March 21 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 3 "Let Go" | 2012 | Today's AA daily reflection: "material and spiritual well-being." Speaking for myself, spiritual well-being is the ability to cope with life as it is now, where my feelings fit reality, and I can cope with what is going on. If I can cope, my needs met then material wants are less likely to create havoc. Needs met, wanting stops getting in the way of living life in the moment…
I know I used to be driven to distraction by trying to prove myself not to me, but to the people around me and I had some worthy qualities. I was worn down showing my worthiness through work and material gain. Toward the end of my drinking days, a one trick pony, work work and more work. And then because there was nothing else, I was measured by my work and my material possessions. And that led to a psychotic break and a new way of living, it just took a few years to get there…
And spiritual well-being is not about being happy or sad or trying to maintain happiness. Spiritual well-being for me is when my feelings work and seem to be fitting my reality. When my feelings fit with what is going on, sometimes good, bad or indifferent, when they reflect my true situation that is as good as it gets…
Material well-being is when my needs are met, and whatever I used to think I wanted does not seem particularly important any more. I know sometimes that it is difficult to see, "less is more." Maybe when I say, "the less I have materially today, the more I appreciate good choices made to cover my needs and let go the trappings of materialism." After all when life is done, all we have to cherish is our memories…
DonInLondon 2005-2011
Brilliant meeting last night, reminded me of: the problem, all about fear, putting on a brave face and a thin veneer of ego. The solution, all about courage, faith and confidence. That we have consequences. If we ask, the steps will work today, needs met, wants forgotten...
Spiritual needs met, material wants in proportion usually in the moment as we make progress ~ Douglas Horton "Materialism is the only form of distraction from true bliss." Our focus and priorities become clear, we never forget our material needs, or stop striving, this is living in reality..
Henry Ward Beecher "Interest works night and day in fair weather and in foul. It gnaws at a man's substance with invisible teeth."
Living life, open honest and willing, keeps it simple for complicated humans ~ Henry David Thoreau "A man is rich in proportion to the things he can afford to let alone." -/- Rich in sobriety one day long, we let go and let good be our guide..
Gottfried Reinhardt "Money is good for bribing yourself through the inconveniences of life."
-/-
AA Daily Reflection: MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING Fear… of economic insecurity will leave us. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84
Having fear reduced or eliminated and having economic circumstances improve, are two different things. When I was new in A.A., I had those two ideas confused. I thought fear would leave me only when I started making money. However, another line from the Big Book jumped off the page one day when I was chewing on my financial difficulties: “For us, material well-being always followed spiritual progress; it never preceded.”(p. 127). I suddenly understood that this promise was a guarantee. I saw that it put priorities in the correct order, that spiritual progress would diminish that terrible fear of being destitute, just as it diminished many other fears. Today I try to use the talents God gave me to benefit others. I’ve found that is what others valued all along. I try to remember that I no longer work for myself. I only get the use of the wealth God created, I never have “owned” it. My life’s purpose is much clearer when I just work to help, not to possess.
As Bill Sees It ~ Pain and Progress "Years ago I used to commiserate with all people who suffered. Now I commiserate only with those who suffer in ignorance, who do not understand the purpose and ultimate utility of pain." Someone once remarked that pain is the touchstone of spiritual progress. How heartily we A.A.'s can agree with him, for we know that the pains of alcoholism had to come before sobriety, and emotional turmoil before serenity.
-/-
Step 3 "Let Go" Reading Video Link:
"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him"
-/-
I know I used to be driven to distraction by trying to prove myself not to me, but to the people around me and I had some worthy qualities. I was worn down showing my worthiness through work and material gain. Toward the end of my drinking days, a one trick pony, work work and more work. And then because there was nothing else, I was measured by my work and my material possessions. And that led to a psychotic break and a new way of living, it just took a few years to get there…
And spiritual well-being is not about being happy or sad or trying to maintain happiness. Spiritual well-being for me is when my feelings work and seem to be fitting my reality. When my feelings fit with what is going on, sometimes good, bad or indifferent, when they reflect my true situation that is as good as it gets…
Material well-being is when my needs are met, and whatever I used to think I wanted does not seem particularly important any more. I know sometimes that it is difficult to see, "less is more." Maybe when I say, "the less I have materially today, the more I appreciate good choices made to cover my needs and let go the trappings of materialism." After all when life is done, all we have to cherish is our memories…
DonInLondon 2005-2011
Brilliant meeting last night, reminded me of: the problem, all about fear, putting on a brave face and a thin veneer of ego. The solution, all about courage, faith and confidence. That we have consequences. If we ask, the steps will work today, needs met, wants forgotten...
Spiritual needs met, material wants in proportion usually in the moment as we make progress ~ Douglas Horton "Materialism is the only form of distraction from true bliss." Our focus and priorities become clear, we never forget our material needs, or stop striving, this is living in reality..
Henry Ward Beecher "Interest works night and day in fair weather and in foul. It gnaws at a man's substance with invisible teeth."
Living life, open honest and willing, keeps it simple for complicated humans ~ Henry David Thoreau "A man is rich in proportion to the things he can afford to let alone." -/- Rich in sobriety one day long, we let go and let good be our guide..
Gottfried Reinhardt "Money is good for bribing yourself through the inconveniences of life."
-/-
AA Daily Reflection: MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING Fear… of economic insecurity will leave us. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84
Having fear reduced or eliminated and having economic circumstances improve, are two different things. When I was new in A.A., I had those two ideas confused. I thought fear would leave me only when I started making money. However, another line from the Big Book jumped off the page one day when I was chewing on my financial difficulties: “For us, material well-being always followed spiritual progress; it never preceded.”(p. 127). I suddenly understood that this promise was a guarantee. I saw that it put priorities in the correct order, that spiritual progress would diminish that terrible fear of being destitute, just as it diminished many other fears. Today I try to use the talents God gave me to benefit others. I’ve found that is what others valued all along. I try to remember that I no longer work for myself. I only get the use of the wealth God created, I never have “owned” it. My life’s purpose is much clearer when I just work to help, not to possess.
As Bill Sees It ~ Pain and Progress "Years ago I used to commiserate with all people who suffered. Now I commiserate only with those who suffer in ignorance, who do not understand the purpose and ultimate utility of pain." Someone once remarked that pain is the touchstone of spiritual progress. How heartily we A.A.'s can agree with him, for we know that the pains of alcoholism had to come before sobriety, and emotional turmoil before serenity.
-/-
Step 3 "Let Go" 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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