Daily Recovery Readings
February 10, 2017

Daily Reflection

I DON’T RUN THE SHOW

When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is, or He isn’t. What was our choice to be?
— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 53

Today my choice is God. He is everything. For this I am truly grateful. When I think I am running the show I am blocking God from my life. I pray I can remember this when I allow myself to get caught up into self. The most important thing is that today I am willing to grow along spiritual lines, and that God is everything. When I was trying to quit drinking on my own, it never worked; with God and A.A., it is working. This seems to be a simple thought for a complicated alcoholic.

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

Big Book Quote

“What used to be the hunch or the occasional inspiration gradually becomes a working part of the mind. Being still inexperienced and having just made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that we are going to be inspired at all times. We might pay for this
presumption in all sorts of absurd actions and ideas. Nevertheless, we find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more and more on the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Into Action, pg. 87~

Keep It Simple

Life didn’t promise to be wonderful. —Teddy Pendergrass

Life doesn’t promise us anything, except a chance. We have a chance to live any way we like. No matter how we choose to live, we’ll have pain and we’ll have joy. And we can learn from both.

Because of our recovery program, we can have life’s biggest wonder—love. We share it in a smile, a touch, a phone call, or a note. We share it with our friends, our partners, our family. Life didn’t promise to be wonderful, but it sure is full of little wonders! And we only have to open up and see them, feel them, and let them happen.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me see the wonders of life today, in nature, in people’s faces, in my own heart.

Action for the Day:
I can help make a wonderful things happen for others, with a smile, a greeting, a helping hand. What “little” things will I do for somebody today?

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Where you spend your resources is always your choice, and those choices are now clearly laid out in front of you. Sometimes it’s easier to invest in others rather than yourself, but the Leo Lunar Eclipse is centered in your 2nd House of Self-Worth and there’s no hiding from the realizations it illuminates. You cannot truly give to those you love without being emotionally whole yourself. Being completely honest about your values is the most direct route to happiness.

Daily Recovery Readings
February 9, 2017

Daily Reflection

GETTING THE “SPIRITUAL ANGLE”

How often do we sit in AA meetings and hear the speaker declare, “But I haven’t yet got the spiritual angle.” Prior to this statement, he had described a miracle of transformation which had occurred in him—not only his release from alcohol, but a complete change in his whole attitude toward life and the living of it. It is apparent to nearly everyone else present that he has received a great gift; “. . . except that he doesn’t seem to know it yet!” We well know that this questioning individual will tell us six months or a year hence that he has found faith in God.
— THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 275

A spiritual experience can be the realization that a life which once seemed empty and devoid of meaning is now joyous and full. In my life today, daily prayer and meditation, coupled with living the Twelve Steps, has brought about an inner peace and feeling of belonging which was missing when I was drinking.

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

Big Book Quote

“We try not to indulge in cynicism over the state of the nations, nor do we carry the world’s troubles on our shoulders. When we see a man sinking into the mire that is alcoholism, we give him first aid and place what we have at his disposal.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 132

Keep It Simple

H.A.L.T. — AA Slogan

H.A.L.T. stands for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired. These feelings can be danger to us. They can lead us away from our program. We need to eat regular meals. When we get too hungry, we get cranky. Then we say and do things we regret. We need to turn anger over to our Higher Power, or else our anger turns into rage. We need friends to help us in recovery. If we get to lonely, we may turn our addictive way for friendship. We don’t stay sober by ourselves. We need a clear mind to deal with life. If we get too tried, we tend to feel sorry for ourselves. Being tired get us into crazy thinking.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, remind me to H.A.L.T. Help me to not get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll review the four parts of H.A.L.T. In which areas do I practice good self-care? In which areas do I not? How can I improve?

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

A new sense of certainty allows you to stride toward your ambitions with renewed fervor. It’s easier to walk with your head held higher when the Moon struts into confident Leo, accentuating your 2nd House of Self-Worth. You’re eager to take your future goals into your own hands today, knowing you can rely on your unwavering self-determination. Be mindful of overextending your resources; overestimating your capacity will land you in a state of exhaustion if you don’t pace yourself with care. Transformation rarely happens overnight.

Daily Recovery Readings
February 8, 2017

Daily Reflection

CONVINCING “MR. HYDE”

Even then, as we hew away, peace and joy may still elude us. That’s the place so many of us A.A. oldsters have come to. And it’s a hell of a spot, literally. How shall our unconscious—from which so many of our fears, compulsions, and phony aspirations still stream—be brought into line with what we actually believe, know, and want! How to convince our dumb, raging, and hidden “Mr. Hyde” becomes our main task.
— THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 237

Regular attendance at meetings, serving and helping others is the recipe that many have tried and found to be successful. Whenever I stray from these basic principles, my old habits resurface and my old self also comes back with all its fears and defects. The ultimate goal of each A.A. member is permanent sobriety, achieved One Day at a Time.

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

Big Book Quote

“Many a man, yet dazed from his hospital experience, has stepped over the threshold of that home into freedom. Many an alcoholic who entered there came away with an answer. He succumbed to that gay crowd inside, who laughed at their own misfortunes and understood his. Impressed by those who visited him at the hospital, he capitulated entirely when, later, in an upper room of this house, he heard the story of some man whose experience closely tallied with his own. The expression on the faces of the women, that indefinable something in the eyes of the men, the stimulating and electric atmosphere of the place, conspired to let him know that here was haven at last.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 160

Keep It Simple

You must find the ideas that have some promise in them…it’s not enough to just have ideas. –George E. Woodberry

Each day we’re flooded with ideas. Everyone seems to have found the truth, and now they want to share it. We may feel loaded down with all these ideas. Who and what do we believe? We’ve fallen on a set of ideas that hold great promise: The Twelve Steps. The ideas of the program have much promise because they’re simple. They ask nothing that isn’t good for us. They have been proven to work. Now we’re people with more than ideas that work. We’re people with good ideas that work. When we find ourselves wondering how to live, all we need to do is look to the Steps.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me to put my energy into working the Steps.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll list what is right about the Steps for me. What promises do the Steps hold for me?

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your receiver is turned up too high and you’re surprised by the amount of feedback you are getting now. The impressionable Moon in your sign reflects shocking Uranus and preposterous Jupiter, putting you on the spot. Although you may feel like you must go to extremes to regain power, overreactions will only make the situation worse. Try not to take things too personally; staying conscious as you respond to the changing tides of the day will enable you to choose your battles wisely.

Daily Recovery Readings
February 3, 2017

Daily Reflection

A PATH TO FAITH

True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every A.A. meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to Him.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 33

My last drunk had landed me in the hospital, totally broken. It was then that I was able to see my past float in front of me. I realized that, through drinking, I had lived every nightmare I had ever had. My own self-will and obsession to drink had driven me into a dark pit of hallucinations, blackouts and despair. Finally beaten, I asked for God’s help. His presence told me to believe. My obsession for alcohol was taken away and my paranoia has since been lifted. I am no longer afraid. I know my life is healthy and sane.

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

Big Book Quote

“Carry this message to other alcoholics! You can help when no one else can. You can secure their confidence when others fail. Remember they are very ill.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, Working With Others, pg. 89~

Keep It Simple

I thank God for my handicaps, for through them, I have found myself, my work and my God.—Helen Keller.

None of us ever wanted to be addicts. It’s not what we would choose to be— just as no one would choose to blind and deaf. Helen Keller, who was blind and deaf, told of how her problems became her biggest gift. Through them, she found true meaning in her life. We can accept our handicap—our addiction— and learn from it. The truth is, we’re all handicapped in some way. Recovery is about facing our addiction and learning to live with it. When we see we can’t do things alone, we see the need for a Higher Power.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me see myself as I really am. Give me the serenity that comes from accepting my handicaps.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll list all the ways I am handicapped. I’ll ask myself, “What gift does each of these hold for me?”

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You don’t feel like hiding in your personal cave quite so much now. In fact, you could wear your heart on your sleeve while the emotional Moon is visiting your 1st House of Self. You express your feelings eloquently once brainy Mercury shifts into thought-provoking Aquarius, highlighting your 8th House of Intimacy. It’s ironic that you can talk about such passionate issues while maintaining such a cool demeanor. Nevertheless, life is ultimately subjective; what one person loves another person loathes.

Daily Recovery Readings
February 3, 2017

Daily Reflection

A RALLYING POINT

Therefore, Step Two is the rallying point for all of us. Whether agnostic, atheist, or former believer, we can stand together on this Step.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 33

I feel that A.A. is a God-inspired program and that God is at every A.A. meeting. I see, believe, and have come to know that A.A. works, because I have stayed sober today. I am turning my life over to A.A. and to God by going to an A.A. meeting. If God is in my heart and everyone else’s, then I am a small part of a whole and I am not unique. If God is in my heart and He speaks to me through other people, then I must be a channel of God to other people. I should seek to do His will by living spiritual principles and my reward will be sanity and emotional sobriety.

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

Big Book Quote

“God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. Ask Him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. The answers will come, if your own house is in order. But obviously you cannot transmit something you haven’t got. See to it that your relationship with Him is right, and great events will come to pass for you and countless others. This is the Great Fact for us.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, A Vision For You, pg. 164~

Keep It Simple

We will not know unless we begin.——-Howard Zinn

Let us begin! Whether it be working on our First Step, Finding a sponsor, or talking to someone we hurt—Let us begin. Doubt will set in if we wait too long. Fear will follow. So, let us begin. We learn by doing. Recovery is for doers. Sobriety doesn’t just happen. We create it. We create it by working the Steps and learning from them. We’ll never totally understand the Steps unless we work them. In the same way, we’ll never learn how to have friends unless we try. So, call your friends, instead of waiting to be called. Begin and begin again. Each day is a new beginning.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, today I’ll begin. I begin by asking for Your help and love. Be with me as I go through my day. Help me work for progress, not perfection.

Action for the Day:
Today, I’ll not sit on the sidelines. I’ll be a doer. I’ll decide what to do to move closer to friends, family, Higher Power, and myself.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You prefer to keep things to yourself today as you just don’t have the energy to explain what’s on your mind. It’s a challenge to stay focused when your thoughts keep distracting you from the task at hand. Walking away from your work may seem counter-intuitive, but taking short breaks to enjoy some silence can help you gracefully move through the day. If you ignore your need for rest, you may end up so mentally exhausted that you call it quits before you achieve your goals. Reconnecting with your center supplies you with enough stamina to go the distance.

Daily Recovery Readings
February 3, 2017

Daily Reflection

WHEN FAITH IS MISSING

Sometimes A.A. comes harder to those who have lost or rejected faith than to those who never had any faith at all, for they think they have tried faith and found it wanting. They have tried the way of faith and the way of no faith.
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 28

I was so sure God had failed me that I became ultimately defiant, though I knew better, and plunged into a final drinking binge. My faith turned bitter and that was no coincidence. Those who once had great faith hit bottom harder. It took time to rekindle my faith, though I came to A.A. I was grateful intellectually to have survived such a great fall, but my heart felt callous. Still, I stuck with the A.A. program; the alternatives were too bleak! I kept coming back and gradually my faith was resurrected.

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

Big Book Quote

“We families of Alcoholics Anonymous keep few skeletons in the closet. Everyone knows about the others’ alcoholic troubles. This is a condition which, in ordinary life, would produce untold grief; there might be scandalous gossip, laughter at the expense of other
people, and a tendency to take advantage of intimate information. Among us, these are rare occurrences. We do talk about each other a great deal, but we almost invariably temper such talk by a spirit of love and tolerance.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, The Family Afterward, pg. 125~

Keep It Simple

We do not remember days, we remember moments.—-Cesare Pavese

It’s the moment that’s important. Each moment holds choice. Our spirits grow through working our program moment to moment. Moments lead to days, days to years, and years to a life of honest recovery.

It will be the moments of choice that we remember. The moment we call a friend instead of being alone.

The moment we decide to go for a walk instead of arguing with our partner. The moment we decide to go to an extra meeting instead of drinking or using other drugs. The moments lead us to our Higher Power.

These moments teach us that we’re human, that we need others. At these moments, we know others care about us–our joys, and our struggles.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me remember that my recovery is made up of many moments of choice.

Today’s Action:
I’ll look back over the last twenty-four hours. What moments come to mind? Why were they important to me.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your appetite for success and recognition continues to grow, but you still don’t want to rock the boat. The cosmic dance of Venus and Mars in your 10th House of Publicity draws you toward the spotlight, but you worry that your friends might think differently of you if you act too large and in charge. You wonder if whispers are floating around you, and it seems more secure to play small until you know how to execute your next move. Author Joyce Meyer wrote, “Patience is not the ability to wait, but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting.”

<h1>Daily Recovery Readings
February 3, 2017</h1>

<h2><b><u>Daily Reflection</h2></b></u>

FILLING THE VOID

We needed to ask ourselves but one short question. “Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?” As soon as a man can say that he does believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on his way.
— ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 47

I was always fascinated with the study of scientific principles. I was emotionally and physically distant from people while I pursued Absolute Knowledge. God and spirituality were meaningless academic exercises. I was a modern man of science, knowledge was my Higher Power. Given the right set of equations, life was merely another problem to solve. Yet my inner self was dying from my outer man’s solution to life’s problems and the solution was alcohol. In spite of my intelligence, alcohol became my Higher Power. It was through the unconditional love which emanated from A.A. people and meetings that I was able to discard alcohol as my Higher Power. The great void was filled. I was no longer lonely and apart from life. I had found a true power greater than myself, I had found God’s love. There is only one equation which really matters to me now: God is in A.A.

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

<h2><b><u>Big Book Quote</h2></b></u>

“When drinking, or getting over a bout, an alcoholic, sometimes the model of honesty when normal, will do incredible things. Afterward, his revulsion will be terrible. Nearly always, these antics indicate nothing more than temporary conditions.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, To Employers, pg. 140~

<h2><b><u>Keep It Simple</h2></b></u>

Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died.—Erma Bombeck

We often hear, “Stick with the winners.” Not everyone in Twelve Step meetings is there for recovery.. But many members follow a Twelve Step way of living. We need to find those people. This is really true when it comes to finding a sponsor. Look for a sponsor who gets good things from his or her program. Why pick a sponsor who isn’t happy in the program? Recovery is hard work. You deserve the best. Find the best sponsor you can. Remember, ours is a selfish program. we’re fighting for our lives.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, help me find the best in my program. Help me find a good sponsor, so we can get as much from each other and this program as we can.

Today’s Action:
Today I’ll think about what it means to have a good sponsor.

<h2><b><u>Daily Horoscope – Cancer</h2></b></u>

Your vocational goals take center stage and it’s time to see if your preparation has paid off. Vivacious Venus strides into your 10th House of Career today, eager to refashion your public image and take you to new heights. It may not be your nature to speak up and demand satisfaction, but you’re beginning a new phase in which you find your voice rising above the rest. However, simply being the loudest in the group won’t bring you long-term satisfaction. It’s not about being better than anyone else; it’s about being better than you were yesterday.

Daily Recovery Readings
February 2, 2017

Daily Reflection

RESCUED BY SURRENDERING

Characteristic of the so-called typical alcoholic is a narcissistic egocentric core, dominated by feelings of omnipotence, intent on maintaining at all costs its inner integrity. . . . Inwardly the alcoholic brooks no control from man or God. He, the alcoholic, is and must be the master of his destiny. He will fight to the end to preserve that position.
— A.A. COMES OF AGE, p. 311

The great mystery is: “Why do some of us die alcoholic deaths, fighting to preserve the ‘independence’ of our ego, while others seem to sober up effortlessly in A.A.?” Help from a Higher Power, the gift of sobriety, came to me when an otherwise unexplained desire to stop drinking coincided with my willingness to accept the suggestions of the men and women of A.A. I had to surrender, for only by reaching out to God and my fellows could I be rescued.

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

Big Book Quote

“When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self-imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing. God either is or He isn’t.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, We Agnostics, pg. 53~

Keep It Simple

We must believe the things we teach our children.——-Woodrow Wilson

It may be easy to say the words and phrases we’ve heard without really meaning them. Someone says something at a meeting that sounds good. Our counselor has a favorite saying. We may say these words, but are we taking the time to ask the question. Do I believe what I’m saying? Step Two speaks of, “Came to believe…” By really believing in the Twelve Steps, we let them become part of us. The more we believe in the Steps the more we turn our lives over to them. Hopefully, over time, the Twelve Steps will guide us more and more. We’ll speak to our family with respect we’ve found in the Twelve Steps. Our spirit must truly believe. Then we can work the Steps.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, believing is something that lasts a lifetime. Give me the power to believe even when doubt creeps in.

Action for the Day:
My beliefs are changing. Today, in my inventory, I’ll ask: Do I believe what I said today?

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

You can just as easily declare your certainty and question your competence in the same breath today, but courage wins out when you remain firm in your convictions. Saturn the Tester honors its half of the bargain when you stick to your to-do list and overcome overwhelm by staying organized. Your unrelenting focus on your goals softens later after the Moon slips into mellow Taurus, offering you a chance to relax and get cozy. Indulging in creature comforts is a delightful way to reward your hard work.

Daily Recovery Readings
February 1, 2017

Daily Reflection

GOAL: SANITY

“. . . Step Two gently and very gradually began to infiltrate my life. I can’t say upon what occasion or upon what day I came to believe in a Power greater than myself, but I certainly have that belief now.”
— TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 27

“Came to believe!” I gave lip service to my belief when I felt like it or when I thought it would look good. I didn’t really trust God. I didn’t believe He cared for me. I kept trying to change things I couldn’t change. Gradually, in disgust, I began to turn it all over, saying: “You’re so omnipotent, you take care of it.” He did. I began to receive answers to my deepest problems, sometimes at the most unusual times: driving to work, eating lunch, or when I was sound asleep. I realized that I hadn’t thought of those solutions—a Power greater than myself had given them to me. I came to believe.

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

Big Book Quote

“First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn’t work.”
~Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, How It Works, pg. 62~

Keep It Simple

Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
—Step Two

The Second Step directs us to believe there is hope for us. It may take time to believe this. Many of us had given up hope. But look around. Hope fills our meeting rooms. We are surrounded by miracles. This Power greater than ourselves has healed many. Listen as others tell their stories. They speak of how powerful this Power is. At times, we will not believe. This is normal But in recovery ,”coming to believe” means opening ourselves up to healing power found in the program.

Prayer for the Day:
Higher Power, allow me to believe Help me to stay open to recovery.

Action for the Day:
I will list three examples of my past insanity. I will share these examples with my group, sponsor, a program friend, or with my Higher Power. I will remember that I’m a miracle.

Daily Horoscope – Cancer

Your arrow is aimed at the ideal vision of yourself and your natural tenacity pulls the bow string taut. You’re ready to push past any vulnerabilities that might usually give you pause, and even step out of your comfort zone if it means moving closer to your goals. You possess the strength today, but make sure you aren’t pushing yourself just for the sake of it. Although it’s satisfying to be recognized for a job well done, kind words from a loved one mean so much more than a gold star at work or school. There’s no shame in your game for seeking support when you need it.