2014 Full Daily Blog Link: http://donoddylondon.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/alcoholics-anonymous-blog-december-31.html December 31 2013 [ Full daily blog: http://donoddylondon.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/alcoholics-anonymous-dec-31-doninlondon.html ] | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 12 Living Principles Alcoholics Anonymous Today’s Daily Reflections 2012: “our emotional and spiritual development, with help of fellowship, for a whole day!” I attended two fellowship meetings yesterday, the first all about living in the moment, and living in the solution. The second, all about living in the moment and living in the solution… Same message in two meetings, and for me fantastic reinforcement in what I believe. And emphatically, a fellowship with one primary purpose. And emphatically one fellowship with many faiths. My faith? Learning what the next right thing may be in the moment of now…
One fellowship, many faiths… From religious, to secular, to living in the moment of now and being able to cope. However we do it, thinking always leads back to control. Understanding our emotional and spiritual is all part of meditation. Trying to think our emotions and what they ought to be will yield nothing. Trying to understand our mood in the moment of now is always the starting point when it comes to formal meditation for me. How am I feeling? Why and what to do next. Right now I feel good, so likely my thinking is good and my intentions and actions are likely to be good. Looking outwards, open honest and willing to be helpful as I am in life and part of society today…
One of the speakers yesterday mentioned that the fellowship of AA was their primary source in recovery. And over the years they had been to many different fellowships for different addictions to substance and behaviours. I must say I have attended other fellowships, and that the core of all fellowships are the twelve steps to live a life with freedom of choice. In my case, the fellowship of AA provides an answer to addiction relating to any substance and any behaviour around people places and things. One fellowship for everything. And yet I know, every fellowship has its place for those of any background needing particular help with particular addictions. One fellowship is no better nor worse than the other. My only advice, do one set of steps, and learn the principles, the principles work if we work them one day at a time…
The best advice, keep on listening, keep on relating and find like-minded individuals in recovery, who can help you for a day. Sponsors can help, and also sponsors can hinder. Sponsors in an ideal world can help you learn the steps and traditions in the fellowship. How we then live the principles, the twelve steps and see how the twelve traditions fit into the framework of our living will always be a unique experience for each individual. One fellowship, learning by experience, becoming stronger and more hopeful and so many ways to live sober as there are people in fellowship. Our good fortune is we learn what we can do and cannot do on a daily basis, we learn to cope with reality, we learn that love is always at the core of our existence…
Humility… Learning to ask for help from anyone anywhere about anything which impacts on anyone today. Asking for help, powers up the people around us, powering up the people around us to help us is a key to opening the doors to new living and new possibilities. Asking for help means we will have to sort, and sift as we often can be overwhelmed with suggestions and solutions. We still need to work at solutions and the power that works through people will only diminish if we are selfish and remain dormant. Humility, this impacts on our courage, faith and confidence to keep on taking another step, a new path, retracing our steps when needed, and learning what works in life one day at a time…
The last day of my regular daily reflections and the start of my sabbatical to explore interests and possibilities. Sharing experience, strength and hope openly since 2004, has taken many hours a day, writing and sharing and replying privately to many fellow travellers in recovery over the years. So many places to share and so many people sharing their wisdom openly wherever they feel able has helped me enormously in recovery. At the same time, where would I be without face-to-face contact, and the benefit of loving friends close? I would not be here without their help one day at a time. And face-to-face, recovery in the moment, with love at the core works in the ever present, imperfectly perfect moment of now… Treasured and cherished companion’s trudging the road of destiny together with love always… May your God, may your good, may your good conscience be with you today and every day…