Daily Reflections & Daily Readings

[MandiH]

October 24~NA Just For Today

Responsibility

“We are not responsible for our disease, only for our recovery. As we begin to apply what we have
learned, our lives begin to change for the better.”
Basic Text, p.88

The further we go in recovery, the less we avoid responsibility for ourselves and our actions.

By applying the principles of the Narcotics Anonymous program, we are able to change our lives.

Our existence takes on new meaning as we accept responsibility and the freedom of choice responsibility implies. We do not take recovery for granted.

We take responsibility for our recovery by working the Twelve Steps with a sponsor. We go to meetings
regularly and share with the newcomer what was freely given to us: the gift of recovery. We become
involved with our home group and accept responsibility for our part in sharing recovery with the stillsuffering addict.

As we learn how to effectively practice spiritual principles in all areas of our lives, the quality of our lives improves.

Just for today: Using the spiritual tools I’ve gained in recovery, I am willing and able to make responsible
choices.

[MandiH]

October 24~Walk In Dry Places

Light for Dark corners

Honesty

Newspaper writers know that there’s usually a future story in the “dark side” of any person who is being
lavishly praised in the media. That’s because almost every person has a “dark side” or secrets that are
carefully guarded.

We should look for such dark corners in our own lives. Most of us are not public figures fearing
exposure, but recovering people seeking to stay sober and healthy.

We can begin to illuminate our dark corners by discussing our secrets with others. This does not
necessarily eliminate whatever shortcoming is involved, but our honesty is a step in the right direction.

False pride may also play a part in keeping dark secrets from others, causing fear that others might see us as we really are. Thus, learning to confront and confess our dark sides can lead to victory over both fear and pride.

I’ll strive today to be honest about any weaknesses or wrongs that I’ve been concealing. Under the light of such honesty, my dark secrets can be transformed.

[MandiH]

October 25~Daily Reflections

A.A.'s HEARTBEAT

Without unity, the heart of A.A. would cease to beat; . . .
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 125

Without unity I would be unable to recover in A.A. on a daily basis. By practicing unity within my group, with other A.A. members and at all levels of this great Fellowship, I receive a pronounced feeling of knowing that I am a part of a miracle that was divinely inspired. The ability of Bill W. and Dr. Bob, working together and passing it on to other members, tells me that to give it away is to keep it. Unity is oneness and yet the whole Fellowship is for all of us.

From the book Daily Reflections.
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

[MandiH]

October 25~Language Of Letting Go

Letting Go of the Past

In thy book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

— PS. 139:16

Some people believe that each of our days were planned, Divinely Ordered, before we were born. God knew, they say, and planned exactly what was to transpire.

Others suggest we chose, we participated in planning our life—the events, the people, the circumstances that were to take place, in order to work through our issues and learn the lessons we needed to master.

Whatever our philosophy, our interpretation can be similar: Our past is neither an accident nor a mistake. We have been where we needed to be, with the necessary people. We can embrace our history, with its pain, its imperfections, its mistakes, even its tragedies. It is uniquely ours; it was intended just for us.

Today, we are right where we need to be. Our present circumstances are exactly as they need to be—for now.

Today, I will let go of my guilt and fear about my past and present circumstances. I will trust that where I have been and where I am now are right for me.

[MandiH]

October 25~Walk In Dry Places

Different routes to alcoholism

Understanding powerlessness

While alcoholics have much in common, the personal stories heard at AA open meetings show that we took different routes to alcoholism. Some became out-of-control drinkers almost from the beginning.

Others lost control slowly after years of seemingly moderate drinking.

These differences are underscored by the fact that we also differ in physical and emotional traits. Some
alcoholics, for example, were so emotionally disturbed that they became problem drinkers from the very start.

Some appeared to “have it all together,” yet became alcoholics after retirement or some other change
in life patterns.

Whatever the route taken, we share in common our individual powerlessness at the time we knocked on
AA’s door. And the solution for each of us was the same: sobriety in AA.

The risk in listening to such different personal accounts is that some of us twist these differences into “proof” that we are not alcoholics. The reward of such sharing , however, is learning that we do have a
common problem and that there is a solution that fits everyone, in spite of our diffences.

I’ll remember today that I came to AA because I was powerless over alcohol. That has not changed.

[MandiH]

October 26~Daily Reflections

ONE ULTIMATE AUTHORITY

For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority — a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 132

When I am chosen to carry some small responsibility for my fellows, I ask that God grant me the patience, open-mindedness, and willingness to listen to those I would lead. I must remind myself that I am the trusted servant of others, not their “governor,” “teacher,” or “instructor.” God guides my words and my actions, and my responsibility is to heed His suggestions. Trust is my watchword, I trust others who lead. In the Fellowship of A.A., I entrust God with the ultimate authority of “running the show.”

From the book Daily Reflections.
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

[MandiH]

October 26~Language Of Letting Go

Clarity

I know better than to not trust God. But sometimes, I forget that.

When we are in the midst of an experience, it is easy to forget that there is a Plan. Sometimes, all we can see is today.

If we were to watch only two minutes of the middle of a television program, it would make little sense. It would be a disconnected event.

If we were to watch a weaver sewing a tapestry for only a few moments, and focused on only a small piece of the work, it would not look beautiful. It would look like a few peculiar threads randomly placed.

How often we use that same, limited perspective to look at our life—especially when we are going through a difficult time.

We can learn to have perspective when we are going through those confusing, difficult learning times. When we are being pelleted by events that make us feel, think, and question, we are in the midst of learning something important.

We can trust that something valuable is being worked out in us—even when things are difficult, even when we cannot get our bearings. Insight and clarity do not come until we have mastered our lesson.

Faith is like a muscle. It must be exercised to grow strong. Repeated experiences of having to trust what we can’t see and repeated experiences of learning to trust that things will work out, are what makes our faith muscles grow strong.

Today, I will trust that the events in my life are not random. My experiences are not a mistake. The Universe, my Higher Power, and life are not picking on me. I am going through what I need to go through to learn something valuable, something that will prepare me for the joy and love I am seeking.

[MandiH]

October 26~NA Just For Today

The Path To Self-Acceptance

“The most effective means of achieving self-acceptance is through applying the Twelve Steps of
recovery.”~IP No.19, “Self-Acceptance”

Our addiction has been a source of shame to many of us. We have hidden ourselves from others, sure that if anyone got to know who we really were they would reject us. NA helps us learn self-acceptance.

Many of us find a great deal of relief just from attending meetings, hearing fellow addicts share their stories, and discovering that others have felt the same way we feel about ourselves.

When others share honestly with us who they are, we feel free to do the same.

As we learn to tell others the truth about ourselves, we learn to accept ourselves.

Self-disclosure, however, is only the beginning.

Once we’ve shared the things that make us uncomfortable with our lives, we need to find a different way to live - and that’s where the steps come in.

We develop a concept of a Higher Power. We inventory our lives, in detail, and discuss our inventory with our sponsor.

We ask the God of our understanding to remove our character defects, the shortcomings that are the
source of our troubles.

We take responsibility for the things we’ve done and make amends for them. And we incorporate all these disciplines into our daily lives, “practicing these principles in all our affairs.”

By working the steps, we can become people we are proud to be. We can freely tell the truth about
ourselves, for we have nothing to hide.

Just for today: I will walk the path to self-acceptance. I will show up, tell the truth, and work the steps.

[MandiH]

October 27~Daily Reflections

GLOBAL SHARING

The only thing that matters is that he is an alcoholic who has found a key to sobriety. These legacies of suffering and of recovery are easily passed among alcoholics, one to the other. This is our gift from God, and its bestowal upon others like us is the one aim that today animates A.A.'s all around the globe.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 151

The strength of Alcoholics Anonymous lies in the desire of each member and of each group around the world to share with other alcoholics their suffering and the steps taken to gain, and maintain, recovery. By keeping a conscious contact with my Higher Power, I make sure that I always nurture my desire to help other alcoholics, thus insuring the continuity of the wonderful fraternity of Alcoholics Anonymous.

From the book Daily Reflections.
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

[MandiH]

October 27~Language Of Letting Go

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.

— STEP ELEVEN OF AL-ANON

“Praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out” means that we ask on a daily basis to be shown the plan for that day. We also ask our Source for the power we need to carry that through. We will get a yes to both requests.

We do not ask other people to show their will for us. We ask God. Then we trust that we’ll be empowered to carry God’s will through.

God never, never asks us to do anything that He would not equip us to do. He never asks us to do anything we can’t do. If we are to do it, we will be empowered. That’s the easy part of this program. We never have to do more than we can, or anything we can’t. If we want to worry and fuss we can, but we don’t need to. That is our choice.

I have learned, through difficult and good times, that this Step will carry me through. When I don’t know what to do next, God does. Working this Step, one day at a time, will take us to places we could never have traveled on our own. Simple acts, done daily in accordance to God’s will for us, lead to a Grand Plan for our life.

Today, I will focus on asking God to show me what He wants me to do. I will ask God for the power to do that; then I will go ahead and get the job done. God, help me let go of my fears about living life one day at a time. Help me trust that when life is lived simply and in trust, a beautiful mosaic called “my life” will be woven. I am being divinely led, guided, and cared for.

[MandiH]

October 27~Keep It Simple

An excuse is worst and more terrible than a lie.—Alexander Pope

Excuses. They’re lies. We use excuses to hide from ourselves. Maybe we don’t want to be honest about
our anger. So we say someone else made us angry. Maybe we don’t want to admit how mean we can be.
So we pretend we have no part in what happens.

Excuses keep us from ourselves. They keep us from our High Power.

A lot of our program is about looking at ourselves.

Steps Four, Five, and Ten tell us to be honest about our excuses. We can be honest because we are good people. We are loved.

Prayer for the day: Today, I’ll say the serenity Prayer: God grant me the serenity to accept the things I
cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Action for the Day: I’ll list my five most often excuses. Then, I’ll share them with my friends, family, and sponsor. I’ll ask them to tell me when I make excuses.

[MandiH]

October 27~Each Day a New Beginning

Problems have only the size and the power that you give them. --S. H.

We will not be free from all difficulties today, or during any period of our lives. But we have the personal power to eliminate the threat, the sting of any challenge.

It’s our vision of circumstances that gives them their interpretation.

At this moment, we are defining our experience. We are labeling events good or bad, valuable or
meaningless. And our growth, particularly this day, is greatly influenced by the value judgments we attach to our experiences.

As we grow stronger emotionally and spiritually, we learn that all difficulties are truly opportunities for
exceptional growth and increased awareness of the truth of existence. All experiences can be taken in
stride if we are trustful of their intended blessing.

We are sharing this life, every moment of it, with a power greater than ourselves. We need not worry
about any circumstance. Always we are watched over. We never need struggle alone.

We can let go of our problems. It’s ourselves and that attitude we have cultivated that makes any situation a problem. We can turn it loose and therein discover the solution.

I will not make mountains out of the molehills of my life.

[MandiH]

October 28~Daily Reflections

AN UNBROKEN TRADITION

We conceive the survival and spread of Alcoholics Anonymous to be something of far greater importance than the weight we could collectively throw back of any other cause.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 177

How much it means to me that an unbroken tradition of more than half a century is a thread that connects me to Bill W. and Dr. Bob. How much more grounded I feel to be in a Fellowship whose aims are constant and unflagging. I am grateful that the energies of A.A. have never been scattered, but focused instead on our members and on individual sobriety.

My beliefs are what make me human; I am free to hold any opinion, but A.A.'s purpose —so clearly stated fifty years ago — is for me to keep sober. That purpose has promoted round-the-clock meeting schedules, and the thousands of intergroup and central service offices, with their thousands of volunteers. Like the sun focused through a magnifying glass, A.A.'s single vision has lit a fire of faith in sobriety in millions of hearts, including mine.

From the book Daily Reflections.
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

[MandiH]

October 28~Language Of Letting Go

Meditation and Prayer

The Eleventh Step asks us to meditate as a route to improving our conscious contact with God.

Meditation is different than obsessing or worrying. Obsession and worrying are fear connections. Meditation means opening our mind and our spiritual energy to the God connection.

To connect with God, we need to relax as best we can and open our conscious and subconscious mind to a Higher Consciousness—one that is available to each of us.

In the busyness of our day and life, it may seem like a waste of time to slow down, to stop what we’re doing, and take this kind of break. It is no more a waste of time than stopping to put gas in our car when the tank is almost empty. It is necessary, it is beneficial, and it saves time. In fact, meditation can create more time and energy than the moments we take to do it.

Meditation and prayer are powerful recovery behaviors that work. We need to be patient. It is not reasonable to expect immediate answers, insight, or inspiration.

But solutions are coming. They are already on the way, if we have done our part—meditate and pray—and then let the rest go.

Whether we pray and meditate first thing in the morning, during a coffee break, or in the evening is our choice.

When our conscious contact with God improves, our subconscious contact will too. We will find ourselves increasingly tuned in to God’s harmony and will for us. We will find and maintain that soul connection, the God connection.

Today, I will take a moment for meditation and prayer. I will decide when and how long to do it. I am a child and creation of God—a Higher Power who loves to listen and talk to me. God, help me let go of my fears about whether or not You hear and care. Help me know that You are there and that I am able to tap into the spiritual consciousness.

[MandiH]

This morning, the reading has me reflecting on step 11. “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.”

This often goes with the St. Francis prayer:

I’m reminded today that to do God’s will, I must listen. Consciously connect. Ask. And try to get myself out of the way to follow God’s will, not mine. So this morning, I am consciously connecting, reciting that prayer and asking to be shown where I am meant to be for that to happen in the best way possible.

[MandiH]

October 29~Daily Reflections

OUR SURVIVAL

Since recovery from alcoholism is life itself to us, it is imperative that we preserve in full strength our means of survival.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 177

The honesty expressed by the members of A.A. in meetings has the power to open my mind. Nothing can block the flow of energy that honesty carries with it. The only obstacle to this flow of energy is inebriation, but even then, no one will find a closed door if he or she has left and chooses to return. Once he or she has received the gift of sobriety, each A.A. member is challenged on a daily basis to accept a program of honesty.

My Higher Power created me for a purpose in life. I ask Him to accept my honest efforts to continue on my journey in the spiritual way of life. I call on Him for strength to know and seek His will.

From the book Daily Reflections.
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

[MandiH]

October 29~Language Of Letting Go

Acceptance

A magical potion is available to us today. That potion is called acceptance.

We are asked to accept many things: ourselves, as we are; our feelings, needs, desires, choices, and current status of being. Other people, as they are. The status of our relationships with them. Problems. Blessings. Financial status. Where we live. Our work, our tasks, our level of performance at these tasks.

Resistance will not move us forward, nor will it eliminate the undesirable. But even our resistance may need to be accepted. Even resistance yields to and is changed by acceptance.

Acceptance is the magic that makes change possible. It is not forever; it is for the present moment.

Acceptance is the magic that makes our present circumstances good. It brings peace and contentment and opens the door to growth, change, and moving forward.

It shines the light of positive energy on all that we have and are. Within the framework of acceptance, we figure out what we need to do to take care of ourselves.

Acceptance empowers the positive and tells God we have surrendered to the Plan. We have mastered today’s lesson, and are ready to move on.

Today, I will accept. I will relinquish my need to be in resistance to myself and my environment. I will surrender. I will cultivate contentment and gratitude. I will move forward in joy by accepting where I am today.

[MandiH]

October 29~Keep It Simple

Each morning puts a man on trail and each evening passes judgment. ~Ray L. Smith

In many ways, the Tenth Step is very natural. We continue to take a personal inventory.

And when we’re wrong, we promptly admit it.

At the end of each day we ask ourselves, “How did my day go?” As we think about our day, we bring
order to our life. The Tenth Step teaches us about order. It also teaches us how to correct mistakes.

We do this by admitting our wrongs. This way, we have no backlog of guilt. It’s good to start each day fresh, free from quilt.

Admitting our wrongs is a loving thing to do. It’s another way the program teaches us to love
ourselves.

Prayer for the Day: Today, I’ll face many choices. Higher Power, be with me as I choose. When the day
is done, remind me to think about how I lived today. This will help me learn.

Action for the Day: Tonight, I’ll list three choices I made today. Would I make the same choices again?

[MandiH]

October 30~Daily Reflections

LIVE AND LET LIVE

Never since it began has Alcoholics Anonymous been divided by a major controversial issue. Nor has our Fellowship ever publicly taken sides on any question in an embattled world. This, however, has been no earned virtue. It could almost be said that we were born with it. . . . “So long as we don’t argue these matters privately, it’s a cinch we never shall publicly.”
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 176

Do I remember that I have a right to my opinion but that others don’t have to share it? That’s the spirit of “Live and Let Live.” The Serenity Prayer reminds me, with God’s help, to “Accept the things I cannot change.” Am I still trying to change others? When it comes to “Courage to change the things I can,” do I remember that my opinions are mine, and yours are yours? Am I still afraid to be me? When it comes to “Wisdom to know the difference,” do I remember that my opinions come from my experience? If I have a know-it-all attitude, aren’t I being deliberately controversial?

From the book Daily Reflections.
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

[MandiH]

October 30~Language Of Letting Go

Self-Value

We have a real life of our own. Yes, we do.

That empty feeling, that sense that everyone except us has a life—an important life, a valuable life, a better life—is a remnant from the past. It is also a self-defeating belief that is inaccurate.

We are real. So is our life. Jump into it, and we’ll see.

Today, I will live my life and treasure it as mine.