July 7 2011 Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous

July 7 2011 Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous



DonInLondon ~ the phrase, “it is what it is” comes to mind. Frustration as my bank freezes my account until I can prove who I am. Today it feels like a minor inconvenience, back then it was a personal attack on my integrity, an outrage, an abomination. Today it is safety, humility and step seven help me today…

And letting go of it... I was entitled, deserved, worked for it, my place in the big picture. Back then, driven always, work to perfection, live in distraction, stuck in oblivion. Letting go wants and expectations, no fear as needs are met one day at a time. Life becomes what life can be, today...

12 steps all day every day... Principles to be open honest and willing. The closer we can be to seeing and living in the truth of now, the better our choices. When we accept life is difficult, we feel the joy and the sadness, right size and human size, our courage and faith with us today...

-/-

AA Daily Reflections ~ "And letting go of it: 7 July... primarily fear that we would lose something we already possessed or would fail to get something we demanded. Living upon a basis of unsatisfied demands, we were in a state of continual disturbance and frustration. Therefore, no peace was to be had unless we could find a means of reducing these demands. The difference between a demand and a simple request is plain to anyone. [12&12]
Peace is possible for me only when I let go of expectations. When I’m trapped in thoughts about what I want and should be coming to me, I’m in a state of fear or anxious anticipation and this is not conducive to emotional sobriety. I must surrender over and over to the reality of my dependence on God, for then I find peace, gratitude and spiritual security."

-/-

Step 7 The Seventh Step is where we make the change in our attitude which permits us, with humility as our guide, to move out from ourselves toward others and toward God. The whole emphasis of Step Seven is on humility. It is really saying to us that we ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. If that degree of humility could enable us to find the grace by which such a deadly obsession could be banished, then there must be hope of the same result respecting any other problem we could possibly have.

"The A.A. Steps & Traditions are neither rules, regulations, nor laws. Perhaps the secret of their power lies in the fact that these life-giving communications spring out of living experience and are rooted in love." 1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 105." "We find it amazing that the newcomer can start the A.A. program without any specific beliefs or, for that matter, without any beliefs whatsoever. All a person needs is the open-mindedness and the willingness to believe that WE BELIEVE this program works..."

Spiritual principles to live life "real" ~ "Forgiveness" "Acceptance" "Surrender" "Faith" "Open-mindedness" "Honesty" "Willingness" "Moral-inventory" "Amends" "Humility" "Persistence" "Spiritual-growth" "Service"

Step 7 "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings."
July 6 2011 Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous



DonInLondon ~ Endarkenment and Enlightenment, steps six and seven. Defects step 6: Pride, envy, gluttony, lust, anger, greed and sloth. Shortcomings step 7: Faith, hope, charity, fortitude, justice, prudence and temperance. Letting go the dark, letting in the light…
In the problem back then I had an excess of darkness in my life, today and contingent on asking for help, confidence may grow to lighter experiences. And living to good conscience improves my emotional and spiritual life today, my feelings fit with reality in the moment of now…

Fear v Faith? ~ Ego v Esteem? All our feelings have their practical value. To what extent? Prolonged extremes of feelings wear us down. Denial when shocks occur is part of a process of acceptance. The unacceptable truth becomes the truth of now, how we live today. Fellowship, in recovery we know our feelings, trust to truth as it unfolds today...

Identifying fear... Step 6 and Step 7, from extremes in step 6, to finding balance in step 7. From living in fear, hiding with a brave face and false pride, to feeling the fear and having faith, courage and esteem to live the experience, open honest and willing, to share and trust to truth, love and wisdom, we learn more of who we are today...

-/-

"The A.A. Steps & Traditions are neither rules, regulations, nor laws. Perhaps the secret of their power lies in the fact that these life-giving communications spring out of living experience and are rooted in love." 1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 105." "We find it amazing that the newcomer can start the A.A. program without any specific beliefs or, for that matter, without any beliefs whatsoever. All a person needs is the open-mindedness and the willingness to believe that WE BELIEVE this program works..."

AA Daily Reflections ~ "Identifying fear... 05 Jul ~ The chief activator of our defects has been self-centered fear. [12&12]

When I feel uncomfortable, irritated, or depressed, I look for fear. This “evil and corroding thread” is the root of my distress: Fear of failure; fear of others’ opinions; fear of harm, and many other fears. I have found a Higher Power, who does not want me to live in fear and, as a result, the experience of A.A. in my life is freedom and joy. I am no longer willing to live with the multitude of character defects that characterized my life while I was drinking. Step Seven is my vehicle to freedom from these defects. I pray for help in identifying the fear underneath the defect, and then I ask God to relieve me of that fear. This method works for me without fail and is one of the great miracles of my life in Alcoholics Anonymous."

-/-

Step 7 The Seventh Step is where we make the change in our attitude which permits us, with humility as our guide, to move out from ourselves toward others and toward God. The whole emphasis of Step Seven is on humility. It is really saying to us that we ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. If that degree of humility could enable us to find the grace by which such a deadly obsession could be banished, then there must be hope of the same result respecting any other problem we could possibly have.

Spiritual principles to live life "real" ~ "Forgiveness" "Acceptance" "Surrender" "Faith" "Open-mindedness" "Honesty" "Willingness" "Moral-inventory" "Amends" "Humility" "Persistence" "Spiritual-growth" "Service"

Step 7 "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings."
July 5 2011 Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous



DonInLondon ~ A meeting last night: all about step eleven, prayer and meditation. To improve our conscious contact with god as we understand him. As I hear often God is now, god is truth, love and wisdom. Knowing I cannot define god, or have god like abilities helps me stop my desire to control, indeed it makes me feel human sized, with a conscience and able to make choices with freedom today.

Assets and liabilities... In recovery our liabilities are extremes of outlook and behaviour. Defects: extreme fear, pretending and ego. And blind faith, courage to extremes without foundation. Our assets in fellowship: we build foundations, live to good principles develop courage faith and confidence today…

A new direction... open honest and willing, in unity service and recovery, towards a happy life. Every secret keeps us prisoner to fear, brave facing and ego, being found out. Better to find serenity in truth, being human, able to make mistakes, admit and accept, own up, love and be loved today

-/-

"The A.A. Steps & Traditions are neither rules, regulations, nor laws. Perhaps the secret of their power lies in the fact that these life-giving communications spring out of living experience and are rooted in love." 1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 105." "We find it amazing that the newcomer can start the A.A. program without any specific beliefs or, for that matter, without any beliefs whatsoever. All a person needs is the open-mindedness and the willingness to believe that WE BELIEVE this program works..."

AA Daily Reflections ~ "A new direction: July 5 ~ Our human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly. . . Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all our activities.[big book]

I hear talk of the "weak-willed" alcoholic, but I am one of the strongest-willed people on earth! I now know that my incredible strength of will is not enough to save my life. My problem is not one of "weakness," but rather of direction. When I, without falsely diminishing myself, accept my honest limitations and turn to God's guidance, my worst faults become my greatest assets. My strong will, rightly directed, keeps me working until the promises of the program become my daily reality."

-/-

Step 7 The Seventh Step is where we make the change in our attitude which permits us, with humility as our guide, to move out from ourselves toward others and toward God. The whole emphasis of Step Seven is on humility. It is really saying to us that we ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. If that degree of humility could enable us to find the grace by which such a deadly obsession could be banished, then there must be hope of the same result respecting any other problem we could possibly have.
July 4 2011 Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous



DonInLondon ~ A natural faith in God? I add the question mark to the declaration because I am not sure, and this feels okay for me. As a human being I have learned trust and faith in people I get to know. And I am only able to know them because I do have trust and faith in my life.

Truth, love and wisdom guide me daily. As an individual I can have opinions and belief, which is only part of the story. I need to look outwards toward the big picture, listen to others, and become more informed. When I look out and listen I see and hear the world, more truth, more love and more wisdom.

DonInLondon ~ Conscious contact with god and or good conscience, to love and be loved, useful... Beyond definition, the universe and nature: God. Ever growing truth, love and wisdom we make progress. Nurture our path, so simple when our needs are met, made complicated by our man made wants...

A life plan just for today... Today I do not want to be right, simply to feel right. To be: open, honest and willing to change. To listen to everything and not just what suits me, to be helped and to help, to be a part of life as it may be. To learn: to be at peace and live serenity...

-/-

"The A.A. Steps & Traditions are neither rules, regulations, nor laws. Perhaps the secret of their power lies in the fact that these life-giving communications spring out of living experience and are rooted in love." 1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 105." "We find it amazing that the newcomer can start the A.A. program without any specific beliefs or, for that matter, without any beliefs whatsoever. All a person needs is the open-mindedness and the willingness to believe that WE BELIEVE this program works..."

AA Daily Reflections ~ "A NATURAL FAITH... Deep down in every man, woman and child, is the fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured by calamity, by pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or other it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and miraculous demonstrations of that power in human lives, are facts as old as man himself. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 55

I have seen the workings of the unseen God in A.A. rooms around the country. Miracles of recovery are everywhere in evidence. I now believe that God is in these rooms and in my heart. Today faith is as natural to me, a former agnostic, as breathing, eating and sleeping. The Twelve Steps have helped to change my life in many ways, but none is more effective than the acquisition of a Higher Power."

-/-

Step 7 The Seventh Step is where we make the change in our attitude which permits us, with humility as our guide, to move out from ourselves toward others and toward God. The whole emphasis of Step Seven is on humility. It is really saying to us that we ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. If that degree of humility could enable us to find the grace by which such a deadly obsession could be banished, then there must be hope of the same result respecting any other problem we could possibly have.

Spiritual principles to live life "real" ~ "Forgiveness" "Acceptance" "Surrender" "Faith" "Open-mindedness" "Honesty" "Willingness" "Moral-inventory" "Amends" "Humility" "Persistence" "Spiritual-growth" "Service"

Step 7 "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings."

Alcoholics Anonymous, AA 12 Steps, 12 steps AA In Action, DonInLondon, Addiction And Recovery, Alcoholic, Alcoholism

Alcoholics Anonymous | DonInLondon | AA 12 Steps |
July 3 2011 Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous



DonInLondon ~ How am I feeling today? I feel better for a meeting yesterday. Discussion about how to help the newcomer, and how to deal with our feelings. How to keep the programme fresh in our minds. And the reading of the spiritual experience always helps me.

Humility: not proud or haughty, not arrogant: False pride and righteousness, grandiosity, egotistical, telling anyone what to do. I need remind myself, experience is my teacher, pride in all its forms can block me from [God and or simply good conscience] the truth, love and wisdom of others today...

Growing up all about being right, winning the argument, material success. Using people and judging them, turning human relations into resources, utilities. Using and being used, always against the grain and my inner being, I broke. In recovery, learning to love, be loved, equal and useful today...
-/-

AA Daily Reflections ~"Experience the best teacher: July 3 ~ Being still inexperienced and having just made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that we are going to be inspired at all times. [big book]

Some say that experience is the best teacher, but I believe that experience is the only teacher. I have been able to learn of God's love for me only by the experience of my dependence on that love. At first I could not be sure of His direction in my life, but now I see that if I am to be bold enough to ask for His guidance, I must act as if He has provided it. I frequently ask God to help me remember that He has a path for me.

"The A.A. Steps & Traditions are neither rules, regulations, nor laws. Perhaps the secret of their power lies in the fact that these life-giving communications spring out of living experience and are rooted in love." 1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 105." "We find it amazing that the newcomer can start the A.A. program without any specific beliefs or, for that matter, without any beliefs whatsoever. All a person needs is the open-mindedness and the willingness to believe that WE BELIEVE this program works..."
-/-

Step 7 The Seventh Step is where we make the change in our attitude which permits us, with humility as our guide, to move out from ourselves toward others and toward God. The whole emphasis of Step Seven is on humility. It is really saying to us that we ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. If that degree of humility could enable us to find the grace by which such a deadly obsession could be banished, then there must be hope of the same result respecting any other problem we could possibly have.

Spiritual principles to live life "real" ~ "Forgiveness" "Acceptance" "Surrender" "Faith" "Open-mindedness" "Honesty" "Willingness" "Moral-inventory" "Amends" "Humility" "Persistence" "Spiritual-growth" "Service"

Step 7 "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings."

Alcoholics Anonymous, AA 12 Steps, 12 steps AA In Action, DonInLondon, Addiction And Recovery, Alcoholic, Alcoholism

Alcoholics Anonymous | DonInLondon | AA 12 Steps |
July 2 2011 Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous



DonInLondon ~ Spiritual... is everything? I ask as a question. For a long time spiritual has been about being in the moment, the ability to cope with and be able to see reality. Where my feelings are in the moment and based on real life. Reality can be good, bad, and anything in-between. How I feel about the reality I am experiencing determines my thoughts and actions which follow...

How do we reach people who are shut in and shut down? How do we share with those who are blind or deaf or... How do we share with anyone who finds it difficult to read and write? How do we open up the possibility of recovery to those who are lost and have given up? How do we include rather than exclude?

Our spiritual path... living reality and in the moment with clarity, to keep learning truth, love and wisdom. The serenity prayer: can do; choices, actions and attitudes change. Cannot do; we let go what we cannot change. Wisdom to accept truth, responsibilities and consequences of what we do...

Courage to change... Learning how to be open, honest and willing is our responsibility. We are responsible for our actions. Let go and let God, or let go and let good conscience guide us; we let in truth, love and wisdom, let go that which we are powerless over. Usually people, places and things, we have choices based on truth today... -/-

"The A.A. Steps & Traditions are neither rules, regulations, nor laws. Perhaps the secret of their power lies in the fact that these life-giving communications spring out of living experience and are rooted in love." 1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 105." "We find it amazing that the newcomer can start the A.A. program without any specific beliefs or, for that matter, without any beliefs whatsoever. All a person needs is the open-mindedness and the willingness to believe that WE BELIEVE this program works..."

AA Daily Reflections ~

"The heart of true sobriety July 2 ~ we find that no one need have difficulty with the spirituality of the program. Willingness, honesty and open- mindedness are the essentials of recovery. But these are indispensable. [big book]

Am I honest enough to accept myself as I am and let this be the "me" that I let others see? Do I have the willingness to go to any length, to do whatever is necessary to stay sober? Do I have the open-mindedness to hear what I have to hear, to think what I have to think, and to feel what I have to feel? If my answer to these questions is "Yes," I know enough about the spirituality of the program to stay sober. As I continue to work the Twelve Steps, I move on to the heart of true sobriety: serenity with myself, with others, and with God as I understand Him." -/-

Step 7 The Seventh Step is where we make the change in our attitude which permits us, with humility as our guide, to move out from ourselves toward others and toward God. The whole emphasis of Step Seven is on humility. It is really saying to us that we ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. If that degree of humility could enable us to find the grace by which such a deadly obsession could be banished, then there must be hope of the same result respecting any other problem we could possibly have.

Spiritual principles to live life "real" ~ "Forgiveness" "Acceptance" "Surrender" "Faith" "Open-mindedness" "Honesty" "Willingness" "Moral-inventory" "Amends" "Humility" "Persistence" "Spiritual-growth" "Service"

Step 7 "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings."

Alcoholics Anonymous, AA 12 Steps, 12 steps AA In Action, DonInLondon, Addiction And Recovery, Alcoholic, Alcoholism

Alcoholics Anonymous | DonInLondon | AA 12 Steps |
July 1 2011 Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous



"The A.A. Steps & Traditions are neither rules, regulations, nor laws. Perhaps the secret of their power lies in the fact that these life-giving communications spring out of living experience and are rooted in love." 1. A.A. COMES OF AGE, P. 105." "We find it amazing that the newcomer can start the A.A. program without any specific beliefs or, for that matter, without any beliefs whatsoever. All a person needs is the open-mindedness and the willingness to believe that WE BELIEVE this program works..."

AA Daily Reflections ~ "The best for today: July 1 ~ The principles we have set down are guides to progress. [big book]

Just as a sculptor will use different tools to achieve desired effects in creating a work of art, in Alcoholics Anonymous the Twelve Steps are used to bring about results in my own life. I do not overwhelm myself with life's problems, and how much more work needs to be done. I let myself be comforted in knowing that my life is now in the hands of my Higher Power, a master craftsman who is shaping each part of my life into a unique work of art. By working my program I can be satisfied, knowing that in the doing the best that we can for today, we are doing all that God asks of us."

DonInLondon

July, my focus in recovery is step seven,"Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings." Which is very appropriate after last night's tantrum by me.

Shortcomings... We have every feeling and thought available to us, life experience and who we have met are our teachers. We have lived at the extremes, built patterns and reacted. The past, too much fear, hiding with a brave face and ego. Now we build courage, faith and confidence for today...

The best for today... we are unique, developing our life crafts in recovery with experience and hope. Our strength of purpose, solid in our foundations we can keep on our path of living. Step by step working to our capacity, courage, faith and confidence, with every setback or success, we grow...

Step 7 The Seventh Step is where we make the change in our attitude which permits us, with humility as our guide, to move out from ourselves toward others and toward God. The whole emphasis of Step Seven is on humility. It is really saying to us that we ought to be willing to try humility in seeking the removal of our shortcomings just as we did when we admitted that we were powerless over alcohol, and came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity. If that degree of humility could enable us to find the grace by which such a deadly obsession could be banished, then there must be hope of the same result respecting any other problem we could possibly have.

Spiritual principles to live life "real" ~ "Forgiveness" "Acceptance" "Surrender" "Faith" "Open-mindedness" "Honesty" "Willingness" "Moral-inventory" "Amends" "Humility" "Persistence" "Spiritual-growth" "Service"

Step 7 "Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings."

Alcoholics Anonymous, AA 12 Steps, 12 steps AA In Action, DonInLondon, Addiction And Recovery, Alcoholic, Alcoholism

Alcoholics Anonymous | DonInLondon | AA 12 Steps |