Wisdom Of The Rooms - 2020

[bluidkiti]

May 18

Quote of the Week

"When I’m filled up with me, there is no room for God."

This quote reminds me of the story of a novice who once met with a Zen master for tea. As the novice went on and on about everything he thought he knew about the practice and meaning of Zen, the master just kept pouring tea into his cup until it overflowed onto the tray. The master then just kept pouring. Finally, shocked, the novice stopped talking and asked the master why he continued pouring when the cup was obviously full. The master replied, “You are like the cup. Your mind is so full of ideas and preconceptions that I cannot pour anything new into it.” The master then stood up and left.

When I got into recovery, I was also a novice. In the beginning, I was so full of my own selfish ideas, needs, and demands that I couldn’t take in much recovery. The best I could do was to stay sober one day at a time. Thankfully, this was enough for me to realize that I didn’t have all the answers, and by continuing to come to meetings, I became humble enough to listen and learn a new way of life. By working the Steps, I was slowly able to empty myself of me, which created room for God to come into my life.

Today, it’s still easy for me to get wrapped up in my own life, my old ideas, and silly demands. What saves me—what always works to empty myself of me—is to work with others. As soon as I get together with a sponsee or with someone else at a meeting, I am instantly emptied of ego, and God rushes into that void. Suddenly I become calm, useful, and genuinely concerned with helping somebody else. And it is in this state that the miracle of recovery takes place. They say Alcoholics Anonymous is simply one drunk taking to another, and that is the simple truth and power of the program. It all starts by emptying myself of me and allowing in God and others.