Even More Recovery Readings and Meditations - December

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December 13

Step by Step

“In our belief, any scheme of combating alcoholism which proposes to shield the sick man from temptation is doomed to failure. If the alcoholic tries to shield himself, he may succeed for a time, but he usually winds up with a bigger explosion than ever. We have tried these methods. These attempts to do the impossible have always failed.” – Alcoholics Anonymous, 3rd Edition, 1976, Ch 7 (“Working With Others”), p 101.

Today, recognize that we cannot shield ourselves from places or people that could trigger temptation because to do so is living in the problem of alcoholism and not in the solution of sobriety. I may well be required to attend gatherings where alcohol is available, or I may be in a relationship where my spouse or companion continues to drink. Shielding myself from any source of alcohol will undoubtedly limit my ability to carry out the command of the 12th Step – to work with others who are still drinking. While I certainly don’t want to risk temptation by returning to my past watering holes for a cup of coffee, I cannot reasonably expect myself never to be in a situation where alcohol is available. In those instances, then, I have AA to get through any temptation. It is up to me to invoke and put the steps to work. I am an alcoholic, but I am a recovering one. I have the choice to live with the problem of fighting temptation or with the solution of recovery. Today, I pick the latter. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

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~ A YEAR OF MIRACLES ~ (Meditations Written by Members of Nicotine Anonymous) ~

One may know how to gain a victory, and know not how to use it.

~ PEDRO CALDERON DE LA BARCA ~

All those wasted years I smoked from my teens into my late forties. It was inevitable for me as the child of two heavy smokers. I lived in the lie of believing that smoking tobacco was helping me live a better life, at such a high cost in so many ways that only smokers understand. So many wasted feelings numbed with the drug nicotine.

Thank God for our Twelve Steps and Fellowship to guide me away from my drug and toward each other and God. After almost nine years of living free of nicotine, I know with certainty this is the best way to live, free from addiction and living with God as I understand God, trying to “do the next right thing.”

Today, I am grateful for smobriety and being able to share this precious life.

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~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

ENVY

There is not a passion so strongly rooted in the human heart as envy.

~ Richard Sheridan ~

In the past when we drank, used, or misbehaved, our self-worth was beaten down to the point of feeling less than everyone around us. We wallowed in feelings of worthlessness, awkwardness, sadness, and self-pity. We were envious of those who had what we wanted.

Envy brought hatred, jealousy, anger, fear, disrespect, and distrust. We wished failure and disaster on people who had become successful or had gained in any way.

Before the Program, we wanted what others had, but we didn’t know how to get it. Now we’re happy with the miracles we receive in recovery. We have discovered that doing is more important than having and experiencing is more important than possessing.

Today, I’ll remember when I practice love, caring, and sharing, I experience little envy.

by Anonymous
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~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.

~ Marcel Proust ~

We have awakened with new eyes as men with new lives. We are walking in the same world but seeing it with new clarity. We were asleep in the darkness, pursuing pleasures that ultimately brought only pain and pursuing control over that which could not be controlled. What once was confusing and beyond the grasp of our understanding we now find simple and interesting in the bright sunlight of our new lives. This path of healing is based on honesty with ourselves and acceptance of our powerlessness.

On this path we feel like real human beings. We may see that we have much work to do, but we have hope for our lives. Healing has become an exciting adventure. We are gaining a sense of self-esteem, our friendships are deeper, and we are more productive at work. When we feel discouraged, we have new choices for handling our feelings.

Today I am grateful to be awake and to see the world with new eyes.

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~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

When I started feeling the pain of my story, my healing process began.

~ Helen Neujahr ~

Healing is a crucial element in our recovery, and the Fourth and Fifth Steps are oftentimes the catalyst to get the process going. Doing a careful Fourth-Step inventory helps us to recognize the sources of our wounds. Sharing our darkest secrets in a Fifth Step takes away some of the shame that has kept us sick.

Forgiving ourselves for our past transgressions is a hurdle we must clear in order to sustain the healing process. The bonds of intimacy we are forging with other women help us know how very alike we are. None of us are without a tarnished past. Sharing our stories will help us heal.

Forgiving the other significant people in our lives is also necessary for real healing to occur. The past abuse we may have suffered left scars. But we can heal. We can help each other heal too. The Steps and our Higher Power will guide us.

Sharing some of my story with another person today will help both of us heal.

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~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I know what I need to do

Some days I wonder, What did I do to deserve this dual disorder? Sometimes I am hard on myself and think, People don’t get this sick without a reason. With thoughts like these I feel ashamed and guilty.

But in recovery I need to counteract these messages. It helps when I recall a most important lesson: Even though I may feel bad, and even though it feels like people may treat me differently, I am not a bad person. I do not deserve my dual illnesses. They are not my fault. Instead of giving in to guilt, fixating on the negative, my task is to work my dual recovery program daily, to simply do the best I can.

Today I will make a list of all the steps I am taking to recover from my illnesses.

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~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Believe that life is worth living and your belief will help create the fact.

~ William James ~

We have a choice today. We can look at our lives as drudgery and the tasks before us as painful and hopeless, or we can choose to take the high road. We change a lot in recovery. We have decided that sobriety is better than active addiction. This decision itself is our affirmation that life is worth living.

Now we are not only beginning to see the real value in ourselves and our lives, we are starting to add to that value. We feel and share our feelings now; we have friends who care about our struggles; we have hope; and we have a Higher Power helping us feel at home in the universe. These are all tangible results of a simple belief — that life has more to it than pain and the denial of addiction. Each time we act on this belief we add more to our lives.

When we do simple, caring things for ourselves — like going for a walk, taking time for a long bath, or for communing with our Higher Power — we place ourselves more squarely in our new lives. By growing spiritually we enhance not only our own joy but the joy of those around us.

Today help me create another layer of happiness in my life by taking time for myself.

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~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

No individual raindrop considers itself responsible for the flood.

~ Author unknown ~

A story has been told about a young girl who loved to play the piano. Her mother bought tickets to see a famous pianist perform. On the night of the concert, the mother took her daughter into the grand venue. They found their seats, and the girl sat spellbound as she stared at the piano onstage. When the mother spotted a friend in the audience, she left her daughter alone for a few moments. Then the lights flickered to signal the concert was about to begin. The mother returned to her seat and found her daughter missing. As she was about to alert an usher, she heard a familiar song being played on the piano.

A hush fell over the crowd and everyone looked to the stage. The girl sat hunched over the piano keys, slowly tapping out her practice piece. Before anyone could escort the girl offstage, the pianist walked over to her. He observed her, then joined her at the piano and whispered something in her ear. The girl stopped playing.

Then, together, the great pianist and the novice played her simple piece together. A few times the grand master placed his hands over hers and guided her movements. When the song was concluded, the audience erupted in wild applause.

I am ready to give newcomers a helping hand.

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~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

We cannot build until we have laid foundation stones. We add to our foundations every time we meet our difficulties well, however insignificant they may be.

~ Charles B. Newcomb ~

A house without a foundation will not last. As the ground shifts in hot and cold weather, so will the floors. The wood placed upon the ground will rot. The rooms will be cold and damp with no protection from the temperature of the ground. Before the program, we were houses without foundations.

A house built with a strong foundation will provide warmth in the winter and coolness in the summer. Though the ground may shift, the foundation will absorb the movements and keep the rooms level and unharmed. The foundation will protect the precious wood. In the program, we are houses with foundations.

The strength of our foundations will depend on our commitment to recovery. If we keep the program ever in our lives, work the Steps, and take regular inventory of our progress, our foundations will be strong and durable. They will protect our houses through all kinds of weather for a long time.
Tonight I can make repairs upon my foundation and strengthen it.

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~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

Although we know that on some level we are always connected, our most common experience is one of estrangement.

~ MARGOT ADLER ~

Newcomer

I’ve had a huge disappointment in my life recently. The details may be too private to share at a meeting, but not sharing them is making me feel more and more distant.

Sponsor

Our own preferences determine how much detail we feel comfortable sharing at meetings. Numerous details may not be necessary, however, for the process of sharing to help us begin to heal. Simply speaking up is always useful; just sharing a few words about how we’re feeling today can accomplish a lot. It’s a way of saying, “I’m here today; I’m a part of this group of recovering people; I’m staying sober- no matter what.” It can keep us from isolation and self-pity.

It is important to share the details of whatever may be having an impact on our lives in recovery with at least one other person. Conversations with a sponsor, a trusted friend, a therapist, or a spiritual adviser are essential. While such conversations may not give us solutions to our problems, they can be a source of support as we find our own way to solutions. Writing about our experiences and speaking with our Higher Power in prayer can also help us go through challenging events in recovery. We don’t have to struggle on our own.

Today, my sober life includes people with whom I can share in depth.

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~ THE EYE OPENER ~

One of the great satisfactions resulting from sobriety is the ability to drop into bed at night with the knowledge that the day has been completed, all chores finished and no regrets.

There will always be affairs to be taken care of on the morrow, but we know that tomorrow will find us physically and mentally prepared for most any eventuality. Remorse and Fear are no longer our bedfellows.

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~ WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG BOOK ~ (Official & Unofficial Sloganeering From the 12 Step Programs) ~

1) Heal(ing): God has no reproach for anything that God has healed.

2) Opinion(s): Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.

3) Silence: You may often regret your speech, never your silence.

by Shelly Marshall

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~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

God of Our Life

God of our Life,
There are days when the burdens we carry
Hurt our shoulders and weigh us down,
When our lives have no music in them
And our hearts are lonely.
Flood our path with light, we pray.
Turn our eyes to where the skies are full of promise;
Tune our hearts to brave music;
Give us a sense of fellowship with others,
And lift our spirits so we may encourage
Others who journey with us on the road of recovery.

~ Adapted from writings by St. Augustine ~

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~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

PRACTICE MAKES REAL

The only part of our religion that is real is the part we express in our daily lives. Ideals that we do not act out in practice are mere abstract theories. Actually, such pretended ideals are a serious detriment, because they drug the soul.

If you want to receive any benefit from your religion you must practice it; and the place to practice it is right here, where you are; and the time to do it is now.

A writer on prayer has said: “Knead love into the bread you bake; wrap strength and courage in the parcel you tie for the woman with the weary face; hand trust and candor with your coin you pay to the man with the suspicious eyes.” This sums up the Practice of the Presence of God.

Give to him that asketh thee…(Matthew 5:42).

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~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Goods for Guns

The nations shall beat their swords into plowshares.

~ Isaiah 2:4 ~

An amazing phenomenon is sweeping the country. In many cities, police departments are offering valuable donated merchandise in exchange for street guns. Many thousands of people have traded in dangerous weapons for tickets to sporting events, stereo equipment, and discount coupons on valued commodities. On a news program, I saw a huge pile of guns that had been voluntarily turned in.

The Goods for Guns program is built on a key principle: Bad habits do not leave unless we have something more positive with which to replace them. If you want to lose weight, it is not enough to just despise your excess weight; it is only when you embrace a vision of yourself at your ideal weight that you gain the leverage to shed the unwanted pounds. If you want to take a dangerous object out of the hand of a child, he will cry if you yank it away Give him another toy that he enjoys, and he will not miss the first one.

The mind needs something to chew on, and it is just as willing to chew on dog food as fine cuisine. If you are plagued by negative or self-destructive thinking, you will not succeed by trying to simply stop your mind; you must fill it with something more productive. When the mind begins to worry or chatter with self-criticism or doubt, immediately substitute thoughts that will take you where you want to go, such as “Peace, Be still, I walk in love,” or “God is the source of all supply.” If you are vigilant and diligent, eventually the constructive thinking will take root, and you will automatically think with truth, not against it.

I open myself to positive living and feed my mind and heart with healing thoughts and visions.

The word of God is my strength.