Blog entries

Daily Reflections 2012/02/08

Xavier T. — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:48:54 +0100

FEBRUARY 8

CONVINCING "MR. HYDE"

Even then, as we hew away, peace and joy will still elude us. That's the place so many of us A. A. oldsters have come to. And it's a hell of a spot, literally. How shall our unconscious—from which so many of our fears, compulsions and phony aspirations still stream —be brought into line with what we actually believe, know and want! How to convince our dumb, raging and hidden "Mr. Hyde" becomes our main task.

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February 8 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012

DonInRecovery — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:15:34 +0100

February 8 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 | Today's AA daily reflection: "all about Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde." We could also say, "Mr Wright and Mr Wrong, Ms Wright and Ms Wrong." And yet we know there is no right and wrong in recovery, simply endeavouring to be open honest and willing to change. Dr Jekyll, the good in us, Mr Hyde the bad in us. Mr Hyde with all natural instincts distorted and confounding! Even those of us who are good have a little bit of bad depending on the situation. A...

Daily Reflections 2012/02/07

Xavier T. — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:20:20 +0100

FEBRUARY 7

A PATH TO FAITH

True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every A.A. meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to Him.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 33

My last drunk had landed me in the hospital, totally broken. It was then that I was able to see my past float in front of me. I realized that, through drinking, I had lived every nightmare I had ...

February 7 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012

DonInRecovery — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:43:02 +0100

February 7 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 | Today's AA daily reflection: "humility can lead us to faith." All my life I was a learner, not necessarily learning life too well, more survival skills than anything else. Humility is being able to keep on learning how to live well for me these days. Humility offers release from having to know the answers and having to know the questions. And the question of faith? Faith in whatever you cho...

Daily Reflections 2012/02/06

Xavier T. — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:38:29 +0100

FEBRUARY 6

A RALLYING POINT

Therefore, Step Two is the rallying point for all of us. Whether agnostic, atheist, or former believer, we can stand together on this Step.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 33

I feel that A.A. is a God-inspired program and that God is at every A.A. meeting. I see, believe, and have come to know that A.A. works, because I have stayed sober today. I am turning my life over to A.A. and to God by goin...

February 6 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 |

DonInRecovery — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:11:47 +0100

February 6 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 | Today's AA daily reflection all about: "unity, service and recovery." Together in unity we share experience strength and hope, a common language of recovery. And knowing when we do service, simply by attending a meeting, being part of the service committee, putting out chairs, greeting, making tea… We work and believe in helping each other one day at a time.

My home group meeting: and a brilliant chair all ab...

Daily Reflections 2012/02/05

Xavier T. — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:59:40 +0100

FEBRUARY 5

A GLORIOUS RELEASE

"The minute I stopped arguing, I could begin to see and feel Right there, Step Two gently and very gradually began to infiltrate my life. I can't say upon what occasion or upon what day I came to believe in a Power greater than myself, but I certainly have that belief now. To acquire it, I had only to stop fighting and practice the rest of A.A. 's program as enthusiastically as I could."

TWELVE STE...

February 5 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012

DonInRecovery — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:53:17 +0100

February 5 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 | Today's AA daily: "a glorious release" was the beginning of freedom on a daily basis from the slavery of addiction to alcohol. In my early days, it did not feel glorious at all. I will still full of old beliefs, attitudes and behaviour which were not bad in balance simply complete blocks in my recovery. The old ideas: standing on my own two feet and being strong, resilient and stubborn and not a quitter. The glorious release, becoming open hon...

Daily Reflections 2012/02/04

Xavier T. — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:41:35 +0100

FEBRUARY 4

WHEN FAITH IS MISSING

Sometimes A.A. comes harder to those who have lost or rejected faith than to those who never had any faith at all, for they think they have tried faith and found it wanting. They have tried the way of faith and the way of no faith.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 28

I was so sure God had failed me that I became ultimately defiant, though I knew better, and plunged into a final drinking binge...

February 4 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012

DonInRecovery — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:31:54 +0100

February 4 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 | Today's AA daily: "when faith is missing." Faith was certainly missing from my life from the very beginning. No understanding of God, or simply mistrust of anything religious. And an understanding driven home by real-life that hard work, doing the right thing and standing on my own two feet would lead to success. Coming into recovery, I had no blame attached to anyone but me for my predicament. In early days, the evidence that sobriety was pos...

Daily Reflections 2012/02/03

Xavier T. — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 21:53:40 +0100

FEBRUARY 3

FILLING THE VOID

We needed to ask ourselves but one short question. "Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?" As soon as a man can say that he does believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on his way.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 47

I was always fascinated with the study of scientific principles. I was emotionally and physically distant fr...

February 3 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012

DonInRecovery — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:33:59 +0100

February 3 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 | Today's AA daily reflections: "filling the void" strikes me on many levels in recovery. The amount of time I spent drinking in those last dark days left no room for me let alone anyone else. I became a 24 seven drinker. When I stopped, the immense gap and emptiness felt like a minute was an hour, an hour felt like a day and a week felt like a year-long. As time has passed, I never seem to have enough time to do all the things that are possible...

Daily Reflections 2012/02/02

Xavier T. — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:08:27 +0100

FEBRUARY 2

RESCUED BY SURRENDERING

Characteristic of the so-called typical alcoholic is a narcissistic egocentric core, dominated by feelings of omnipotence, intent on maintaining at all costs its inner integrity. . . . Inwardly the alcoholic brooks no control from man or God He, the alcoholic, is and must be the master of his destiny. He will fight to the end to preserve that position.

A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 311

The great mystery ...

February 2 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012

DonInRecovery — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 08:50:50 +0100

February 2 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 | today's AA daily reflection: "rescued by surrendering" was very difficult for me, to be rescued from myself. All my life taught to be strong and independent in thinking and action. Standing on my own two feet with a "stiff upper lip" and "a brave face" I would face anything and everything. The idea of being vulnerable and unable to sort myself out meant I isolated and drank because I could not stop. Saved by a simple understanding, "I cannot d...

Daily Reflections 2012/02/01

Xavier T. — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:41:54 +0100

FEBRUARY 1

GOAL: SANITY

". . . Step Two gently and very gradually began to infiltrate my life. I can't say upon what occasion or upon what day I came to believe in a Power greater than myself, but I certainly have that belief now."

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 27

"Came to believe!" I gave lip service to my belief when I felt like it or when I thought it would look good. I didn't really trust God. I didn't believe He cared for ...

February 1 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012

DonInRecovery — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 09:55:21 +0100

February 1 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 2 | 2012 | Step 2 "Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity" Admitting and accepting that I am powerless over alcohol and if I drink again life will be unmanageable. That is step one, and I remind myself of this choice every day. Our whole program of recovery is simply one day long. If I do not remind myself, I can be very forgetful and find myself in a problem, rather than living in the solution today…

A...

Daily Reflections 2012/01/31

Xavier T. — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:28:23 +0100

JANUARY 31

OUR COMMON WELFARE COMES FIRST

The unity of Alcoholics Anonymous is the most cherished quality our Society has . . . We stay whole, or A. A. dies

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 129

Our Traditions are key elements in the ego deflation process necessary to achieve and maintain sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous. The First Tradition reminds me not to take credit, or authority, for my recovery. ...

January 31 | AA 12 Steps In Action | 2012 |

DonInRecovery — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:35:45 +0100

January 31 | AA 12 Steps In Action | 2012 | Powerless over alcohol, people, places and things is my daily reminder. And I know I need to learn powerlessness over computers if I don't read the instructions. Which helps me realise there are steps and an order if life and anything is to be manageable. Humour, powerlessness and unmanageability are a constant reminder of what I can and cannot do today…

Today's AA daily reflections: "our Common welfare comes first" is about unity, service ...

Daily Reflections 2012/01/30

Xavier T. — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:29:20 +0100

JANUARY 30

FREEDOM FROM . . . FREEDOM TO

We are going to know a new freedom. . . .

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 83

Freedom for me is both freedom from and freedom to. The first freedom I enjoy is freedom from the slavery of alcohol. What a relief! Then I begin to experience freedom from fear—fear of people, of economic insecurity, of commitment, of failure, of rejection. Then I begin to enjoy freedom to—free&s...

January 30 | AA 12 Steps In Action | 2012 |

DonInRecovery — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 08:37:17 +0100

January 30 | AA 12 Steps In Action | 2012 | Today's AA daily reflection: "freedom from and freedom to?" It can be very difficult in my experience to feel any freedom at all in early days of recovery. Which is why hope is so important and was so important. Hearing people share their stories, experience of recovery in the fellowship of AA, eventually started to make a difference to me. Simply one day at a time, not needing to drink was key. I still had many wants, wanting to be well, wanting a roo...