I believe our daily, moment by moment movement between willfulness and willingness is at the heart of the phrase used in the Big Book … the ‘proper use of the will’ (BB p.85). I also see this movement as having tremendous value in adding a new paradigm of ‘response ability’ to this way of livingContinue reading “From Willfulness To Willingness – Practice These Principles By Ray A.”
Category Archives: Trust
Finding Humility As We Lose Self-Hate – Touchstones Reflection November 10th
Humility is just as much the opposite of self-abasement as it is of self-exaltation. –Dag Hammarskjold In our struggles with self-hate and guilt, we may have thought we were humble – or perhaps even too humble. But self-abasement, which often alternates with feelings of superiority, is not the spiritual quality of humility that we striveContinue reading “Finding Humility As We Lose Self-Hate – Touchstones Reflection November 10th”
The Art Of Listening – Grapevine Article November 2024 By R.G.
Thanks to a good sponsor he stayed and kept an open mind. It was now his turn to give back I’m having a good time being sober. It wasn’t always like that. In early sobriety, I read a passage in the story Doctor Paul wrote in the back of our Big Book, but I didn’tContinue reading “The Art Of Listening – Grapevine Article November 2024 By R.G.”
The Ego And Shame; A Barrier To Humility – 12 Step Philosophy By Steve K.
In the book ‘For God’s Sake’ Alan Budge writes… “Recovery isn’t about stopping drinking (or stopping whatever). It’s about investigating the ways of the ego, and trying to change on the basis of that knowledge. It’s about surrender. For me, the whole spiritual deal is based on the idea that I’m not in charge, there is somethingContinue reading “The Ego And Shame; A Barrier To Humility – 12 Step Philosophy By Steve K.”
False Pride & Self Centered Fear – Experience The Big Book By Dr. Michael H.
Clancy I., in one of his talks, stated that false pride is a killer for alcoholics. He defined false pride as a compensation for feeling “less than”. That statement defined my life. From early childhood, I was constantly seeking approval through actions or achievements. Just being “Michael” wasn’t good enough. I never felt OK.Continue reading “False Pride & Self Centered Fear – Experience The Big Book By Dr. Michael H.”
Live Your Wounds & Befriend Your Pain – Henri Nouwen Daily Meditation October 9th, 10th
I love these two short daily meditations from Henri Nouwen. I see so much of what drives my addiction as an unhealthy response and relationship to pain. I have been a pain killer and am now learning, with the help of a Higher Power and my A.A. community, to be a pain healer. That transformingContinue reading “Live Your Wounds & Befriend Your Pain – Henri Nouwen Daily Meditation October 9th, 10th”
The Fine Art Of Alibis – As Bill Sees It #279
The majority of A.A. members have suffered severely from self-justification during their drinking days. For most of us, self-justification was the maker of excuses for drinking and for all kinds of crazy and damaging conduct. We had made the invention of alibis a fine art. We had to drink because times were hard or timesContinue reading “The Fine Art Of Alibis – As Bill Sees It #279”
Shame And The Meaning Of Being Human – Shame & Guilt By Ernest Kurtz
AA teaches that there is a wholeness in limitation. This understanding echoes an ancient tradition of wisdom, which saw being human as being caught in the middle, containing a contradiction. To be human, according to this tradition, means to sustain the tension of always being pulled in two opposite directions: to be more than humanContinue reading “Shame And The Meaning Of Being Human – Shame & Guilt By Ernest Kurtz”
Perception – Any Way You Slice It – Grapevine Article January 2024 By Claire S.
When I was about 6 years old, I distinctly remember placing my sandwich order with my mom and specifically asking for the jelly to be on the bottom and peanut butter on the top. While I closely supervised her preparation, I was horrified to see she hadn’t followed my directions, not even a little, andContinue reading “Perception – Any Way You Slice It – Grapevine Article January 2024 By Claire S.”
What Is Toxic Shame – Healing The Shame That Binds You By John Bradshaw
John Bradshaw was one of the most influential writers on emotional health in the twentieth century as selected by his fellow mental health professionals. He was also an alcoholic in recovery. His areas of expertise include addiction, co-dependency , trauma, emotional instability , and abuse. This extract is the preface to the original edition ofContinue reading “What Is Toxic Shame – Healing The Shame That Binds You By John Bradshaw”