tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64042502953788783252024-03-08T10:32:49.005+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Videos DonInLondonAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.comBlogger1193125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-56341646852314819632015-01-07T11:58:00.001+00:002015-01-07T11:58:14.836+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog January 7 2015 "Freedom”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog January 7 2015 "Freedom”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:4786021c-2995-4e34-8bb2-a8ca2a5dca0a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-XzxljSovcE?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-XzxljSovcE?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video January 7</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Freedom for me is a state of being, freedom to learn, freedom to be open honest and willing. Who would've thought that rock bottom would be the start of understanding that there would be an opportunity to start over and make sense of life again. Freedom to learn, unfettered? Freedom required a lot of actions by me to let go the notion that I could overcome all life's difficulties on my own and asking for help was key. Learning the difference between humility and futility.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I can still remember hiding away and trying to control life. The more I hid and tried to find the solution in isolation, the more obvious it became that all I did was put off that awful day or so I thought, that I needed to stop hurting myself through addiction. Alone, it always seemed like tomorrow would be the right day to stop. And no matter what I did, alone and isolated, there seemed no prospect of an end and indeed life ending and not waking up felt like it would be preferred to whatever struggle I was experiencing. Life was very painful, hiding away, unable to function, emotionally bereft one moment and then completely overwhelmed in desolation. When I stopped denying rock bottom, and realised I needed help, everything changed horribly to the good.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Human beings are incredibly resourceful, we are all forces of nature, and yet nurture seems to offer diversions into pleasurable escapades which are truly risky. The more we take risks with our mental health and our physical health and we seem to overcome, the more risky the endeavours, the more the highs the more the lows keep us chasing ever more dangerous territory. Rewards for risk and success, very high and very attractive propositions. Until of course, calamity comes knocking on the door, and then denial of our circumstances, far from being a tool to overcome grief, becomes a tool of destruction. Denial of overwhelming events is a coping mechanism. Denial of addiction is usually a death sentence.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Freedom, freedom to learn who I am today. I don't think I have ever met anyone in recovery who has not experienced the opposite of freedom. From having fun and what seemed like mind expanding and life changing experiences to the good, the absolute truth of mind altering substances is a phony and false comprehension of reality. The best mind expanding experiences are based on living in reality, and being a part of what is going on in the moment of now. Coping or not coping, learning how life can become real as we may have imagined, or simply beyond our wildest dreams.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Freedom through self-awareness and awareness of our current conditions today will produce far better outcomes than any notion we might develop in isolation. Wisdom is born in isolation and made far more deep and broad in the light of day and through interdependence and collective and collaborative activities. Inspiration and hard work transform our world. Sharing experience, strength and hope enriches our freedoms to take up whatever endeavours interest and fascinate each and every one of us one day at a time.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">What often gets in the way of our freedoms is the way we judge ourselves and other people. That famous and well-known two word sentence, "judge not," helps everyone immensely to let people develop their own freedom. And in the common and understood language of today, "judge not and jog on," is always helpful on any given day.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step One Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:085c2f99-9b7c-45fd-9b86-ad66c24773ae" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZEA67loEnw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZEA67loEnw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step One Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-28462062439797171972015-01-06T10:51:00.001+00:002015-01-06T10:51:09.693+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog January 6 2015 "Freedom Through Powerlessness”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog January 6 2015 "Freedom Through Powerlessness”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Video January 6</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:8bc7462f-6a4a-4ab6-8342-b8b0e3917c9e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JVScLayZGYo?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JVScLayZGYo?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video January 6</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Am I still trying to pull myself together, put on a brave face and show the world the best I can be? A mixture of questions, these days I don't try and pull myself together, maybe I just try to collect my thoughts and understand my feelings. Do I need to put on a brave face and pretend to the world that I am okay, no is the answer, I can show the world who I am today, whether I am feeling good bad or indifferent. I have freedom just to be me.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Freedom through powerlessness? The freedom to make the best choices given the current conditions today. Freedom to make choices without having to have power to make that choice? Being powerless over alcohol, people, places and things, simply means I'm not trying to control anything external to me, to make me feel complete. Freedom to accept that I am a learner, that given the current conditions today, I am able to cope, and if I cannot cope, I may ask for help from anywhere at any time appropriately. I don't always get the help in ways which I might feel are useful immediately or ever, sometimes I am simply barking up the wrong tree. And sometimes what the heart wants is not available or what the heart really needs. Romance! Thank God we never get over it, love is abundant always when we cherish! Acceptance delivers understanding and freedom today and what we can and cannot do.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Freedom through powerlessness really is quite difficult to understand if we feel we have entitlements that if we put in the effort into the right endeavours we can meet our expectations and our entitlements will be met. Just because I might have wanted to be a doctor, in the dim dark past, my expectations were far beyond my mental faculties at the time. Being a late bloomer, and with a lifetime of experience, I would make a great doctor, except for the fact that by the time I qualify, I will be in my dotage. I gave up the idea of being a doctor when I was mystified studying biology at school, and much preferred studying biology in real-time before during and after raucous parties and social events back in the day.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I need not pretend to be in control of anything, indeed control anything outside myself is subject to negotiation and depends on the current conditions today. In social relationships, we are interdependent, we are able to define ourselves and our role within family and social situations. We don't have to control other people, realising a person has every right, like we do on the planet to be themselves and do what they do makes for an easier life. At work, we all are subject to the rules, systems and procedures and everything else that goes with being in an organisation working a command and control system. We need to fit in and produce the goods and services, and then we get paid for it. If you don't like what you do, the door is open to try new options under the current conditions today. In other words, the world is open to what we can and cannot do, and often we can work this out and make our choices, and when we are uncertain asking for help is a good idea. Self-reliance, it can be wonderful, self-determination is a human right, and yet in my case I gave up that right without realising, and was controlled by addictions to alcohol, romance and finance. Thinking I would be okay when I got to wherever I thought I ought to be. Unfortunately addiction drove me to rock bottom. Powerless I was and certainly not free to make good choices one day at a time.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Freedom to make choices for oneself, for those we care for and developing a happy existence does not happen overnight. And sometimes we find ourselves locked into particular ways of life, because we think we ought to have that life. And what we thought we ought to have, to fit in, to be loved and be able to love back was simply a fantasy rather than a reality. Putting the fantasy to one side and coping with reality opens many opportunities, as long as we understand the current conditions today, the possible and the impossible, and take account of our respective responsibilities and living the consequences that we have and can deliver toward on any given day. To thine own self be true, so that others may be true to you. Of course you cannot control or understand sometimes when we can be or have been deceived and misled by others, those are the current conditions which I face on any given day. Forgiveness for our past and our consequences, which need to be met and our responsibilities, means we can forgive others who continue to defy the truth and reality of now.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">There seem to be big decisions going on around me. I don't know what they are or what the consequences may be. Worrying about them, even when I don't what they are, well it would make me feel very low and despondent trying to find out. So I need to let go what I don't know, and deal with what I do know. Powerless over what other people are up to, and thank goodness I am, because trying to be in control is what caused my addiction and dismay for quite a long while. I like being powerless, not trying to control behaviour in me or others. There are conventions by which we live and principles of conscience which keep me on track. And within these conventions and conscience, every day is a good day for any new beginning or continuance of a good path today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Wisdom is born in silence and then becomes negotiation to find truth in this interdependent world.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step One Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:2dc1f4f6-d6f3-4f62-a3bb-b288d83bd5be" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="252"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZEA67loEnw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZEA67loEnw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step One Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-61321194954394081152015-01-04T12:42:00.001+00:002015-01-04T12:45:03.487+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog January 4 2015 "Powerless”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog January 4 2015 "Powerless”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:7aa8f523-2bf6-4011-92dc-c8b2a7e42d2b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cAFw6UIjjeI?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cAFw6UIjjeI?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video January 4</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">In the moment of now, I am powerless over the way other people are feeling and thinking. I'm also powerless over alcohol and no longer need to try and control my drinking, because I don't drink alcohol one day at a time. I don't crave a drink, but sometimes there is that elusive desire to control people, places and things. Imposing my will on any situation without consultation will make my life are manageable and the rest of the world will carry on doing what it wants to regardless of me. Unless of course I recall that I need to include myself, wherever I may be and be aware of what is going on. We are all interdependent and if we are inclusive and ask, we are more likely to get on with each other today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Over the last few days, after Christmas and the New Year celebrations, fellowship meetings tend to be more volatile as people celebrate in fellowship without the need to drink. And yet there can be many disruptive influences in family, community and work where celebration may well include other people drinking and sharing in a nostalgic way about our part in matters and how we used to be. A good way in the past for me has been to acknowledge and admit and accept everything I used to be, and also say, "that was then and that was the way I was back then, now, it's a completely different way to live without a drink and I'm happy being this way." Powerless indeed over the memories that I have and other people have of how I used to be. I am a better version these days with the gift of sobriety and acceptance of the past for what it was.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">When we hear another person's life story, when they share their experience strength and hope, we hear usually just how awful rock bottom was before we surrendered and admitted complete defeat. And the blindingly obvious news in my case was I could not get sober and keep sober on my own. I needed to ask for help. Once I understood that it was okay to ask for help on any given day, vulnerability was not a weakness, it became a strength, because I could ask anyone for help about anything and not worry or feel inferior when I declared I needed help. And today vulnerability is a strength, and when people respond positively and help, that is good. There will be unfortunate times when people see this as a weakness, we don't need those people in our lives and we can let them be as they are and as they say these days, "we can 'jog on' happily."</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">A wonderful fellowship meeting, where we discussed a topic, "what is emotional sobriety?" So many different ways to try and understand and try to think the solution about emotional sobriety. Unfortunately life changes, or rather it is most fortunate that life is changing all the time and if we are able to feel our emotions in the moment of now, where they fit with the current conditions today; that is most likely an answer to “what is emotional sobriety?”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Where feelings fit in the moment of now and we are coping, all feelings that are available to any human are most likely valid. Some things we can cope with and feelings fit with our situation. Sometimes we cannot cope and our feelings can be extreme. Asking for help is part of emotional sobriety and learning about how to cope with life without trying to blot it out. If I were to try and share all the things that were said most positively, it would take a lifetime, fortunately one day at a time I can absorb and learn enough to keep me on track today and very happy in this present moment of now. Good news, happy right now, the vulnerability is I cannot control whatever happens next and that is good and gives me excitement about life moment to moment.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">It's been good these last few days, seeing people I know and see frequently, seeing people I know and see infrequently, and meeting new people just starting out and learning the painful path in early days. I love them all! And what a good start to the year.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step One Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:48d6c75a-827e-4fe7-a883-cb7014702f03" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZEA67loEnw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZEA67loEnw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step One Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-23230114526880506572015-01-01T14:06:00.001+00:002015-01-01T14:06:01.393+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog January 1 2015 "Powerless”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog January 1 2015 "Powerless”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Video January 1 2015</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:15a12d15-c94f-4073-ba47-6eae273566e6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ecwGZ6O_MG4?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ecwGZ6O_MG4?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video January 1 2015</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Happy New Year! My New Year's resolution? Resolve to live sober just for today is my goal and will continue on a daily basis. I never knew what it would be like to have so many friends in Fellowship and in the world by being sober one day at a time.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Every month, I am lucky and fortunate to pray and meditate, take action to be free and have the choices open to me on a daily basis by utilising everything I've learned and being able to experience for more than a decade with a sober heart and a clear head. When I suggest sober heart, I now know more about my emotions and how they work without having to think about how I should be feeling, I just am a human being with feelings based on life right now and in the moment. Peaceful and content is the best description, with a great deal of forgiveness for all the mistakes I have made and will continue to make. Courtesy of the wisdom shared by fellows in fellowship, family, community and society. And this is the integration of how the twelve steps help me be an emotional and spiritual person today. I hope these words are understandable, sometimes life is so confusing I just don't know the answers in the moment of now, and the best news of all is I am able to put in the action of asking for help human to human.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">January, all about step one, "we admitted we were powerless over alcohol-that our lives had become unmanageable." So each month is about step, one step a month as I go through the year. I never ignore the other steps or forget them, the principles enshrined in the steps gives me a freedom beyond my wildest dreams, and into reality where freedom and choice based on the current conditions today, it makes life more enjoyable, being included in whatever way possible and however it emerges. In other words if I don't try control life, life happens and expands far beyond what I might imagine or try to do alone.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Powerlessness is a state of being. Accepting that I am powerless over alcohol, and have no desire to control drinking at all means I have the opportunity to be free of everything associated with that addiction. By admitting complete defeat when I finally hit rock bottom years ago, meant I didn't know the answer to my problem. And it was a blinding flash and relief to know I needed help with my malady and disease of alcoholism. Life is taught me and everything we learn in Fellowship enlightens all of us to the cunning and baffling desires which can crop up in recovery and make us feel the need to change our outlook through drink, drugs, people, places and things.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I never really understood how easily I was triggered into using anything external to try fix the madness and unhappiness inside me all those years ago. Learning to drink at an early age to celebrate anything, and to grieve everything, took away my ability to cope with reality with a clear and peaceful understanding that I was simply learning life. And especially when life is difficult and heart-breaking, rather than cope with the feelings, I could use anything to try blot out the hurt and loss.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">These days, with a greater understanding of my emotional and spiritual journey forever incomplete until my last breath, step one was and continues to be at the top of my gratitude list every single day. My daily reflections these days starts with a gentle reminder of step one, "I am powerless over alcohol and if I take a drink or fix myself in some other way in an addictive way, my life is most likely to become unmanageable." And then step two, all about doing the same old same old and expecting something different. And step three reminds me to let go, ask for help and don't imagine for a moment that I can solve my own problems all the time, or actually try solve your problems for you, we all work together hopefully in this necessarily inclusive world. And then all the steps start to make complete sense in time and continue to get broader and deeper in their meaning just in the moment and ongoing together.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Other things that cross my mind today, about acceptance generally, if I don't know what is right for me, I cannot possibly know what is right for you, and judging beforehand or before consultation, will lead to conflict most likely on any given day.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Expectations and entitlements, based on fear pride and ego, or blind faith without foundation, will lead to frustration and resentments.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Another thing which I heard recently when we were reading from one of the texts, the emotional orgies that can go on in our minds when we don't get our way. Being angry or resentful usually comes when we have made decisions without any possibility of achieving them or even knowing the next action to take. Sometimes, the world and our current situation is joyful and awful in the same moment because we have more than one thing going on at one time. There is always more than one thing going on in our lives and if we try nail everything down, you can guarantee someone somewhere is tearing up the nails and ripping our hearts out as we feel hurt by their actions. Coping with the situations, happens as we grow into living in the moment and coping with reality as it is right now. Challenging everyone every day.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I feel humble and often overwhelmed by everything shared by human beings on the planet. And trying to make a contribution is why I write about recovery because of all the experience, strength and hope I hear most days and the ability to listen and relate and understand people. This has helped me understand what goes on emotionally for me. It is meditation and prayer in action. Everybody meditates and has the ability to pray, to sort out what we can and cannot do today. The God of my understanding need not be the God of your understanding and I believe that Gandhi helped me resolve and accept that God is love and God is truth which comes from the many in the moment of now. Implicit in this understanding is that I am not God, that God works through people and like all life, the devil can well be in the details. Wisdom comes as we live learning the can do and cannot do today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step One Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:6f0fccf0-fca8-4722-82ea-a2d5f653f0d3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZEA67loEnw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/TZEA67loEnw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step One Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><font face="Tahoma"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</span><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"></span></font></font></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-83047366812720936462014-12-31T11:03:00.001+00:002014-12-31T11:03:50.106+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 31 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 31 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:ca473b8a-b3ad-4ed5-af3a-983f44014df2" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mKoyW2iYZbs?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mKoyW2iYZbs?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 31</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Year-end, 2014 has been a remarkable year on a personal level. Sober one day at a time and then the rest of life is possible. Actually sober one day at a time means a great deal more than life is just possible, life remains possible depending on the current conditions today. But the good news is that I cannot change the past, and there have been incidents in the last year which have been exceptionally wonderful personally, and also events which do mean that there has been both joy and sadness on a regular basis. Being sober, at least I can tell the difference between the good events, the bad events and the ugly events and experience them as they are.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">To thine own self be true, a good friend said how difficult it was going to be to practice this principle because being true to themselves meant that a lot of people would not like their truth. Throughout the years of my life, whenever I have deviated from the truth, first I'm lying to myself, and then I'm lying to everyone else. I can always tell when I've not been truthful to myself and to other people, trying to control people places and things, trying to control feelings and thoughts of others always leads to disagreeable personal conduct. And to be true to myself, I need to practice step ten and gratitude, and check with people around me that I am telling the truth. Denial of truth is very easy when we don't like it, the truth that is.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">If I don't tell you the truth of how I feel and what I am thinking, I am stunting my emotional and spiritual value and worse taking away your free choices to make free decisions based on the person I am. If I promote myself as something different to the real person, you may never find out who I am, and even worse, I take away your free choices and decision-making to include me in what is going on or to exclude me from what is going on. It's taken years and years to recognise the real me! Actually I am a human being learning my choices day by day, hopefully based on truth about me and the truth you share with me about you.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I don't expect anyone else is any better telling the truth than me, and I don't expect that I am any better at telling the truth to you. It's something we all learning all the time. And there needs to be truth, especially in personal relationships that we have with the world and everyone we encounter. If someone tells me that they like me, I don't need to be suspicious, and people don't need to be suspicious when I tell them I like them. Love people, and recognise that we are all learning together how to relate. And when we don't know how to relate, we can share this truthfully and work it out together.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Expectations of other people, to relate well with us means we need to be ourselves as best we can or we are leading others on. And if we lead people to believe that we like them and love them, when we are not sure, or we have changed our minds in some way, this is where truth about how we are changing our outlooks is most difficult. Be in a relationship romantically, realise it's a mistake is best done soonest rather than later, or we end up married with children and then, and even then only after we have got married and had children, we might wonder why we did it in the first place. Unfortunately for me, I never got married and I have never had children, or rather fortunately for the female population of the world, by the time I might have been capable, it is too late. I smile writing this, I'm not putting myself down, but it took me a long time to realise the difference between reality and fantasy. Reality is better even if it takes a long time to get there.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Taking away the freedom of others to make free choices based on truth, it is a horrible and profoundly unfortunate deception. If we do not learn that truth is based on understandings as we go, and the more truthful we can be living together, the better the options are all round. And it is really okay to share the truth as we go, because the horrible calamity of saving up our profound and unfortunate deceptions often leads to horrible heartbreak. And even when we know the truth, love of another person and a desire to be with them, we cannot make other people be the way or feel the way that we do. And most often if we are learning the truth as we go along, those horrible cliff-hangers of denial and shock and grief are less profound and devastating. Not easy to be human.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">One of my feelings about the world and everyone in it, "forgive everyone everything every day." And if you are finding it difficult to forgive either yourself for having got yourself into hot water, still keep forgiving yourself and you can forgive others for the same misfortune. Forgiveness is an action which cannot happen just because we say it, and sometimes forgiveness takes a long, long time, because we have spent a long long time doing things which need forgiving to ourselves and other people. One day at a time we can make progress into good solutions, or we can regress or standstill and feel that pain of fear ego and pride causing denial. We do need denial, we do need forgiveness, or we do not learn about love and cherishing. I always recognise that I am still learning how to be human one day at a time, and hope for forgiveness every single day because I do not know the answers to life until I am in that life situation in the moment of now.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:6c211391-b542-4cf9-960c-b763bcca9ffb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-66424541403128441782014-12-30T10:32:00.001+00:002014-12-30T10:32:20.516+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 30 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 30 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5d6ba42b-35ef-4be0-bb65-1132eaad25f8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/DUnfi6HRqPI?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/DUnfi6HRqPI?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 30</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Fellowship meetings! Listening to the experience strength and hope of other people in the same boat as me, being sober one day at a time, this one day. Listening, so I have identification and can relate. How often do I go to a meeting and miss what is being said? It really does depend on what is going on in my own head and whether or not I can relate and hear the words being said by my fellows.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">This morning, very cold and bitter out. Quite a big meeting of people in a holiday season where transport is sparse even though it's a working day, most people are still in festive mood. Today was really good, I was hearing the words of many, and not tuning out to think about me! Sharing a message of experience strength and hope, I can always detect just how I am doing, because when I hear others and their story, it means I am tuned into what is going on right now and not into a dream world of escape or a dread world of fear. I really heard a lot about my story and what broke me down today, and it makes me smile, I am no longer angry or upset by what happened to me in the past.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">And recently a good reminder about not digging into the past, the person who triggered my attention to past events and past romance, reminded me that sometimes the best thing to do, no matter how much a desire might be to be in contact with another, most likely no good would come from interfering in another person's life after all this time. To love under these circumstances is to leave a happy person to their own devices and their new complete life. It really isn't about me, it is about honouring the present and the truth of now.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">All past experience, the good times, the bad times, the really devastating times. All these times and experience are part of who we are and who we can be today. And sometimes the most obvious thing to do is to examine the can do and cannot do today. And to be very considerate of those we have loved in the past who are no longer in our lives. It's not just my life in sobriety, it is about honouring other people and where they are in their lives now. I appreciate that someone else reminded me of exactly where temptation and sometimes unwanted contact puts others I have known into uncomfortable reminders. Always good to cherish and to love times past and although nostalgia is really good, not so good to be tempted back into stormy waters by natural curiosity.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1cb8205e-af89-45dd-b75f-348c4827c4ca" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-32817443934208867142014-12-29T12:01:00.001+00:002014-12-29T12:01:40.807+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 29 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 29 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:8d80f77c-f24c-496a-ab6d-0f5e3047e235" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IJpYHV9b6UE?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IJpYHV9b6UE?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 29</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Monday morning and I started the day with a great meeting, seeing people I know and am getting to know better. A great friend sat next to me, we have a few years between us and yet we learn just what it is like to be a newcomer in recovery pretty much every single day. And the gratitude for newcomers is absolutely true. We need every single person from the first moment we encounter them, it is always the many voices in Fellowship from day one to infinity that keeps me sober one day at a time.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">The venue for the meeting had moved just a short distance from its usual location. And we were quite unprepared, but as luck would have it, people had literature and bits and pieces to keep the meeting on track and sharing about step ten. And everyone, or nearly everyone shared their experience strength and hope, of Christmas and what is happening towards New Year. Step ten, and the spot check inventory, coupled with gratitude for our new outlook one day at a time; we may not always be free and joyful, and at the same time, those painful moments are less painful as we learn all the lessons of life experience in the moment of now.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">So beautifully shared, by everyone having a go at reading, and I stumbled over some words because I am out of practice speaking aloud over the last week. Brain going a bit too fast to read aloud, I needed to stop take a breath and start again. I am never ashamed when I cannot read out loud, because there is no shame in trying, and there is no shame in stumbling over words which I know so well and yet find it difficult to speak them out. A good lesson in slowing down to speaking pace in the moment of now. I could blame my dyslexia, I tend not to blame anything, simply take a breath and read more slowly from the page to fit the pace at which I speak. Understanding the text is what counts and it is very therapeutic to listen to others reading the words from step ten.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I've been cooking this morning, and posted a video of cooking in recovery, and at the same time pondering on step ten. My five-day stew is now in the oven, on a slow cook for a couple of hours. Experimentation in recovery, from cooking to dealing with the hardest problems in life, always brings me to a place of gratitude when I can have gratitude, and even when life is difficult, the serenity prayer: what I can do, and what I cannot do always leads to wisdom if I am open honest and willing to accept reality as it is. And sometimes reality is so difficult, denial is necessary until balance can be restored through time. This Christmas has been good, in contact with family, sometimes daily and also with the good fortune of another in the family in recovery, so it's not only me, one day at a time.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:b68019a6-afcc-4ce0-9fda-0d5f1ce04081" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-19906672843792279032014-12-24T09:20:00.001+00:002014-12-24T09:20:48.672+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 24 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 24 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:4acc9c26-1b16-4f9a-87ab-18435cbdb212" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/n-YnTqZAuQ0?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/n-YnTqZAuQ0?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 24</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Early morning meeting where we share on a given topic as suggested by one person. Today the suggestion was powerlessness, and that turned out to be exactly the right topic for the meeting. How to contend with Christmas and the holidays with the help of step one. And what a lot of sharing! Apart from me, because I left it too late! Step one: admitted that we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable. The step reads as past tense, and yet remains completely relevant in the moment of now.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">From the beginning, I do believe that these words were true for a person like me, unhappy with reality and unhappy with myself. Powerlessness over anything is probably a good starting point to approach life. When I believe I can control things, the world and reality teaches that I might be in control for a little while, and then reality keeps changing the goalposts with people, places and things which are totally unmanageable and better not managed at all in my world.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Listening throughout the meeting, step one reminds me what the difference can be between an understanding of denial and acceptance. Denial of reality, and judging reality badly as unacceptable, and judging my behaviour and outlook as damaged in some way. And acceptance of reality just the way it is, and then finding out how I fit with what is going on by being included and participating and learning to be me in the moment of now. Denial and judgement will keep me detached, acceptance of life on life's terms offered is the possibility to be included and participate equally in whatever is going on.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">And so many examples were share this morning about what it is to keep on judging the world and our place in it. Judging the world and where we fit is being right or wrong suggests control over what's going on rather than being in it and having a part in events. When I go with the flow, like this morning, and just listen, I get a great insight into what is going on for other people being the same as what is going on for me. Different events and different circumstances causing expectations which truly get in the way of being a participant in the moment of now. Making decisions in the moment of now about what to do next is probably the best it can be for anyone trying to go with the flow and accept life on life's terms.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I was a bit worried about going to the early meeting just in case the delivery man came early. The good news with modern technology, I know that the deliveryman is not due until mid-day and an hour afterwards. Now that I know I have the morning free, and having gone to a meeting, gave me time to write these words. I had no clue whether I would write anything this morning, and now I have. If I had tried to push myself into writing something just for the sake of it, it would not happen or be relevant to my current experience today. And being at that meeting this morning and being with people I know, and being with people I have not seen for a long time was an absolute pleasure. Wishing everyone a very happy day today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e4c53d4f-a8c2-45aa-ad94-f112424cc908" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-63973361410054309042014-12-23T13:09:00.001+00:002014-12-23T13:09:29.901+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 23 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 23 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1c44a2b7-a41e-4e4b-b086-b08df5da513e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/T8wQ3wXe-ZQ?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/T8wQ3wXe-ZQ?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 23</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">A great share this morning in a meeting. Inspiring and this helped a lot of people start their Tuesday morning, with experience, strength and hope. Even though this time of year can cause a great deal of turmoil, sticking close to people who are like-minded over the holidays feels like the best solution one day at a time.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">It can be very difficult to cope with numerous difficulties. And even though I have my issues, many more face even more difficult challenges. For one reason or another, many people perished this year and the stark reality that anyone of us can be afflicted at any time in our lives, brings home the importance to me of living in the moment as much as possible. I am very grateful that the 24-hour suggestion helps to keep me in the moment and not worrying about the possibilities which might cut me short. I'm not immune to fear, and at the same time as anyone else, I do feel the more we are in the moment, we can cherish every experience for what it is.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step ten helps immensely to keep my side of the Street clean, simply because it stops the build up of unwanted feelings linked to pride, ego and fear. And the balance comes in gratitude, gratitude to have experienced another day. I feel deeply when there is upset for others and unfortunate certainty that their ailments are terminal. If you had asked me ten years ago about the preferences I would have for the future, I don't feel that I would have been able to cope with what happened to me over the years. There were times before recovery that I never wanted to wake up, and these days I wake up with gratitude rather than the horror of that past existence. When we hear hard news from our friends about their situation, all I can do is ask them to let me know what I may do and share what's going on and if I can help in any way. There is a revolution in medicine which will help many, but not soon enough.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I mention something about denial and acceptance this morning. My denial before recovery, it kept me looking at the world and judging it badly, because even though there have been romance and finance all through my life to the good, addiction made possible the most abject fear of living. On the road to acceptance, I stopped judging and got back into participating and simply loving people for who they are, very human, human beings experiencing life in the moment and when denial comes, sometimes we can help each other even in the most difficult circumstances.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Hearing a newcomer share and then more newcomers, and what they do and how quickly some become involved in Fellowship because they want to, that inclusion and participation can be very very helpful. I hear the answers to my situation today from many people new to the notion that total abstinence is the solution. And I am humbled very often by their wisdom of life, because most people have great wisdom on the road to recovery.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">This time of year, step ten and gratitude help me towards courage, faith and confidence. Step eleven helps me focus and gain perspective to find and surrender to the truth of now, I'm still learning every single day about how to love people and sometimes more difficult to deal with is when people express their love of me. Wisdom comes moment to moment, not on my own, in the company of the many who share their truth, their love and their wisdom in the moment of now. Gratitude indeed just for today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:f2e4d4e8-f7b9-48b4-9e5e-5cb6d8697f8a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-74831261126699642512014-12-21T11:18:00.001+00:002014-12-21T11:18:44.303+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 21 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 21 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:b086c700-2a4f-47cb-91fc-5935d0ae6770" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2ANo1_CSr2s?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2ANo1_CSr2s?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 21</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">The kind of love that has no price-tag on it. Very appropriate reminder for me in the first paragraph in the twelve and twelve, twelfth step. Without conditions, that is love. Without regard to personal gain. People are often overwhelmed by generosity, and those who give without conditions are often overwhelmed when it happens to them.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">A simple hello, a handshake, taking account of another person's presence, and being present in the moment will make all the difference. Sometimes we can get bogged down and worry about what is the right thing to do. And in those agonising moments of trying to work out what is right, that moment has passed completely. Kindness and a loving outlook comes with time and confidence. There will be many a cold shoulder in life, worry not, we are not everybody's cup of tea.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">When we are uncertain how to help another human being, we really don't need to work it out, why not ask them what we can do and then see if we can or not in the moment of now. And very often, the simple answer is that we are not the right person in that moment, somebody else is the right person and if they are about, why not ask them to help instead?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:044fc9e1-1602-4c11-bcc6-bd29f94ea0a5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-76358869234639933172014-12-19T12:29:00.001+00:002014-12-19T12:29:27.790+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 19 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 19 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:f169ac96-482c-4515-a782-331e686e8041" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/piX2UZHOzcA?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/piX2UZHOzcA?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 19</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Wild winds in the night, rain and I dressed appropriately in my waterproofs to get to a meeting. And then the rain stopped and I could have gone smart casual. Sharing a message of experience strength and hope, in my waterproofs, made me smile. Somebody else shared that it doesn't matter what we look like, and I smiled inside because it doesn't matter what we look like, it's okay just to be the way we are today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Somebody sitting next to me asked me how I was, he's a good man and my quirky reply made him laugh, after a bit of thought I said, "I am morbidly happy." And I do get a chance to share my morbidly happy situation. Morbidly, as a result of a doctors appointment and filling in questionnaires, which most people would evaluate me as being almost suicidal. Happily I am not suicidal, I am just dealing with life on life's terms. Maybe the questionnaire needs to be adjusted for people in recovery like me, who can be morbidly happy.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">What is so important to me in sharing a message of experience, strength and hope is that I am open, honest and willing to do so. In the past before recovery, I would control what I shared about me, and that was always to my detriment because I would not get the feedback from other people so I might develop a more rounded outlook on life.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">It is so easy to fall back into bad habits of trying to control myself and what I share. If I don't share honestly, honestly the feedback I get is probably useless. What on earth would people think if I told them the truth? That was always a question in my own mind back in the day, what do people think of me? Well the truth back in the day, it would have been limited generally and only a few people might see through the mask I wore, I would say I was fine, and most of the time I was far from fine, I was hurting inside.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">These days it's easier to be truthful, no matter what people might make of me in my truthful state, it gives them the opportunity to tell me the truth about me. And sometimes the truth hurts, simply because I haven't heard it before until now. It hurts less and less as time goes by, not because I dismiss the truth, I embrace the truth as shared by other people. Because most of us are experiencing life in similar ways, in similar situations. And then again, even though we are experiencing similar events, the way we cope can be completely different and very valuable to know so that we can grow and learn new ways to live.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I feel good, even though morbidly happy might seem to be at opposite ends of feelings, the way life is, means from moment to moment, conflicting feelings and conflicting emotions can happen almost simultaneously. Which is why we can laugh and cry almost in the same moment of now. I'm not morbid right now, and for the last few hours since the meeting, I feel happy.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5b2757a1-b05a-40b8-a543-f69455fa6c78" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-61223329754430837172014-12-17T13:03:00.001+00:002014-12-17T13:03:07.139+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 17 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 17 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:b8bba9da-49c6-4cc2-adb4-2396080ecf66" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cx-lGmyB9To?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Cx-lGmyB9To?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 17</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Only a week to go to Christmas Eve, and London seems to be full of shoppers, shopping as if there were no tomorrow. Fortunately for me, not because I am a Scrooge, but because I can say that my needs are met, and any wants that manifest from all the advertising are unnecessary, life is good. I wouldn't mind some extra finance, but that is unimportant, I would like some romance, and yet I wonder if I might fear it should anything happen.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Fear and faith came up in our meeting. A good topic for just before Christmas. Romance and finance can make life difficult. And yet it seems we all want to work out the answers to our needs in advance of some sort of mutual discussion with those who might be involved. Always there will be fear of the unknown to an extent, it is a natural occurring part of life no matter what the age we have attained physically. A healthy respect or fearful worry?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">If we don't share what is going on with those closest to us, if we don't develop trusting relationships with friends, life will feel lonely and somehow fearful because we cannot control what happens next?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Control of events, especially this time of year, in my world I don't try to control anything which involves other people, because until I consult other people, there are no agreements and there are no negotiations. Expectations at this time of year, a holiday season where everyone has something going on, well, how to be included is one thing, how to be excluded is another.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">If we are part of something, if we have connections, working out what to do next does require some understanding between all parties. No need to try work out the best way forward other than to be open honest and willing about what we need to live and be happy when the world seems to be celebrating and utilising something we do not do any more. Mind you, a large proportion of the world does not indulge in addictive substances or behaviours. And their lives are not interrupted due to headaches which are self-inflicted. Often the solution is to turn up and be ready to be part of something, without expectations and without entitlements. Life can be happy and difficult all at the same time. Joyful, even like this morning!</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:6f5ab2ce-7ada-4040-a4d8-0792ec811789" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-29726824642644314752014-12-13T14:47:00.001+00:002014-12-13T14:47:38.720+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 13 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 13 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:d2238283-8d48-4dcf-b516-c23248946796" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/w7xxFXlBfGE?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w7xxFXlBfGE?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 13</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">A fabulous morning, two good meetings, and in between a chat with a friend about, "can do, cannot do and judge not." The rational brain, the thinking part, can deny anything and produce emotional torment. Denial of the truth in the moment of now can be awkward.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">In between meetings, a wedding on the Kings road, at the old town hall. As the wedding party leaves, men running along the road with just the smallest of tight bathing suits, having fun on a charity run. Very funny and appreciated by the wedding guests.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Our spiritual Saturday lunch meeting, where we read out the spiritual experience is always good and today it seemed like the number of people had almost doubled since last week. Wherever I go I meet people I know. And the beauty of the spiritual experience is living in the moment of now, and trying to be in the moment of now. The last sentence of the reading, we can be in everlasting ignorance if we have contempt prior to investigation. How we respond in the moment of now is an emotional, always emotional response and then we think about it, hopefully to see how we fit in, or don't as we choose.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Twelve steps to encourage us to utilise all our senses and wits as best we can. We always have changing circumstances all day long, and we learn as we go, or we don't depending on how well our senses are put to use. Not easy when we have a grumbling head full of things we don't like. And a meeting can bring is back into this one moment which counts as long as we don't count the moments until our next expedition into the future. Living in the moment is where everything happens and everything can be lost.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">It's been very humorous today, seeing friends and new people in recovery. What a lovely and delicious day so far. And now it's time for rest and relaxation! Can do, relax. Cannot do, predict anything or change anything except me and my attitudes. And don't judge anything? Of course I do, I'm human. And becoming more human and forgiving moment to moment today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:4b224fcf-64ec-4731-88c6-9d6e4aeacb82" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-89820542663613614982014-12-12T13:27:00.001+00:002014-12-12T13:27:40.552+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 12 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 12 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Video December 12 </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:6e5285fa-7487-41d6-a0df-b59617d9319e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/WXenR9wLqUM?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/WXenR9wLqUM?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">A good start to the day! All the AA meetings and any fellowship meetings seemed to clash with my dentist appointment. All my bones ache, its age and neuropathy caused by diabetes, type I diabetes and insulin injecting dependent. I was alive long enough to get diabetes in recovery, which might seem a bit harsh in recovery, but I was alive long enough to get it and cope with it on the emotional and spiritual journey one day at a time.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Having a filling, rather than a crown or worse having the tooth out, it's a good dentist that keeps me on track or all my teeth could fall out! Only lost two teeth at the back, in forty odd years. Not so bad then one day at a time, and my dentist reminded me that life is best lived in the moment and one day at a time. I have an ethical dentist, not in it for the money, so that's why he is so popular and has looked after me and my teeth for many years. My dentist, he knows my mum and sent his love to her for her eighty-third birthday.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">So now I have a half numbed mouth and a new filling, no pain at all and I was happy. Then a trip up the Kings road, and the world especially the Kings road is full of beautiful people, and even on this gloomy day they seem to be happy. I went into the great big department store, Peter Jones, and chatted with staff, I am an awful flirt, and one or two of the female staff gave me some extra gifts as a result. I love complementing all women, especially my age, is just the way I am and I like making anyone happy as I go along.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Life in general just seems to get better, the lighter we are, the gentler we are with ourselves makes it possible to be gentle with everyone we encounter. Even the angry people I encounter seemed to calm down, I don't get in the way, at the same time if I can help them I do. Sharing experience, strength and hope in the big wide world and not being afraid of who I am or any disabilities I have. What a beautiful way to live.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Listening to people recently in fellowship meetings I realise just how important it is to treat ourselves as we would a best friend. What advice would a best friend give us when we encounter the world? "Go placidly amidst the noise and haste," is the first line of Desiderata, and any best friend would suggest that a starting point. It does not mean to go into the world and pretend, it means that if we can take the advice of a best friend, we are likely to see the wonder of life rather than the worst of life. Even in the most difficult of circumstances, we can stand tall, have faith and have confidence to be ourselves as we get to know who we are in recovery.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Recovery is one day at a time, finding out who I am happens one day at a time in every moment of now. All life is spiritual, and how we cope is by learning as we go. We are not meant to find the answers until we get into that moment, and we may know our path or need to ask for help. What prevents our learning is most often fear, pride and ego, and these three elements that everyone has, can impact adversely in any moment. Courage, faith, building confidence and being open honest and willing. We experience more than we ever imagined.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">And I was sharing with friends not long ago that a mantra like: "can do, can't do, judge not and wisdom comes from the most unlikely places we never knew existed until that moment occurs." The mantra of course need be shortened to "can do, cannot do, judge not."</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:a4ce5eb9-006b-4d7b-a9df-7654a71a52fe" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-3567078003075290092014-12-11T10:06:00.001+00:002014-12-11T10:06:23.112+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 11 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 11 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e44cab36-221a-40d3-9e4d-62f9071c697e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2-SRLdXysT4?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2-SRLdXysT4?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 11</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Sharing a message: experience, strength and hope today. Every person in the world broadcasts a message of experience strength and hope. And sometimes it feels good, sometimes bad and sometimes ugly. It can be sad, it can be happy, I always feel happier hearing the truth as is for other people and hopefully I can be truthful as well. What is the point of pretending to be okay?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Phrases which undermine the truth, or maybe only reflect part of the truth, for example, "put your best foot forward," "put on a brave face and suck it up," "happy to be here, thank you for asking." Small things said to cover up the big things we don't wish to share about. When we are selective about the truth, we are ignoring what is going on inside, because we might be seen as weak?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Listening to other people, I often pick up on the years I spent unaware of my own feelings going on inside. Fear, fear of being found out. Pride, not wishing to be seen as weak. Ego, cover up to pretend that nothing was wrong. What is wrong with being vulnerable and saying so?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">The learning in recent years about vulnerability has been a bit of a torment, and only because I had let a lot of feelings be pushed away, because I thought that if I shared the real truth of me back in the day, ridicule and bullying would result. And it took a long time to realise that vulnerability is an imperative, vulnerability to share true feelings with other people who we care about, it is one of the most important and powerful tools in recovery. Do I need to cover up anything today?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Sharing experience strength and hope, I love the meetings in fellowship where we can truly express what is going on. And when we are vulnerable, we find people able to share similar experiences from which we can learn. We can get feedback from those who have wisdom in areas we don't. At the same time some people will be very irritating and we can see them casting eyes upon others about our sharing in a derogatory way. Life is not about cover up or sniggering at the expense of other people, and when others do this to me, the anger and resentment boils up. And then I need forgive them, because in my own twisted way before recovery, even though I was an honest person, there was much dishonesty in the way I treated myself and other people. So when people enrage me, and this happens because I am human, I need to forgive those feelings I have, and I am very happy that in the UK nobody is allowed to have a gun, or we would be a very lawless country.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">In the heat of any moment, people, places and things can bring back big memories and horrible feelings. These horrible feelings I have inside me from time to time help me understand my life and the torment others feel in life. Fortunately, these enraging moments, often are about my lack of awareness about myself and what I covered up because of fear, pride and ego. So when we hear sniggering, laughter and people glued to their telephones in meetings, that is exactly where they are meant to be. Sadly, some of those who came to Fellowship for a fix, they are now dead. And sometimes I realise whatever we do, although our message is one alcoholic talking to another alcoholic, no single alcoholic can mend and fix another alcoholic on their own.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Over the last few weeks I've been very privileged, my mother is surviving, she still has all her mental faculties, but her body is not so well. And it was her eighty-third birthday last week, and the flowers I was able to send are still alive and thriving. This is good, but there is always that nagging feeling and the worry, because I love her. So being in touch with her each day, simply to chat and be challenged on what seem to be even more difficult crossword clues, simply makes me smile.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">I am also very privileged to be hearing the experience strength and hope of many people, and going to as many meetings as I can get to. Sometimes I feel I do over share, at the same time though, experience strength and hope changes every single day. People share different aspects of their recovery and their challenges, some of which are truly difficult. The more difficult these challenges may be, we realise that experience strength and hope and the wisdom we learn is vital in all aspects of life. Life continues, and it will always be difficult?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">People in some of my meetings, newcomers and old-timers are still wondering what spiritual is. People talk about spirituality as if they know what it is, they may know what it is for themselves, but it does not mean that they understand spiritual the way I do or other people do. I try to keep it simple, if other people feel they are building a bigger spiritual understanding beyond reality and coping with it, I look forward to that enlightenment which continues to elude me on a daily basis. My sister's late partner, she reminded that he commented that I would be an excellent religious person in any religion, the only problem being that I don't believe in God as other people do. And thankfully my outlook prevents me from suggesting what belief is right or wrong for me or anyone else in this world.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1ec55862-75fe-4e7e-b9eb-cca81182479e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-39329288419383259422014-12-03T12:43:00.001+00:002014-12-03T12:43:16.925+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 3 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 3 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:3adabb74-1e13-4761-a1fc-e42fc2d7918d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wcgb_E9pV18?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Wcgb_E9pV18?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 3</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Contingent on the day I ask for help: "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."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I do have to ask for help, and it also means I am open to listening? Every meeting ends with the serenity prayer, and if we really are in tune and in the moment, we are open honest and willing to change the things we can. It really does depend on the current conditions today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Can I surrender to the truth of now? Do I have useful endeavours? Am I able to love others? Am I able to be loved? I am hopeful today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Surrendering to the truth of now: being able to listen to others, and identify what is true and beyond my current perspective. Very often, anyone in recovery, anyone simply living in the moment of now is driven by personal belief and opinion, and perspective needs to be found or we can discard the truth and prefer to believe and have opinions which defy reality. Being present in the moment of now, we can feel very alone when we have no perspective or belief in others. And sometimes we are right, and they are wrong.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I received a copy of a letter to my general practitioner from a hospital specialist which suggested I failed to attend an appointment/consultation. I do feel irritated, I have yet to find any appointment date for the consultation. And as a consequence of this letter from the specialist, I now need to instigate a diabetic review for my type I diabetes and other chronic ailments with the general practice, otherwise, all my medications and insulin are cancelled automatically. Being told in this manner is quite irksome, so I better put my skates on and arrange the review promptly. This automatic production of a standard letter suggesting failure on my part indicates the irritation others may experience when the hospital administration fuck things up. I forgive them.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Sharing a message experience strength and hope, is a privilege. And wherever anyone makes the effort, it will be read or not, judged and criticised, helpful and useless, contingent on the current conditions today. If we share in a meeting, one-to-one with another person, outside a meeting, inside a meeting, it may or may not be helpful. Often, we have no idea what the impact of our experience strength and hope may be. And many times, it will go unread, and very often not heard. That does not matter, what matters is sobriety and the intent, which is to be helpful. The privilege is being alive and sober one day at a time. And sharing a message of hope based on truth, love and developing wisdom is always worthwhile. No feedback necessary!</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I notice a friend of mine on a particular social network, doing very similar and often better sharing of experience, strength and hope, have no feedback from anyone. When we write something, to help anyone anywhere, we never know if we are making a difference. Often feedback can be difficult to give, and often no matter who we might be, we do ruffle the feathers of others. And that's good, if we help people find their path by being different and diverse, their path being completely different is good. If we didn't have diversity and difference, we would have no perspective on life. Value difference and diversity, agree to disagree, love people, and if we like their behaviour wonderful, and love people even if we don't like their way or their behaviour.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:66395306-52c9-48b0-bcfd-189a8a64b9f1" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-27300813438942067302014-12-02T12:51:00.001+00:002014-12-02T12:51:35.035+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 2 2014 "Freedom To Choose”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog December 2 2014 "Freedom To Choose”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:c23cbca9-4d1c-4693-bd08-79034a1b05a0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/opEPx0pDqDE?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/opEPx0pDqDE?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video December 2</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Ram Dass (born Richard Alpert; April 6, 1931) he often said "of course I could be wrong." And in recovery, what is right for me could be wrong for you. Step twelve: "having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs." Life is not easy, the spiritual journey begins with our first breath of life, and the spiritual journey ends with our last breath. The quality and quantity of our spiritual life is contingent on our life experiences. And if we are fortunate, we bring our experience, strength and hope into each moment of living in the moment of now.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Life has its ups and downs, and as life is precious, in every sense, nothing is squandered if we are learning and developing as human beings. Sometimes we might feel very dormant and nothing is going on, that is still the best spiritual experience possible in the moment of now. And life can be good bad and ugly, we are not immune to anything, and there is no vaccination or fix to what we experience as humans in the emotional and spiritual. Even setbacks, or what we perceive as setbacks do improve our experience even if we do not like it, it is all part of the spiritual journey: coping in the moment of now, not coping and asking for help in the moment of now, not coping at all and not asking for any help.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Sometimes we just don't feel right in our own minds, a sense that something is lacking. And of course we cannot fix that feeling of emptiness by doing nothing, indeed that feeling of emptiness can grow large very quickly. And sometimes, we have absolutely no clue why we feel the way we do, and no matter how hard we might search for an answer or cause, the only answer is to put in some action, hopefully of a good kind to improve our connection and mood. When this happens I do go to meetings, that is the action, and the result will be as good as it gets, contingent on the day and the general well-being of those I encounter.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Life does improve, and sometimes the improvement or areas of improvement are not always obvious. Adversity is a good teacher. And although we might not like some of the teachings we are experiencing, we can learn and be teachable.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Sponsorship: the quality of sponsorship often depends upon the quality of experience, strength and hope that a sponsor puts into practice with themselves and then with suggestions for those asking for help. No one is infallible, and for those seeking help from someone who is overextended or simply suffering from what we all get from time to time, H.A.L.T. Hungry angry lonely and or tired, and it is important to understand that even sponsors don't know the answers when things are out of their experience strength and hope. We are all learning hopefully.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e531512b-4ad0-490b-a57c-4ee453d3cbf6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JGeE5bJg0mU?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Twelve Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-2762643169248095912014-11-27T11:33:00.001+00:002014-11-27T11:33:59.581+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 27 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 27 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:f07f0fda-246f-4a45-85f3-8d2ad4f15b2d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3wDz0s86heQ?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3wDz0s86heQ?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video November 27 Video</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Prayer and meditation: prayer, it's not about me! Prayer to look outwards and hope for the world, family, friends and community, society; as long as it's not about me! A gentle reminder in my head or said out loud to the God of my understanding, step one and powerless to be free of addiction and unmanageability by admitting and accepting my current situation. Step two, insanity is always available and step three, let go and surrender to the truth, love and wisdom in the moment of now. Meditation; deciding on the can do and cannot do today and if I am in doubt or just need clarification, ask for help.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Listening to a step eight Reading this morning, making a list of amends and being willing to make them always evokes memories. Memories of people in my life, memories of places and memories of things done. And listening to fellows describing the process of writing the list and then learning how to be willing to make amends before actually beginning the process into step nine. Every time I hear experience strength and hope shared, it seems there will always be amends to make, memories come back.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Every step is a solid opportunity for evolution on this emotional and spiritual path. Sometimes we feel we may have found the solution, and then life keeps on happening and new solutions evolve as life evolves. Emotional: truly experiencing feelings. Spiritual: living in the moment and coping with reality. Even now after years in recovery, sometimes I find myself reliving events which challenge me and my outlook. Sometimes, pride, ego and fear can linger a while when we are confronted with reality we don't like. Usually when someone has a go at us and our point of view. I can take a day or two, to accept I am certainly not everyone's cup of tea.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">If we get a feeling of rejection, some say this is the universe protecting us from others. Or it can be as simple as not taking account of how another person is and their outlook, what is going on in their life and realising we have nothing to offer them. Even friendship can be rejected because we are simply the wrong person to befriend. Let go and accept that other people need their own personal space and own personal outlook to proceed happily in their own lives. In other words, judge not.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">It was a good morning, and I'm grateful for these early morning meetings. And the more I connect, the more interconnected life becomes. Caring about other people, it is always difficult as life is difficult. And each person contributes the best they can and I admire all living in recovery one day at a time. And equally I admire anyone anywhere reaching out for help, I hope they find a hand in Fellowship to help as best they can. And it does not need to be me!</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:d04cde62-2937-4bbf-88a2-fd37b7e6f3f1" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-49283174833139477092014-11-25T11:27:00.001+00:002014-11-25T11:27:29.597+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 25 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 25 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Video November 25 Video</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:117b408c-020e-4532-9f44-f2f9963f60bb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zEW2548lZpo?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zEW2548lZpo?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video November 25 Video</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">How to love, how to be loved back, and then the understanding between who people are and their behaviour. I still feel sad that somebody felt I hated them, and it was only when I was able to open the door to that misunderstanding that friendship can happen. Love people, love their behaviour? This can happen. Love people, dislike their behaviour? This is so often the case or we wouldn't feel the hurt or the exclusion going on.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Love is the deepest emotion. Love of another takes many forms. From lover and romance which may be unconditional, to unconditional love for people we know in family, community and society. And there will be many people we love, and we love their behaviour. And there will be many people we love and at the same time find ourselves confounded by their behaviour.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">In active addiction, drinking because there was no other way of surviving self harm, there is no love for oneself or for other people in the truest possible way. Self harm, self medication into oblivion takes away all remnants we might have to love other people unconditionally. We still have love for them and we are often confounded by our own inability to connect with anyone in a meaningful way whilst under the influence of something which is controlling what we do day in and day out. And addiction has no boundaries, we might try to stop one thing and then find ourselves hooked into something else to ease the intolerable pain which never seems to go away.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Learning to love oneself enough, learning how to stop the destructive behaviour and restart, is a revolutionary act, and for myself, I needed to trust and accept the inevitable pain which had to come, taking away the self-harm and self-medication. Or did I just hate myself enough to give recovery and sobriety a go? Facing death was not enough until I realised that life could really get no worse. And asking for help, the humility to do this, ask became the starting point. The love hate relationship in early days with myself, I never thought I was worth it in the beginning, I just immersed myself in meetings. Humility, simply to ask for help was actually the key to saving my life and many other people I have met on the journey.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Sounds easy? Not likely for anyone to start learning what love can be without any conditions. Unconditional love is kinship with oneself and the world. Love flows out, love flows in. I shared in a meeting about the incident where a person thought I hated them, and they were surprised when I said to them that I love them as a brother. I feel the shock was two ways, first knowing this person for some years and their feelings of exclusion and dislike from me, and my shock and the impact I had on them without being aware that there was ever a problem.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Assumptions are made so easily, that we get on with certain people, and that we cannot get on with other people. Sometimes we just need to say out loud, that we love people, sometimes love their behaviour, and sometimes their behaviour may be intolerable in certain situations. Most people are good, capable of love without conditions when they feel secure in their own outlook. And it takes time to feel secure in oneself, when the world seems to be setting people up for failure, rather than success.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1e74eccd-5d80-483a-a1db-96fd277a7780" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-61046795829927214692014-11-23T11:24:00.001+00:002014-11-23T11:24:14.402+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 23 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 23 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:698aefb5-a96c-4e9a-a251-1c21376709ac" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eRFpCqU9-lY?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eRFpCqU9-lY?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video November 23 Video</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">A very rainy day, and yet over 100 people get to the meeting on a Sunday morning. All about wanting, needing more of something. Romance and finance, striving, filling the gap. And if it doesn't fill the gap, until we realise all we need to do is utilise what we have now to cope and make best use of our time. Prayers looking out at the world and meditation to reflect on what we can and cannot do today seems to be my solution. And I am content, needs met, wants forgotten.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">All it takes in this wonderful world is to connect and share time, to experience friendship, to love one another without conditions. It certainly didn't happen overnight, and if I did not practice and pray and meditate, I doubt progress would be made. Progressing into the moment of now, can seem like an eternity until we arrive and find peace in the company of fellows on the same journey.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Not everyone experiences these moments, it takes time. And serenity can disappear if we take on the ill will of some who have issues with who we are and what we do. Every day, we will find ourselves in mixed company, a company of people with different agendas, different priorities and different outlooks. And even those with ill will towards us need not undermine our serenity when life is difficult for them. Pride ego and fear and the defects are available to everyone, and the same is true if we do not find the courage, faith and confidence to be ourselves. Let go that worry about others on their journey, they too have a right to be here.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I feel good even on a dark dank rainy morning in London. And I'm grateful for everything Fellowship shows each day and how I may be of service and the can and cannot do, the wisdom learned on the way into the moment of now where serenity is possible. We all need work, or we would find no point to our existence. And work on the inside job only becomes apparent through time. We all find our useful endeavours if we are open to the possibilities of now. Gratitude indeed...</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1fb8a48e-3de4-417d-887d-a0f6e38e5d82" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-78728926271367951792014-11-22T10:49:00.001+00:002014-11-22T10:49:33.172+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 22 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 22 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:c2cf2256-07f5-420b-946a-f15b55f6b8a9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VlefPpoIBto?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VlefPpoIBto?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video November 22 Video</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Forgiveness can be a tall order! And when we are not forgiving of other people, I don't see any possibility for self-forgiveness. Often it just starts with, "why on earth did I do that?" When I came out of rehab after three months of horror and torture, I was so angry, the only answer appeared to be a drink. Fortunately although rehab really didn't work for me at that time, that lapse many years ago meant I went to the only place where there was forgiveness in those dark days and that was Alcoholics Anonymous.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Years later, often we hear the experience, strength and hope being lost in recovery. Real events can hurt deeply, our actions or the actions of other people can bite so hard to enrage even the gentlest person. And I hear this quite often. Until we get to the impossible point where we cannot cope, often we do not ask for help, when help is at hand and we need not soldier on with impossible burdens.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Sharing our burdens, when we are upset and hurt is all part of the human experience. The human experience applies to everyone and it's not something we need shy away from. Fear, pride and ego, those infamous feelings are happening even if we are not aware of them very often. And very often, just because we can cope until breaking point, better not let things drag on to where insanity is not only possible, insanity happens.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Prayer and meditation: prayer to look outwards, meditation to reflect on what is happening, the can do and cannot do. Whenever I say to myself, I need a can do attitude, it's worth checking out if I'm pushing myself to a limit beyond sanity. And listening to other people who often push themselves so far that sanity turns into insanity, the result can be very painful. Romance and finance: heartbreak and ruin can be optional if we cope with what is happening in the moment of now rather than let it build up to a mountain of heartbreak and ruin beyond repair.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I am not God and I do have an understanding of God. Surrendering to the truth, love and wisdom of now, the truth is everyone sees it, unconditional love as it manifests, this leads to wisdom if I am able to cope with the information coming my way. So these days I am able to pray and meditate, not worry about the God of other people's understanding, or the expectations they may have of God. Life is about guidance, truth, love and wisdom as it develops. And sometimes life is good, bad or ugly, and that's why I need help sometimes, to cope with all eventualities as they happen.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Thank goodness we learn not to act out. Acting out on bad and ugly situations, sometimes we simply need some help and often the source is unexpected and beyond our wildest dreams.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5187345d-84ca-49ab-b37e-6ebb598cebb6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-2531779373561551882014-11-20T10:03:00.001+00:002014-11-20T10:03:51.987+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 20 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 20 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Video November 20 Video</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:3a9c149d-f302-4f47-826f-bb6bb3842f74" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x1iZCMRIr04?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x1iZCMRIr04?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video November 20 Video</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">When we are living in the present moment, where our feelings fit the moment of now, we are present and hopefully dealing with our day-to-day activities. Newcomers to the Fellowship are often stuck in old feelings, old attitudes and trying to shake off a desire to go back into the problem of addiction. Always a privilege to hear the newcomer share their truth, and a good reminder to me why the steps, the toolbox of recovery works when we put the tools of recovery into practice.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Daily readings about prayer and meditation which work on a daily basis to whatever higher power works for you. My higher power is the God of my understanding, and helps me surrender to the truth of now, what is best for everyone is only found through dialogue, and providing I am asking the right questions, the answers often become apparent in the moment of now. At the same time, some of the questions I have on a daily basis will take time and some answers to my questions will never be answered. Acceptance is key. And above all forgiveness is a powerful and wonderful action.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Listening to newcomers reminds me that insanity is always available in all our daily activities. As soon as I want things my way, insanity can prevail very quickly. What's the answer? Always a need to see the big picture and get perspective of the can do and cannot do and the wisdom to know the difference.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Humility requires forgiveness of everyone, stopping the blame game. When it comes to why we are addicts and alcoholics, and whoever may have been involved, if we do not see that we have a disease which can happen to anyone no matter what their background or history, it is difficult to forgive the actions of others and ourselves. Our part in matters and how to cope is all part of the twelve steps towards a more complete life, haphazard, full of mistakes, full of learning and full of forgiveness for oneself and other people doing the best they can now and in the past.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Humility and forgiveness: I say to myself at bedtime if I need to, "forgive everyone everything and if it's not a feeling of forgiveness tonight, fuck them and what they did, and try again tomorrow. Just because we know we should, the can do can take quite a while because we are human and need forgive ourselves first or we have no humility to forgive anyone else."</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">All human beings have an opinion, have beliefs and practice their opinions and beliefs in all their affairs. We would think that each of us can come to the same conclusion, and yet opinions and beliefs cause conflict every single moment. In our own world, where we are included and part of something, family community society, we do have a voice, at the same time we need to listen to all those included in our daily activities. If we fail to listen, we often find ourselves on the outside looking into situations and judging them badly.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:9a79bc1b-b36a-4893-afdf-45506f27e16d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-77074269368103667092014-11-18T11:06:00.001+00:002014-11-18T11:06:38.497+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 15 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 15 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:f7e1b0d3-1f72-47ae-a2a7-aa8d20fd09b3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rfeY7bBIPG4?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rfeY7bBIPG4?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video November 15 Video</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Prayer and meditation to whatever higher power you understand is so important. I wake up in the morning, sometimes very early due to insomnia. It's not that my head is full of thoughts which caused me grief, it simply that I have always been an insomniac, and then it's a choice what to do next. Dale Carnegie, he suggested, "If you cannot sleep, best to get up and do something useful." Most days this is fine, in the grip of the illness of addiction and alcoholism, this was not fine, trying to find oblivion by whatever means possible.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Over 7 billion people on the planet, and every single person comes to believe in something, and this is the basis of faith. I still find myself troubled, or used to find myself troubled by trying to understand God as you see it. My first step in understanding a higher power was made easy, realising if I were not God and you weren't either, between you and me, understanding the truth of now is made possible by sharing experience strength and hope. Surrendering to the truth shared by the many through experience strength and hope, is my way of understanding how God works through people. The experience strength and hope leads to wisdom as we find the truth of now. And the truth of now might be agreeable or disagreeable, it still remains the truth if truth is shared.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">So many meetings in recent days, and seeing many people I have not seen for a long time. The good fortune of many meetings in my local area means I hear experience strength and hope from many individuals on a daily basis. Recently, I have also been focused on family matters, my mother has been very ill, and is still very fragile and in need of further medical treatment. This can weigh heavy on one's mind, even though I know the can do and cannot do around my mum being ill. She is as frustrated as anyone about her situation, and sometimes long conversations can be very helpful for her and for me. I worry less knowing she is still breathing. And meetings help me find balance in my outlook. Sober first and then I can work out the can do and cannot do today, and also ask for help when I feel unable to absorb or work through the feelings I have. Not morbid at all, sometimes feelings are just overwhelming and take time to live through and then cope as life changes.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Understanding this emotional and spiritual journey is about coping with reality and when we cannot cope we share and listen and ask. And often the answers come about our own circumstances from listening when we can, and listening can be very difficult when we are focused on our own issues today. Prayer and meditation help: prayer to look outwards, meditation to reflect on the priorities today. Clarity comes when we routinely look outwards, and then understand the priorities with a quiet mind.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">When somebody asks me, "how are you feeling?" I often ponder for a moment before responding. Sometimes I hear people share that they are 150% great. A superhuman response. The brain capacity that we all have works at 100% all the time. Something we are forgetful about or misunderstand how emotional and spiritual works, feelings fitting the moment of now. Overworking our pride, ego and fear means we are not able to function with courage faith and confidence. And as each emotion rises and falls depending on our circumstances, we are working harder in one emotional area than another. And we can learn how our feelings are fitting in the moment of now, an angry encounter will reduce serenity to nil very quickly, and it can take a while to bounce back. That's life.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Paranoia came up this morning as a topic. Compared to the olden days of active addiction, paranoia in recovery can still occur but never the same levels under the influence. Unless of course somebody is out to get you, and then paranoia has its place. Fortunately, within Fellowship we can share about it, and maybe someone somewhere may have a useful suggestion. Not always in our time, but hopefully in time to help find our path to a better day, even if it is just for today.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:ea93b447-2010-4061-b75b-ecca665eb93d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-90765775372282914202014-11-13T10:08:00.001+00:002014-11-13T10:08:15.260+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 13 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 13 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:4874f2d0-abd0-4c32-82dd-75c9f1d1f163" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/N2QdhyM4J4c?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/N2QdhyM4J4c?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video November 13 Video</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Who gets hurt most when we become alcoholics and or addicts? And for the addict and alcoholic, who do we blame for our predicament? Two big issues out of many that we face in recovery. Fortunately we have the twelve step programs and fellowships to help.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">To admit and accept our predicament, the more we admit and accept on a daily basis, the more likely we come back to sobriety. More often than we might go out for some more research and self-harm because we become resentful about our condition and find ourselves in a state of rage which blocks any chance of listening to that inner voice which suggests going to a meeting. Addiction, our disease of denial can strike anyone anywhere, even when we are happy and sober, a careless whim can undo any person no matter how many years we have trodden a sober emotional and spiritual path.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Emotional and spiritual living, utilising the twelve steps to deal with the experience of life and cope with it in the moment. The wisdom comes in every moment of now, we can become more skilled dealing with life in the moment and coping with it. As long as we can remind ourselves on a daily basis, the basics of all the steps we are in with a good opportunity to keep on learning the wisdom to know the difference between what we can do and what we cannot do. And yet we might judge that we know better! And very often we do?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Even if we do know better, bringing everyone up to speed who is involved can be torture, simply because what we thought we knew was better is not agreeable to others. And this is the problem very often in recovery, we get a sense of knowing the answers and trying to come up with the answers before we have consulted the rest of the world. The loneliness of righteousness will not help any human being live a more complete emotional and spiritual existence. Simply we do not know the answers to situations until we are in the moment of now and being inclusive in our outlook with other people. Just because you judge it right, does not mean others will judge it like you do.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">I am really grateful for the meetings on my doorstep. Or rather I'm simply grateful that there are so many meetings and so many people with different outlooks to me. Every single meeting challenges my outlook, because I get to a meeting for judgement about my situation and what to do, and then I find myself like everybody else, in the moment of now and wondering how to cope with what next. Everyone seems to do better if they are not judging situations before they happen, and remain open to the opinion and judgement of other people involved in their lives. And this can be very frustrating when we have all the right answers! Fortunately I keep on learning that I don't have the right answers before events are happening these days and I don't need to judge before life continues for the rest of the day.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Recovery is amazing, to be included in life, rather than watching life and judging it good or bad or ugly. Being included and part of, not on the outside looking in, more likely on the inside finding out whatever the next steps might be. This would have gone completely against my outlook in past decades under the influence of old attitudes and behaviour, the old attitudes formed in a different era of my life.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">It is really good to be inspired by the sharing, some call it experience strength and hope, most often it is the hard edge of living in the moment of now. How lucky are we to be part of the human race, by being more human than we ever were before?</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:7c3c18e2-2f34-40a6-831c-f3561f102c8d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6404250295378878325.post-87241858690568078822014-11-07T09:26:00.001+00:002014-11-07T09:26:44.028+00:00Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 7 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Blog November 7 2014 "Truth Love Wisdom”</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Video November 7 Video</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:2724c827-5f0a-452d-99b1-230213a13a12" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cNroYyOi7eQ?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cNroYyOi7eQ?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Video November 7 Video</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">OMG step eleven: "sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out." Nobody in the fellowship has ever tried to impose their idea or understanding of their higher power upon me. I have asked for guidance on a daily basis to be able to define God, unfortunately, nothing absolutely nothing comes close. And yet, how often does God intervene in my life? Every single day of course.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I've been missing from Facebook for a number of weeks. Going to meetings every day, sometimes twice a day, simply because I feel better for them, keep my inner being balanced and helping face-to-face locally. And I simply seemed to need a break from writing about recovery, having done so on a daily basis for about ten years. And for seven years on Facebook. And yet every day, I hear wisdom and learn something new which helps me in recovery.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">The media, TV, newspapers and all sorts of politicians have been banging on about the nation's health. If it's not smoking, if it's not alcohol, if it's not sugar, and if it is not drugs, and if it's not exercise, it doesn't seem that human beings are doing anything to keep their health and sanity. And whatever we are doing to ourselves, the National Health Service cannot cope with it. What used to be coping mechanisms: alcohol, nicotine, sugar, drugs, lack of or too much exercise, and sex in my case as well, I only have myself to blame. The more we are made to blame ourselves for what were coping mechanisms, the more there is the likelihood that people will turn to these coping mechanisms in order to deal with life in general.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">The reason why I mention these comfort mechanisms, is simply because whatever a human does to keep themselves sane, can become insane addictive behaviour in the long run. Somehow in recovery, we learn what is good for us on a daily basis. Some things we need abstain. And with the passing of time, some things become less important. Underneath all this there is one thing which helps me keep learning what I can do and cannot do and the wisdom to know the difference. Some people call this God, some people find their own higher power. Usually the answer becomes apparent by finding the truth of now, how to love and be loved back and find useful things to do one day at a time.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Human beings were built with emotions which work in the moment of now, a mind which works and thinks in the moment of now in order to cope in the moment of now. In the moment if I know how I am feeling, know how I am thinking, I am more likely to cope in the moment of now. I've come to believe that truth love and wisdom work in the moment of now. And that truth love and wisdom often comes through listening to others. Gandhi once said, "God is truth and God is love." I do believe Gandhi was on track with this. I wake up in the morning full of beliefs and opinions, and I need often to surrender to the truth love and wisdom which I find comes through others, and often my beliefs and opinions are changed on a daily basis on personal matters and matters which impact on the whole of society.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma"> </font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">I surrender to the truth that I am an alcoholic in recovery. Step one: powerlessness and unmanageability comes when I do not accept the truth of my situation. And this can happen quite often if I am forgetful. I do rely on prayer and meditation, not an informal type of prayer and meditation which goes on all the time in my head, the inner voice of reason or unreasonableness. I rely on prayer for the good of everyone including me, and meditation, what can I do to be included and be part of something useful. Very simple to do and yet I can be so forgetful, I do need routine to remind myself of these simple and very helpful formal prayers and meditations. All about being included, being part of the solution and not being a problem to myself or others.</font></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; line-height: 13pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 14pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</font></span></p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:8314e1a9-e931-4e2b-8b41-d9de41a21852" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px"><div><object width="448" height="336"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/e4pFNPaw0aw?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="336"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Step Eleven Reading 12 & 12</div></div> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 12pt; text-autospace: ; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none" align="justify"><span style="font-family: ; line-height: 13pt"><font size="3" face="Tahoma">Alcoholics Anonymous Videos, AA is for Alcoholics, AA 12 Steps, Addiction And Recovery, DonInLondon, Don Oddy,</font></span></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> <p><font size="3" face="Tahoma"></font></p> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11612209078295041624noreply@blogger.com0