How should one live? Live welcoming to all.—Mechthild of Magdeburg Welcoming is a spiritual practice we met when we came to this program. We may recall our first meetings and how welcome we felt in this group of fellow sufferers. The group gave us hope when we felt desperate and continues to provide us withContinue reading “Practicing Principles Of Hospitality & Welcoming – Touchstone Reflection July 18th”
Category Archives: Purpose
AA Communication Can Cross All Barriers – Grapevine Article October 1959 By Bill W.
EVERYONE must agree that we AAs are unbelievably fortunate people; fortunate that we have suffered so much; fortunate that we can know, understand and love each other so supremely well–these attributes and virtues are scarcely of the earned variety. Indeed most of us are well aware that these are rare gifts which have their trueContinue reading “AA Communication Can Cross All Barriers – Grapevine Article October 1959 By Bill W.”
Enduring Loss; Reclaiming Joy – A Spiritual Principle A Day June 16th
“We come to understand that happiness is an inside job, a spiritual experience that can get stronger with recovery. We find that no matter what happens on the outside, joy can still live within us.” Living Clean, Chapter 7, “Love” As far as spiritual principles go, joy is uncomplicated. It can be elusive, however. InContinue reading “Enduring Loss; Reclaiming Joy – A Spiritual Principle A Day June 16th”
Own Your Reality – Off Balance On Purpose By Dan Thurman
Dan Thurman has written an excellent book entitled ‘Off Balance On Purpose’. I believe his chapter on ‘Own Your Reality’ has some very useful complements and pragmatic wisdom to help us to a more accurate and meaningful self examination that has no ceiling and the reality that more can always be revealed. I see muchContinue reading “Own Your Reality – Off Balance On Purpose By Dan Thurman”
Happiness As The Byproduct Of Right Action – Each Day A New Beginning May 25th
One is happy as a result of one’s own efforts, once one knows the necessary ingredients of happiness–simple tastes, a certain degree of courage, self-denial to a point, love of work, and above all, a clear conscience. Happiness is no vague dream, of that I now feel certain. –George Sand We are as happy asContinue reading “Happiness As The Byproduct Of Right Action – Each Day A New Beginning May 25th”
Lost And Found – Grapevine Article June 2024 By Anonymous
She thought she’d find a guy in the coffee shop. Instead, she found something even better Grapevine has played a momentous role in my sobriety. The first time I encountered Grapevine was about two years before I got sober in May of 2010. There’s a local coffee shop downtown where I live. I would goContinue reading “Lost And Found – Grapevine Article June 2024 By Anonymous”
Freed Prisoners – As Bill Sees It #234
Letter to a prison group: Every A.A. has been, in a sense, a prisoner. Each of us has walled himself out of society; each has known social stigma. The lot of you folks has been even more difficult: In your case, society has also built a wall around you. But there isn’t any really essentialContinue reading “Freed Prisoners – As Bill Sees It #234”
Happiness Is Not The Point – Daily Reflection April 26th
I don’t think happiness or unhappiness is the point. How do we meet the problems we face? How do we best learn from them and transmit what we have learned to others, if they would receive the knowledge?AS BILL SEES IT, p. 306 In my search “to be happy,” I changed jobs, married and divorced,Continue reading “Happiness Is Not The Point – Daily Reflection April 26th”
To Value You More – Grapevine Article April 2021 By S.J.
One day in her Step study group, an oldtimer discovers something brand-new about Step Four. Proof that the learning and growing never stops In my Monday evening Women’s Step Study, our small group’s routine is to go around the room, giving each person the opportunity to read a paragraph or share or simply introduce herselfContinue reading “To Value You More – Grapevine Article April 2021 By S.J.”
Walking Toward Serenity – As Bill Sees It #92
When I was tired and couldn’t concentrate, I used to fall back on an affirmation toward life that took the form of simple walking and deep breathing. I sometimes told myself that I couldn’t do even this—that I was to weak. But I learned that this was the point at which I could not giveContinue reading “Walking Toward Serenity – As Bill Sees It #92”