Even More Recovery Readings and Meditations - June

[bluidkiti]

June 15

Step by Step

Today, a conscious and conscientious effort to be honest in recovery and sobriety just as I was dishonest in my drinking. Sobriety and recovery begin with honesty to "admit (I am) powerless," to confess the nature of my wrongs, and honesty and courage to take responsibility and consequences to the people I hurt. Because recovery requires a turnaround in words, thoughts and actions, I cannot claim any quality recovery if I carry from my drinking days the dishonesty and lies to others and myself into my recovery. Without a basic change in my emotional and spiritual characters, I am little more than a dry drunk if all I do is abstain from drinking. Today, just as lying became habitual in my drinking days, I focus earnestly on making truth a habit to hold onto and nurture. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

ACCEPTING OURSELVES

Humility is our acceptance of ourselves.

~ Anonymous ~

It is strange how we can go to school and learn a lot of facts, but never learn much along the way about ourselves. We can take up nursing, teaching, counselling, giving ourselves to the needs of others, while never having our own needs met.

Why does it seem as if it is easier to solve the problems of the world than to solve our own problems? We simply don't know ourselves very well. When we look into a mirror and attempt to understand ourselves, our conclusions about what we see are usually very different from what a friend sees. When we finally take the time and make ourselves a priority, we make a startling discovery. There exists within us at all times a Higher Power that is the builder of all successes and our comforter during times of trial.

I understand myself only in relation to my Higher Power. The image I see and the identity I have is then one of humility before that Power. Humility is my acceptance of myself.

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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

When a man’s willing and eager, the gods join in.

~ Aeschylus ~

We can learn a lot about our present state of mind by asking ourselves what we are willing and eager for. Just now, are we willing to know ourselves better? Do we seek to become better human beings? Are we willing to move beyond self-destructive desires and leave them behind? Or are we more willing and eager for someone else to make things easy for us? Are we still holding on to our desires for control? Do we still hold on to hope for another ecstatic high?

After we face ourselves with the truth of what we really want, the truth can change us. First we are honest with ourselves, and that boosts our ability to actively choose what we really want. When we become willing, we are ready for the work of our Higher Power to help us go where we want to go.

Today I will keep in mind what I really want and not become distracted by temptations that lead off the path.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

We can look at everything in our lives as having the potential to be either a blessing or a curse. Nothing, it seems, comes for nothing.

~ Margaret R. Stortz ~

We interpret every experience in our lives. It’s probable that we interpreted most past events as not in our best interest. But was that really true? What is more likely is that we resisted many vital lessons. And because of our resistance, events that were for our good troubled us rather than taught us. This recovery program can help us work on our Interpretations.

We can learn from the terrible as well as the mundane. What may look terrible to us may appear sweet and inviting to someone else. It all depends on our perspective, and no one has charge of that but us. This program will convince us, if we’ll submit to using it, that nothing happens without cause. What we do with what we are given makes all the difference in our happiness.

Happiness is in my control today. Whatever happens can be a blessing if I take charge of my feelings.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I am learning to handle my stress

There are some problems in my life these days that I can’t solve. (There are some I cannot even address.) It's hard to keep my mind on my job or my dual recovery. Sometimes with the stress I think about using.

So I mentioned this to a good friend at my meeting and she offered me what works for her: breathing. When she feels stressed, she gets herself comfortable and then, slowly, simply sits still for a while. She said it doesn’t "fix" anything, but it relaxes her. It helps her gain a little more perspective and acceptance. I'm glad I have friends who can help me. I'm willing to give this a try.

Today I will take five minutes to practice quiet breathing and letting go.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

I’ve been working two programs from the beginning.
That’s what works for me.

~ Bert T. ~

Today, more and more of us are working more than one program. In some cases, a problem with food surfaces after we gain sobriety from alcohol or other drugs. Or it could be work addiction, sex addiction, gambling, or addiction to excitement. Often, we need to work an Al-Anon program along with an AA, NA, CA, or OA program.

Those of us who work several programs know the benefits and great healing power that can be unleashed. Sometimes we find the programs working together. We find a common ground. Other times, we find different programs addressing different needs. All our programs, though, stress communion with our spirituality and a Higher Power.

We are grateful today for the vast number of Twelve Step programs that help us heal our addiction or addictions. And we are grateful to find the people we need, as well as the opportunity to share our own experience, strength, and hope.

Today I thank You for showing me that more than one program is a sign of strength and quality of recovery, rather than weakness or shame. I’m grateful for the variety of help that is available.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

The Crow and the Pitcher

A crow dying of thirst came upon a pitcher that had once been full of water. He shoved his beak into the pitcher and discovered that there was very little water left. But he was determined to get it.

Time and again he thrust his beak into the pitcher, but could not reach the water. He was about to drop dead from both thirst and despair when he spotted a pile of pebbles nearby.

The crow picked up one in his beak, and dropped it into the pitcher. He took another, and did the same. Each time he dropped a pebble into the pitcher, he noticed that the water level rose slightly. Energized by this discovery, he continued his efforts until the water level rose to where he could reach it.

Then the crow drank the water, which saved his life.

The moral of the story: Small actions can have big results.

Recovery is a process that involves taking small steps, but sometimes progress is hard to see. At such times, take heart. Resist the temptation to give up. Instead, trust that your steady and dedicated effort is taking you ever closer to your goal.

There will be great leaps in my recovery, and there will be baby steps. I will trust that everything I do is serving a useful purpose in my progress.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

I wish to live without hate, whim, jealousy, envy, fear. I wish to be simple, honest, frank, natural, clean in mind and clean in body . . . to face any obstacle and meet every difficulty unabashed and unafraid.

~ Elbert Hubbard ~

Growing up, we learned there were many places to make wishes: the first star, a well, candles on a birthday cake. We saw Dorothy return from Oz after she wished she were back home. Fairy tales taught us wishes can come true.

We don't have to stop wishing, even though many of our wishes never came true. We may have wished for the impossible when we said: "l wish things would get better at home." But we may have gotten our way we said: "l wish this pain would end." Our dreams came true with the program.

Our best wishes can be about ourselves and the lives we want to have. We can wish for riches and find friends with hearts of gold. We can wish for comfort and health, and get a night o[ uninterrupted sleep. Whatever we wish for, we can receive.

I can read tonight's quotation aloud and apply it to my life. This powerful affirmation can help me tonight and every night.

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~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Being different

Some of us feel so different that we think no person or group could help us or even understand us. We feel alone and isolated. Whatever these differences are they can be lessened by concentrating on the purpose common to us all: we are learning to live a life free of alcohol or other drugs by connecting with a power greater than ourselves.

Our Higher Power does not want us to be alone. It would help if we would accept that we are all more alike than different. It would help if we could recognize the love that is available to us in our brothers and sisters. Are we looking for what we have in common, or are we looking for ways to be alone and different?

Do I realize that our common purpose can outweigh all differences?

Higher Power, help me feel connected by looking for what I share with my fellow members.

Today I will overlook all differences or look for what we share in

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

The net of Heaven has large meshes and yet nothing escapes it.

~ LAO-TZU ~

Newcomer

Step Six wants me to get rid of all my defects. I’m glad that I’ve quit using my drug of choice, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to get rid of all my defects.

Sponsor

Step Six, “Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character,” is often misunderstood.

This Step doesn’t say that we ought to try to remove certain traits on our own. Instead, it requires willingness, the same willingness which brought us to recovery. Step Six asks us to surrender, to allow our Higher Power to re-move our defects.

Does this mean that we say a prayer tonight, and tomorrow we will find that fear, resentment, grandiosity, low self-esteem, or whatever else we wish were different about ourselves has been lifted? It seems unreasonable that our resistance to such thorough change is going to evaporate overnight. In recovery, we’ve begun to experience what a gradual process is like. As long as we remain committed to recovery and willing to cooperate with opportunities for growth, we’ll continue to undergo changes in our character.

Today, I trust that my spirit is capable of continuing to grow. I’m willing to cooperate with the process of change.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Out in the world we brush elbows with men, but in solitude we learn intimately about God and ourselves. Great truths are only born in solitary thought, never in crowded auditoriums.

God has some work to be done that only you can do. You have some problems that only He can solve. Why not sit down together sometime, just you two, and talk it over.

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

WEDDING BLESSING

All knowing spirit, Higher Power, join us in this ceremony binding the lives of these two people. We ask a blessing on this couple, on their marriage, and on the life they will lead together. As they speak and we hear the words that will forever join them, allow the intentions being uttered to remain. true through time and to run as deep as a singing river throughout the landscape of their lives.

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

MENTAL ASSENT

When you give your mental assent to any idea, good or bad, you associate yourself with that idea and you incorporate it into your consciousness−to the extent that you realize it. When you read a passage of Scripture you will, if you assent to it mentally, incorporate it into your life to that extent.

This law, of course, works the other way too. If when you hear or read of some piece of injustice or cruelty, you approve it mentally by thinking that "it serves him right," you are associating yourself with that deed, and making it a part of your own life, even though you do not speak a word. It is the mental assent that counts.

Give your assent only to Truth.

For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my numbers, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity. . . . So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God . . . (Romans 7:22, 23, 25).

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Could Be Your Ring

To get thine ends, lay bashfulness aside; who fears to ask, doth teach to be deny'd.

~ Thomas Herrick ~

At summer camp, I developed an industrial-strength crush on a girl named Roberta Horn. Roberta was pretty, sweet, and friendly, and when I stepped within ten feet of her, my heart quickened and my stomach did flip-flops. I talked to Roberta a few times and once, when we went roller skating, I got to hold her hand. (l didn't wash it for a week.) At the age of 15, I was too nervous to approach her since I knew that someone as beautiful and wonderful as she would never be interested in someone as weird as I was. Several years later, I saw Roberta and she showed me her hand again, this time with an engagement ring on it. By that time, I had developed some courage, and I told her about the crush I had felt.

"I had a crush on you, too," she told me, "but I didn't think you liked me very much." Whoa. "Funny, huh?" she waxed philosophical. "Who knows? lf either of us had been more honest, this might have been your ring on my hand." While the pain of missing out on a potentially wonderful relationship shot through me like an arrow, the lesson was a gift. It was a primer in telling the truth even when it's scary. I learned that asking for what you want is a prerequisite for getting it.

If you feel a deep resonance with a person, whether in romance, friendship, creativity, business, or the spiritual path, it is likely that person feels the same way. Be honest about your enthusiasm, and take a step in that direction. Even if you get a "no," you will have the satisfaction of being true to yourself and knowing that you honored your feelings. In the long run, you will do better by voicing your intuitions rather than hiding them.

Give me the courage to act on my inspirations. Help me put Your visions into action.

The good I seek is seeking me.