3/16/16 " Meeting Makers - Make It" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit
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Mar 16, 2016, 6:53:05 PM3/16/16
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Step 11
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meeting Makers - Make It
I attempted to go to a meeting today
But other things got in the way
Like grocery shopping or a trip to the mall
It’s only one meeting after all.
I’ve been to a meeting most everyday
I know what to do, and I know what they say
About taking it easy, and first things first
If I miss one meeting, how much could it hurt.
Months have passed and I’m ok
See - I don’t need a meeting everyday
One or two meetings, here or there
Is enough to keep me sober and aware.
I guess after awhile
It just didn’t seem
There was anything left
In those meetings for me.
So now here I lay
Six feet under ground
Can’t tell you my story
I can’t make a sound.
Alcohol Kills!!
It’s cold, but it’s true
If you don’t go to meetings
It Will Happen to you.
Regina M. Poulillo
11/2/03
REG...@cs.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Don't Use*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If anyone has any original recovery poetry that they
would like to share with us please copy and paste it into the body
of an email and send it to me, Thanks for your support and contributions.
What I can't do alone, We do together.
In loving service, Scott ~ YOUn...@gmail.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just for Today
March 16 Inventory
"The purpose of a searching and fearless moral inventory is to sort
through the confusion and the contradiction of our lives so that we
can find out who we really are." Basic Text p. 27
Using addicts are a confused and confusing bunch of people. It's hard
to tell from one minute to the next what they're going to do or who
they're going to be. Usually, the addict is just as surprised as anyone
else.
When we used, our behavior was dictated by the needs of our
addiction. Many of us still identify our personalities closely with the
behavior we practiced while using, leading us to feel shame and despair.
Today, we don't have to be the people we once were, shaped by our
addiction; recovery has allowed us to change.
We can use the Fourth Step inventory to see past the needs of the
old using life and find out who we want to be today. Writing about our
behavior and noticing how we feel about that behavior helps us
understand who we want to be. Our inventory helps us see beyond the
demands of active addiction, beyond our desire to be loved and accepted—
we find out who we are at the root. We begin to understand what's
appropriate for us, and what we want our lives to be like. This is the
beginning of becoming who we really are.
Just for today: If I want to find out who I am, I'll look at who I've
been and who I want to be. pg. 78
Just For Today Daily Meditation is the property of Narcotics Anonymous ©
1991 by World Service Office Inc.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get Involved In Service*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you are enjoying this daily recovery email,
Please pass on 12 Step Soul Food For The Spirit to your online friends,
"We can only keep what we have by giving it away."
If you have received this as a forward
and would like to subscribe please email
me at YOUn...@gmail.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Idea Of Faith
Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you
from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 47
The idea of faith is a very large chunk to swallow when fear, doubt and
anger abound in and around me. Sometimes just the idea of doing something
different, something I am not accustomed to doing, can eventually become an
act of faith if I do it regularly, and do it without debating whether it's
the right thing to do. When a bad day comes along and everything is going
wrong, a meeting or a talk with another drunk often distracts me just
enough to persuade me that everything is not quite as impossible, as
overwhelming as I had thought. In the same way, going to a meeting or
talking to a fellow alcoholic are acts of faith; I believe I'm arresting my
disease. These are ways I slowly move toward faith in a Higher Power.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
Daily Reflection In Loving Memory Of Scott Reeves
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 16th
A.A. Thought for the Day
Before we decide to quit drinking, most of us
have to come up against a blank wall. We see
that we're licked, that we have to quit. But we
don't know which way to turn for help. There
seems to be no door in that blank wall. A.A.
opens the door that leads to sobriety. By
encouraging us to honestly admit that we're
alcoholics and to realize that we can't take
even one drink, and by showing us which way to
turn for help, A.A. opens the door in that blank
wall. Have I gone through that door to sobriety?
Meditation for the Day
I must have a singleness of purpose to do my
part in God's work. I must not let material
distractions interfere with my job of improving
personal relationships. It is easy to become
distracted by material affairs, so that I lose
my singleness of purpose. I do not have time
to be concerned about the multifarious concerns
of the world. I must concentrate and specialize
on what I can do best.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may not become distracted by
material affairs. I pray that I may concentrate
on doing what I can do best.
"Twenty-Four Hours A Day" is a © Copyrighted book of
Hazelden Foundation. No portion of this publication may
be reproduced in any manner without the written
permission of Hazelden
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Today's Thought
MARCH 16
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Melody Beattie ©
Positive Energy
Its so easy to look around and notice whats wrong.
It takes practice to see whats right.
Many of us have lived around negativity for years. Weve become skilled at
labeling whats wrong with other people, our life, our work, our day, our
relationships, our conduct, our recovery, and ourselves.
We want to be realistic, and our goal is to identify and accept reality.
However, this is often not our intent when we practice negativity. The
purpose of negativity is usually annihilation.
Negative thinking empowers the problem. It takes us out of harmony. Negative
energy sabotages and destroys. It has a powerful life of its own.
So does positive energy. Each day, we can ask whats right, whats good -
about other people, our life, our work, our day, our relationships,
ourselves, our conduct, our recovery.
Positive energy heals, conducts love, and transforms. Choose positive
energy.
Today, God help me let go of negativity. Transform my beliefs and thinking,
at the core, from negative to positive. Put me in harmony with the good.
©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission
of the publisher.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Being Aware of Our Gift
by Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D.
Each of us has the opportunity to accept and welcome the gift of living
fully in the present. When we awaken to the eternal here and now, we feel
alive, mobilized, our senses quickened. Each moment fully experienced
becomes an integral part of the sculpting of our future. As we live today,
we create our tomorrows.
Today we may choose to be happy, cheerful and kind, to do our creative best
at work, to relax in play. We may embrace life, accept and learn from the
good and the not-so-good moments, appreciate and understand our family,
friends and colleagues and support and forgive one another when difficulties
arise.
All of these choices represent a creative way of living the fullness of our
day. When we spend a day that way, we feel great when we go to bed. We have
done our part to create a happy, productive tomorrow.
By contrast, if we spend the day grumbling, groaning, sad, depressed,
resentful, withdrawn, fearful or angry, we're not having a very good
today -- and we are definitely not creating a good tomorrow.
Think about it. We are offered many choices. We choose how we perceive and
handle life's happenings. We choose how we want to respond to each
experience in our life. With every choice we carve another aspect of our
future.
Pain as an Essential Inner Teacher
We can actually reach a point where a sudden happening and the accompanying
loss or pain is not such a big deal. We accept that pain is simply a part of
life. We cut our finger, and it heals. We lose friends and gain new ones. We
smart from the hurt of someone's unkind action and either work it out with
that person or decide to let it go. Wounds, losses, pain -- yes, they do
hurt, but pain itself is a part of the healing process.
Think of people who are born without pain receptors, who do not feel pain.
They often injure their bodies terribly. They can put their hand on a hot
stove and not feel it and come away with the tissue totally burned. So pain
is a teacher; pain is a warning; pain is a signal. It's a type of inner
radar that says, "Hey, there's something happening you need to pay attention
to."
As the Tibetan Master, Djwal Kul, once said, "Pain has no dominion over you,
but pain is an essential teacher.... Embrace her, move through her, beyond
her and find your manifest reality."'
When we are faced with pain, we may choose to explore it, to understand it
and to learn the soul lesson inherent in it. The secret is keeping our heart
open. Think of the avatars and the saints. They kept their hearts open even
when they suffered great pain. Jesus and Gautama kept their hearts open.
Padre Pio, Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa kept their hearts open. We may
choose to walk in their footsteps.
As we allow ourselves to realize we are wounded, to be aware of the pain and
go deeper and deeper to its source, we reach deep into the well of our being
to release old hurts, old poisons. That's why we embrace pain. It's not
because we love the fact that it hurts. Nobody likes to hurt. But we choose
to embrace pain because it's a piercing, an opening of a wound that allows
the hurtful poison to be released. Then we can let it heal.
Think about that for a minute. Isn't it true that we tend to hold on to what
we have? Even if it's poisonous, at least it's familiar. So we hold on to
old wounds, old ideas, old grudges by thinking about them, recreating them.
Whether it is a person, a lifestyle, family, friends or simply our way of
doing things -- whatever we hold on to gives us pain when it goes its way.
When we release our attachment, we feel surcease from the pain.
Being Awake
The Buddha as the Enlightened One taught nonattachment because he understood
this process. How did he get there? Through communion with God and his
determination to be awake. The Buddha said we all need to be awake! We need
to be awake to greet the new day -- with new eyes, new perspective, new
hopes and dreams.
We deny ourselves this awakened state when we stay stuck in our pain. Our
awareness doesn't extend beyond the pain and the fixed ideas we may have
about what is causing it. Or it may be that we try to hide from our
feelings, from fully experiencing the pain. When we do this, we feel upset,
tense, boxed in. Yet it is a box of our own making.
It's as if we are holding tightly to the past with our eyes firmly shut to
the present. Of course, with closed eyes, we can't see the new day, the new
opportunity, the possibility of a lesson learned, a gain of new perspective.
What to do? We may choose to open our eyes, even as we open our hearts and
turn on the awareness of our five outer senses and our sixth sense -- our
intuition.
What is intuition anyway? It's that sense of inner knowing that comes from
being "awake." Buddha's state of awakeness is not as far from our grasp as
we might think. It is the awakening of our soul to inner perceptions, inner
truths, inner wisdom. You have probably experienced this state many times in
your life without even realizing it. It's a part of our spiritual nature
that we sometimes take for granted. Life sure is a lot easier when we allow
our intuition to guide us.
Of course, this doesn't mean that difficult life situations are always going
to "come up roses." But every time we meditate, pray, contemplate and take
positive action, we learn and grow. Our victories strengthen our faith, and
defeats bring lessons our souls need to learn.
Either way, when we choose to be awake, aware and grateful in the present
moment, we offer ourselves the best opportunity for happiness today. In so
doing, we create a better tomorrow. And you know what? We may catch a
glimpse of the angels smiling.
Humor in the Ups and Downs of Life
Our sense of happiness also has to do with the way we choose to look at
misfortune. We may look only at the downside or we may choose to discover an
upside. The choice is up to us.
Do you remember the folktale of the old man whose only horse disappeared?
When his friends tried to console him, the old man said, "How do you know
this isn't a lucky omen?"
Sure enough, after several months, the lost horse came back home accompanied
by another excellent horse. Now he had two fine steeds. When the old man's
friends congratulated him on his good luck, he replied, "How do you know
that's not a bad omen?"
Sure enough! One day the old man's son fell off the horse and broke his leg
severely. It left him crippled. When the old man's friends called to tell
him how sorry they were, he responded, "How do you know this isn't a good
omen?" As the story goes, shortly after the man's son broke his leg, all the
young men in the land were ordered into the army to fight a war far away.
However, the old man's son, lame from his accident, was spared.
We could carry this story on and on. It illustrates the ups and downs of
life, which we may view as misfortune or opportunity, depending on the way
we look at them. Some times the seemingly tragic or insolvable dilemma of
today is only a prelude to a great opportunity of tomorrow -- especially
when we choose to look at it that way.
When we accept the misfortunes of today as a potential blessing for
tomorrow, we put in motion positive energy that helps make it happen. It's
like noticing the silver lining of the clouds -- when the clouds move on, we
discover the sun has been shining brightly all the time. In our inner world,
we begin to move the storm clouds along by focusing on loving, creative
thoughts and feelings.
Another way of nurturing a hopeful attitude in the present is to keep your
sense of humor alive and well. A good laugh relaxes our body and mind even
as it lifts our spirits. A sense of humor about the slightly ridiculous
aspects of life generates laughter, and the joyful energy of laughter brings
a brighter perspective.
When we stay in the here and now of the present, we find more laughter and
fewer tears. The problem for many of us is that we bury the tears of
yesterday and carry them into our tomorrows. Instead, let's choose to cry
when we are hurt, smile when we are happy and welcome each new day with hope
and humor.
Now you might be thinking, "I don't usually wake up feeling hopeful and
humorous. In fact, until I get my first cup of coffee, it's better if I
don't talk to anybody." Let's take a look at this: You could moan and groan
all day -- especially if you discover you are out of coffee.
Or you could see the funny side of the drama: "Hmmm, here I am basing my
whole day on passing feelings and a cup of coffee. That's pretty
ridiculous!" Cartoonists are masters at taking the minor mishaps of our
lives and satirically showing us the humor of our ways.
What does it take to cultivate a sense of humor about our mishaps?
Perspective. Adopting an attitude of positive expectancy instead of gloom
and negative pronouncements.
I remember a friend who had limited finances. When she was in dire need, she
would always say, "I'm expecting a check." One time I asked her, "Who from?"
She said, "I don't know, but I'm expecting a check."
The delightful truth of this story is that this woman would suddenly get
checks out of nowhere. Money seemed to drop from the skies in envelopes
addressed to Ruth Farnam. It was as if once she set her consciousness with
positive expectation and perfect faith, the universe complied.
Planting Seeds of Love and Hope
People have written and talked about this phenomenon as having a "positive
mental attitude. " I believe it is a natural law of the universe that
whatever we send out to life returns to us. We know this from our
interactions with people every day. When our heart is full of love,
everything seems to move along harmoniously. When we put out negative vibes
and verbiage, we get it right back. We would do well to follow Thumper's
advice in the movie, Bambi. "If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say
nuthin' at all!"' The lesson here: Whatever we send out, we get back. Karma
is our teacher!
Each of us puts on many faces, sometimes all in the course of a day. We take
on different outlooks depending on our circumstances, companions, thoughts
and desires. As Piero Ferucci puts it, "Life may appear to us at any time as
a routine, a dance, a race, an adventure, a nightmare, a riddle, a
merry-go-round, etc."'
In a word, we have the opportunity to see life as a cup half-full or a cup
half-empty. When we see our cup of life half-empty and draining, we feel
drained and empty. When we see our cup of life half-full and filling, we
feel energized and overflowing. It is all a matter of the perspective we
choose.
This article is excerpted from Sacred Psychology of Change, ©2000, by
Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Summit
University Press. Tel. 1- 406-848-9500. ww.tsl.org
About the Author ~
Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D. , clinical psychologist and workshop leader,
specializes in inner-child work, relationship counseling, dream analysis,
Gestalt techniques, spiritual self-help exercises and EMDR trauma release
therapy. Dr. Barrick's popular book, Sacred Psychology of Love was the first
in her series on spiritual psychology. Sacred Psychology of Change is the
second book in the series. (Dr. Barrick's other books.) For additional
information, Dr. Barrick invites you to visit her web site at
www.spiritualpsychology.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Portrait Of A Friend
I can't give solutions to all of life's problems, doubts, or fears.
But I can listen to you, and together we can seek answers.
I can't change your past with all it's heartache and pain, nor the
future with it's untold stories.
But I can be there now when you need me to care.
I can't keep your feet from stumbling.
I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and not fall.
Your joys, triumphs, successes, and happiness are not mine;
Yet I can share in your laughter and joy.
Your decisions in life are not mine to make, nor to judge;
I can only support you, encourage you, and help you when you ask.
I can't give you boundaries which I have determined for you,
But I can give you the room to change, room to grow, room to be
yourself.
I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting,
But I can cry with you and help you pick up the pieces and put them
back in place.
I can't tell you who you are.
I can only love you and be your friend.
Author Unknown
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Be Brave
No one is brave by nature
Or else there would be no need
of the word in our vocabulary
It would be an ever-present state of heart
like the skin that covers our skeleton
It is therefore ok to not be perfect
Because no one else is
It is therefore ok to be afraid sometimes
as this is an indication
that change is imminent
It is therefore ok to not win
all the time
as the do-ing and the be-ing is
the moment's enjoyment
more so than the win-ning
It is therefore ok to be anxious
for then you have the chance to change that anxiety
into excitement
for all the thrilling possibilities that lie before you
We think we need permission to be ourselves
Being imperfect, afraid, anxious
not winning all the time
But we are simply being who we already are:
Be brave therefore and dare
to be human
Be yourself
With love,
Stella
© 2005 Raymonde Stella Savoie Johnson
stellar...@soulopen.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kunming Report.
We have had a real awesome experience taking the
message across and fulfilling our primary purpose.
We would like to thank all of you people who have made
this privilege possible for us to experience. It will
be a memory cherished forever in our lives.
As you may already know Kunming in Southern China is
the capital of Yunnan Province and is a real hotbed of
Narcotics activity fueled by the cheap supply and
availability of hard drugs in the area what is known
as the Golden Triangle. A number of centers for
recovery, rehabilitation, detoxification and harm
reduction exist in the area.
On Sunday Feb 19th 2006 Nick.R and I (Geoff .T)
started our trip by fly to Kunming, to do a Public
Information presentation of NA to the various NGOs in
the area, on the invitation of Population Services
International (PSI) Yunnan, China. We were greeted at
the airport by an addict working with the Daytop
Rehabilitation Center.
On Monday Feb 20th 2006, we did a PI presentation with
the different NGO‚s , addicts and the Public Security
Bureau (Police). There were around 40 people
attending the meeting. Geoff. T chaired the meeting
and Nick R. shared his experience, strength and hope.
We had a staff member of the PSI helping, to translate
for us. The presentation was well received, as they
sounded really excited knowing about NA and how to get
a meeting started at the different centers in Kunming.
We felt really excited with how well the meeting had
been received.
After Lunch break, we had a workshop on talked about
how to start a NA meeting. There were around 25 people
present for the meeting. A few NGO‚s and lots of
addicts. Everybody was excited about NA and the
information was well received. There were lots of
questions from the NGO‚s and addicts.
After a short break of 15 mins, we modeled a NA
meeting using the meeting sample format for the
addicts. All of the addicts had a couple of years free
from drugs. They were very keen to learn about NA
meetings and find out how the meetings are conducted.
We had a very successful meeting. We talked about
commitment to the group and also got the group to
elect trusted servants, talked about the 7th tradition
and getting their agreement to pay rent to the
facility. The group decided to hold the meetings on
every Sunday at 4 Pm in the PSI center. The PSI staff
members were receptive to this and agreed to make the
facility available on an ongoing basis. The members
sounded very energetic and committed in having NA
meetings.
The next day 21st Feb 2006 we held 2 NA meetings and
modeled the meetings for them. There were 20 addicts
at the meeting. We talked and shared about different
types of meeting, speaker meetings, topic meetings,
general sharing, steps & sponsorship meeting. We
passed on a lot of hugs, till it got contagious and
they loved it. We had one meeting and then we took
them out for lunch on the street, to give them a feel
of the meeting after the meeting.
After lunch every body was eager to get back to the
meeting and all sat at the meeting just soaking up
information. All the meetings we had were 1.5 hrs
meeting, as we had to have a translator interpret for
us. They had a lot of questions about the program and
the problems that they face in staying clean. Their
problems were so much like what addicts go through in
countries where there is no support to help them
survive. I could totally relate and identify with
them. It took me years back to when I first got into
recovery and had to go through the very same things
that these guys are going through now. We felt really
emotional and shared our experience, strength and hope
with them. We saw hope in their eyes . It was very,
very rewarding and fulfilling to experience it.
After the meeting, before we could leave, we got
together with the newly elected trusted servants of
the group and checked their understanding about
running the meeting and the role that they have, their
commitment etc. We reinforced some things that we
had talked about and also got them to work out things
with the facility where the meetings will be held.
We had accomplished our goal in facilitating the
setting up of a Narcotics Anonymous meeting at the PSI
center in Kunming. The meeting is to be held weekly on
Sunday at 4pm in the PSI meeting room.
It was time for us to leave and it felt really
emotional saying bye to all and hugging everyone. We
were very happy that we had accomplished the purpose
we were there for. The message was carried and the
journey will continue.......... Just for Today.
We made some additional commitments to the newly
formed group regarding literature and trying to help
with Chinese speaking sponsors as knowledge of the
steps is very limited at present. We also feel it is
necessary to follow up with a second trip in 6 to 8
weeks time to reinforce and support this newly fledged
outpost of recovery.
In loving service to NA
Geoff. T & Nick. R
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just Look
There is good mixed in with the bad
Some folks are happy
Some folks are sad
When I look for good
In people
That's what I see
For what I see in others
I also see in me
If I let some people
Irritate me today
I must first examine
My own way
So if your down
Also full of doubt
Look for the good in others
To help you out
At first it is not easy to see
Practice and be patient
Before long God
Shows you what is to be
Just look for the good in everyone
Before long you will see
How this is done
Daniel M Corkery
7/29/2002
DMCDR...@aol.com
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The easiest thing to be in the world is you.
The most difficult thing to be
is what other people want you to be.
Don't let them put you in that position.
Leo Buscaglia
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Destiny is not a matter of chance,
it is a matter of choice.
It is not a thing to be waited for;
it is a thing to be achieved.
William Jennings Bryan
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
What looks like a loss may be the very event
which is subsequently responsible for helping to produce
the major achievement of your life.
Srully D. Blotnick
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The essence of all religions is love, compassion, and tolerance.
Kindness is my true religion.
The clear proof of a person's love of God
is if that person genuinely shows love to fellow human beings.
The Dalai Lama
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There's a difference between acting as if
and fake it till you make it,
because if you fake it you might not make it
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you don't keep coming,
then you're going to keep going.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Expect miracles.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nothing is so bad,
that using won't make worse.
FREE Click to GIVE @ to STOP Violence Against Women
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== == "we are each of us angels
<^\()/\()/^> with but one wing,
\/ \/ \/ and can only fly by
/ \/ \ embracing each other"
`""``""`
Scott’s Daily Blog
http://intherooms.com/younmenhp
For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
http://www.recoverycartoons.com/steps/stepeleven.shtml
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What "experience , strength , and hope" would you offer someone
about working to have a healthy relationship ?
(((Family))) a BIG hug to you all.
Anyhow, my ES&H on the topic of healthy relationships.
I am grateful that you people told me
"We will love you until you can learn to love yourself.
I am grateful that you people told me to get a sponsor.
I am grateful that you people told me to use my sponsor.
This was the safest place for me to practice having a healthy relationship.
What I learn I practice, What I practice I become.
I am grateful for my sponsors love for me.
When I started to practice other healthy relationships they were with my family
and other friends. In the beginning, it was alot easier and simpler
to have healthy relationships when I wasnt having sex with the other person :)
When it came down to having a relationship with a significant other
that was healthy, I made alot of mistakes, it was a process not an event.
I am grateful that no matter what happened,
no matter what I put myself through.
I didnt use no matter what!!!
My relationships today are so much healthier than they ever were.
I am not willing to tolerate unacceptable behavior.
As well today my actions speak louder than my words.
When I say that I love you,
I behave like I love you.
Love is not a feeling, Love is a STAND
Love is a behavior!!!
If you want to know if my relationships are healthy,
dont just hang around my friends,
Observe me when I am with my family.
Enjoy your day,
Stay in the light,
In loving service,
Scott
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
This is a SLAMMING, STRONG support group with
a whole lot of EXPERIENCE, LOVE and HOPE that is available to you.
This a message bulletin board meeting, where people post on the
weekly topic. It takes only 1 minute to enter a password and
username. Please go this page on the upper right hand corner and click
the join club link, sign in and go to the left hand side and click
messages to read what others have shared and click on the post link,
now you can share on the topic of the week or whatever you would like.
There is a lot of good experience, strength and hope in here as well
as newcomers who need our support and love, PLEASE stop by,
we will leave the light on in the room and there is coffee in the back :)
Thanks for your participation and support !!!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 16th
Choosing positive thoughts and making positive choices
fill me with new strength, confidence and excitement.
I can feel positive energy flow through me
with every positive thought I choose.
The weekly meeting topic is:
What "experience , strength , and hope" would you offer someone
about working to have a healthy relationship ?
(((Family))) a BIG hug to you all.
Anyhow, my ES&H on the topic of healthy relationships.
I am grateful that you people told me
"We will love you until you can learn to love yourself.
I am grateful that you people told me to get a sponsor.
I am grateful that you people told me to use my sponsor.
This was the safest place for me to practice having a healthy relationship.
What I learn I practice, What I practice I become.
I am grateful for my sponsors love for me.
When I started to practice other healthy relationships they were with my family
and other friends. In the beginning, it was alot easier and simpler
to have healthy relationships when I wasnt having sex with the other person :)
When it came down to having a relationship with a significant other
that was healthy, I made alot of mistakes, it was a process not an event.
I am grateful that no matter what happened,
no matter what I put myself through.
I didnt use no matter what!!!
My relationships today are so much healthier than they ever were.
I am not willing to tolerate unacceptable behavior.
As well today my actions speak louder than my words.
When I say that I love you,
I behave like I love you.
Love is not a feeling, Love is a STAND
Love is a behavior!!!
If you want to know if my relationships are healthy,
dont just hang around my friends,
Observe me when I am with my family.
Enjoy your day,
Stay in the light,
In loving service,
Scott
This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you MUST join this club in order to
participate otherwise your emails will bounce
to share please visit
or email
This is a SLAMMING, STRONG support group with
a whole lot of EXPERIENCE, LOVE and HOPE that is available to you.
This a message bulletin board meeting, where people post on the
weekly topic. It takes only 1 minute to enter a password and
username. Please go this page on the upper right hand corner and click
the join club link, sign in and go to the left hand side and click
messages to read what others have shared and click on the post link,
now you can share on the topic of the week or whatever you would like.
There is a lot of good experience, strength and hope in here as well
as newcomers who need our support and love, PLEASE stop by,
we will leave the light on in the room and there is coffee in the back :)
Thanks for your participation and support !!!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 16th
Choosing positive thoughts and making positive choices
fill me with new strength, confidence and excitement.
I can feel positive energy flow through me
with every positive thought I choose.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
Check out Ruth's collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and CD's
& some touching inspirational SPIRITLIFTER messages by email
http://www.ruthfishel.com/Books_and_CDs.htmlfor inspirational messages email
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meeting Makers - Make It
I attempted to go to a meeting today
But other things got in the way
Like grocery shopping or a trip to the mall
It’s only one meeting after all.
I’ve been to a meeting most everyday
I know what to do, and I know what they say
About taking it easy, and first things first
If I miss one meeting, how much could it hurt.
Months have passed and I’m ok
See - I don’t need a meeting everyday
One or two meetings, here or there
Is enough to keep me sober and aware.
I guess after awhile
It just didn’t seem
There was anything left
In those meetings for me.
So now here I lay
Six feet under ground
Can’t tell you my story
I can’t make a sound.
Alcohol Kills!!
It’s cold, but it’s true
If you don’t go to meetings
It Will Happen to you.
Regina M. Poulillo
11/2/03
REG...@cs.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Don't Use*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If anyone has any original recovery poetry that they
would like to share with us please copy and paste it into the body
of an email and send it to me, Thanks for your support and contributions.
What I can't do alone, We do together.
In loving service, Scott ~ YOUn...@gmail.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just for Today
March 16 Inventory
"The purpose of a searching and fearless moral inventory is to sort
through the confusion and the contradiction of our lives so that we
can find out who we really are." Basic Text p. 27
Using addicts are a confused and confusing bunch of people. It's hard
to tell from one minute to the next what they're going to do or who
they're going to be. Usually, the addict is just as surprised as anyone
else.
When we used, our behavior was dictated by the needs of our
addiction. Many of us still identify our personalities closely with the
behavior we practiced while using, leading us to feel shame and despair.
Today, we don't have to be the people we once were, shaped by our
addiction; recovery has allowed us to change.
We can use the Fourth Step inventory to see past the needs of the
old using life and find out who we want to be today. Writing about our
behavior and noticing how we feel about that behavior helps us
understand who we want to be. Our inventory helps us see beyond the
demands of active addiction, beyond our desire to be loved and accepted—
we find out who we are at the root. We begin to understand what's
appropriate for us, and what we want our lives to be like. This is the
beginning of becoming who we really are.
Just for today: If I want to find out who I am, I'll look at who I've
been and who I want to be. pg. 78
Just For Today Daily Meditation is the property of Narcotics Anonymous ©
1991 by World Service Office Inc.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get Involved In Service*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you are enjoying this daily recovery email,
Please pass on 12 Step Soul Food For The Spirit to your online friends,
"We can only keep what we have by giving it away."
If you have received this as a forward
and would like to subscribe please email
me at YOUn...@gmail.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Food For Thought Meditation
Each Day a New Beginning (Women) Meditation
Touchtones (Men) Meditation
Meditation of the Day
Viking Thought of the Day
Elder's Meditation of the Day
Sober Thought of the Day
Daily Zen
Grapevine Story Today
Daily Motivator
IN THE ROOMS (ITR), is the premier FREE online social network dedicated to the global recovery community for people seeking help, in recovery and their family, friends and allies of recovery worldwide. Our mission is to augment or enhance traditional 12 step and other recovery programs by offering a place to not only find like minded people but also people who share the same interests, passions and hobbies. Our mantra is the acronym HITCH which is the Help, Inform, Touch, Connect and Heal.
http://www.intherooms.com/?id=younmenhp
http://www.intherooms.com/?id=younmenhp
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Idea Of Faith
Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you
from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 47
The idea of faith is a very large chunk to swallow when fear, doubt and
anger abound in and around me. Sometimes just the idea of doing something
different, something I am not accustomed to doing, can eventually become an
act of faith if I do it regularly, and do it without debating whether it's
the right thing to do. When a bad day comes along and everything is going
wrong, a meeting or a talk with another drunk often distracts me just
enough to persuade me that everything is not quite as impossible, as
overwhelming as I had thought. In the same way, going to a meeting or
talking to a fellow alcoholic are acts of faith; I believe I'm arresting my
disease. These are ways I slowly move toward faith in a Higher Power.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
Daily Reflection In Loving Memory Of Scott Reeves
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 16th
A.A. Thought for the Day
Before we decide to quit drinking, most of us
have to come up against a blank wall. We see
that we're licked, that we have to quit. But we
don't know which way to turn for help. There
seems to be no door in that blank wall. A.A.
opens the door that leads to sobriety. By
encouraging us to honestly admit that we're
alcoholics and to realize that we can't take
even one drink, and by showing us which way to
turn for help, A.A. opens the door in that blank
wall. Have I gone through that door to sobriety?
Meditation for the Day
I must have a singleness of purpose to do my
part in God's work. I must not let material
distractions interfere with my job of improving
personal relationships. It is easy to become
distracted by material affairs, so that I lose
my singleness of purpose. I do not have time
to be concerned about the multifarious concerns
of the world. I must concentrate and specialize
on what I can do best.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may not become distracted by
material affairs. I pray that I may concentrate
on doing what I can do best.
"Twenty-Four Hours A Day" is a © Copyrighted book of
Hazelden Foundation. No portion of this publication may
be reproduced in any manner without the written
permission of Hazelden
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Today's Thought
MARCH 16
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Melody Beattie ©
Positive Energy
Its so easy to look around and notice whats wrong.
It takes practice to see whats right.
Many of us have lived around negativity for years. Weve become skilled at
labeling whats wrong with other people, our life, our work, our day, our
relationships, our conduct, our recovery, and ourselves.
We want to be realistic, and our goal is to identify and accept reality.
However, this is often not our intent when we practice negativity. The
purpose of negativity is usually annihilation.
Negative thinking empowers the problem. It takes us out of harmony. Negative
energy sabotages and destroys. It has a powerful life of its own.
So does positive energy. Each day, we can ask whats right, whats good -
about other people, our life, our work, our day, our relationships,
ourselves, our conduct, our recovery.
Positive energy heals, conducts love, and transforms. Choose positive
energy.
Today, God help me let go of negativity. Transform my beliefs and thinking,
at the core, from negative to positive. Put me in harmony with the good.
©1990, Hazelden Foundation. All rights reserved. No portion of this
publication may be reproduced in any manner without the written permission
of the publisher.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
IN THE ROOMS (ITR), is the premier FREE online social network dedicated to the global recovery community for people seeking help, in recovery and their family, friends and allies of recovery worldwide. Our mission is to augment or enhance traditional 12 step and other recovery programs by offering a place to not only find like minded people but also people who share the same interests, passions and hobbies. Our mantra is the acronym HITCH which is the Help, Inform, Touch, Connect and Heal.
http://www.intherooms.com/?id=younmenhp
http://www.intherooms.com/?id=younmenhp
SpiritHaven and SpiritLifter
Alan Cohen
Marianne Williamson ~ 'Return to Love'
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
Don Miguel Ruiz ~ 'The Four Agreements'
Oriah ~ 'The Invitation'
Deepak Chopra
Louise Hay ~ 'You Can Heal Your Life'
Spirit Site~ Home for Spirituality excerpts from books
Heal Your Life~ 'You Can'
Of Spirit ~ 'Healing Body Mind and Spirit'
In Light Times ~ 'Concepts for Conscious Living'
Vision Magazine ~ 'Catalyst for Conscious Living'
Transformation Magazine ~ 'Your Resource for Personal Development'
World Forgiveness Alliance
The Association for Global New Thought
A Course In Miracles
Finding Joy
Inspirational movie, about 3 minutes long
Inspirational Spiritual Flash Movies
Meditation Rooms
Native American 10 Commandments
The Secret
Being Aware of Our Gift
by Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D.
Each of us has the opportunity to accept and welcome the gift of living
fully in the present. When we awaken to the eternal here and now, we feel
alive, mobilized, our senses quickened. Each moment fully experienced
becomes an integral part of the sculpting of our future. As we live today,
we create our tomorrows.
Today we may choose to be happy, cheerful and kind, to do our creative best
at work, to relax in play. We may embrace life, accept and learn from the
good and the not-so-good moments, appreciate and understand our family,
friends and colleagues and support and forgive one another when difficulties
arise.
All of these choices represent a creative way of living the fullness of our
day. When we spend a day that way, we feel great when we go to bed. We have
done our part to create a happy, productive tomorrow.
By contrast, if we spend the day grumbling, groaning, sad, depressed,
resentful, withdrawn, fearful or angry, we're not having a very good
today -- and we are definitely not creating a good tomorrow.
Think about it. We are offered many choices. We choose how we perceive and
handle life's happenings. We choose how we want to respond to each
experience in our life. With every choice we carve another aspect of our
future.
Pain as an Essential Inner Teacher
We can actually reach a point where a sudden happening and the accompanying
loss or pain is not such a big deal. We accept that pain is simply a part of
life. We cut our finger, and it heals. We lose friends and gain new ones. We
smart from the hurt of someone's unkind action and either work it out with
that person or decide to let it go. Wounds, losses, pain -- yes, they do
hurt, but pain itself is a part of the healing process.
Think of people who are born without pain receptors, who do not feel pain.
They often injure their bodies terribly. They can put their hand on a hot
stove and not feel it and come away with the tissue totally burned. So pain
is a teacher; pain is a warning; pain is a signal. It's a type of inner
radar that says, "Hey, there's something happening you need to pay attention
to."
As the Tibetan Master, Djwal Kul, once said, "Pain has no dominion over you,
but pain is an essential teacher.... Embrace her, move through her, beyond
her and find your manifest reality."'
When we are faced with pain, we may choose to explore it, to understand it
and to learn the soul lesson inherent in it. The secret is keeping our heart
open. Think of the avatars and the saints. They kept their hearts open even
when they suffered great pain. Jesus and Gautama kept their hearts open.
Padre Pio, Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa kept their hearts open. We may
choose to walk in their footsteps.
As we allow ourselves to realize we are wounded, to be aware of the pain and
go deeper and deeper to its source, we reach deep into the well of our being
to release old hurts, old poisons. That's why we embrace pain. It's not
because we love the fact that it hurts. Nobody likes to hurt. But we choose
to embrace pain because it's a piercing, an opening of a wound that allows
the hurtful poison to be released. Then we can let it heal.
Think about that for a minute. Isn't it true that we tend to hold on to what
we have? Even if it's poisonous, at least it's familiar. So we hold on to
old wounds, old ideas, old grudges by thinking about them, recreating them.
Whether it is a person, a lifestyle, family, friends or simply our way of
doing things -- whatever we hold on to gives us pain when it goes its way.
When we release our attachment, we feel surcease from the pain.
Being Awake
The Buddha as the Enlightened One taught nonattachment because he understood
this process. How did he get there? Through communion with God and his
determination to be awake. The Buddha said we all need to be awake! We need
to be awake to greet the new day -- with new eyes, new perspective, new
hopes and dreams.
We deny ourselves this awakened state when we stay stuck in our pain. Our
awareness doesn't extend beyond the pain and the fixed ideas we may have
about what is causing it. Or it may be that we try to hide from our
feelings, from fully experiencing the pain. When we do this, we feel upset,
tense, boxed in. Yet it is a box of our own making.
It's as if we are holding tightly to the past with our eyes firmly shut to
the present. Of course, with closed eyes, we can't see the new day, the new
opportunity, the possibility of a lesson learned, a gain of new perspective.
What to do? We may choose to open our eyes, even as we open our hearts and
turn on the awareness of our five outer senses and our sixth sense -- our
intuition.
What is intuition anyway? It's that sense of inner knowing that comes from
being "awake." Buddha's state of awakeness is not as far from our grasp as
we might think. It is the awakening of our soul to inner perceptions, inner
truths, inner wisdom. You have probably experienced this state many times in
your life without even realizing it. It's a part of our spiritual nature
that we sometimes take for granted. Life sure is a lot easier when we allow
our intuition to guide us.
Of course, this doesn't mean that difficult life situations are always going
to "come up roses." But every time we meditate, pray, contemplate and take
positive action, we learn and grow. Our victories strengthen our faith, and
defeats bring lessons our souls need to learn.
Either way, when we choose to be awake, aware and grateful in the present
moment, we offer ourselves the best opportunity for happiness today. In so
doing, we create a better tomorrow. And you know what? We may catch a
glimpse of the angels smiling.
Humor in the Ups and Downs of Life
Our sense of happiness also has to do with the way we choose to look at
misfortune. We may look only at the downside or we may choose to discover an
upside. The choice is up to us.
Do you remember the folktale of the old man whose only horse disappeared?
When his friends tried to console him, the old man said, "How do you know
this isn't a lucky omen?"
Sure enough, after several months, the lost horse came back home accompanied
by another excellent horse. Now he had two fine steeds. When the old man's
friends congratulated him on his good luck, he replied, "How do you know
that's not a bad omen?"
Sure enough! One day the old man's son fell off the horse and broke his leg
severely. It left him crippled. When the old man's friends called to tell
him how sorry they were, he responded, "How do you know this isn't a good
omen?" As the story goes, shortly after the man's son broke his leg, all the
young men in the land were ordered into the army to fight a war far away.
However, the old man's son, lame from his accident, was spared.
We could carry this story on and on. It illustrates the ups and downs of
life, which we may view as misfortune or opportunity, depending on the way
we look at them. Some times the seemingly tragic or insolvable dilemma of
today is only a prelude to a great opportunity of tomorrow -- especially
when we choose to look at it that way.
When we accept the misfortunes of today as a potential blessing for
tomorrow, we put in motion positive energy that helps make it happen. It's
like noticing the silver lining of the clouds -- when the clouds move on, we
discover the sun has been shining brightly all the time. In our inner world,
we begin to move the storm clouds along by focusing on loving, creative
thoughts and feelings.
Another way of nurturing a hopeful attitude in the present is to keep your
sense of humor alive and well. A good laugh relaxes our body and mind even
as it lifts our spirits. A sense of humor about the slightly ridiculous
aspects of life generates laughter, and the joyful energy of laughter brings
a brighter perspective.
When we stay in the here and now of the present, we find more laughter and
fewer tears. The problem for many of us is that we bury the tears of
yesterday and carry them into our tomorrows. Instead, let's choose to cry
when we are hurt, smile when we are happy and welcome each new day with hope
and humor.
Now you might be thinking, "I don't usually wake up feeling hopeful and
humorous. In fact, until I get my first cup of coffee, it's better if I
don't talk to anybody." Let's take a look at this: You could moan and groan
all day -- especially if you discover you are out of coffee.
Or you could see the funny side of the drama: "Hmmm, here I am basing my
whole day on passing feelings and a cup of coffee. That's pretty
ridiculous!" Cartoonists are masters at taking the minor mishaps of our
lives and satirically showing us the humor of our ways.
What does it take to cultivate a sense of humor about our mishaps?
Perspective. Adopting an attitude of positive expectancy instead of gloom
and negative pronouncements.
I remember a friend who had limited finances. When she was in dire need, she
would always say, "I'm expecting a check." One time I asked her, "Who from?"
She said, "I don't know, but I'm expecting a check."
The delightful truth of this story is that this woman would suddenly get
checks out of nowhere. Money seemed to drop from the skies in envelopes
addressed to Ruth Farnam. It was as if once she set her consciousness with
positive expectation and perfect faith, the universe complied.
Planting Seeds of Love and Hope
People have written and talked about this phenomenon as having a "positive
mental attitude. " I believe it is a natural law of the universe that
whatever we send out to life returns to us. We know this from our
interactions with people every day. When our heart is full of love,
everything seems to move along harmoniously. When we put out negative vibes
and verbiage, we get it right back. We would do well to follow Thumper's
advice in the movie, Bambi. "If you can't say somethin' nice, don't say
nuthin' at all!"' The lesson here: Whatever we send out, we get back. Karma
is our teacher!
Each of us puts on many faces, sometimes all in the course of a day. We take
on different outlooks depending on our circumstances, companions, thoughts
and desires. As Piero Ferucci puts it, "Life may appear to us at any time as
a routine, a dance, a race, an adventure, a nightmare, a riddle, a
merry-go-round, etc."'
In a word, we have the opportunity to see life as a cup half-full or a cup
half-empty. When we see our cup of life half-empty and draining, we feel
drained and empty. When we see our cup of life half-full and filling, we
feel energized and overflowing. It is all a matter of the perspective we
choose.
This article is excerpted from Sacred Psychology of Change, ©2000, by
Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Summit
University Press. Tel. 1- 406-848-9500. ww.tsl.org
About the Author ~
Marilyn C. Barrick, Ph.D. , clinical psychologist and workshop leader,
specializes in inner-child work, relationship counseling, dream analysis,
Gestalt techniques, spiritual self-help exercises and EMDR trauma release
therapy. Dr. Barrick's popular book, Sacred Psychology of Love was the first
in her series on spiritual psychology. Sacred Psychology of Change is the
second book in the series. (Dr. Barrick's other books.) For additional
information, Dr. Barrick invites you to visit her web site at
www.spiritualpsychology.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Portrait Of A Friend
I can't give solutions to all of life's problems, doubts, or fears.
But I can listen to you, and together we can seek answers.
I can't change your past with all it's heartache and pain, nor the
future with it's untold stories.
But I can be there now when you need me to care.
I can't keep your feet from stumbling.
I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and not fall.
Your joys, triumphs, successes, and happiness are not mine;
Yet I can share in your laughter and joy.
Your decisions in life are not mine to make, nor to judge;
I can only support you, encourage you, and help you when you ask.
I can't give you boundaries which I have determined for you,
But I can give you the room to change, room to grow, room to be
yourself.
I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting,
But I can cry with you and help you pick up the pieces and put them
back in place.
I can't tell you who you are.
I can only love you and be your friend.
Author Unknown
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Be Brave
No one is brave by nature
Or else there would be no need
of the word in our vocabulary
It would be an ever-present state of heart
like the skin that covers our skeleton
It is therefore ok to not be perfect
Because no one else is
It is therefore ok to be afraid sometimes
as this is an indication
that change is imminent
It is therefore ok to not win
all the time
as the do-ing and the be-ing is
the moment's enjoyment
more so than the win-ning
It is therefore ok to be anxious
for then you have the chance to change that anxiety
into excitement
for all the thrilling possibilities that lie before you
We think we need permission to be ourselves
Being imperfect, afraid, anxious
not winning all the time
But we are simply being who we already are:
Be brave therefore and dare
to be human
Be yourself
With love,
Stella
© 2005 Raymonde Stella Savoie Johnson
stellar...@soulopen.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kunming Report.
We have had a real awesome experience taking the
message across and fulfilling our primary purpose.
We would like to thank all of you people who have made
this privilege possible for us to experience. It will
be a memory cherished forever in our lives.
As you may already know Kunming in Southern China is
the capital of Yunnan Province and is a real hotbed of
Narcotics activity fueled by the cheap supply and
availability of hard drugs in the area what is known
as the Golden Triangle. A number of centers for
recovery, rehabilitation, detoxification and harm
reduction exist in the area.
On Sunday Feb 19th 2006 Nick.R and I (Geoff .T)
started our trip by fly to Kunming, to do a Public
Information presentation of NA to the various NGOs in
the area, on the invitation of Population Services
International (PSI) Yunnan, China. We were greeted at
the airport by an addict working with the Daytop
Rehabilitation Center.
On Monday Feb 20th 2006, we did a PI presentation with
the different NGO‚s , addicts and the Public Security
Bureau (Police). There were around 40 people
attending the meeting. Geoff. T chaired the meeting
and Nick R. shared his experience, strength and hope.
We had a staff member of the PSI helping, to translate
for us. The presentation was well received, as they
sounded really excited knowing about NA and how to get
a meeting started at the different centers in Kunming.
We felt really excited with how well the meeting had
been received.
After Lunch break, we had a workshop on talked about
how to start a NA meeting. There were around 25 people
present for the meeting. A few NGO‚s and lots of
addicts. Everybody was excited about NA and the
information was well received. There were lots of
questions from the NGO‚s and addicts.
After a short break of 15 mins, we modeled a NA
meeting using the meeting sample format for the
addicts. All of the addicts had a couple of years free
from drugs. They were very keen to learn about NA
meetings and find out how the meetings are conducted.
We had a very successful meeting. We talked about
commitment to the group and also got the group to
elect trusted servants, talked about the 7th tradition
and getting their agreement to pay rent to the
facility. The group decided to hold the meetings on
every Sunday at 4 Pm in the PSI center. The PSI staff
members were receptive to this and agreed to make the
facility available on an ongoing basis. The members
sounded very energetic and committed in having NA
meetings.
The next day 21st Feb 2006 we held 2 NA meetings and
modeled the meetings for them. There were 20 addicts
at the meeting. We talked and shared about different
types of meeting, speaker meetings, topic meetings,
general sharing, steps & sponsorship meeting. We
passed on a lot of hugs, till it got contagious and
they loved it. We had one meeting and then we took
them out for lunch on the street, to give them a feel
of the meeting after the meeting.
After lunch every body was eager to get back to the
meeting and all sat at the meeting just soaking up
information. All the meetings we had were 1.5 hrs
meeting, as we had to have a translator interpret for
us. They had a lot of questions about the program and
the problems that they face in staying clean. Their
problems were so much like what addicts go through in
countries where there is no support to help them
survive. I could totally relate and identify with
them. It took me years back to when I first got into
recovery and had to go through the very same things
that these guys are going through now. We felt really
emotional and shared our experience, strength and hope
with them. We saw hope in their eyes . It was very,
very rewarding and fulfilling to experience it.
After the meeting, before we could leave, we got
together with the newly elected trusted servants of
the group and checked their understanding about
running the meeting and the role that they have, their
commitment etc. We reinforced some things that we
had talked about and also got them to work out things
with the facility where the meetings will be held.
We had accomplished our goal in facilitating the
setting up of a Narcotics Anonymous meeting at the PSI
center in Kunming. The meeting is to be held weekly on
Sunday at 4pm in the PSI meeting room.
It was time for us to leave and it felt really
emotional saying bye to all and hugging everyone. We
were very happy that we had accomplished the purpose
we were there for. The message was carried and the
journey will continue.......... Just for Today.
We made some additional commitments to the newly
formed group regarding literature and trying to help
with Chinese speaking sponsors as knowledge of the
steps is very limited at present. We also feel it is
necessary to follow up with a second trip in 6 to 8
weeks time to reinforce and support this newly fledged
outpost of recovery.
In loving service to NA
Geoff. T & Nick. R
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just Look
There is good mixed in with the bad
Some folks are happy
Some folks are sad
When I look for good
In people
That's what I see
For what I see in others
I also see in me
If I let some people
Irritate me today
I must first examine
My own way
So if your down
Also full of doubt
Look for the good in others
To help you out
At first it is not easy to see
Practice and be patient
Before long God
Shows you what is to be
Just look for the good in everyone
Before long you will see
How this is done
Daniel M Corkery
7/29/2002
DMCDR...@aol.com
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The easiest thing to be in the world is you.
The most difficult thing to be
is what other people want you to be.
Don't let them put you in that position.
Leo Buscaglia
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
Eleanor Roosevelt
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Destiny is not a matter of chance,
it is a matter of choice.
It is not a thing to be waited for;
it is a thing to be achieved.
William Jennings Bryan
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
What looks like a loss may be the very event
which is subsequently responsible for helping to produce
the major achievement of your life.
Srully D. Blotnick
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The essence of all religions is love, compassion, and tolerance.
Kindness is my true religion.
The clear proof of a person's love of God
is if that person genuinely shows love to fellow human beings.
The Dalai Lama
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There's a difference between acting as if
and fake it till you make it,
because if you fake it you might not make it
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you don't keep coming,
then you're going to keep going.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Expect miracles.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nothing is so bad,
that using won't make worse.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Take A Moment To GIVE (NO COST)*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
FREE Click to GIVE @ Help people in Haiti
FREE Click to GIVE @ the STOP HIV SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Hunger SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Breast Cancer SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Rain Forest SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Animal Rescue SiteFREE Click to GIVE @ the Children in Need
FREE Click to GIVE @ to Save Our Oceans
Track Your Impact in GIVING
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
http://www.intherooms.com/?id=younmenhp
Adult Children of Alcoholics
Al-Anon/Alateen
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
Clutterer’s Anonymous
Cocaine Anonymous World Services
Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
Crystal Meth Anonymous
Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
Depressed Anonymous
Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
Eating Disorders Anonymous
Emotions Anonymous
Families Anonymous
Food Addicts
Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
Hepatitis C Anonymous
HIV Anonymous
Internet and Tech Addiction Anonymous
Marijuana Anonymous
Methadone Anonymous
Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
Nar-Anon is a family support group
Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
On Line Gamers Anonymous
Overeaters Anonymous
Parents Anonymous
Recovering Couples Anonymous
Sexaholics Anonymous
Sex Addicts Anonymous
Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
Shoplifters Anonymous
Spenders Anonymous
Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
Workaholics Anonymous
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ cleandate 10/27/88
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ cleandate 10/27/88
== == "we are each of us angels
<^\()/\()/^> with but one wing,
\/ \/ \/ and can only fly by
/ \/ \ embracing each other"
`""``""`
Scott’s Daily Blog
http://intherooms.com/younmenhp
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