Daily Recovery Readings for November 29, 2017:

Daily Reflection

ACTIVE GUARDIANS

To us, however, it represents far more than a sound public relations policy. It is more than a denial of self-seeking. This Tradition is a constant and practical reminder that personal ambition has no place in A.A. In it, each member becomes an active guardian of our Fellowship.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 183

The basic concept of humility is expressed in the Eleventh Tradition: it allows me to participate completely in the program in such a simple, yet profound, manner; it fulfills my need to be an integral part of a significant whole. Humility brings me closer to the actual spirit of togetherness and oneness, without which I could not stay sober. In remembering that every member is an example of sobriety, each one living the Eleventh Tradition, I am able to experience freedom because each one of us is anonymous.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Foreword To First Edition, pg. xiii~

Keep It Simple

One is happy as the result of one’s own efforts.-— George Sand

Happiness is not an accident. It comes from following the spiritual voice found in each of us.

This isn’t always easy. Sometimes, the voice tells us to do things we’re afraid of. For Example, if we’re lonely and the voice tells us to call someone on our phone list, we may make excuses to not do it. Again, the voice may say, “Just make the call. It will be okay.” If we follow the voice, we will find happiness. The spiritual voice inside us speaks of care and love. It will never tell us to hurt others or ourselves. It’s our Higher Power’s voice . It’s what Step Eleven calls “conscious contact.” If we follow this guiding voice, it will lead us to happiness.

Prayer for the Day:
I pray that I’ll come to know my Higher Power by listening to the spiritual voice in me.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll meditate and listen to my higher power gentle voice within.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

It doesn’t necessarily feel comfortable, but you’re ready to step outside of your emotional safety zone today in order to get what you want. You might think that your willingness to put your feelings on the line will immediately bring you the respect and rewards you seek. But it appears as if an adversary is present every step of your way. Fortunately, the situation is not as dire as it seems and your concern only makes matters worse. Continue on your path, undeterred by the judgment of others. Confidence is contagious.

Daily Recovery Readings for November 28, 2017:

Daily Reflection

ATTRACTION, NOT PROMOTION

Through many painful experiences, we think we have arrived at what that policy ought to be. It is the opposite in many ways of usual promotional practice. We found that we had to rely upon the principle of attraction rather than of promotion.

— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, pp. 180-81

While I was drinking I reacted with anger, self-pity and defiance against anyone who wanted to change me. All I wanted then was to be accepted by another human simply as I was and, curiously, that is what I found in A.A. I became the custodian of this concept of attraction, which is the principle of our Fellowship’s public relations. It is by attraction that I can best reach the alcoholic who still suffers.

I thank God for having given me the attraction of a well-planned and established program of Steps and Traditions. Through humility and the support of my fellow sober members, I have been able to practice the A.A. way of life through attraction, not promotion.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

We avoid retaliation or argument. We wouldn’t treat sick people that way. If we do, we destroy our chance of being helpful.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 67~

Keep It Simple

The purpose of freedom is to create it for others.—Bernard Malamud

Sobriety is freedom. With this freedom, we have a responsibility to help other addicts who still suffer. The program tells us this in Step Twelve. We do this by telling our stories and offering hope.

We must be ready to care, to give ourselves. This is what spirituality is about. When we help others, we prepare the road for those who enter the program after us.

Tradition Five of the Twelve Traditions says, “Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.” It means we get better by helping others.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me create more freedom. Bring me to where I’m needed. Help me carry the message well.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll think of ways I can help the addict who still suffers. Then I’ll chose one way I can be of help. I’ll talk with my sponsor about it, and I’ll follow through with my plan.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your emotional connection with the past is highlighted by a minor crisis today. You may be called out because your production is running behind, or you could run into a roadblock that reveals a problem with your current schedule. You can’t afford to let bad news send you into a tailspin now. In fact, this snafu could be the best thing that ever happened if it compels you to improve your habits and polish your work. Better an oops than a what if.

Daily Recovery Readings for November 27, 2017:

Daily Reflection

THE PERILS OF THE LIMELIGHT

In the beginning, the press could not understand ourrefusal of all personal publicity. They were genuinely baffled by our insistence upon anonymity. Then they got the point. Here was something rare in the world — a society which said it wished to publicize its principles and its work, but not its individual members. The press was delighted with this attitude. Ever since, these friends have reported A.A. with an enthusiasm which the most ardent members would find hard to match.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 182

It is essential for my personal survival and that of the Fellowship that I not use A.A. to put myself in the limelight. Anonymity is a way for me to work on my humility. Since pride is one of my most dangerous shortcomings, practicing humility is one of the best ways to overcome it. The Fellowship of A.A. gains worldwide recognition by its various methods of publicizing its principles and its work, not by its individual members advertising themselves. The attraction created by my changing attitudes and my altruism contributes much more to the welfare of A.A. than self-promotion.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

..we have ceased fighting anything or anyone— even alcohol.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 84~

Keep It Simple

Life is not lost by dying; life is lost by minute, day by day, in all the thousands, small, uncaring ways.— Stephen V. Benet

Our Twelve Step program promises us a new way of life. But most of us won’t just wake up one day with a new attitude. We only gain this new way of life if we get involved.

The Twelve Step are tools to build a new life. The more we use a tool, the easier it is to use. The same goes for the Twelve Steps, just as carpenters depend on their tools. If we only wait for the new way of life, it’ll never come. The quicker we get involved, the quicker we’ll get fixed.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me get involved. Help me build a new way of life.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll look for ways to use the Twelve Steps. If I have a problem, I’ll first stop and think of how the Twelve Steps can help me solve it.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You may surprise everyone by breaking out of your mold at work but it doesn’t matter what issue you use to catalyze the change. What is important now is that you stand tall in your convictions without being swayed by people with an agenda that differs from yours. There’s no reason to keep track of who supports you and who does not. The only thing that matters in the long run is how you feel. Align your words and actions with your heart for the best results.

Daily Recovery Readings for November 26, 2017:

Daily Reflection

THE HAZARDS OF PUBLICITY

People who symbolize causes and ideas fill a deep human need. We of A.A. do not question that. But we do have to soberly face the fact that being in the public eye is hazardous, especially for us.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 181

As a recovered alcoholic I must make an effort to put into practice the principles of the A.A. program, which are founded on honesty, truth and humility. While I was drinking I was constantly trying to be in the limelight. Now that I am conscious of my mistakes and of my former lack of integrity, it would not be honest to seek prestige, even for the justifiable purpose of promoting the A.A. message of recovery. Is the publicity that centers around the A.A. Fellowship and the miracles it produces not worth much more? Why not let the people around us appreciate by themselves the changes that A.A. has brought in us, for that will be a far better recommendation for the Fellowship than any I could make.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

Though we work out our solution on the spiritual as well as an altruistic plane, we favor hospitalization for the alcoholic who is very jittery or befogged. More often than not, it is imperative that a man’s brain be cleared before he is approached, as he has then a better chance of understanding and accepting what we have to offer.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Doctor’s Opinion, pg. xxvi~

Keep It Simple

Love is the reward of love.—Johann von Schiller

When we used alcohol and other drugs, we shared little as possible. There was little love in our hearts.
We had become selfish. This caused us to be lonely.

Then something happened to change all of that. Remember the first time you walked into a meeting? You were met by people who shared. Maybe they shared a smile, their story, or just a cup of coffee with you. The sharing that goes on in a Twelve Step program is great. We learn that the more we give, the more we get. We get well by giving to others. Helping others is a great way to hold on to sobriety. Love is the reward of love.

Prayer for the Day:
I pray that I will be there when others need me. I pray that service will become a big part of my program.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll think of friends who could use my help. I’ll talk to them and offer to be there for them.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You are in danger of letting your compassion spin out of control today. It’s one thing to empathize with someone who is in pain, but don’t allow their suffering to overwhelm your heart. You can do the most good by carefully managing your boundaries now. Maintaining a clear sense of self is necessary for your wellbeing or you could drown in the process of healing others. Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Relax and put your needs first for a change.

Daily Recovery Readings for November 25, 2017:

Daily Reflection

A POWERFUL TRADITION

In the years before the publication of the book, “Alcoholics Anonymous,” we had no name. . . . By a narrow majority the verdict was for naming our book “The Way Out.” . . . One of our early lone members . . . found exactly twelve books already titled “The Way Out.”. . . So “Alcoholics Anonymous” became first choice. That’s how we got a name for our book of experience, a name for our movement and, as we are now beginning to see, a tradition of the greatest spiritual import.

— “A.A. TRADITION: HOW IT DEVELOPED,” pp. 35-36

Beginning with Bill’s momentous decision in Akron to make a telephone call rather than a visit to the hotel bar, how often has a Higher Power made itself felt at crucial moments in our history! The eventual importance that the principle of anonymity would acquire was but dimly perceived, if at all, in those early days. There seems to have been an element of chance even in the choice of a name for our Fellowship.

God is no stranger to anonymity and often appears in human affairs in the guises of “luck,” “chance,” or “coincidence.” If anonymity, somewhat fortuitously, became the spiritual basis for all of our Traditions, perhaps God was acting anonymously on our behalf.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

At a certain point in the drinking of every alcoholic, he passes into a state where the most powerful desire to stop drinking is of absolutely no avail. This tragic situation has already arrived in practically every case long before it is suspected.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, There Is A Solution, pg. 24~

Keep It Simple

Love is the reward of love.-–Johann von Schiller

When we used alcohol and other drugs, we shared little as possible. There was little love in our hearts. We had become selfish. This caused us to be lonely.

Then something happened to change all of that. Remember the first time you walked into a meeting? You were met by people who shared. Maybe they shared a smile, their story, or just a cup of coffee with you. The sharing that goes on in a Twelve Step program is great. We learn that the more we give, the more we get. We get well by giving to others. Helping others is a great way to hold on to sobriety. Love is the reward of love.

Prayer for the Day:
I pray that I will be there when others need me. I pray that service will become a big part of my program.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll think of friends who could use my help. I’ll talk to them and offer to be there for them.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You believe your logic is sound today, but you can’t be sure because you feel totally out of your element. Naturally, you prefer to lean on the facts, but there are missing parts of the story and you can’t make the larger pieces all fit into place now. Thankfully, you possess enough confidence to trust that everything will make sense over time — and it will. In the meantime, enjoy the unsolved puzzle without trying to force resolution. Lao Tzu wrote, “Anticipate the difficult by managing the easy.”

Daily Recovery Readings for November 24, 2017:

Daily Reflection

A UNIVERSAL SEARCH

Be quick to see where religious people are right. Make use of what they offer.

~ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 87

I do not claim to have all the answers in spiritual matters, any more than I claim to have all the answers about alcoholism. There are others who are also engaged in a spiritual search. If I keep an open mind about what others have to say, I have much to gain. My sobriety is greatly enriched, and my practice of the Eleventh Step more fruitful, when I use both the literature and practices of my Judeo-Christian tradition, and the resources of other religions. Thus, I receive support from many sources in staying away from the first drink.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

Despite all we can say, many who are real alcoholics are not going to believe they are in that class. By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore nonalcoholic. If anyone who is showing inability to control his drinking can do the right-about-face and drink like a gentleman, our hats are off to him. Heaven knows, we have tried hard enough and long enough to drink like other people!

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 31~

Keep It Simple

Freedom is not enough.—Lyndon B. Johnson

We are free of alcohol and other drugs. We’ve been given a second chance or third chance.

For that, we thank our Higher Power. We’ve started a new life. But to keep this life, we need to change. We need new friends. We need to let a Higher Power guide our hearts, minds, and bodies. We need new friends. We need to let a Higher Power guide our hearts, and bodies. We need to learn new values and how to stand up for them. We need to learn how to give and receive.

Freedom from dependence is not enough. We also want to be happy, and to do something with our lives. So each day we keep learning, we keep growing. Each day without alcohol or other drugs is a gift, a gift from God.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, You set me free. Now teach me to stay free. Guide me, for keeping my freedom is a big task

Action for the Day:
I will meditate on my freedom. I will take time to list all the ways I am now free.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You’re raring to get outside so you can stretch your legs and breathe some fresh air. The exuberant Sagittarius Sun’s presence in your 6th House of Health encourages you to include more outdoor activities in your daily routine. However, someone close to you may have an alternative plan that doesn’t jive with yours. Although you like the idea of sharing the experience, don’t let anyone else’s agenda spoil yours. Take your much-needed walk by yourself and reconnect afterward to enjoy each other’s company. Your happiness begins with you.

Daily Recovery Readings for November 23, 2017:

Daily Reflection

HOLD YOUR FACE TO THE LIGHT

Believe more deeply. Hold your face up to the Light, even though for the moment you do not see.

~AS BILL SEES IT, p. 3

One Sunday in October, during my morning meditation, I glanced out the window at the ash tree in our front yard. At once I was overwhelmed by its magnificent, golden color! As I stared in awe at God’s work of art, the leaves began to fall and, within minutes, the branches were bare. Sadness came over me as I thought of the winter months ahead, but just as I was reflecting on autumn’s annual process, God’s message came through. Like the trees, stripped of their leaves in the fall, sprout new blossoms in the spring, I had had my compulsive, selfish ways removed by God in order for me to blossom into a sober, joyful member of A.A. Thank you, God, for the changing seasons and for my ever-changing life.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

Many of us keep liquor in our homes. We often need it to carry green recruits through a severe hangover Some of us still serve it to our friends provided they are not alcoholic. But some of us think we should not serve liquor to anyone. We never argue this question. We feel that each family, in the light of their own circumstances, ought to decide for themselves.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 102~

Keep It Simple

Many of us keep liquor in our homes. We often need it to carry green recruits through a severe hangover Some of us still serve it to our friends provided they are not alcoholic. But some of us think we should not serve liquor to anyone. We never argue this question. We feel that each family, in the light of their own circumstances, ought to decide for themselves.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 102~

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Taking care of all your chores in the morning frees you to participate in a spontaneous event later on. Although unforeseen obstacles may slow your progress today, your perseverance enables you to power through on schedule. However, the cosmos is working on an agenda of its own and might present you with an out-of-the-blue proposition before the day is out. Accepting the invitation is your ticket to fun. Smile and enjoy the ride.

Daily Recovery Readings for November 22, 2017:

Daily Reflection

ONLY TWO SINS

. . . there are only two sins; the first is to interfere with the growth of another human being, and the second is to interfere with one’s own growth.

— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 542 (Third Edition)

Happiness is such an elusive state. How often do my “prayers” for others involve “hidden” prayers for my own agenda? How often is my search for happiness a boulder in the path of growth for another, or even myself? Seeking growth through humility and acceptance brings things that appear to be anything but good, wholesome and vital. Yet in looking back, I can see that pain, struggles and setbacks have all contributed eventually to serenity through growth in the program.

I ask my Higher Power to help me not cause another’s lack of growth today—or my own.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

To be gravely affected, one does not necessarily have to drink a long time nor take the quantities some of us have. This is particularly true of women. Potential female alcoholics often turn into the real thing and are gone beyond recall in a few years.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, More About Alcoholism, pg. 33~

Keep It Simple

We are healed of a suffering only be experiencing it in full. —Marcel Proust

We must never forget our past. We need to remember the power that our illness has over us. Why? So we can remember how our recovery began. So we can remember we’re not cured. So we can tell our stories.

We must remember how we acted. Why? So we don’t act and think like addicts. Most of us had a poor relationships with friends, family, and ourselves. We need to remember how lonely we felt. That way, we’ll make recovery grow stronger One Day at a Time.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me always remember how my illness almost destroyed me. Help me face the pain of these memories.

Action for the Day:
I will talk about my past life with those who support my recovery. I will tell them what it is that I must remember about my past.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

A good friend or workmate may seem to be a bit overbearing today. You might try to step out of the direct line of emotional fire, but there’s nowhere to hide. You don’t have the energy or the desire to engage in conflict now. Thankfully, you have a trick up your sleeve that comes in handy. There’s no reason to go anywhere else if you can temporarily make yourself invisible. Return when the danger is passed. Your silence speaks more than your words ever could.

Daily Recovery Readings for November 21, 2017:

Daily Reflection

A CLASSIC PRAYER

Lord, make me a channel for thy peace—that where there is hatred, I may bring love—that where there is wrong, I may bring the spirit of forgiveness—that where there is discord, I may bring harmony—that where there is error, I may bring truth—that where there is doubt, I may bring faith—that where there is despair, I may bring hope—that where there are shadows, I may bring light—that where there is sadness, I may bring joy. Lord, grant that I may seek rather to comfort than to be comforted—to understand, than to be understood—to love, than to be loved. For it is by self-forgetting that one finds. It is by forgiving that one is forgiven. It is by dying that one awakens to Eternal Life. Amen.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 99

No matter where I am in my spiritual growth, the St. Francis prayer helps me improve my conscious contact with the God of my understanding. I think that one of the great advantages of my faith in God is that I do not understand Him, or Her, or It. It may be that my relationship with my Higher Power is so fruitful that I do not have to understand. All that I am certain of is that if I work the Eleventh Step regularly, as best I can, I will continue to improve my conscious contact, I will know His will for me, and I will have the power to carry it out.

From the book Daily Reflections
Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.

Big Book Quote

When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.

~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 64~

Keep It Simple

To love others, we must first learn to love ourselves.—Anonymous

Sometimes we think our life would be fine if that dream person showed up. But loving someone isn’t easy. Our bad habits cause problems. We have to change. Sometimes we aren’t ready to have on especial person. We have to have a group of people—our recovery group—to love and help us get healthy. We must learn to trust, to be honest, to give help, and to love others. The truth is, no one person can make our life wonderful—except us. We hold happiness inside of us. It’s in our spirit. Look no further.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me love myself

Action for the Day:
I’ll list five ways I will love myself today.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your need for security is given a cosmic boost today as the Moon slips into your 7th House of Relationships. It feels natural now to rely on a close friend or lover since he or she adds an extra layer of stability to your world. Nevertheless, you’re not sure how quickly you want to acknowledge the depth of your current feelings. You enjoy the emotional bond, but you’re worried about setting yourself up for a broken heart later on. Author Doe Zantamata wrote, “Don’t let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen.”