Daily Reflections reading January 15th
An Unsuspected Inner Resource
With
few exceptions our members find that they have tapped an unsuspected inner
resource which they presently identify with their own conception of a Power
greater than themselves. ALCOHOLICS
ANONYMOUS, pp. 569-70
From my first days in A.A., as I
struggled for sobriety, I found hope in these words from our founders. I often
pondered the phrase: “they have tapped an unsuspected inner resource.” How, I
asked myself, can I find the Power within myself, since I am so powerless? In
time, as the founders promised, it came to me: I have always had the choice
between goodness and evil, between unselfishness and selfishness, between
serenity and fear. That Power greater than myself is an original gift that I
did not recognize until I achieved daily sobriety through living A.A.’s Twelve
Steps.
© Alcoholics Anonymous World
Services
My
thoughts on January 15th Reading
Pages 569-70 are all about the terms spiritual experience and spiritual awakening used many times in the big book, Reading the big book shows that the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism has manifested it self among us in many different forms
It gives me the impression personality changes, or religious experiences,
must be in the nature of sudden and spectacular upheaval, like Bill W. white
light experience, Thank God everyone does not have to have this white light
spiritual experience
When I first arrived at the doors of AA I found by going to meetings I
saw a spiritual awareness in people there, my friends were aware of the
difference long before I was, I also gradually realize I was slowly changing my
attitudes towards the steps of recovery
What took place in me could have been accomplished on my own resources
alone, I like some many found a great inner resource from the people in these
meeting, they showed me how to identify with my own thoughts of a Power greater
than myself
Many in meeting expressed this awareness of a higher power was the
essence of a spiritual experience, some more religious members call it God-consciousness,
what ever it was I know I wanted it desperately I was capable of honestly
facing my problems
I could not close my mind to any spiritual concepts, I could be defeated
by an attitude of intolerance or belligerent denial, because I sure was that
belligerent one, coming through the doors I found I did not need have difficulty, I started with in the
spirituality of the program
Willingness and honesty, with an open mind are the essentials of
recovery, these are indispensable a conscious awareness that of by ourselves we
cannot win the battle over alcoholism, that no power on earth could help me in
my recovery
When I awakened in spirit, I was consciously aware of
my true identity and when consciously aware of my true identity, I no longer
felt a need for emotions of anger, fear, resentment, depression, victimization,
separation, or hate all of witch I had before AA
I recognize my oneness with God as I now understand
Him, this allows me to accept choices of others I recognized we all travel on
different levels of conscious awareness, we all react or respond to the actions
of others in different ways
Reactions are part of our ego, reactions are almost
always made on the defensive, reactions are emotions in action, a person who is
aware try’s not to react, bur instead try’s to act upon a situation seeking our
a solution everyone can live with
if we are trying to extinguish a fire we would not
throw more fuel into the flame, anger is not extinguished with anger,
bitterness is not burnt away with more bitterness, a new way of looking is the
only way to change the situation
It was easy to blame others for my misery, it was
easy because it removes responsibility from me and places it somewhere else,
awareness requires of me to be responsible for my thoughts, expressions and for
my own actions
Awareness allows me to be aware of my ability to be
happy and in peace, regardless of what others are doing or saying, happiness
does not happen outside of us, happiness in a state of mind an awareness that I
can choose to experience my own life in a way of spiritual love
God Bless you Al M
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