Steps & Traditions

Grief Forced Her to Practice SA As a Lifestyle

Grief was foreign to me. I had not experienced it as close as I did until my Dad passed away in June 2021. We were planning for a Father’s Day lunch just two days before he had an accident that caused some head injuries. Three days later, we were planning for his funeral.

By |2024-08-23T14:24:04-05:00October 13, 2021|Comments Off on Grief Forced Her to Practice SA As a Lifestyle

Working the Steps in Order to Dissolve My Spiritual Clots

I brought a friend into the program, and encouraged her to feel free to share anything with her sponsor. She said, “Anything?” And I answered, “Yes, anything and everything.” Then I shared more of my experience, strength, and hope with her. She asked if I could be her sponsor.

By |2024-08-23T14:37:44-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on Working the Steps in Order to Dissolve My Spiritual Clots

Step Four Helped Me to Face My Wild Elephant

Lust corrupted my childhood. I was violated when I was very young—an inappropriate act that distorted my perception of sexuality, reality, and love. For years afterward I went around with an aching, infinite emptiness inside me. I bandaged the pain with a blindfold and contented myself to live in darkness, like someone living down a deep water well.

By |2024-08-23T14:37:30-05:00August 19, 2021|Comments Off on Step Four Helped Me to Face My Wild Elephant

Taking Responsibility to Heal from Victimization

This is what Step 4 is designed to achieve. The question “What was my part?” is not designed to blame the victim who has a resentment against a wrong that was done to them. The question goes to what part of me is broken that keeps this pain alive? How have I taken myself out of the land of the living because of this resentment?

By |2024-08-23T14:47:37-05:00May 22, 2021|Comments Off on Taking Responsibility to Heal from Victimization

Stepping into the Light at the End of the Tunnel

Ironically, I spent the first nine months of my existence in a dark place, a sort of tunnel, sheltered from the light, from real life, as it were. Then, I was thrust into the light, into the real world. But, over time, I found this light blinding and painful. All I knew to do was to look for a dark place to escape back to, somewhere that made me feel better.

By |2023-09-22T16:08:36-05:00May 22, 2021|Comments Off on Stepping into the Light at the End of the Tunnel

Step Three — Relinquishing Control

Once a beachhead is established, defeat of the enemy is inevitable. Even if the first sallies out of the beachhead meet with stiff resistance and are driven back, it doesn’t matter; once a beachhead is established, enemy collapse is assured.

By |2023-10-26T14:19:40-05:00February 26, 2021|Comments Off on Step Three — Relinquishing Control

Working Step 10 to Make Positive Connections

Recently, I have been attending meetings where the readings were taken from our Recovery Continues book. In one meeting, we read: “Lust is a function of my ego, just as resentment is. I, the lord of my life—lord over that lust object and over that resentment object—unleash a spiritual force against them both, against their wills, perverting the reality of their person to suit my twisted need. What is that negative connection? Why must I keep on making it? So I won’t have to look at myself.” (RC 43)

By |2023-10-26T14:15:11-05:00February 26, 2021|Comments Off on Working Step 10 to Make Positive Connections

Writing Amends Letters To Anonymous People

I have been struggling with my 9th Step for almost a year now due to Covid and all that not being able to travel freely. But in the past two months at the encouragement of my sponsor I have discovered writing letters like this and have found much freedom in them:

By |2023-10-26T14:01:41-05:00February 26, 2021|Comments Off on Writing Amends Letters To Anonymous People

Prayer AND Meditation, Not Prayer OR Meditation

Recently, I awoke early to start my day before it became hot and humid. I prayed my usual prayers, but thought to myself that I would save morning meditation to a more convenient time. Perhaps this was the beginning of obsession trying to creep into my mind as I ignored the line, “On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day …” (AA 86).

By |2023-10-30T14:14:25-05:00December 30, 2020|Comments Off on Prayer AND Meditation, Not Prayer OR Meditation