Even More Recovery Readings and Meditations - October

[bluidkiti]

October 19

Step by Step

Today, if alcohol is “cunning and baffling,” its end product – alcoholism – is mysterious because it took alcoholism guided me to a program to begin my physical, spiritual and emotional recovery. And without going through the deepest of gutters, the darkest of nights and the sickest of physical and emotional conditions, I may never have emerged from that life of being half-dead and half-alive to being, now, fully alive. In a bizarre osmosis, if I cannot be grateful, I must at least not deny, reject or forget those days of my drinking because they brought me to a place where the healing begins. Today, I respect and am almost grateful for the experience of alcoholism because it has brought me to where I am – here. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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

FAULT-FINDING

I'm slipping when I begin taking another person's inventory, not mine.

~ Anonymous ~

It seems so much easier to live someone else's life than it is to live our own. We can see someone else's faults much more clearly than our own. We can tell someone else how to correct a character defect, and not work on our own. It is easier to take someone else's inventory than it is to take our own. These are all clues to why we have had so much trouble in our lives.

These things are all danger signs. Our very best thinking got us into this Fellowship. Most of us earned our seats around the table by totally mismanaging the affairs of our lives. We have enough on our plates trying to sort out the will of our Higher Power in our own lives. We have no business trying to run anyone else's.

If I persist in trying to live another person's life, I am likely to stop my spiritual progress. Let me remember to keep tabs on my own faults and let others take care of their own.

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

Do, or do not. There is no "try.”

~ Yoda, in The Empire Strikes Back ~

Trying is what we do when we aren’t willing to make a commitment. We say, “I’ll try,” when our heart isn’t ready to give a full effort. It’s what we say when we can’t admit that our resolve is wimpy. And it’s the He that will defeat us.

Some challenges we face can’t be conquered simply by saying, “I will do it.” But we can choose to do something that will help. We can’t move the mountain but we can pick up some rocks. We can engage with the problem and get to know it better. Every action we take leads somewhere and sets us up for the next action. We even learn from our mistakes and that moves us closer to achieving our goal.

Today I will not just “try”, I will do something to move toward my goal.

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

Creativity and self-expression are the keys which open the door to my soul.

~ Betty MacDonald ~

Why do we find it so hard to believe that we are creative and talented? Generally we look upon “artists” as being far different from us. When we were young, we were encouraged to be ordinary, “like everyone else.” Those who dared to see the world differently were weird. Thus our creative juices lay untapped.

But every spirit, by its very nature, is creative and talent-filled. Fortunately, the well of our creative spirits hasn’t run dry. We can prime the pump and bring them bubbling to the surface. The first step is to acknowledge our creative potential.

The real gift of this journey is that hope has been inspired in us. We hear the stories of how others have changed and tapped into their creativity. We understand it can happen to us too.

Being willing to have my talents revealed is necessary for it to happen. I will work on willingness today.

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

I am changing by letting go

By going into treatment, I temporarily let go of my freedom and my home. I let go of time and money. In treatment I gave up old habits, old ways of thinking. I admitted my dual disorder and started to change my life.

And in return for my willingness and effort, I have gained true freedom—freedom from addiction and from the symptoms and other effects of my psychiatric illness. In return, I have invested in an abstinent and stable future. I am learning new ways to cope, healthy ways to take care of myself. By admitting my dual disorder, I am changing my life.

To help me learn from my thinking and my process of growth, I will keep a recovery journal.

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

Don’t just do something, stand there!

~ Lewis Carroll ~

We used to spend all our time running around with no time, it seemed, for the important things. Our addiction kept us in this state of turmoil and we didn’t have time for the most important thing of all — our own lives. In reality, this frenzy of activity was an energy-consuming tactic that let us avoid awareness of our addiction. Unlike healthy physical activity, it drained us of strength, but gave back nothing in return.

Now we have time to devote to ourselves. This means spending quiet time rewarding ourselves for tasks well done. It also means we have time for physical activity which strengthens and invigorates us — play time. We might not feel we’re ready to take on a regular program of jogging or swimming, but we can take time out each day for a brisk walk. The new energy we gain combines with an increase in self-esteem to make us even more ready to take on new challenges. Our new feeling of well-being prepares us emotionally, as well as physically, for each new day. And our sense of accomplishment at making this healthy change lays the stepping stones for more growth.

Today let me pay attention to my need for physical activity and do at least one thing to satisfy that need.

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

There is no doubt that running away on a fresh, blue morning can be exhilarating.

~ Jean Rhys ~

Think of how a cat or dog awakens from sleep. It will rise up, perhaps give its body a good shake, and then lower its front and engage in a full stretch to its body. Sometimes you may even hear it emit a little grunt of pleasure. While not everyone can leap out of bed at the first sound of the alarm, there are ways you can transform your first moments of awakening so that they benefit you for the rest of the day.

Begin with a full-body stretch. Do more than just reach for the ceiling or bend over and touch your toes. Wiggle and shake every part of your body to loosen up your muscles. As you do this, take in deep breaths and slowly release them. Bring in oxygen to your brain and muscles to restore your energy.

And then offer a simple prayer. Thank your Higher Power for the gift of a new day. Convey your openness to whatever the day holds in store for you. Ask that you be given the strength to meet all of its challenges. By this time you will be more awake and alert, ready to take on the day!

I will begin my day with a morning routine that will energize me.

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

Lo! in the middle of the wood,
The folded leaf is wooed from out
the bud. . . .
With winds upon the branch,
and there
Grows green and broad,
and takes no care.

~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson ~

What does it take for us to be drawn out of ourselves? So many of us have retreated inwardly and are afraid to open up in social situations. We may refuse invitations to gatherings, may be afraid to meet new people, and may want to remain in uncomfortable but stable situations.

When a plant grows a new leaf, we see evidence of a shoot. Then we see the leaf grow longer, curled tight like a cigar. Finally, with nourishment and safety, it begins to unfurl. This leaf supports new life, and the healthy plant grows.

We, too, are like that new leaf. As we grow, we learn there are environments where we can open up and be safe. It's okay to close up when there are people or situations around us that are unhealthy. But we need not fear everybody or everything. We can be safe. We can proudly unfurl ourselves for all to see.

Am I withdrawn because of fear? Tonight I can find a safe person, place, or thing and open myself up in safety.

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

Becoming reasonable

Being ungrateful and feeling sorry for our-selves is a great self-destroyer. Often we feel that we know all the reasons to be grateful and to not feel sorry for ourselves, but we don’t know how to be reasonable about our feelings. Being reasonable is not a strong virtue of addicts.

Quite often we find we have to pray for reasonableness, then simply cling to the program and the fellowship when feelings of ungratefulness overtake us.

Am I a more reasonable person than I was before?

Higher Power, even though I know all the reasons, I am not always reasonable. Help me to become more reasonable.

Today I will try to be reasonable about

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

We use great plainness of speech.

~ SAINT PAUL TO THE CORINTHIANS ~

Newcomer

I made a call to someone I'd previously said yes to when I'd really wanted to say no. Without making a big deal out of it, over apologizing and making up elaborate excuses, I just told the truth. I said, "I'm sorry to have to change plans, but after giving it some more thought, I realized that I need time to finish a project I've been putting off. Let's get together another time." My friend was disappointed, but not devastated. She wished me luck with the project. I felt such relief after this phone call. Instead of being preoccupied by nagging feelings of obligation and wrong-doing, I have energy to do what I need to do and to enjoy myself with a clear conscience.

Sponsor

This is good Tenth Step work you've been doing. It sounds
to me as if you've begun developing greater self-trust and
an intuitive sense of how to handle situations with people.

Today, I don't let difficulties build up. I act promptly to keep my relationships with others clear and in balance.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Bad luck is not often just a series of unhappy events that just happened. Our bad luck is usually the result of our ignorance, carelessness or indifference.

Our experience with bad luck should make us more careful and then good luck can be expected to follow in consequence.

It was your bad luck that brought you to AA; it was your good luck that you profited by it.

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

Farther Along

Tempted and tried, we're often made to wonder
Why it should be like this all day long,
While there are other addicts using among us,
Never paying consequences though in the wrong

Farther along we'll know all about it;
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my fellow travelers;
Live in the sunshine.
We'll understand it all, by and by.

Sometimes I wonder why I must struggle,
Go in the rain, the cold, and the snow
When there are many living in comfort
Giving no heed to all I can do.

Faithful till death, said our loving Master;
Short is our time to labor and wait;
Then will our toiling seem to be nothing
When we shall pass the heavenly gate.

Farther along we'll know all about it;
Farther along we'll understand why.
Cheer up my brother;
Live in the sunshine.
We'll understand it all, by and by.

~ Adapted from a traditional American hymn, author unknown ~

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

PRAYER IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER

Prayer is always the solution. No matter what kind of difficulty may be facing you, no matter how complicated your problem may seem—prayer can solve it. Of course you will also take whatever practical steps seem to be indicated, and if you do not know what steps to take, prayer will show you. Prayer is constantly bringing about the seemingly impossible, and there is no conceivable problem that has not at some time been solved by prayer.

When we remember that God really is omnipotent, untrammelled by what we call time or space or matter, or the vagaries of human nature, it is easy to see that there can be no limit to the power of prayer. You can pray about a problem and solve it at any stage, but of course the earlier you tackle it the easier will your work be.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (James 5:16).

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

All in the Timing

To know how to wait is the great secret of success.

~ De Maistre ~

Do you ever have days or weeks when nothing seems to come together? The people you are looking for are out of town, the product you ordered is delayed, and you get everyone's answering machine. Finally, you throw your hands up and declare, "I give up—I'm going to a movie!" That may indeed be the best strategy, for the universe is giving you a message that this is not the right time to try to make anything happen. It may be the perfect time for you to step back and nurture your spirit. If you pay attention to the cycles of your experience, you can make them work for you, rather than letting them overwhelm you.

Periods of nothing coming together are often followed by periods of everything coming together. After a week or month of frustrating attempts to make things happen, suddenly everything clicks; everyone calls back the same day, business deals that were on hold fall into place, and everything that was broken gets fixed. It's as if the universe was laying back to build up momentum for a huge leap forward. Don't be discouraged. If you've done all you can to make something happen, and nothing seems to be coming of it, get the hint. Let go. Turn it over to God. Do something else more rewarding or fun. It's all in the timing.

Help me attune to Your divine rhythm. Let me find Your will in time.

I dance with life, stretching and resting in rhythm with the universe.