Even More Recovery Readings and Meditations - August

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August 25

Step by Step

"And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation - some fact of my life - unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment." - Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, "They Stopped in Time," Ch 17 ("Doctor, Alcoholic, Addict"), p 449.

Today, accept as a requirement of my recovery that I am absolutely powerless over alcohol and I can never drink again, accept the consequences of my drinking and that I alone am responsible to them, and accept that recovery is more than physical and includes a massive rebuilding of my emotional and spiritual character. If I am simply IN recovery but not WITH it and carry even a hidden resentment that I cannot drink safely or a sense of being wronged because I have to clean up the mess I allowed alcohol to make of my life, the program's promise of serenity with myself and the world around me will be elusive. Today, I seek the humility to ask for absolute - and unconditional - acceptance that my alcoholism is MY responsibility, and so it is with my recovery. And our common journey continues. Step by step. - Chris M.

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

SELF-CENTEREDNESS

Self-love is the greatest of all flatterers.

~ La Rouchefoucauld ~

Those who follow the principles of the Program have learned that self-centeredness is possibly one of their biggest problems. Since we come to believe that we cannot succeed in staying abstinent by our own efforts alone, we realize that self-idolizing is the worst possible tool to make vital friendships. There is little doubt that thinking "me above all" will make us inhabitants of glass houses that are always in danger of being shattered.

Selfishness and loneliness are created by an oversupply of concern for who we are and what we will be. Selfishness and self-centeredness leads to a complete failure in working the Program. We are encouraged in recovery to become other-centered, thus getting our minds off ourselves.

When my ego causes me to indulge in self-flattery, let me remember that when I fall in love with myself, I won't have any rivals for my affection.

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

Noble deeds and hot baths are the best cures for depression.

~ Dodie Smith ~

When we change our lives, we give up old patterns. Some of these old patterns, as harmful as they may have been, were like our best friends. We could turn to them for comfort and escape. After giving them up, and after the first elated feelings of liberation, we may also have to deal with the depression and grief of loss.

What should we remember at these times? First of all, depression has a beginning, and it has an end. In the midst of it, we may feel that nothing will ever look good again. That is not so. The loss of energy, the dark mood, the hopelessness—all will pass and we will regain our vitality and joy of life. Second, it helps to stay active. Physical activity is one of the best medicines for a depressed mood: vigorous walks, physical labor, or a good workout at the gym. Another kind of activity is helping others, reaching out to those in need of companionship and a helping hand. It is surprising how good it feels to make a difference in another person’s life. The third thing we can do is stop our negative thoughts. We can simply interrupt a train of thought in the same way we might interrupt a conversation and change the subject.
Finally, we can take comfort in the faith that our Higher Power will provide what we need in the long run.

Today I will take good care of my mental well-being.

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

When my heart is overflowing with gratitude, there is no room for fear.

~ Kathy Kendall ~

Feelings can consume us. Sometimes we have positive feelings; other times we have negative feelings. The truth is, we can’t harbor opposing emotions at the same time. If we are fearful, we can’t be Joyful and enthusiastic about what lies ahead. Conversely, if we are joyful and enthusiastic, we can’t be fearful about what lies ahead.

The good news is that our feelings don’t control us. It’s quite the opposite. While it may seem that feelings overcome us, the truth is, they follow our thoughts. In other words, what we manufacture in our minds gives rise to our feelings. That means, of course, that we don’t have to harbor any feeling one minute longer than we choose.

Deciding to feel grateful is just as easy as it is to feel hurt or resentful or fearful. We may not have all we desire, but we do have multiple blessings, each one of us. The more we give thanks to this program and our Higher Power, the more our blessings will multiply.

I will feel at one with my Higher Power today. I am safe, clean and sober, and in caring hands. There is nothing to fear.

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

I need to eat right to stay in recovery

I used to eat whatever was easy to get—especially junk food—as long as I got full (sometimes too full). Other times I'd lose my appetite and skip meals. It all depended on my mood and on whether I was intoxicated.

Now that I'm in dual recovery I feel differently about what and how I eat. I now recognize how important it is to eat a healthy diet to stay strong, both physically and emotionally (these are not separate). Moreover, instead of abusing my body or ignoring it like I did before, in recovery I want to help it.

I will list three healthy foods I want to eat more of these days.

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

Not my will, but Thine, be done.

~ Luke 22:42 ~

To surrender our own will may at first seem like giving up life itself. It seems so risky to relinquish control! We may resist at first, and desperately look for an easier, softer way, before we realize we must simply surrender. In time we come to believe our Higher Power can be trusted to comfort and support us, to bring order into our lives on a day-to- day, minute-by-minute basis. Before, we lived in chaos and felt terribly alone. In recovery, we can find calm and safety when we surrender our wills and our lives to our Higher Power. We can witness the powerfully positive results every day. Now the real healing begins.

Today Lord, help me be aware of Your will in my life each day. Give me the courage to risk letting go of my own will and the strength to follow Your will in recovery.

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

One must marry one’s feelings to one’s beliefs and ideas. That is probably the only way to achieve a measure of harmony in one’s life.

~ Napoleon Hill ~

Imagine that the four tires on your car symbolize your spirit, your knowledge, your dreams, and your feelings. If even one of these is out of balance, your car will not run smoothly. It will need more guidance to stay on the road. It will use up more gasoline. And, over time, each of the other tires will wear unevenly.

In your recovery you may have three tires that are usually in balance with one another, and one that is not. If you are holding onto feelings of resentment, anger, or sad-ness, it can be difficult to embrace the present. If you are suppressing your feelings rather than expressing them, it can be harder for you to stay focused. And if you believe that the feelings of others are more important than your own, you may have a difficult time accepting and gaining better understanding of what it is that you need. Your tire of feelings is out of balance.

Even if it is hard for you to express your feelings, write down how you feel. The more you can feel, the greater the balance you can achieve in your life.

I will not ignore my feelings. I will let them out so I can feel them.

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

To get peace, if you want it, make for yourselves nests of pleasant thoughts.

~ John Ruskin ~

A bird builds its nest by first searching for the perfect twigs, string, and papers. Then it patiently interweaves these materials until its nest achieves the right shape, size, depth, and warmth. Once completed, the bird ceases its work and spends its time nestled comfortably in its home.

To be at peace with ourselves, we have to construct our own nest. This nest doesn't always have to be a place. It can also be found in freedom from negative thinking. Or it can be a time we set aside solely for our enjoyment and relaxation.

Without this time or space, peace will be difficult to achieve. We may see evidence of this in our schedules that allow plenty of time to do but not enough time to just be. Tonight we can start to set aside moments, rearrange schedules, and give ourselves the chance to make our own nest of pleasant thoughts.

Tonight I can find pleasure in today and relax. What pleasant thoughts can I use to build my nest?

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

Being in trouble

Many of us have experienced failure in school, loss of jobs, quarrels with families and friends, and encounters with police and jails. In the beginning it is hard to realize that trouble is not simply a part of our personality. We may feel jinxed.

But through the program we realize that we don’t have to live that way. We don’t have to feel jinxed. We can finally see what “peace of mind” means.

Am I leaving my troubles behind me?

Higher Power, help me to realize all the choices I now have in my life.

I will enhance my peace of mind today by

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

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

It's a day like any other.

~ JAMES SCHUYLER ~

Newcomer

Over these last several months, I've done a number of things sober for the first time since I can remember. I’ve survived my first New Year's Eve, family reunion, birthday, and Fourth of July without acting out my addiction. I love having gotten through these days, but it wasn't easy. I'm not sure I can say I celebrated, or that I'm looking forward to next year.

Sponsor

Holidays may pose a challenge to those of us in early recovery. They may raise questions about our relationships with loved ones, put us in close proximity to people who are acting out our addictions, and confront us with memories of our own past behavior. We still need to avoid people, places, and things that might lead us back to addiction: we can make decisions about where we want to be and with whom, based on our own most pressing needs in recovery. We can volunteer to help others: sending holiday dinners in a homeless shelter, speaking at a correctional facility, or leading a meeting are some techniques for strengthening our own recovery and cultivating gratitude. As holidays in recovery return, they'll be opportunities for us to notice and appreciate how far we've come.

I avoid dramatic highs and lows as I celebrate another day in recovery.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

If we think—truly think—our lives will become manageable, and if we thank God who made this thinking possible for us, then our lives are almost sure to remain manageable. We alcoholics can contain our entire philosophy in these two words—THINK and THANK.

Think before you take that first drink, then thank your God that you didn't.

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~ WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG BOOK ~ (Official & Unofficial Sloganeering From the 12 Step Programs) ~

1) ANGER: Any No Good Energy Rising

2) Soak up AA the way you used to soak up alcohol.

3) Day By Day.

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

What I Ought to Know

Grant me, O Lord, to know what I ought to know,
to love what I ought to love,
to praise what pleases You most,
to value what is important in Your eyes.

Do not allow me to judge others according to the sight of my eyes only, or to pass judgment according to gossip, but to know what is true and spiritual, and above all to always pray for what is good according to Your will.

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

ACCEPT NO SECOND-BESTS

In the depths of his being man always feels intuitively that there is a way out of his difficulties if only he can find it. The infant, as yet uncontaminated by the defeatism of his elders, simply refuses to tolerate inharmony on any terms, and therefore he demonstrates over it. When he is hungry he tells the world while many a sophisticated adult goes without. Does he find a pin sticking in some part of his anatomy? Not for him a sigh of resignation to the supposed "will of God" or a whine about never having any luck, or a sigh that what cannot be cured must be endured. His instincts tell him that life and harmony are inseparable.

Refuse to tolerate anything less than harmony. You can have a happy and joyous life. But to do so you must seize the rudder of your own destiny and steer boldly for the port that you intend to make. What are you doing about your future?

For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified (Romans 2:13).

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

A Few More Phone Calls

Everything he wanted to do was impossible. Everything he did had never been done before.

~ Said about Muppets creator Jim Henson ~

In the film For Love or Money, Michael J. Fox plays a conniving hotel concierge who wheels and deals to get his guests whatever they want. When he calls one of his sources to obtain some hard-to-get sports tickets, his contact tells him, "They are impossible to get."

"Nothing is impossible," Fox comes back, "'Impossible' just takes a few more phone calls."

If you're persistent enough, you can accomplish anything you choose. One morning I showed up at the airport at 8:00 A.M. to catch a 9 o'clock plane. When I handed the agent my frequent flyer award coupons to purchase the ticket, I was stunned to hear her tell me, "I'm sorry, sir, today is a blackout day for frequent flyer awards."

Well, that wouldn't quite do. I walked across the lobby to a telephone and called the airline reservation office. "No can do," I was told.

I called again. "Not today."

I called again. "Sorry, I can't help you."

I kept calling until finally I got an agent who told me, "I'll get you onto that flight." I knew that if I just kept asking, eventually someone would say yes. My intention to get on the flight was stronger than the airline's intention for me not to be on it. Soon after 9 o'clock, I sat back and enjoyed the view from the sky.

Every great invention or world transformation was once considered impossible. "Impossible" is a momentary and illusory belief in limitation. Expand your vision to see the big picture, and you will live in an infinite universe.

Help me to remember Your ability to manifest my good. I say yes to love and welcome Your answer of yes to me.

All of God’s power lives within me. I am unlimited.