Alcoholics Anonymous Videos | DonInLondon

Alcoholics Anonymous | March 1 2013 | Steps In Action | Step 3 "Your Higher Power" | step three: "made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood him." Dependence on a higher power, as a means to independence… I was quite worried when I read this, I had no concept of God and no concept of a higher power, and it made no sense to be dependent on something I could not understand. I realised after a while that I did not know the answers to many of life's issues and certainly didn't know how to be sober one day at a time. I did learn very quickly that there were many people with more truth, love and wisdom about sobriety than me…

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"Your Higher Power"

All my life a learner, a quick study, when it came to matters of work and relationships. Good at thinking and able to see the big picture around me, and often disappointed because people, places and things… It was difficult for me to stay put in any place for too long and I didn't know why until I got to fellowship and started to learn about my emotional and spiritual needs. I was like a chameleon, fitting in, wherever I went. And I was very able at being a part of something and then disappearing to a new job, a new career and always on the move. I thought this was the way life was, never being too close and never staying too long, and my best friend always travelled with me wherever I went. There was always a drink at the end of the day and more. When I first heard people talking about emotional and spiritual living, it was confusing in fellowship. My feelings in the moment of now, the emotional and spiritual, and learning to be included, one day at a time...

When I look at step three, I do not debate the existence of God, and I don't debate or worry about defining God, because if there is a God, there is no science, there is no art and there is no intelligence to understand absolutely how creation happened. At the same time, over the years I have come to agree with Gandhi, "God is truth: truth, evolving in the moment of now, God is love: evolving in the moment of now, and God is wisdom: evolving in the moment of now." Actually Gandhi didn't say that God was wisdom, that is an assumption I have made. The truth of now evolves through human endeavour, love evolves through human interaction and the wisdom of both is always happening in the moment of now. Truth, love and wisdom, the power of many with more experience, strength and hope. And always available if I ask the help in the moment of now? A power far greater than me, the combined endeavour and wisdom of humanity. Open to me if I have the humility to ask for help and usually with time and patience, help comes even if it's not quite in moment of now…

Many people have a better definition of God, a greater understanding of God in their lives. And that is fact. I receive wisdom when I ask and those who believe in God, and like all mortals I encounter, able to help if they can, and if I ask nicely. Fellowship is the same, and actually it sometimes better, because people are developing their tolerance and love for one another. And underlying principles in fellowship suggest that if we give freely, whatever we can, we are more likely to receive freely in the spirit of fellowship, tolerance and love…

A meeting yesterday: amazing, it has been three or four years since I was last there. Amazing? Yes, many people I knew, some I have not seen since I was last at this meeting. Many still trudging the road of sobriety, whether life had been good, bad or ugly. And the meeting was all about step eight, making a list of amends and being willing to make them. Which is quite a long way ahead of step three, but like all the steps they are connected. Step three is about letting go and asking for help, asking for help from God or the higher power of your choosing, and it was evident that there was a mixture of people who believed in God, were atheist or agnostic, or have come to some other conclusions about their higher power. One element remains true in all this, the higher power is working for everyone, whatever you choose it to be, always in the moment of now. Access to the higher power, open to everyone who has the humility to ask for help is…

In the meeting yesterday, old friends I had not seen for long time. And new friends, a brief connection outside as people were leaving, a few of us hang on for a chat. Hugs from old mates, people who shared their wisdom, freely, and in fellowship, and we chatted about those who are still alive and we know, and those who are dead, usually from old age or chronic conditions. Weird! We are full of laughter, cherishing memories and the comedic things that happen over the years. And the desperate newcomer is listening to what is said and joins in, and is no longer alone. And they start the process of asking and receiving help in the moment, minute, hour and just for today. The confusion about help is always there at the beginning, because I had that confusion myself...

When I was a newcomer, I trusted no one. And then I trusted everyone, because it was a fellowship based on love. At the same time, the emotional and spiritual journey was completely different to the way I learned life in my past. I was always thinking life and doing life, fixing situations and developing situations of chaos as I travelled around and around and around. I had suppressed half my emotional range, and when people talked about their feelings, all my feelings were on edge and I just wanted them to go away. No drink, no protection from my feelings and they were erupting inside me, and very unpleasantly for quite a time. And here it was, the old life, all about control and thinking rather than the feelings. I didn't realise that my mood and emotions were always impacting on the way I thought things ought to be, and my actions were driven to get to a destination which was always, "when I get there, I'll be okay," but I never got "there," wherever "there" was, it was never in the moment and never today…

And back to the meeting yesterday, looking at all those men and women who have helped me over the years… Some of the chaps, I have known them all through my sobriety, if I were to add up their time of learning the wisdom within the fellowship, it would be hundreds of years, compared to my mere 8 1/2 years sober today. More maybe a bit more on my side. The point is in any meeting of fellowship, if you add up the sobriety time, and don't forget in sobriety, it is not all a picnic, life lived on real terms without a drink in hand and sober, facing the world, understanding the emotional and spiritual connection to now, means everything is lived, whether it is good, bad or ugly… The wisdom of the years available in the moment of now and contingent on me having the humility to ask for help when help is needed just for today…

And when I say I trusted everyone in fellowship for quite a while, it was because I believed everyone was on the same path, with no hidden personal agenda and was completely open, honest and willing. I did find there were quite a few people who were really struggling with all the twelve steps and suggestions, just like me. And because they were struggling with the old life, they used and abused people, and had not completely given up some of the more unpleasant personality traits which people can have, I was led up the garden path by one or two who were more into using people rather than helping people. We become embroiled with the wrong people with our outlook of being open honest and willing if we are not careful. In some cases, there are people who do not have your best interests at heart. And the sooner we realise who they are, and let go those connections, the sooner we are back trudging the road of happy, good, bad and ugly destiny… In other words, sometimes when people ask us for help, an emphatic no is better than a half-hearted yes. Don't forget there will be people still learning what it is to be sober, utilising the principles of the program without integrity and without fairness. And some people are on a different journey to the majority in fellowship today. Fellowship is a way forward in sobriety, and you have the freedom to choose and make better choices for yourself one day at a time… Giving up the madness of drink for an alcoholic does not automatically mean that everyone is restored to sanity, and even if they are restored to sanity, they can still do monstrous things. No single human need be your higher power ever, it is the combined wisdom of the fellowship, the voices of the many, which give me the big picture, the higher wisdom, truth and love today…

Alcoholics Anonymous | March 1 2012 | Steps In Action | Step 3 "Your Higher Power" | 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…

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2009 - 2012

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, open-mindedness 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 harm’s 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, open-mindedness and willingness to work the Steps of the program, gives me the serenity that I seek. It works - it really does.

-/-

Just For Today, and every day cherish always...

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AA Official Online Site: Daily Reflections

http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflections.cfm

AA Official Online Site: Big Book And Twelve And Twelve

http://www.aa.org/lang/en/subpage.cfm?page=359

January 2013 | Step One Reading Video Link: