September 2 | Alcoholics Anonymous Steps In Action

September 2 | Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous



DonInLondon Last night the meeting felt like comedy hour, tragic comic, real life shared and truth, love and wisdom abounded. The consequences of living sober? Everything that happens in the next 24 hours will be felt as it happens, good, bad or indifferent today…

And I laugh at myself, happy to be human making progress; every step forward might mean two steps back. And that is okay today, because today is where I see the wisdom which makes the difference. No expectations no resentments and life is surprising me in the moment…

September 2006 ~ 2010

As new living opens us up with a clearer outlook we find new purpose in living. Simply the purpose is what we find out as we live each day. Humility: our key to new life and learning. We open up to the power of nature and providence whatever each of us understands it to be. We are a part of life today...

Life and death... lessons in recovery life. Last year, a neighbour perished as a consequence of addiction. Asked to help it was too late, the memory and details clear and imprinted. Before I found recovery, I was another statistic. In recovery, the horror and consequences a reality. A good person lost, cherished in memories always...
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AA Daily Reflections ~ "Finding "a reason to believe" The willingness to grow is the essence of all spiritual development. [As Bill Sees It]

A line from a song goes, ". . . and I look to find a reason to believe.” It reminds me that at one time I was not able to find a reason to believe that my life was all right. Even though my life had been saved by coming to A.A., three months later I went out and drank again. Someone told me: "You don't have to believe. Aren't you willing to believe that there is a reason for your life, even though you may not know yourself what that reason is, or that you may not sometimes know the right way to behave?" When I saw how willing I was to believe there was a reason for my life, then I could start to work on the Steps. Now when I begin with, "I am willing," I am using the key that leads to action, honesty, and openness to a Higher Power moving through my life."
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September 1 | Steps In Action Alcoholics Anonymous

DonInLondon Spiritual living and the fourth dimension, "time" is about utilising previous life experience to find out why the past contributes to positive or negative events today. No longer living in the past we are rocketed into the present moment. It can be "rude awakening," and always a "spiritual awakening" if we are grounded in truth, love and wisdom...
September: daily reflections, all about step & tradition nine. "Step 9: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others." And of course: “the promises.” In my experience the promises can be resentments under construction if we hand over personal responsibilities to our higher power.

September 2008 ~ 2010
Step nine is about clearing the wreckage of the past, what our old attitudes and behaviour did to ourselves and others and making the amends we can. Back then, when I as an active alcoholic I hurt myself and others. Step nine recognising old ways, making amends and committing to new ways of living... the promises

Recovery is not about waiting for some magic, it is about putting in action to change our attitudes and behaviour. We need learn our feelings anew in recovery long enough to know what they are. Having found out what our feelings are, we then need take action or stinking thinking can make as mad as hell all over again today...
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AA Daily Reflections ~ "Willingness to grow... If more gifts are to be received, our awakening has to go on. [As Bill Sees It]

Sobriety fills the painful “hole in the soul” that my alcoholism created. Often I feel so physically well that I believe my work is done. However, joy is not just the absence of pain; it is the gift of continued spiritual awakening. Joy comes from on-going and active study, as well as application of the principles of recovery in my everyday life, and from sharing that experience with others. My Higher Power presents many opportunities for deeper spiritual awakening. I need only to bring into my recovery the willingness to grow. Today I am ready to grow"
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Spiritual principles to live life "real" ~ "Forgiveness" "Acceptance" "Surrender" "Faith" "Open-mindedness" "Honesty" "Willingness" "Moral-inventory" "Amends" "Humility" "Persistence" "Spiritual-growth" "Service"

"Step 9: Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."

This step does carry a condition -- except when to do so would injure them or others. If the act of making amends will open old wounds or create new harm, then making direct amends may not be an option. The benefit of making amends by the recovering person does not do more harm than good.
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"The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. The A.A. Steps & Traditions are neither: rules, regulations, or 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." ~ “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..."
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DonInLondon, Life Works, Alcoholics Anonymous, AA 12 Steps, 12 Steps AA, Addiction And Recovery, Addict, Alcoholic, Alcoholism