simply had to dominate in everything I chose to do: work or play. As this attractive formula for the good life began to succeed, according to my then specifications of success, I became deliriously happy. But when anContinue reading “Victory In Defeat – As Bill Sees It #135”
Don’t Drink, and Change the Rest of Your Life – Grapevine Article December 1995 By Anonymous
STEP 12: Having bad a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. “There are only two things you have to do to stay sober,” the old-timer with the gravel voice told me. “Don’t drink one day atContinue reading “Don’t Drink, and Change the Rest of Your Life – Grapevine Article December 1995 By Anonymous”
Emotional Sobriety In Relationships – Recovery Today March 2015 By Allen Berger
In the Twelve & Twelve, we are presented with this possibility that we are not clear on how to practice partnering with others. On page 53, we read: “But it is from our twisted relations with family, friends, and society at large that many of us have suffered the most. We have been especially stupidContinue reading “Emotional Sobriety In Relationships – Recovery Today March 2015 By Allen Berger”
False Pride – As Bill Sees It #285
The alarming thing about pride-blindness is the ease with which it is justified. But we need not look far to see that self-justification is a universal destroyer of harmony and of love. It sets man against man, nation against nation. By it, every form of folly and violence can be made to look right, andContinue reading “False Pride – As Bill Sees It #285”
Imaginary Perfection – As Bill Sees It #181
When we early A.A.’s got our first glimmer of how spiritually prideful we could be, we coined this expression: “Don’t try to be a saint by Thursday!” That oldtime admonition may look like another of those handy alibis that can excuse us from trying for our best. Yet a closer view reveals just the contrary.Continue reading “Imaginary Perfection – As Bill Sees It #181”