Thursday 1 March 2012

March 1 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 3 | 2012 | Alcoholics Anonymous

March 1 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 | Today's AA daily reflection: "faith, it works, it really does." I cannot speak for anyone else only for me, which is good enough. When it comes to faith, I do have faith that life is the best it can be right now and if I look at the best life can be right now, I am more likely to ask for help finding solutions even when life simply is very difficult…



When life doesn't go my way, when I got sober and was bouncing back to excellent health, I caught a virus and ended up with type I diabetes. And the truth of it at the time was it was a better diagnosis than other ones which flashed through my mind. It was almost a year suffering from malnutrition before I got news, because my doctor considered my problems psychological and not physical. It turned out I had both, clinical depression and late onset type I diabetes. Without Fellowship I would not have been alive to find out and understand these chronic conditions. And Fellowship helps me cope with the reality on a day-to-day basis...



And some years on from understanding I have three chronic conditions some call diseases, I still believe and have faith that life is the best it can be right now. Some days are truly joyous and I feel free to make good choices. Some days are simply diabolical and I can hardly move out of the house because of emotional and physical pain. Overall though even if life is difficult, if I accept it is difficult, I can look to solutions which often mean I need wait until life changes and I change emotionally and physically…



For many years I covered up my feelings or simply suppressed them because I felt fear of being inadequate and weak. The real weakness of cover-up and suppression of my emotions was never really maturing and feeling life as it is day by day. So half complete as an emotional being, not really experiencing everything a functional human being can. And I'm not alone, many people have naturally suppressed early life experiences because they were wrong and horrible. No wonder we self medicated ourselves into oblivion…



Often when I'm writing about recovery, I'm overwhelmed and grateful for the truth that people share in our Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. How on Earth would I have got well without the unconditional love of others? And in my early days, I was so confused about faith, I thought I ought to know the answers and be an expert. Today I know, it's not a question of knowing the answers, its finding the questions and solutions as life changes day by day. Where we share experience strength and hope, and learn wisdom inside and outside Fellowship, I've come to believe that faith works…



DonInLondon 2005-2011



I learned that a Higher Power — a faith that works under all conditions — is possible. Today this faith, plus the honesty, openmindedness and willingness to work the Steps of the program, gives me the serenity that I seek. It works — it really does.



Resentments often have a lot to do with the past, and what we may wish for in the future, letting go the past and expectations of the future leaves my head empty so I may fill it with the present reality... the usefulness of any vessel is in its emptiness...



three meetings today, just happened this way, two newcomer meets and an ordinary extraordinary one. Full of wisdom to hear. I shared in one. Went to a new one for me as well. Met an old friend on Kings Road, now a counsellor! Brimming with happiness and feeling right with the world, just for today



Step 3, Let go, let "God" & or "good conscience" open us to our spiritual being ~ Mike Ditka "What we feel spiritually. If we have no spiritual life, chances are everything is going to aggravate us, we're going to fly off the handle at everything and that's what I did in the past. I've kind of got that spiritual choice now." -/- Part of, included and living in the universe of now!



Let go, let in god, the universe and good conscience ~ Ram Dass "Our rational minds can never understand what has happened, but our hearts.. if we can keep them open to God, will find their own intuitive way." Life is forever changing and we are best changing as nature and providence informs our choices..



We are born spiritual, we live in the moment ~ Buddha "Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life." -/- Back to basics, living now, we find simplicity in dealing with what is in front of us emotionally and spiritually. Our life plans material, are always another matter and love? Love is always, we need not seek love, cherish always..



Into the fabric of recovery from alcoholism are woven the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions, steps to be open honest and willing to learn, traditions to live unity service and recovery



Step 3 "Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him" Practicing Step Three is like the opening of a door which to all appearances is still closed and locked. All we need is a key, and the decision to swing the door open. There is only one key, and it is called willingness. Once unlocked by willingness, the door opens almost of itself, and looking through it, we shall see a pathway beside which is an inscription. It reads: "This is the way to a faith that works." We find faith in doing the next right action, based on truth, love and wisdom we learn as life unfolds.



Open To Truth, Love And Wisdom of Others [we let go having to be right, self obsessed and self medicating our lives away into oblivion and harms way]



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...



"God [it is what I understand to be God or a "Higher Power," always a personal understanding we have for ourselves, there is no AA or common understanding, simply what you believe] God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference" God is often understood to be: Truth, Love and Wisdom in the moment of now... your faith, your understanding.



AA Daily Reflection: IT WORKS ~ it really does. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 88



When I got sober I initially had faith only in the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Desperation and fear kept me sober (and maybe a caring and/or tough sponsor helped!). Faith in a Higher Power came much later. This faith came slowly at first, after I began listening to others share at meetings about their experiences — experiences that I had never faced sober, but that they were facing with strength from a Higher Power. Out of their sharing came hope that I too would –and could — “get” a Higher Power. In time, I learned that a Higher Power — a faith that works under all conditions — is possible. Today this faith, plus the honesty, openmindedness and willingness to work the Steps of the program, gives me the serenity that I seek. It works — it really does.



Step 3 Reading Video Link:







"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him"



-/-

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