There’s a paradox at the heart of self-compassion. Although the word “self” is right there in the name, self-compassion actually represents a movement away from the perspective of self. In fact, it should probably be spelled “self→compassion.” This movement is reflected in the way I define and measure self-compassion. The Self-Compassion Scale has six subscales, whichContinue reading “The Paradox Of Self Compassion September 2026 By Dr. Kristin Neff”
Category Archives: Will
Learn To Use Misfortune – Grapevine Article April 1984 By W.J.
The best illustration of gratitude I know lies in the story of Louis Braille. Louis was the son of a French shoemaker. One day, his father, working at his bench with Louis underfoot, dropped a sharp instrument known as an awl from the table. It hit the boy in the eye and caused him toContinue reading “Learn To Use Misfortune – Grapevine Article April 1984 By W.J.”
Relief From Outcomes Beyond Our Control – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 26th 2026
As we consider the basis for our hope, let us recall who God is…. The hope we have lies in the radical transcendence of God…. God’s transcendence—God’s power of creative, redeeming, and sustaining love—is closer to us than we are to ourselves. God is the milieu, the source, of power and love in which our world,Continue reading “Relief From Outcomes Beyond Our Control – Richard Rohr Daily Meditation June 26th 2026”
Practicing Surrender – Extract From Progloue/Epilogue Of Surrender To Love By David Benner
How does surrender address the fundamental reality of ‘lack of power, that was our dilemma’ (BB p.45) ? What is the dynamic between the surrender of offering myself or abandoning myself and finding who I really am … my true self … distinguishing the true from the false ? Is it possible that to “thineContinue reading “Practicing Surrender – Extract From Progloue/Epilogue Of Surrender To Love By David Benner”
Make Use Of Mistakes, Failures, Losses And Sufferings – August 22nd Twenty-Four Hours a Day
A.A. Thought For The Day “Those who do not recover are people who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault. They seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. TheirContinue reading “Make Use Of Mistakes, Failures, Losses And Sufferings – August 22nd Twenty-Four Hours a Day”
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”
Invictus – Recovery Poem By William Ernest Henley
Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader who was jailed for his activism and in 1994 became South Africa’s first black President, regularly recited one poem during his more than twenty-five years of imprisonment—the 1875 poem “Invictus” by English poet William Ernest Henley. The poem, which helped Mandela persist through extraordinarily challenging circumstances, includes the iconic lines,Continue reading “Invictus – Recovery Poem By William Ernest Henley”
An AA Doctor’s Prescription – Grapevine Article July 1963 By Dr. Hal S.
As a doctor I don’t claim to be an authority on alcoholism. In some phases of the illness, however, I have acquired a specialized knowledge that is not taught in medical schools or developed in actual medical practice. During my years of “research” into the subject, I drank myself out of my profession and intoContinue reading “An AA Doctor’s Prescription – Grapevine Article July 1963 By Dr. Hal S.”
Where Will Power Comes In – Grapevine Article May 1962 By Bill W
The following is Bill’s answer to a letter asking about the role of will power in staying sober. This article is also included in the book of Bill’s letters entitled “Language Of The Heart” There has always been a lot of confusion about this matter of exerting the will. When the Twelve Steps say “WeContinue reading “Where Will Power Comes In – Grapevine Article May 1962 By Bill W”
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”