3/4/16 "Standing Alone" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit
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Mar 4, 2016, 3:12:49 AM3/4/16
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Visit my mother
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*LAUGHTER Is HEALING*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and
spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is March, PLEASE share on the 3rd step
Or if you haven’t done the 3rd step share on
Willingness, Faith and Surrender....
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
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 4
Where I am at this moment is perfect.
My past is my friend today as I take the lessons
that I can learn from it and say thank you.
Everything that has brought me to this moment is a gift
and I am a stronger and wiser person because of it.
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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Standing Alone
Standing alone, the darkness surrounds
Pain echoes inside me, thunderous sounds.
Beaten and battered, all alone so it seemed.
Where had my life gone, where were my dreams?
I'd lost all ambition, I'd lost so so much.
Solutions not working, no golden touch.
I wasn't like others, but where did I fit?
Would I be lonely, if I truly quit?
A point of surrender, the end of the road..
Who could I turn to lighten the load?
I opened my mouth, the words just came out...
Please help me find answers, solutions I doubt.
Yet there were the people, bright shiny and clean..
Their faces most smiling, their eyes had a gleen.
Why would they help me, what would they say?
They told me to follow, they'd show me the way.
One day at a time, one hour or less
That's all I'd need.. and I'd pass the test.
But why were they giving, so caring for me?
It struck me strangely, they told me I'd see.
As I followed suggestions, changes had come..
Keep working the steps, you're never done.
Yet as I recover, my life's been renewed..
The future looks brighter, no longer skewed.
The promises happen, the dreams will come true..
Now that I live them, I offer to you..
A chance to be happy, a chance to be free.
Together it's working other addicts and me.
Give it a chance, hold tight if you must
Recovery's out there, in that you can trust.
When days feel all crazy, and some of them do.
My answer's are found, with people like you.
It might be your first day, it might be 10 years
No matter duration, we share the same tears.
Yet together there's laughter... smiles once thought lost..
Miracles truly... for all that we've lived through, at such a high cost.
I step forward each morning, given new day.
Thank God and you, having shown me the way.
Written by: Tom R.
Racine, WI.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 4 The Process
"This program has become a part of me.... I understand more clearly
the things that are happening in my life today I no longer fight the
process." Basic Text, p. 78
In active addiction, things happened seemingly without rhyme or
reason. We just "did things;' often without knowing why or what the
results would be. Life had little value or meaning.
The Twelve Step process gives meaning to our lives; in working the
steps, we come to accept both the dark and the bright sides of
ourselves. We strip away the denial that kept us from comprehending
addiction's affect on us. We honestly examine ourselves, picking out
the patterns in our thoughts, our feelings, and our behavior We gain
humility and perspective by fully disclosing ourselves to another
human being. In seeking to have our shortcomings removed, we
develop a working appreciation of our own powerlessness and the
strength provided by a Power greater than we are. With our
enhanced understanding of ourselves, we gain greater insight
into and acceptance of others.
The Twelve Steps are the key to a process we call "life:' In working
the steps, they become a part of us—and we become a part of the life
around us. Our world is no longer meaningless; we understand more
about what happens in our lives today. We no longer fight the process.
Today, in working the steps, we live it.
Just for today: : Life is a process; the Twelve Steps are the key.
Today, I will use the steps to participate in that process, understanding
and enjoying myself and my recovery.
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.
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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Guidance
. . . this means a belief in a Creator who is all power, justice, and
love; a God who intends for me a purpose, a meaning, and a
destiny to grow, however . . . haltingly, toward His own likeness
and image. AS BILL SEES IT, p. 51
As I began to understand my own powerlessness and my
dependence on God, as I understand Him, I began to see that
there was a life which , if I could have it, I would have chosen
for myself from the beginning. It is through the continuing work
of the Steps and the life in the Fellowship that I've learned to see
that there is truly a better way into which I am being guided.
As I come to know more about God, I am able to trust His ways and
His plans for the development of His character in me. Quickly or
not so quickly, I grow toward His own image and likeness.
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 4th
A.A. Thought for the Day
Having surrendered our lives to God and put our
drink problem in His hands doesn't mean that
we'll never be tempted to drink. So we must
build up strength for the time when temptation
will come. In this quiet time, we read and pray
and get our minds in the right mood for the day.
Starting the day right is a great help in keeping
sober. As the days go by and we get used to the
sober life, it gets easier and easier. We begin
to develop a deep gratitude to God for saving us
from that old life. And we begin to enjoy peace
and serenity and quiet happiness. Am I trying to
live the way God wants me to live?
Meditation for the Day
The elimination of selfishness is the key to
happiness and can only be accomplished with
God's help. We start out with a spark of the
Divine Spirit but a large amount of selfishness.
As we grow and come in contact with other
people, we can take one of two paths. We can
become more and more selfish and practically
extinguish the Divine Spark within us, or we can
become more unselfish and develop our
spirituality until it becomes the most important
thing in our lives.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may grow more and more unselfish,
honest, pure, and loving. I pray that I may take
the right path every day.
"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 4th
A.A. Thought for the Day
Having surrendered our lives to God and put our
drink problem in His hands doesn't mean that
we'll never be tempted to drink. So we must
build up strength for the time when temptation
will come. In this quiet time, we read and pray
and get our minds in the right mood for the day.
Starting the day right is a great help in keeping
sober. As the days go by and we get used to the
sober life, it gets easier and easier. We begin
to develop a deep gratitude to God for saving us
from that old life. And we begin to enjoy peace
and serenity and quiet happiness. Am I trying to
live the way God wants me to live?
Meditation for the Day
The elimination of selfishness is the key to
happiness and can only be accomplished with
God's help. We start out with a spark of the
Divine Spirit but a large amount of selfishness.
As we grow and come in contact with other
people, we can take one of two paths. We can
become more and more selfish and practically
extinguish the Divine Spark within us, or we can
become more unselfish and develop our
spirituality until it becomes the most important
thing in our lives.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may grow more and more unselfish,
honest, pure, and loving. I pray that I may take
the right path every day.
"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.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Today's Thought
MARCH 04
You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go.
Melody Beattie©
Higher Power as a Source
Ive learned I can take care of myself, and what I cant do, God
will do for me.
--Al Anon member
God, a Higher Power as we understand Him, is our source of
guidance and positive change. This doesnt mean were not
responsible for ourselves. We are. But we arent in this alone.
Recovery is not a do it yourself project. We dont have to become
overly concerned about changing ourselves. We can do our part,
relax, and trust that the changes well experience will be right for
us.
Recovery means we dont have to look to other people as our
source to meet our needs. They can help us, but they are not
the source.
As we learn to trust the recovery process, we start to understand
that a relationship with our Higher Power is no substitute for
relationships with people. We dont need to hide behind religious
beliefs or use our relationship with a Higher Power as an excuse
to stop taking responsibility for ourselves and taking care of
ourselves in relationships. But we can tap into and trust a Power
greater than ourselves for the energy, wisdom, and guidance to
do that.
Today, I will look to my Higher Power as a source for all my
needs, including the changes I want to make in my recovery.
©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
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cool Heart, Wise Heart
by Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu and Emily Popp
The world of distraction spins around and around, while moving continuously
to keep itself amused and entertained. It transports us to a world of
fantasy, or a world of controversy, or competition, or of just about
anything other than the one true existence that is right before us.
Distraction keeps our heads turned in the direction of momentary pleasures,
excitement, and delight. On the other hand, the cool heart, with its
spiritual energy, is the sobering factor that keeps us focused on worthier
goals. It tempers the euphoria of petty fun. It settles us firmly down on
Earth, grounding and sobering us with a clear view into life's many facets
in a balanced manner. The cool heart is unmoved by the intoxication of the
world. The wise heart is the cool heart. It directs us to a profound state
where we are liberated from the burden and stench of self-consciousness.
Nothing can be better than that.
MANIFESTING THE IMPOSSIBLE
We must strive to do anything that can make the impossible and miraculous
possible. A whole realm of good things opens up for us if we adhere to this
way of thinking. Life is made for aspiration and for manifesting the
impossible.
TRANSFORMING LIFE
The following set of affirmations go right to the essence of this, to the
sum and substance of inner transformation. If you have any time at all in
your life that you want to devote to spiritual discovery, I suggest that you
work with any of the following affirmations. When you realize that the
profundity of any of them can radically alter your relationship to life, you
embark on the best of all ways.
Jot down these thoughts on a notepad or card so that you can carry them
around in your pocket and refer to them when you need to connect with
reality. Keep them close at hand until they become a part of your thinking
process. Once they settle into your mind, they can positively influence the
flow of your life.
a.. Life functions on many levels. If you choose to live on the comic-book
level, your life will be without subtle refinement or poetry.
b.. The quality of your life totally depends on your relationship to
wisdom.
c.. Look at life carefully and sensitively. Contemplate the challenges in
your life that await your attention. These are the things you avoid or tend
to set aside. These are the fears that lurk in the recesses of your mind and
lie concealed there in the background.
d.. Meet the challenge! Do the difficult! If you can't find anything
difficult to do at a particular moment, try brushing your teeth with the
opposite hand. Avoid the easy.
e.. If you really want to resolve problems well, you must sit on them
patiently until the solution pops up. Process them. If it doesn't pop up or
process out, then it isn't your problem and there is nothing more to be
done. And you can do that "nothing" with confidence.
f.. Patience is the greater part of problem solving and action is the
lesser part. We usually get it backward.
g.. By continually putting yourself in the present, the future sorts
itself out now.
h.. Focus your heart on the big problems. The small problems will then
take care of themselves.
i.. It's not just cigarettes that are spiked to create addiction, but many
other things that we consume in our daily lives, such as the TV news, ice
cream, and rock hits.
j.. Silence is a great asset. If you don't have any silence in your life,
be kind to yourself and make some. Silence is a form of mercy.
k.. The best medicines are those that work gradually to restore the
original balance of your body, such as herbal remedies and homeopathy.
Medicines that are formulated to kill the problem end up overkilling it.
Nature won't tolerate this mode of problem solving; it presents the same
situation in another form.
l.. Illness is more of a warning than a problem. It is a signal that
something is out of harmony.
m.. Introspection will tell you what's out of the ordinary. This is the
intelligent and sensitive way to approach illness.
n.. The future is built on our hopes and aspirations. Any resolution or
determination that you make can be realized in the future. You can
experiment with this idea by resolving to quit a bad habit for ten days.
Every conscious moment during those ten days reinforces your resolve. On the
tenth day, investigate this situation from all angles and note what has
occurred. You can use your discovery as a steppingstone to meditation and a
path to the best possible aspiration.
o.. Difficulty is relative. Only your mind makes the worthwhile appear to
be beyond your capability. This is almost never the case. The same
difficulty that may depress some is a piece of cake for a wise person. All
things are relative to your state of mind.
p.. On the one hand, there is intoxication of one sort or another. On the
other, there is despair and depression of one sort or another. There is,
however, a middle track. When you find that track and direct your life along
it, it becomes broader. Life, unexpectedly, gets better. Moderation and
balance honor your lifestyle.
q.. It is shocking but true: Each one of us has received a death sentence.
r.. The less you take things personally, the more detachment and coolness
you will feel.
s.. Be modest. Make yourself available to receive what is given. In this
way, you will always be grateful and content with whatever you have.
t.. Always keep to yourself in a mindful and reflective manner. This
stance will put you directly into the hands of the universe. Then you will
get exactly what you need at precisely the right time.
u.. Cherish your life as a process. The results of your actions will take
care of themselves naturally. Through this mode of being, you will develop
poise, gratitude, and dignity -- a quality life.
v.. The manner in which you carry out a deed is more important than the
actual deed itself. It is the driving force that determines the
consequences. Assuming this kind of posture inclines you toward a deeper
education -- a path of wisdom and compassion that is far superior to any
curriculum that any school can offer. The way we do anything is the way we
do everything.
w.. Aspire to go beyond the ordinary.
x.. If you don't do good, who will?
y.. Can you be as happy when things are just "okay" as when life is "on a
high"? If you can, you've passed the course.
z.. The mind is a vital, living "thing". It can be transformed to
everyone's advantage. When you understand the point of human existence and
recognize the worth of the tools available, you will be able to expand and
integrate yourself at an accelerated rate.
aa.. Leave everything better than when you came upon it.
ab.. Be mindful of "over-thinking". Excessive thought leads to utter
confusion.
ac.. Follow your gut feeling about what is right and do it!
ad.. Do what you need to do with a willing heart and with all the energy
you can muster. This is the way to do things well.
ae.. A wake-up-your-life technique: Find your ears and pull on the lobes
three times, squeezing and pulling vigorously. This draws energy into the
brain and consciousness.
af.. It is said that to be no one and want nothing is to be everything.
Life is long enough for us to investigate this possibility. If this is true,
it turns every notion we ever had inside out and presents us with an
exciting, brand-new world.
ag.. Meditation is not just sitting with your eyes closed. It should
continue when your eyes are open. Awareness of reality should become
seamless. Eyes closed. Eyes open. Each action supports the next.
ah.. Future plans are fabrications built on banana peels. Instead,
cultivate in the present an effort to do your best without expectation. Just
resolve to be at peace with whatever comes up in the windows: be it
cherries, oranges, bars, or the jackpot. Accept the possibility of change in
any direction.
ai.. Everything-E-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g-changes. All the time.
aj.. The best buys in this world: flowers, candles, and incense.
ak.. Make your body a harmonious organism. Keep it well by nurturing it
with healthy food.
al.. Unplug yourself from that which drains your heart energy. You may
choose to think about this in terms of your "soul". But in the Buddhist
reality, it is soul, as in "soul food", rather than an ongoing alias of who
you now think you are.
am.. Put yourself in the blessing mode. Sit in your center where
everything is balanced. Radiate.
an.. Your center is the center.
ao.. Kindle the world with your holiness.
ap.. Don't get stuck anywhere. There is no need to feel stuck in traffic.
Use all your opportunities to your advantage. Traffic jams offer us
increased personal time and reflective time. Actually, it is a gift. The red
light is our ally. If the world were all green lights, we would have run
ourselves off the edge by now.
aq.. Peace means no trouble. Period. If you go peacefully, there won't be
any trouble.
ar.. Take five deep breaths and you will reconnect yourself to the real
present. Five deep breaths can take you out from under any heavy situation.
In extraordinary circumstances, five deep breaths can disentangle you from a
problematic world, lifting you to a plane where you can simply observe
things rise and pass away.
as.. Everything that is ubiquitous is addictive. Try to find something
that is not addictive in an airport gift shop!
at.. Five things to encourage awakening: don't take things personally; all
situations are really lessons; be a student to every moment; exceed your
patience barrier (feel the distress of impatience); listen to silence.
au.. Subdue the fear of death until death is afraid of you. Fear of death
is a cultural implant.
av.. It is obvious that we have the opportunity here and now to do
whatever we want. However, there is a big catch to this illusory freedom.
Mistakes do count. Later on, maybe two or three minutes later, we have to
pay for our mistakes.
aw.. The harder you drive your life toward money and security, the harder
it is to get enough of it. You never get enough of what you don't need.
ax.. Bowing and kneeling are important basic rituals. These gestures
characterize a life lived fully, in humility, and in the gentle flow of
grace. Practice the bowing until you learn to bow with the mind. This
elegant ritual renews holiness and expresses with simple eloquence our
gratitude for the opportunity to learn.
ay.. The major trick in life is to establish a symbiotic relationship with
everything.
az.. You must live your life through your conditioned character, but you
don't have to act like a character. Life is not a sitcom.
ba.. Immersing yourself in things, situations, or objects is a sure-fire
recipe for future agony.
bb.. Life is really more about letting go of things than of grasping more
and more. It's about generating the passion to be empty of complexity and
chaos.
bc.. Everything is one. Every moment is a recycling of every thought that
has ever been born.
bd.. Nothing is far away. We are enshrouded in no-thing.
be.. The things that fill the mind become lively bait for it. Thoughts
arise on their own and serve as decoys for the grasping mind to latch onto
and toy with.
The intention of these words is not so much to arouse understanding as to
nudge the mind gently toward a more subtle and incisive way of seeing. We
would do well to recognize that much of our world consists of the ego-I and
of latching on to sticky images. Our relationship with the world is mostly a
sticky one. Wherever and whenever we stick, we suffer. The ego-I is not who
we are. It is fabricated out of sense impressions and karma. If it were
truly us, we would not be able to observe it. The ego-I wants to pull things
to itself and own them. This process takes place in our own mind without our
authorization!
Everything that goes on does so through the prism of awareness. Make careful
action the continuous object of your awareness. Intentional awareness moves
us and places us in the forefront of our work. This occurs as we see what
needs to be done in any given situation. We must place carefulness above
intention. Carefulness needs to preside above all our activities and cradle
us within the present moment. Carefulness carries the ethical quality that
makes for gracefulness and beauty.
Doing the next thing that comes before you is the easy way to success. Don't
make a problem out of life and don't be ensnared in doubt and
procrastination. just go in there and do it. Observe all the minute
particulars, and then realize the essence of it. Then let go immediately so
as not to get stuck anywhere. Learn as you go.
The beauty of spiritual qualities is that they bring forth much more than
dry intellectual tolerance; they infuse loving kindness into all our
relationships. There is nothing better than that.
We must say "no" firmly to some things -- for instance, old bad habits, and
doing things to please and to be liked. Say "no" and you will like your
sense of self better.
When we act out of self, we create a sequence of melodramas titled, "A Case
of Mistaken Identity". If you look deeply into anything long enough, think
about it, and utter its name, its apparent solidity collapses and deflates
and then everything about it seems absurd!
Things exist in form only as long as the underlying sustaining qualities
support it. The mathematician would tell us that a condition exists in any
future "next moment" according to its probability. This is an interesting
and accurate approach to truth, as well.
In a general sense, the term "middle class" is a synonym for low-security
prison. This state of captivity is made acceptable by trappings of (mostly)
pathetic pleasures. But it provides neither time nor space to be in touch
with our inner source. Unless we look at the world from an entirely
unfamiliar angle, it is impossible to see the haze that enshrouds us in our
stagnation. Familiar means "dead."
The materialistic world owns most of the evocative words like love, ice
cream, cookies, buffet, sex, and rock'n roll. We have to reinvent and
reclaim our holy vocabulary.
This article is excerpted from the book Meeting the Monkey Halfway, © 2000
by Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu and Emily Popp. Reprinted with permission of the
publisher, Samuel Weiser Inc. www.weiserbooks.com
About The Author:
AJAHN SUMANO BHIKKHU was born in Chicago, Illinois. In the mid 1970s, he
entered into a self-imposed three-year retreat in a meditation center in
Massachusetts. Afterward, he became the first monk to be ordained in the
forest tradition of Thailand at Cittaviveka Buddhist Center, West Sussex,
England. Since 1985, he has been living and practicing in several meditation
caves in Northeast Thailand and among the hill-tribe people of Northern
Thailand. He can be reached by email at: vis...@worldnet.att.net. He is also
the author of: Questions from the City, Answers from the Forest: Simple
Lessons You Can Use from a Western Buddhist Monk.
EMILY POPP, co-author of this book, is a long-time student and disciple of
Ajahn Sumano Bhikkhu. Her efforts in helping to develop this book and other
projects are her offering for the propagation of the Dhamma.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Something Wonderful
A little boy is telling his Grandma how "everything" is going wrong.
School, family problems, severe health
problems, etc. Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake.
She asks the child if he would like a snack, which of course he does.
"Here, have some cooking oil."
"Yuck" says the boy.
"How about a couple raw eggs?"
"Gross, Grandma"
"Would you like some flour then or maybe baking soda?"
"Grandma, those are all yucky!"
To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by
themselves. But when they are put together in the right way,
they make a wonderfully delicious cake!
God works the same way. Many times we wonder why he would
let us go through such bad and difficult times.
But God knows that when He puts these things all in his order,
they always work for good! We just have to trust Him and,
eventually, they will all make something wonderful!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There is a Rose in each of us
The first day of school our professor introduced himself
and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already
know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched
my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old
lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire being.
She said, "Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty seven
years old. Can I give you a hug?" I laughed and enthusiastically
responded, "Of course you may!" and she gave me a giant squeeze.
"Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?" I asked.
She jokingly replied, "I'm here to meet a rich husband, get
married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."
"No seriously," I asked.
I was curious what may have motivated her to be taking on
this challenge at her age. "I always dreamed of having a college
education and now I'm getting one!" she told me. After class we
walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate
milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next
three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I
was always mesmerized listening to this "time machine" as she
shared her wisdom and experience with me.
Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and
easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up
and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the
other students. She was living it up.
At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our
football banquet and I'll never forget what she taught us. She
was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to
deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her three by five
cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she
leaned into the microphone and simply said "I'm sorry. I'm so
jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me!
I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you
what I know." As we laughed she cleared her throat and began:
"We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because
we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being
happy, and achieving success.
"You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have
a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many
people walking around who are dead and don't even know it!"
"There is a huge difference between growing older and
growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for
one full year and don't do one protective thing, you will turn
twenty years old. If I am eighty seven years old and stay in
bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty eight.
Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability.
The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in
change." "Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have
regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do.
The only people who fear death are those with regrets."
She concluded her speech by courageously singing "The Rose."
She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in
our daily lives.
At the years end Rose finished the college degree she had
begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose
died peacefully in her sleep.
Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in
tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's
never too late to be all you can possibly be.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Strive for the Light
Fortunes lost and wasted
Families driven away
Chances given and not taken
The immense count of mis-spent days
Goals that we never accomplished
Roles our disease made us play
Lost dreams and forsaken wishes
Our world turned to darkness from golden day
But wait...
There's a light at the end of the tunnel
Growing brighter with each Step we take
A place where this life-giving message will
Our lost dreams of happiness remake
Strive for the light, that's the goodness
Drive back the shadows of addictions night
Do what you know is the right thing to do
Unless, you don't really want a new life
All that misery's out there, just waiting
For you to choose to receive it again
Or you can embrace with your heart this N.A. thing
And start your life over, my friend
John H
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
10 AA's
10 Alcoholics, all in a line,
One got to thinking---
Then there were Nine.
9 Alcoholics, one said, "Wait!"
"A near beer can't hurt!"---
Then there were eight.
8 Alcoholics, lookin' up to heaven.
One cut out meetings---
Then there were seven.
7 Alcoholics, doing service for kicks.
One started grumbling---
Then there were six.
6 Alcoholics, glad to be alive.
'til one smoked pot---
Then there were five.
5 Alcoholics, greeters at the door
One played the Big Shot---
Then there were four.
4 Alcoholics, for fun and for free.
One's case was "different"---
Then there were three.
3 Alcoholics, knowing what to do.
One rewrote the Big Book---
Then there were two.
2 Alcoholics, having some fun.
One started lying(or never stopped)---
Then there was one.
1 Alcoholic, talking to HP
"If only one is sober ---
I'm glad that it's me!"
Anonymous
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A good mountain climber
never looks up to see how far he has to go............
He looks down to see how far he's come.
Mark Kostew
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hatred is like acid.
It destroys the vessel that holds it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A grandfather overheard his granddaughter
repeating the alphabet in reverent, hushed
tones. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm praying, Grandpa," she said. "I can't
think of the right words, so I just say all
the letters. God will put them together for
me, 'cause He knows what I'm thinking."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To lay down our lives sometimes means
that we are to surrender the littleness of who we think we are
in order to be the greatness God created us to be.
Mary Manin Morrissey
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Gratitude is appreciation with a sense of obligation.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A grateful person is someone who's in contact with God.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I am grateful for what I have
and what I don't have.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Happiness is not getting what you want,
but being happy with what you have.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
NA won't open the gates of heaven to let you in,
but it will open the gates of hell to let you out.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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
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Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
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Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
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Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
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Families Anonymous
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Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
Hepatitis C Anonymous
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Marijuana Anonymous
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Nar-Anon is a family support group
Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
On Line Gamers Anonymous
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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
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Created in 1997 , "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" is intended to give readers , inspiring and thoughtful messages. To help fulfill our primary purpose which is to carry the message to the alcoholic/addict who still suffers. A spiritual adventure, a journey inwards this has a vision of opening and touching, each and everyone, with the Loving Power and Presence of the Spirit within." We invite you to share the writings by forwarding today's message to others. Share "12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit" with friends and loved ones: Please keep passing this along to online recovery friends "We can only keep what we have by giving it away."
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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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