August 31 2012 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 8 Amends And Willing Alcoholics Anonymous Today's AA daily reflection: "AA will never have a professional class in the realm of emotional and spiritual well-being one day at a time…" How wonderful it is that a fellowship dedicated helping people find their emotional and spiritual well-being will remain for ever non-professional. After all who can be a professional one day winning a gold medal, the next day completely clueless and somewhere in between most days learning life as we go? We may learn more about what makes us tick today, but tomorrow it may turn out to be a tack we stand on and yelp with pain…
Video For Today:
The principles of the twelve steps and twelve traditions have helped me understand that life is to be lived, relishing the truth of now, learning that the truth of now keeps on changing as I learn more about my emotional and spiritual living. Knowing what my feelings are in the moment of now and being able to cope with them, not deny them, not suppress my feelings, simply to understand what makes me tick and share about it. And equally listen to what makes other people tick and see the similarities as well as the profound diversity of experience, strength and hope which opens the door to understanding and acceptance of the wonder of life on life's terms…
And the beauty of non-professional? No single person will ever have a monopoly on the description or trying to define another person’s emotional and spiritual living. Indeed defining other people on the emotional and spiritual level is exercising judgement on them, when the only consideration is understanding what is right, right now. And as an individual listening and learning from the experience, strength and hope of others helps me make sense when I cannot make sense of my own life today...
"Freely ye have received, freely give" we do receive large amounts of experience strength and hope, and I freely give mine back. At the same time my experience, strength and hope will never suit anyone and everyone. Indeed my experience strength and hope, hopefully motivates anyone anywhere to define their own experience, strength and hope. Sometimes I can have a useful point to make about my recovery, which inspires anyone to share what was useful to them in their recovery. And without the help of fellowship I would never have known the true meaning of emotional and spiritual life, where feelings are very real in the moment of now. A fellowship where, nobody absolutely nobody has a monopoly on what is right and what is wrong in the moment of now, where it counts…
DonInLondon 2005 2011
Old me back then, self-hate and self-harm no ability to love. Today enough self-esteem, to love, be loved and useful. I can love people and not like their behaviour and develop forgiveness daily. Acceptance and forgiveness, progress not perfect is a two way street today…
I used to expect everyone had the same outlook as me. Treat others as you might expect them to treat you. In fellowship we have principles which we learn, sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly and sometimes never. Forgive those who never do, they are a blinking nuisance to our serenity today…
August 2008 ~ 2010
Alcoholics Anonymous will never have a professional class: As the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking, the doors are always open in the fellowship of A.A. No class divisions, no separation, no hierarchy. We are always on the same page, on the same journey, one day at a time. We bring experience, strength and hope to fellowship and just for today. We become students in the master class of life. Progress is dependent on our spiritual condition, the ability to live in reality with least denial and without fixing ourselves with people, places and things.
Acceptance of how we are today means we do not judge or control. 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. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in God's [our world as it may be today] world by mistake. Until I could accept my alcoholism, I could not stay sober; unless I accept life completely on life's terms, I cannot be happy. I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.
August 31 2010 ~ wisdom freely received and freely given and always today... A fellowship where we develop our: spiritual, emotional and physical well-being. Spiritual: how much I live in reality, emotional; how balanced is my outlook; physical, as well as I may be today. Perspective in fellowship, sharing wisdom to live harmoniously in the moment of now
August 31 2010 ~ Freedom in humility... The journey of living is now, not the destination. Freedom today is letting go control and letting choices happen. If I try to control and shape, it is my world and not ours. Freedom and humility: to learn and develop choices as life offers in harmony and not in conflict. Humility offers learning and progress today
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AA Daily Reflections ~ "A unique programme... Alcoholics Anonymous will never have a professional class. We have gained some understanding of the ancient words “Freely ye have received, freely give.” We have discovered that at the point of professionalism, money and spirituality do not mix. [12&12]
I believe that Alcoholics Anonymous stands alone in the treatment of alcoholism because it is based solely on the principle of one alcoholic sharing with another alcoholic. This is what makes the program unique. When I decided that I wanted to stay sober, I called a woman who I knew was a sober member of A.A., and she carried the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to me. She received no monetary compensation, but rather was paid by staying sober another day herself. Today I could ask for no payment other than another day free from alcohol, so in that respect, I am generously paid for my labour."
We learn as we can just one day at a time…
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AA Official Online Site: Daily Reflections
AA Official Online Site: Big Book And Twelve And Twelve
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Step 8 "Step Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all." "n other words, who have you harmed? You will recall from our discussion of Steps 4 and 5, that a preliminary list of persons we had harmed is generated there. The list will now be refined into a personal amendment plan, which is the product of Step 8."Although this step requires plenty of work, there is nothing frightening in it. Amends are not actually made in Step 8. Instead, we plan for the making of amends in Step 9, which follows. Harm is: injury, hurt, damage, misfortune, grief, pain, sorrow, evil, wrong or wickedness. Have we brought about any of these in the lives of others? The Big Book and the 12&12 also are quite specific about harm." BB Bunch
August Video Reading Step Eight Into Action Link:
Step Eight Reading
“How It Works” Reading Video Link:
“Into Action" Reading Video Link:
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I do not speak for Alcoholics Anonymous I speak for myself. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of unique and authentic people who speak for themselves where they will to share experience, strength and hope about recovery on a daily basis. Anonymity affords sanctuary to find how to live sober and be open, honest and willing to learn life day by day. For me "truth," "love" and "wisdom" offer the best spiritual experience by living reality today. Into the fabric of recovery from alcoholism are woven the Twelve Steps and the Traditions: steps to be open, honest and willing to learn, traditions to live unity, service and recovery.
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Spiritual principles ~ Forgiveness Acceptance Surrender Faith Open-mindedness Honesty Willingness Moral-inventory Amends Humility Persistence Spiritual-growth Service
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