Even More Recovery Readings and Meditations - May

[bluidkiti]

May 28

Step by Step

Today, my character defects in my Fourth and the amends in my Eighth steps are not confined to wrongs of commission but also to my wrongs of omission. With that, my Fourth and Eighth steps, hopefully, will be more honest. My moral inventory and amends I have tried before have focused on things I have done or said, but they have not included my wrongs done by not saying or doing what I should have. Maybe I neglected or refused to return love or support that someone showed me in my darkest days, or maybe I didn't answer someone's call for help. Today, I return to my Fourth and Eighth steps to decide if I owe restitution not for what I did, but for what I didn't do. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M.

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

HONESTY

I hope I shall follow firmness of virtue enough to maintain that I consider the most enviable of all titles−the character of an honest man.

~ George Washington ~

Happiness in recovery and in society depends on our honesty. We create pain for others, and ourselves, when we are dishonest. True honesty begins within each of us and flows out to touch those around us. If we are to be true to society, and to ourselves, we cannot feel one thing in our hearts and outwardly speak different views.

There is no such thing as too much honesty. When we practice honesty in all our affairs, we discover that the reason for being honest is not because it is expected of us, but because we find that honesty avoids problems and makes our life happier.

When I am honest with myself and others, I am making progress towards greatness of character.

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

The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness, with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells Wakan-Tanka, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.

~ Black Elk ~

When we understand power and powerlessness, we begin to find inner peace. We have often felt alone, isolated from others and from the world. Now we are learning about relationships and our connection to all things. Our biggest mistake was a childish notion that power and control are up to the individual. We didn’t trust or even know about relationships and the forces of the universe.

We are actually part of an awesome universe and we have a place in it. When we develop our relationships and understand our oneness with all others and the forces at work, we understand that we are never alone. We only participate in this big picture.

Today I live as a relative to all people and the whole world.

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

I guess I’m ready, or I never would have started down this rocky road.

~ Jill Clark ~

Our past has prepared us for where we are today. Our fears often prevent us from believing this, but it’s true nevertheless. As we gain trust in this program and in the truths outlined in the Steps, we’ll come to believe that we are exactly where we need to be. And we’ll know that we are in caring hands.

When fear of others or of the unknown over-whelms us, we have neglected to let the guiding principles of this program protect us. We don’t ever have to feel afraid or unprepared again. We can share the experiences we learn from with another woman so she can grow too.

The rocks in any road are the gifts that push us to fuller development. Without them, we’d never become who our Higher Power has planned for us to be. Let’s practice gratitude today.

I am ready for God’s guidance today. The difficult moments may be my most important lessons. I will have faith.

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

I am becoming more honest

Rejection hurts and I’ve had enough of it. I want people to like me. I don’t want to feel alone. The problem is that if somebody is mad at me, I may apologize even though I’ve done little or nothing wrong. Or I may say yes to someone just because I’m afraid to say no. Both situations cause me shame and anger when I think about them.

Through therapy and my program, however, I am coming to see how important it is to be honest. Basically, I need to say what I am feeling, to be straightforward. And I am discovering that people accept me, for instance, even when I disagree with them, even when I tell them no. In fact, some people not only accept me, they come to respect me. Honesty works.

I can enlist support when I am afraid to speak my mind.

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

The price of wisdom is above rubies.

~ Job 28:18 ~

We’ve all been to meetings where we pick up a nugget of wisdom that helps a great deal. It’s often something we’ve heard before but never thought of in quite that way. A nugget could come from someone whose story we’ve heard hundreds of times, or from a newcomer. There’s no telling.

It can be especially helpful to keep these nuggets in a special part of a journal. Take the slogans, “One Day at a Time,” “Keep It Simple,” and “Easy Does It.” These offer particular insights that we keep coming back to. We can add others to that list and collect them. We can go back over the list when we need to, or when we’re asked for some help. It feels especially good to pass them on at other meetings we may attend. Each time we do this we remind ourselves of their wisdom, and we often find a new insight into our own recovery. These slogans, and our Higher Power, can help us keep changing and learning.

Today let me be open to learning and hearing things in a way I hadn’t thought of before.

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

It made me gladsome to be getting some education, it being like a big window opening.

~ Mary Webb ~

The learning that comes from school or college can im-part great knowledge. With such knowledge comes the ability to read and write and to add and subtract. Such knowledge can teach someone skills to work in a trade or to save lives.

While having a diploma or certificate can provide you with a big salary, a nice office, or a fancy car, having an education does not necessarily mean that you have the ability to make appropriate decisions or that you will live without sin and with good moral character. Education is not an end to itself. It is like learning to drive a car. You can study the rules of the road, familiarize yourself with a vehicle, and pass a written test. But when you actually get behind the wheel and drive, you learn so much more about how to be a better driver.

The program provides you with the knowledge you need to learn more about your addiction. But it is not until you engage in abstinence and employ the Steps of the program that you can more fully understand what it is you need to do to live your life without your habit.

The recovery program is my school. I will attend to my studies each day so I can effectively apply what I learn.

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

Everything that is in agreement with our personal desires seems true. Everything that is not puts us into a rage.

~ Andre Maurois ~

There was a woman who prided herself on her ability to achieve. In fact, she bought a button that read: I want it all−I want the best−and I want it now!" Most of the time she got what she wanted, and that made her very happy. But when she didn't get what she wanted, she would throw temper tantrums. We may be like that woman. It may be difficult to accept less than we desire. Not getting our way may be cause for battle, and we may not give up our fight until we do get our way.

If everyone acted this way, what would the world be like? Not everyone can be a "taker," receiving all the time. And not everyone can be a “giver," giving all the time. Giving once doesn't mean we always have to give, just as receiving once doesn't mean we'll always receive. We need to keep in mind that there is a balance. To achieve that balance, we need to learn we cannot have everything we want. And that's okay.

Do I fly into a rage when I don't get my own way? Help me learn how to receive, as well as how to give.

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

Being honest

After we’ve been in the program for a while, we may not be as honest with ourselves as we were at first. It’s not easy to stay vigilant. Keep taking our inventory, and look for defects that may have cropped up.

It helps to ask our Higher Power for insight so we can see all our defects. We need honesty to stay clean and sober.

Am I staying honest with myself?

Higher Power, help me to fear my faults less; help me to be honest with myself.

I will work on being honest with myself today by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

The trick is, knowing how to tip ourselves over and let the beautiful stuff out.

~ RAY BRADBURY ~

Newcomer

At a meeting, someone asked me how I was, and I started crying. I don’t know what was the matter with me. I couldn’t help it—the tears kept coming. The person I was talking to said, “You’re so lucky you aren’t embarrassed to cry; I wish I could do that.” Later, I found myself laughing.

Sponsor

It’s not surprising that laughter followed your tears. One of the best ways to heal the grief we’re holding inside is to weep. There’s no virtue in controlling our tears, as some people have mistakenly thought. Tears are not a sign of weakness, and recovery is not about learning to be stoics. We’re meant to cry. Scientists have found that our tears contain toxic substances: when we weep, we are literally cleansing our bodies of poisons.

If you think you can’t cry, don’t worry. Tears of healing can’t be forced; they well up when they’re ready to flow. One thing is for sure: if you keep showing up for recovery, you will change. Feelings flow through us with greater ease as we keep surrendering to the process of recovery.

Today, my tears and laughter restore my health

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

Love is as necessary to a human being as sunshine is to a plant. Without it the soul of man withers, shrivels and dies. Fortunate is the man who has love given to him but even more fortunate is he who earns it. The only way to earn love is to love. Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart and thy neighbour as thyself.

He who hoards love shall lose it, but he who scatters love about him as he moves through life finds that it takes root and surrounds him on every side.

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

SERENE DAYS

God of the seas, to You I pray:
Bless unto me these serene days.

From these wide seas give unto me
A larger heart of charity.

May these strong tides wash out my mind
From all that’s bitter and unkind.

With the broad beat of seabird’s wings
Lift up my soul to heavenly things.

By the far sight of hills untrod
Call me to undared ventures, God.

Grant that these serene days may be
Your holy days indeed to me.

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

NOW IS YOUR TIME

Take therefore no thought for the morrow for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof (Matthew 6:34)

Always remember that the only thought that you need to concern yourself with is the present time. The thoughts of yesterday or of last year do not matter now, because if you can get the present thought right it will make everything else right here and now. The best way to prepare for tomorrow is to make today’s consciousness serene and harmonious.

Never go delving in your mind to look for troubles to pray about. Deal faithfully with those that bring themselves to your attention, and hidden things will be taken care of.

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

Leap of Faith

Only those who dare to go too far can possibly find out how far one can go.

~ T.S. Eliot ~

In one of the popular Indiana Jones movies, Indy (played by Harrison Ford) surmounts a long series of harrowing challenges to arrive at the temple where the chalice of Christ is kept. Our hero stands before a vast bottomless chasm, wondering how he will get across. Then he remembers the instruction he was given to help him at this point: Faith. Indy grits his teeth and steps off the ledge onto nothingness. Then a miracle occurs: a bridge appears beneath his foot, enabling him to reach the grail and save his father's life.

The only way we grow is by taking leaps of faith. Such a leap means that we are willing to step into the abyss without any obvious security or guarantee of success. ("If you want a guarantee, buy a toaster.") Even the simple act of walking requires us to be out of balance. When you shift your weight from one foot to another, there is a tiny in-between moment when you are not secure on the old footing or the new.

Bless insecurity as an opportunity to be supported by a higher power. It is only when we have exhausted our resources that God can prove his mighty presence.

I step ahead knowing that You are here for me. I trust Your arms to comfort me when nothing in the world can.

God is my strength in every need.