Monday, December 30, 2013

Alcoholic Anonymous - Daily Ponderables - Together we trudge the Road of Happy Destiny – Monday, 30 December 2013 Daily Reflections

Alcoholic Anonymous - Daily Ponderables - Together we trudge the Road of Happy Destiny – Monday, 30 December 2013
Daily Reflections
ANONYMITY
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.(ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, page 564)
Tradition Twelve became important early in my sobriety and, along with the Twelve Steps, it continues to be a must in my recovery. I became aware after I joined the Fellowship that I had personality problems, so that when I first heard it, the Tradition's message was very clear: there exists an immediate way for me to face, with others, my alcoholism and attendant anger, defensiveness, offend-ego-deflator; it relieved my anger and gave me a chance to utilize the principles of the program. All of the Steps, and this particular Tradition, have guided me over decades of continuous sobriety. I am grateful to those who were here when I needed them.(From the book Daily Reflections © Copyright 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.)
Twenty-Four Hours A Day
A.A. Thought for the Day
To the extent that I fail in my responsibilities, A.A. fails. To the extent that I succeed, A.A. succeeds. Every failure of mine will set back A.A. work to that extent. Every success of mine will put A.A. ahead to that extent. I shall not wait to be drafted for service to others, but I shall volunteer. I shall accept every opportunity to work for A.A. as a challenge, and I shall do my best to accept every challenge and perform my task as best I can. Will I accept every challenge gladly?
Meditation for the Day
People are failures in the deepest sense when they seek to live without God's sustaining power. Many people try to be self-sufficient and seek selfish pleasure and find that it does not work too well. No matter how much material wealth they acquire, no matter how much fame and material power, the time of disillusionment and futility usually comes. Death is ahead, and they cannot take any material thing with them when they go. What does it matter if I have gained the whole world, but lost my own soul?
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I will not come empty to the end of my life. I pray that I may so live that I will not be afraid to die.(From the book Twenty-Four Hours a Day © Copyright 1975 by Hazelden Foundation)
NA - Just for Today
Action and Prayer
"... growth is not the result of wishing but of action and prayer"(Basic Text, pages 35-36)
Sometimes it seems as if our recovery is growing much too slowly. We struggle with the steps; we wrestle with the same problems; we labor under the same uncomfortable feelings day after day. We wish that recovery would move a little faster so we could find some comfort!
Wishing doesn't work in recovery; this isn't a program of magic. If wishes cured addiction, we all would have been well long ago! What does give us relief in recovery is action and prayer.
Narcotics Anonymous has worked for so many addicts because it is a carefully designed program of action and prayer. The actions we undertake in each of the steps bring more and more recovery to each area of our lives. And prayer keeps us connected to our Higher Power. Together, action and prayer keep us well-grounded in recovery.
Just for today: My recovery is too precious to just wish about it. Today is a good day for action and prayer.((page 380)From the book Just for Today © Copyright 1991-2013 by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.)
Thought for Today
"All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."(Francis of Assisi)
Buddha/Zen Thoughts
Even though the training in ethics takes many forms, the ethics of abandoning the ten non-virtues is their basis. Of the ten non-virtues, three pertain to bodily actions, four to verbal actions, and three to mental actions.
The three mental non-virtues are:
1. Covetousness: thinking, "May this become mine," desiring something that belongs to another.
2. Harmful intent: wishing to injure others, be it great or small injury.
3. Wrong view: viewing some existent thing, such as rebirth, cause and effect, or the Three Jewels*, as non-existent.
The opposite of these ten non-virtues are the ten virtues, and engaging in them is called the practice of ethics.
*The core of Buddhism: Buddha, his doctrine (Dharma), and the Spiritual Community.(From "The Pocket Dalai Lama," edited by Mary Craig, 2002. Reprinted by arrangement with Tambala Publications, Boston, www.tambala.com.)
Native American
"Always remember that the Great Mystery is good; evil can come only from ourselves!"(Grandmother of Charles Eastman. SANTEE SIOUX)
The Great Mystery is love, good and principle. He is a guiding Father. He doesn't play games. He knows only how to love. Sometimes, when things go wrong, we blame Him or others. Usually, if we are honest, we can see how decisions or things done in the past put us in a position to be hurt. It comes back to us. When this happens, it is not something the Creator caused, but something we, ourselves caused. Most of our problems are of our own making. When this happens, we should correct what we've done, ask the Great Spirit for forgiveness and pray for guidance in the future.
My Creator, bless me with Your good.
Keep It Simple
Keep It Simple.(AA slogan)
Addiction messed up our thinking. We know that from taking Step One. We forgot things. We had blackouts. We made excuses, and we even started to believe them. We were mixed up. We couldn't figure things out. We decided to get high and forget about it. Now our minds are clear. We can keep thinking clearly if we work our program and Keep It Simple. Don't drink or use other drugs. Go to meetings. Work the Steps. Be yourself. Ask for help. Trust your Higher Power. Two thoughts will always mess us up if we let them in. They are "Yes, but..." and "What if?" Don't let them in. Keep It Simple.
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, thanks for recovery. Help me stay sober and clean today.
Action for the Day: Today, I'll take one thing at a time and Keep It Simple.
Big Book
"Suppose we fall short of the chosen ideal and stumble? Does this mean we are going to get drunk. Some people tell us so. But this is only a half-truth. It depends on us and on our motives."(Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, Page 70)
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If you're not enjoying your sobriety it's your own damn fault

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