March 13 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 3 "Let Go" | 2012 | Today's AA daily reflection: "all about the world of the spirit." Spiritual understanding is only complicated when we try and emulate another person's understanding of "what is spiritual." Speaking only for myself, the best spiritual experience is: living in the moment where feelings fit reality. Any further complication or deeper explanation means I am further from the action of living in the moment of now where I learn what I can and cannot do and the wisdom to know the difference…
I was sitting on the embankment in Battersea Park. Taking photographs of everything and anything. A man approached me and we had a conversation about his wife and his family, nature and nurture. At the end, he asked me if I was a man of the cloth and I said no. He then said, "you are a spiritual person…" And I replied, "if living in the moment and experiencing everything as it is, good or bad then I'm making progress." For me everyone and everything is spiritual, I guess what matters is how I cherish my relationships with everything that is in the moment today…
"The usefulness of any vessel, is in its emptiness." There is a more complicated quote about this and I cannot remember it. It is relevant though when it comes to step three, letting go and letting in new experiences, new actions and of course, the consequences of what we do. People say that truth hurts, for me, falsehoods hurt more especially when I make them to others. Truth, love and wisdom are forever changing as we learn more about life…
Last night a meeting and a share about step six, removal of defects. My primary defects are extremes of fear, putting on a brave face and ego to cover up my ignorance of life or simply feeling inadequate. Contingent on the day I ask for help, defects are less extreme, and my step seven shortcomings, courage, faith and confidence can develop so I may find the truth and live it… I can be at sixes and sevens at any time if extremes are felt by me as a reaction to my situation…
DonInLondon 2005-2011
Not invented here...we know the answer and there is the problem. Knowing the answer often means we stop listening, then we start hurting as no one hears us. Then we assert to the point of defiance and stubborness. We hurt more, hurt ourselves and in justifiable anger hurt others. Blinded by knowledge, negative actions are easy to follow...
Spiritual is constant and always inside us and outside us ~ Buddha "Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life." -/- Let go self will let in new living, truth, love and wisdom of others, everything is spiritual, spiritual is what we do.. . What goes around comes around
I understand spiritual to be everything: unconditional love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control and humility. Any time I find I am selfish, dishonest, resent and fear to be a part of me, it too is spiritual. Sobriety and being spiritual is a lifelong process. Spiritual being continues, accepting there is nothing outside spiritual, it is my conduct and choices which make my life what it is today. ~ Marianne Williamson "The spiritual path - is simply the journey of living our lives. Everyone is on a spiritual path; most people just don't know it." -/-
Buddha "Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity. -/- Third Step Meditation
Don meditation ~ "With good conscience, I need live today as it may be, included and a part of life, with choices developing as life offers to the common good of humanity. I need be aware of the bondage of self will, know what I give, I may receive. Know I am human, that fear in me can evoke false bravery and ego. Courage, faith and confidence will help me live in peace with my fellows, as I learn truth, love and wisdom in the moment of now. Cherish always."
spiritus contra spiritum ~ from dry to sober to spiritual ~ " Maya Angelou "Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: "I'm with you kid. Let's go." -/- Humphrey Bogart (Rick): "My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters." Captain Claude Rains(Louis) : "The waters? What waters? We're in the desert." Humphrey Bogart (Rick): "I was misinformed." -/- Later... "Humphrey Bogart (Rick): Here's looking at you, kid. " -/- We may not realise we always live life on life's terms -/- Don
AA Daily Reflection: A WORLD OF THE SPIRIT We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84
The word “entered” . . . and the phrase “entered into the world of the spirit” are very significant. They imply action, a beginning, getting into, a prerequisite to maintaining my spiritual growth, the “Spirit” being the immaterial part of me. Barriers to my spiritual growth are self-centeredness and a materialistic focus on worldly things. Spirituality means devotion to spiritual rather than worldly things, it means obedience to God’s will for me. I understand spiritual things to be: unconditional love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control and humility. Any time I allow selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear to be a part of me, I block out spiritual things. As I maintain my sobriety, growing spiritually becomes a lifelong process. My goal is spiritual growth, accepting that I’ll never have spiritual perfection.
-/-
Step 3 "Let Go" Reading Video Link:
"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him"
-/-
I was sitting on the embankment in Battersea Park. Taking photographs of everything and anything. A man approached me and we had a conversation about his wife and his family, nature and nurture. At the end, he asked me if I was a man of the cloth and I said no. He then said, "you are a spiritual person…" And I replied, "if living in the moment and experiencing everything as it is, good or bad then I'm making progress." For me everyone and everything is spiritual, I guess what matters is how I cherish my relationships with everything that is in the moment today…
"The usefulness of any vessel, is in its emptiness." There is a more complicated quote about this and I cannot remember it. It is relevant though when it comes to step three, letting go and letting in new experiences, new actions and of course, the consequences of what we do. People say that truth hurts, for me, falsehoods hurt more especially when I make them to others. Truth, love and wisdom are forever changing as we learn more about life…
Last night a meeting and a share about step six, removal of defects. My primary defects are extremes of fear, putting on a brave face and ego to cover up my ignorance of life or simply feeling inadequate. Contingent on the day I ask for help, defects are less extreme, and my step seven shortcomings, courage, faith and confidence can develop so I may find the truth and live it… I can be at sixes and sevens at any time if extremes are felt by me as a reaction to my situation…
DonInLondon 2005-2011
Not invented here...we know the answer and there is the problem. Knowing the answer often means we stop listening, then we start hurting as no one hears us. Then we assert to the point of defiance and stubborness. We hurt more, hurt ourselves and in justifiable anger hurt others. Blinded by knowledge, negative actions are easy to follow...
Spiritual is constant and always inside us and outside us ~ Buddha "Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life." -/- Let go self will let in new living, truth, love and wisdom of others, everything is spiritual, spiritual is what we do.. . What goes around comes around
I understand spiritual to be everything: unconditional love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control and humility. Any time I find I am selfish, dishonest, resent and fear to be a part of me, it too is spiritual. Sobriety and being spiritual is a lifelong process. Spiritual being continues, accepting there is nothing outside spiritual, it is my conduct and choices which make my life what it is today. ~ Marianne Williamson "The spiritual path - is simply the journey of living our lives. Everyone is on a spiritual path; most people just don't know it." -/-
Buddha "Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity. -/- Third Step Meditation
Don meditation ~ "With good conscience, I need live today as it may be, included and a part of life, with choices developing as life offers to the common good of humanity. I need be aware of the bondage of self will, know what I give, I may receive. Know I am human, that fear in me can evoke false bravery and ego. Courage, faith and confidence will help me live in peace with my fellows, as I learn truth, love and wisdom in the moment of now. Cherish always."
spiritus contra spiritum ~ from dry to sober to spiritual ~ " Maya Angelou "Life loves to be taken by the lapel and told: "I'm with you kid. Let's go." -/- Humphrey Bogart (Rick): "My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters." Captain Claude Rains(Louis) : "The waters? What waters? We're in the desert." Humphrey Bogart (Rick): "I was misinformed." -/- Later... "Humphrey Bogart (Rick): Here's looking at you, kid. " -/- We may not realise we always live life on life's terms -/- Don
AA Daily Reflection: A WORLD OF THE SPIRIT We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84
The word “entered” . . . and the phrase “entered into the world of the spirit” are very significant. They imply action, a beginning, getting into, a prerequisite to maintaining my spiritual growth, the “Spirit” being the immaterial part of me. Barriers to my spiritual growth are self-centeredness and a materialistic focus on worldly things. Spirituality means devotion to spiritual rather than worldly things, it means obedience to God’s will for me. I understand spiritual things to be: unconditional love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control and humility. Any time I allow selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear to be a part of me, I block out spiritual things. As I maintain my sobriety, growing spiritually becomes a lifelong process. My goal is spiritual growth, accepting that I’ll never have spiritual perfection.
-/-
Step 3 "Let Go" Reading Video Link:
"Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him"
-/-
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