Even More Recovery Readings and Meditations - December

[bluidkiti]

December 30

Step by Step

Today, I awaken with full memory of last night but, if not, the day that awaits offers a chance for another beginning. Grant me the wisdom and courage to seize the opportunity to continue or even begin to work toward something better, something I thirst and hunger for – sobriety, serenity, peace, calm, a worthy self-image, and a sense of gratitude that I am here even to be given yet another second chance. My best hope for what I seek is AA and its steps and principles and, today, may I finally decide that enough is enough of the alcoholic hangover and all the garbage that comes with it. But let me be disciplined enough, too, to understand that what sobriety and recovery offer comes with a price – to be of service to anyone who needs and wants what I seek. Today, I have yet another chance for another new beginning. Don’t let the lifeboat go by without me on board. And our common journey continues. Step by step. – Chris M.

********************************************

~ A YEAR OF MIRACLES ~ (Meditations Written by Members of Nicotine Anonymous) ~

At the end of my life I will not be asked, “why were you not Moses?” I will be asked “why were you not Zusya?”

~ RABBI ZUSYA ~

It is useful to stop and reflect on the growth I have gained since I quit using nicotine. What a terrible pun. Yes, I have had some growth I will want to drop. When it is the right time I will diet and return to my best weight. I will not allow weight gain to sabotage my new freedom from nicotine.

Getting on with the idea of reflecting on the progress since quitting: Have I discovered any insights to enjoying life? Certainly 1 have found physical benefits. I do not wake up with a groggy brain now, to name just one. But how about the hope I now feel? I am no longer causing constant damage to my body. The damage will be healed as I stay quit. I also have relief from my worries about my addiction.

What if I have seriously harmed my body already? I could say, “fine, there’s no point in quitting, is there? I might as well keep on.” One Nicotine Anonymous member had already lost one lung when she joined the Program. She explained that her new-found recovery was precious to her, and she refused to lose it by going back to the nicotine addiction. I need to recognize progress before I can place a value on it.

Today, I will take a moment to congratulate myself and reflect on my lessons learned. I enjoy real satisfaction for the physical and personal progress I find.

********************************************

~ EASY DOES IT ~ (A Book of Daily 12 Step Meditations) ~

NO EASY SOLUTION

There is no chemical solution to a spiritual problem.

~ Anonymous ~

We are faced with a dilemma in recovery. On the one hand, we have a physical disease that will kill us if it is not treated. On the other hand, medical science knows of no cure for our physical malady. The real problem for us is spiritual in nature. That is why the medical profession can’t cure us. Until we treat the symptoms, there can be no cure. The solution to the real problem is the long-term treatment of our spiritual lives, and this can only begin when we quit using.

We have watched men and women stop without getting into recovery. Their lives do not become that much better. They are usually said to be on a “dry drunk.” The stoppage of the disease halts its progression. The recovery Program promotes long- term treatment.

What an order! I can’t go through with this. There is no easier, softer way. There is no pill I can take to make me better. There is no chemical solution to a spiritual problem.

********************************************

~ WISDOM TO KNOW ~ (More Daily Meditations For Men) ~

Being on the tightrope is living everything eke is waiting.

~ Karl Wallenda ~

In walking a tightrope, a person has to learn to relax while going forward in a situation filled with risk. If he is tense and keeps his body rigid, he will lose his balance and fall. But if he stays relaxed and keeps his muscles loose while remaining very focused, he can continuously respond and readjust his balance while walking. Then he will experience the exhilaration of success. This is a perfect metaphor for life itself, for growing in an intimate relationship and for growing in recovery.

Life itself is a risk. When we hold on too tight, remain too guarded, and anxiously try to control every factor, we become stiff and reactive rather than calm, focused, and responsive. The guidance of this path teaches us to let go of our anxieties and leads us to peace of mind. When we learn to do that, we can deftly walk our path and more effectively maintain our balance in dealing with whatever comes up.

Today I will calm myself while walking on my path. 

********************************************

~ A WOMAN’S SPIRIT ~ (More Meditations For Women) ~

No matter what happens, I must get on with my life.

~ Ruth Humlecker ~

Life is full of uncertainties: people we love come and go, opportunities knock and then disappear, jobs sour, and goals become unachievable. We are forever adjusting to the unexpected. However, remembering that there is one constant in our lives, a Higher Power who will support and guide us, helps us accept whatever comes our way.

There is no conspiracy against us. It may feel that way when we are overwhelmed by or unprepared for a crisis. But there is a plan for us. And it fits only us. The most productive lesson we can learn is to trust that this is so. We can learn to appreciate every experience for the part it plays in our lives.

Our lives continue to unfold. Each day brings us closer to the woman we are destined to be. Let’s get on with it!

No matter what happens, I am in good hands. My course has been set. I’ll look for the good in all of today.

********************************************

~ TODAY I WILL DO ONE THING ~ (Daily Readings for Awareness and Hope) ~

I feel much better about myself these days

For some time, my psychiatric illness and addiction affected each other. A setback to psychiatric illness was usually followed by a relapse to my addiction; relapse was followed by a new setback. I could not deal with both illnesses at the same time. I felt trapped in a downward spiral and I felt I was a failure.

But getting into dual recovery has reversed that spiral, one day at a time. With the help of my higher power, I am coming to accept myself and the dual recovery process. I am working a Twelve Step program and getting help for my psychiatric illness. Merely facing my dual illnesses was tough, but I am proud of how far I’ve come. These days I feel renewed strength and confidence.

I will practice keeping notes on my stages of growth; they will give me courage in the future.

*******************************************

~ BODY, MIND, AND SPIRIT ~ (Inspiration and Support for Recovery) ~

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

~ Albert Einstein ~

When we were children we had hobbies or other activities that were special to us: building models, reading, cooking, playing with certain toys, woodworking. In recovery we often find ourselves returning to these or finding new hobbies. Hobbies give us a way to relax, improve ourselves, and create something — all at the same time.

Hobbies, we find, are as important now as they were when we were young. Maybe more important, because they help us rediscover our inner child and our sense of play and fun. They can help us forget our troubles and relax. They help us focus our attention in the present, and when our worries fade away, our bodies relax and renew themselves. Hobbies are an unending source of imagination, pride, and accomplishment. Whether our hobby is something we do alone or in a group, it gives us renewed feelings of satisfaction and pride as well as relaxation.

Today help me discover a new hobby or activity to enrich my life.

********************************************

~ MORNING LIGHT ~ (Meditations to Begin Your Day) ~

In trying to make something new, half the undertaking lies in discovering whether it can be done.

~ Helen Gahagan Douglas ~

New Year’s Eve marks a time in which you can put the past year behind you and celebrate the beginning of a fresh, new year. You can celebrate this New Year’s Eve sober while still enjoying a variety of activities.

• Sober dances and gatherings planned by your meet-ing or other AA groups provide opportunities to be in alcohol- and drug-free environments.

• Host an alcohol-free dinner with your friends in the program.

• Use the end of the year as a time in which to reflect upon the past year. Think about the good things that have happened, what you have accomplished, and the new friends you have.

• If you like to make resolutions, think about some of the things you would like to accomplish in recovery. Strive to keep these resolutions simple and easy to achieve so you begin your new year with success.

I will welcome the new year clean and sober.

********************************************

~ NIGHT LIGHT ~ (A Book Of Nighttime Meditations) ~

I wish you the courage to be warm when the world would prefer you to be cool.

~ Robert A. Ward ~

For years we listened to the demands of the world and tried to meet them. We may have listened to our parents and did what they told us to do. We may have heard the needs of a lover or friend and tried to meet them all. We may have even paid heed to absolute strangers, making changes in ourselves to honor their opinions.

Like a reptile, we may have absorbed the temperature of our surroundings and adjusted our body temperature accordingly. We may have found comfort in being warm when the world was warm or being cool when the world was cool.

But tonight we can, in the words of Thoreau, march to a beat of a different drummer. We can say no when others want to hear yes. We can set limits when others ask too much. We can even be warm when the world wants us to be cool. Others don’t have power over us anymore. Only we have power over ourselves.

Tonight I won’t let anyone or anything have power over the way I feel. I can feel warm or cool—it’s my choice.

********************************************

~ DAY BY DAY ~ (Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts) ~

Being friends

When we were using drugs we had many friends, many party friends. They were our friends until the bad times came. Where were they then? With our new understanding, friends take on a new meaning. Friend-ships become spiritual in nature. Are we ready to have friends?

Like begets like. If we are friendly, we will have friends. We needn’t impose ourselves on friends but rather create hope and help in their lives. A kind word here, a brotherly act there—not great deeds, just accessibility. This is how we make ourselves worthy of being called friend.

Am I a true friend?

Higher Power, may I be able to offer hope and help and acts of kindness to the ones I call friends.

Today I will befriend

God help me to stay clean and sober today!

********************************************

~ IF YOU WANT WHAT WE HAVE ~ (Sponsorship Meditations) ~

There is a love like a small lamp, which goes out when the oil is consumed; or like a stream, which dries up when it doesn’t rain. But there is a love that is like a mighty spring gushing up out of the earth; it keeps flowing forever, and is inexhaustible.

~ ISAAC OF NINEVEH ~

Newcomer

The changes I’ve been through in recovery so far are beyond anything I could have predicted when all I imagined was getting some control over my addiction. I never expected to let other people into my life. I never expected to find a Higher Power.

Sponsor

Our Higher Power has been with us from the beginning. Beneath our craving for an addictive substance or behavior, there has always been a craving for connection with our deepest selves.

In recovery, we have begun to know ourselves at the level of soul. We’ve experienced our connection with the rest of humanity and prayed to be useful to others. We’ve forgiven ourselves and others for being imperfect. We sense the mystery of the recovery that was offered to us, and we’re beginning to know something about gratitude. I’ve heard an old-timer in recovery sum it up this way: “It’s just love. All of it is about love.”

We know the love that flows from a Power greater than ourselves when we look at the faces and hear the words of other recovering people. We can tap into this unending stream of love whenever we go to a meeting.

Today, I open myself to the love in this program.

********************************************

~ THE EYE OPENER ~

If man was created by God in the image of God, and did not possess human frailties, he would be God. All men would then be perfect and Heaven would exist here on earth. There would be no logical reason for it to operate simply as a branch of Heaven.

With our limited understanding of God’s purpose, we must suppose that man was intended from the very first to work out his own evolution. The reason this process has required so many centuries has been man’s persistence in the exercise of his puny little will as opposed to the Will of God. That we are less than God is due to our freedom of choice between being one with God and our attempt to play God.

********************************************

~ WALK SOFTLY AND CARRY A BIG BOOK ~ (Official & Unofficial Sloganeering From the 12 Step Programs) ~

1) Simple: Recovery really is simple; it’s just not always easy.

2) Working with Others: If you’re not working with others, then others will be working with you.

3) MISQUOTED SLOGANS: Thirst things first.

by Shelly Marshall

********************************************

~ The 12 STEP PRAYER BOOK ~ (A Collection of Favorite 12 Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings) ~

Humility

Humility is perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be worried or angered, irritable or distressed, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised,- it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and about seems troubled.

~ Inscription on Dr. Bob’s desk plaque, author unknown ~

********************************************

~ AROUND THE YEAR WITH EMMET FOX ~ (A Book of Daily Readings) ~

THE PATH OF LOVE

All the old traditions tell us that there is more than one path to the great Goal. Just as there is more than one road up every great mountain, and yet all roads meet at the top, so in the spiritual quest there are several roads, all of which lead in due season to the one great End.

There is the path of knowledge. True knowledge of divine things is one of the appointed paths to attainment; but that path is by no means for everyone. And there is the pathway of action—of organized activity—and the world needs this too; but this again usually calls for a special gift, and special circumstances in which to apply it. And there are others.

The shortest and the easiest pathway of all is the pathway of Love. It is the one pathway that is open to all, irrespective of what their personal conditions or circumstances may be. For everyman, everywhere, the true attainment awaits through the yoga of Love, for yoga means union and it is our union with God that makes the attainment possible.

There is no fear in love; but Perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. . . (1 John 4:18).

. . . God is Love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him (1 John 4:16). 

********************************************

~ A DEEP BREATH OF LIFE ~ (365 Daily Inspirations for Heart-Centered Living) ~

Pushing the Envelope

The darkest hour is just before the dawn.

~ Anonymous ~

The most powerful way to overcome fear is to make friends with it. Instead of labeling fear as your enemy recognize that it is bringing you a gift. Whenever you feel afraid, you are approaching the edge of your perceived safety zone. But your “safety zone” is just a tiny portion of the world that is available to you. A Course in Miracles asks us to remember, “I am in danger nowhere in the universe.” If you never tested your limits, you would never grow. The ego, intent on keeping you small, fixed, and miserable, shrieks, “You must not step across this line!” What the ego does not tell you is that on the other side of the line awaits freedom, not death.

The presence of fear means that you are pressing against the invisible membrane that smallness warns you not to pass. Be grateful that you have come to this point and have not stayed bound in the little world of inadequacy

A time of hardship or darkness is an initiation. You are being tested and strengthened to move ahead to a new level. The blackest night gives way to the brightest day. As I look back on my times of great challenge, I recognize that they were soon followed by significant growth. If you’re going through such a time, hang in there. Instead of cursing your situation, bless it as a harbinger of the dawn. You are not being punished; you are really getting somewhere. The world is not unfair; it would be unfair if it let you live in fear. You are not being crushed; you are being squeezed through the birth canal. The flip side of every death is a new life. Claim the presence of good, and your transition will be much easier. Thank God for the opportunity to dump fear and walk in the light you deserve.

Help me to find the gift in my challenges.

All experiences strengthen me as I grow into the light.