May 22 2012 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 5 Admit And Accept Alcoholics Anonymous Today's AA daily reflection: "step one, we…" A wonderful relief in living life is when we are included, able to rebuild relationships if possible, able to start building new relationships with new people. It is so important to accept its okay to know nothing to start learning something new about living with people again…
How wonderful it is to start to learn about ourselves and about what makes people tick. We find some surprises in sobriety, that nobody is perfect, but self-interest and self-obsession take quite a while to subside. The AA pledge, "I'm responsible when anyone anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of AA always to be there and for that I'm responsible." If I cannot hold my hand out on any given day or it may be inappropriate, I hope I can find a man or woman who can…
Step one is a wonderful and truly liberating process of understanding what it is to be powerless over alcohol and if I take a drink life will get unmanageable. For me it is much more than this, I don't need power over anything anymore be it people, places or things. This is not in the big book of AA, it comes from the collective wisdom I see around me where people let go and give the same considerations to each other, included and a part of something bigger and not controlling anything or anyone…
When I see people struggling to find sobriety, it is not for me to judge or criticise. It is a time to love and cherish, to support and hold and to share how it works, and my experience strength and hope. The way Fellowship works, we hear our story from another person and how it works for them. We lead by example and not directing or controlling. As we learned to grow in recovery, we let go and hope that others struggling can find their path. Truth, love and wisdom are our guides today…
DonInLondon 2005-2011
Freedom to learn who we are today. In fellowship we lean on the many with experience, strength and hope. Always the many voices of wisdom in recovery. Interdependent we find balance in our outlook. No longer fixing with alcohol, a person, place or thing. Serenity? Can do, cannot do and wisdom to know the difference...
We admit we are human, we can change... Step 5, expression of who we have been, the problem... Who we are and into solutions, from isolation to inclusion... We let go self-prejudice, self-hate, then work and live reality; we become extraordinarily ordinary, learning life step by step...
Self-acceptance offers freedom... Letting go old tortures. The start of a lifelong practice of sharing when we feel shame or guilt, if react badly rather than respond. We can love others and hate their behaviour, we can work on ourselves and change our behaviour... love and choices today
AA Daily Reflections ~ "STEP ONE WE . . . (The first word of the First Step) TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 21
When I was drinking all I could ever think about was “I, I, I,” or “Me, Me, Me.” Such painful obsessions of self, such soul sickness, and such spiritual selfishness bound me to the bottle for more than half my life. The journey to find God and to do His will one day at a time began with the first word of the First Step . . . “We.” There was power in numbers, there was strength in numbers, there was safety in numbers, and for an alcoholic like me, there was life in numbers, If I had tried to recover alone I probably would have died. With God and another alcoholic I have a divine purpose in my life . . . I have become a channel for God’s healing love."
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AA Daily Reflection:
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May 22 2007
Faith Courage & Confidence DonInLondon ‘Day In the Life’
Step seven in our fellowship is pretty important as a balance between this step and step six. These forgotten steps of AA as they are often referred to means we don’t forget them…
Step Seven
“Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings”
Now what are these shortcomings? In the broadest sense I am still a learner by the way, the shortcomings for me and how I understand it, is about faith, courage and confidence which leads to self-esteem.
As to how we get away from the defects of character in step six, which means for me too much ego, fear and bravery, and then I would obviously prefer courage faith and confidence.
In the past much of my life was about coping strategies and hanging on for grim death, like I needed to succeed at all costs. Succeeding and getting things done often meant I would toil as if life depended and keep on going when others might give up and move on. I only realised how much I clung on and would have been better served letting go and making new paths and new endeavours.
The truth
It does sting sometimes and actually more often these days where I realise the power we may have through material means is lost and we must rely on our confidence faith and courage. I felt like I had bucket loads as a kid, and younger person. I don’t know what fantasy I made up, but in it I was valiant and right minded. But actually these days I realise as we get more power in the eyes of others it’s the power they fear and not the person. The person is often merely a figurehead and we can dislike them, when in fact a whole regime is wrong and we need move on and preserve our good conscience.
Good Conscience
Like tonight I heard much and listened intently to what was being said. It seems these last few days I can listen and learn and accept more, and then see how I am changing my attitudes and behaviour. I am nowhere near scientific, but I detect movement one way and another to courage faith and confidence.
Good Conscience, for me its exploring the path of doing simply the next right thing. Not trying to be this or that. And there are many things I am learning each and every day.
Tonight, after the meeting my neighbour came to pick up post and they have moved. I am invited to a birthday party for their son. And I feel gratitude for being invited and really appreciate them asking. Friendship and fellowship. So appealing because it’s what life is all about. And of course making a contribution and being a part of it.
And I feel calm and still there are misgivings in me and concerns for others as well as me. In the day though and pretty much normal.
The Bridge to Normal Living
This is fellowship speak for getting along and doing and being involved as we can as we are able. Some things change as we get right sized. Acceptance is far more achievable, like all the elements of living. It’s harder work to find the balance and I know this from experience. And also recognising just what is possible, as well as appropriate.
I am feeling humble and at the same time enthused to be a part of so much. Fellowship is what we decide to make it, and as we have just one day to worry about in reality then we can do as we may to make it work for ourselves and those we are involved with.
I mentioned ages ago it feels like, no one said I had to build the bridge as well, but this is as It may be. And then connections and inclusion become easier and more productive. Inclusion for the right reasons and in good conscience seems to be ingrained.
I hope these transitions continue as next steps become more open and obvious. I am aware though there will be surprises along the way, and that is as life unfolds. I know my health is always an issue these days. At the same time endeavour is the key, as is routine and care for not only me but family and everyone.
No man is an Island…
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AA Official Site Daily Reflections
AA Official Online Site: Big Book And Twelve And Twelve
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"Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Chapter 6, Into Action, Big Book From: Page 72 Thru: Page 75, the bottom of the page. 12 And 12 Step 5."
May ~ All About Step Five:" Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs"
Step 5 "Admit And Accept" Reading Video Link:
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May ~ Video Reading Chapter Six Into Action Link:
I do not speak for Alcoholics Anonymous I speak for myself. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of unique and authentic people who speak for themselves where they will to share experience, strength and hope about recovery on a daily basis. Anonymity affords
sanctuary to find how to live sober and be open, honest and willing to learn life day by day. For me "truth," "love" and "wisdom" offer the best spiritual experience by living reality today. Into the fabric of recovery from alcoholism are woven the Twelve Steps and the
Twelve Traditions, steps to be open, honest and willing to learn, traditions to live unity, service and recovery.
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Spiritual principles ~ Forgiveness Acceptance Surrender Faith Open-mindedness Honesty Willingness Moral-inventory Amends Humility Persistence Spiritual-growth Service
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