Making a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves in Step 4 is fundamentally a spiritual enterprise. Yet it is at the same time intensely practical and uncompromisingly moral. Indeed, as we have seen, in AA the spiritual is understood to encompass the practical and the moral. The interaction of these three, the spiritual, theContinue reading “Unpacking The 4th Step Example P.65 In The Big Book – Practice These Principles By Ray A.”
Category Archives: Wisdom
Enjoy The Adventure – Journey To The Heart April 8th
It was a cold night in Sedona, Arizona. An unexpected snowstorm had passed through the usually warm city, dumping several inches of snow in a short time. The electricity was off. The cabin I was staying in was freezing. Great, I thought. I get to spend my last evening in Sedona fighting off hypothermia aloneContinue reading “Enjoy The Adventure – Journey To The Heart April 8th”
‘Let It Go’ To ‘Let It Be’ – Language Of Letting Go March 10th Melodie Beattie
Life is a series of letting go’s– an “infinite” series of letting go’s. All things in life are given us on loan. Stand face-to-face with life, learn to let go, and whatever comes our way– success or failure, joy or sorrow, support or betrayal, light or darkness– it all blesses us. Once we have learnedContinue reading “‘Let It Go’ To ‘Let It Be’ – Language Of Letting Go March 10th Melodie Beattie”
A Renewable And Resilient Purpose – Touchstone Reflection February 19th
He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how. –Friedrich Nietzsche Our sense of purpose in life is not fixed in concrete. It changes from youth through all the stages of life. Often in the transitions to a new growth stage we are most confused. In the chaotic life created byContinue reading “A Renewable And Resilient Purpose – Touchstone Reflection February 19th”
Humility 7th Step – Twelve & Twelve Pages 70 thru 76
The attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of A.A.’ s Twelve Steps. …Without some degree of humility, no alcoholic can stay sober at all. Nearly all A.A.’ s have found, too, that unless they develop much more of this precious quality than may be required just for sobriety, they still haven’tContinue reading “Humility 7th Step – Twelve & Twelve Pages 70 thru 76”
Getting Beyond The Dry Drunk Syndrome – Stage II Recovery By Earnie Larson
The Dry-Drunk Syndrome As hateful as this label is to so many people, it names a real condition that occurs when a person breaks a primary addiction (gets sober) but doesn’t deal with the underlying living problems. “Dry drunks” can afflict people who have broken a primary addiction (Stage I) but have not gotten furtherContinue reading “Getting Beyond The Dry Drunk Syndrome – Stage II Recovery By Earnie Larson”
Serenity Brings Clarity – Spiritual Principles A Day January 22nd
“Serenity doesn’t mean that we don’t experience dramatic events. It gives us the clarity of mind to go through them.” Living Clean, Chapter 7, “Living Our Principles” “Ahhhhh, serenity. A permanent state of peacefulness, contentment, and awe. Those of us with time clean float around on a spiritual plane that newcomers can aspire to andContinue reading “Serenity Brings Clarity – Spiritual Principles A Day January 22nd”
Eliminating Shame Through The Principles and Practices of Alcoholics Anonymous by Steve K.
The word shame is derived from the Indo-European ‘skein’, which means to hide. Shame makes us want to hide from ourselves, and our peers – making shame an existentially isolating state of mind. Feeling shame makes a person dejection-based, passive, or helpless, causing the ashamed person to focus more on devaluing or condemning his entireContinue reading “Eliminating Shame Through The Principles and Practices of Alcoholics Anonymous by Steve K.”
What And Who We Really Are – Grapevine Article October 1991 By John W.
I have now experienced nearly eight good years of continuously sober and active membership in the Fellowship of AA. Never during this time have I hesitated to express my heartfelt gratitude for the program and the many positive (and necessary) changes it has helped make possible in my life–a life including many years of active,Continue reading “What And Who We Really Are – Grapevine Article October 1991 By John W.”
The Spiritual Angle of AA – Grapevine Article October 1955 By Rev. Samuel Shoemaker
The early A.A. got its ideas of self-examination, acknowledgment of character defects, restitution for harm done, and working with others straight from the Oxford Groups and directly from Sam Shoemaker, their former leader in America, and from nowhere else.” — BILL W. IT was clear to Bill W. from the first, I take it, thatContinue reading “The Spiritual Angle of AA – Grapevine Article October 1955 By Rev. Samuel Shoemaker”