Daily Reflections
June 19
“A. A. REGENERATION”
Such is the paradox of A. A. regeneration: strength arising out of complete defeat and weakness, the loss of one’s old life as a condition for finding a new one.
-A. A. COMES OF AGE, p. 46
A thousand beatings by Barleycorn did not encourage me to admit defeat. I believed it was my moral obligation to conquer my “enemy-friend.” At my first A. A. meeting I was blessed with a feeling that it was all right to admit defeat to a disease which had nothing to do with my “moral fiber.” I knew instinctively that I was in the presence of a great love when I entered the doors of A. A. With no effort on my part, I became aware that to love myself was good and right, as God had intended. My feeling set me free, where my thoughts had held me in bondage. I am grateful.
Twenty-Four Hours A
Day
June 19
A. A. Thought for the Day
We have this choice every day of our lives. We can take the path that leads to insanity and death. And remember, our next drunk could be our last one. Or we can take the path that leads to a reasonably happy and useful life. The choice is ours each day of our lives. God grant that we take the right path. Have I made my choice today?
Meditation for the Day
Your real work in life is to grow spiritually. To do this you must follow the path of diligently seeking good. The hidden spiritual wonders are revealed to those who diligently seek this treasure. From one point to the next, you have to follow the way of obedience to God’s will until finally you reach greater and greater spiritual heights. Work on the material plane should be secondary to your real life’s work. The material things that you need most are those that help you to attain the spiritual.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may keep growing spiritually. I pray that I may make this my real life’s work.
Walk In Dry Places
June 19
Open minded but
concerned.
Responsibility
Open-mindedness is a quality that helps us attract new ideas for our self-improvement. Oddly, many of us though we were open-minded long before we ever considered a 12 Step program.
We learned that what we considered open-mindedness was really indifference based on self-justification. It follow that people who are deep into selfish, compulsive behavior will appear to be open-minded and even very tolerant. This attitude is really the result of a desire to be accepted in spite of questionable behavior. It reflects no concern for others.
In living the program, we seek to cultivate true open-mindedness. This means being open to new ideas and opportunities, but also being concerned about others and taking care not to harm them.
Today I’ll be open to what people are thinking and saying. I will be careful not to let my own prejudices keep me from viewpoints that will help me and others.
Keep It Simple
June 19
If you tell the truth, you don’t need to remember anything.
—Mark Twain
One thing is a lot easier in life now is this—we can keep our story straight! We are learning that there’s one really good way to get along with people. Keep It Simple. Just tell the truth.
It’s hard to do at first. We might think, “If people see the real me, what will happen?” We might be afraid of what will happen if we don’t lie or make excuses.
But telling the truth works! We find out we never did fool anyone anyway!
Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, make me honest.
Action for the Day: I’ll list all the ways honesty will help me in recovery. I’ll sign-up to give a meeting on honesty.
“The way to develop the best that is in a man is by appreciation and encouragement.”
–Charles Schwab
As thou valuest thyself, others will esteem thee.
–Gaelic Proverb
Father Leo’s Daily
Meditation
June 19
PREJUDICE
“A great many people think they are thinking when they are only rearranging their prejudices.”
–William James
An aspect of prejudice in my life is my refusal to listen. I tend to stay with my own thinking and I “shut off” people or ideas I do not want to hear. The problem with this attitude is that it does not lead to discussion, growth or change.
Spirituality is having the capacity to hear what others are saying, even people you may not like or respect, and also being prepared to live with and alongside confusion and “difference”. Truth is a many-sided diamond, and it cannot be comprehended from one viewpoint. I need to remove my prejudices if I am ever to move towards an understanding of God’s truth.
I need to learn in my heart that there is that “image” of God in every person I meet.
Teach me to listen so that I may hear, so that I may grow.
Daily Inspiration
June 19
Trust yourself more than you trust the pressures of society and the ways other people try to influence you. Lord, strengthen me and continue to bless me with wisdom so that I can stand firm on my beliefs and know that how I feel is very important to me.
It is not making a mistake, but repeating it that is cause for concern. Lord, may I use my mistakes to guide me to better choices.
Elder’s Meditation
of the Day
June 19
“Respect should be given those indigenous nations who still carry on their ceremonies; still following the ancient laws of nature with songs and ceremonies.”
–Oren R. Lyons, Spokesman, Traditional Circle of Elders
Many of our Tribes still have the ceremonies, songs and traditions. Today, the ceremonies and songs are coming back even stronger. The Elders have a lot of this knowledge. The young people need to learn these songs and traditions from the Elders. This is the strength of the people. The ancient Wisdom and Knowledge of ancient Laws are hidden in the ceremonies and songs. We should seek out these songs and ceremonies.
Great Spirit, teach me the songs and ceremonies. Make my eyes open to see.
Today’s Gift
June 19
Jealousy is cruel as the grave.
—Song of Solomon
Most bushes and small trees need trimming every year. They have branches that hang out over the sidewalk and get in people’s way. Sometimes the branches grow so long and low to the ground that the tree looks weighted down.
Jealousy is like an overgrown branch -it weighs us down. It is one of those feelings all of us deal with. We may be jealous of someone’s looks or talent, or maybe even their good luck. Like the overgrown branches, jealousy sticks out all over and gets in other people’s way as well as our own. It is a part of us we need to keep cutting back.
If we are good gardeners, we will get out the clippers. Seeing and talking about our jealousy is the best way to start using those clippers. If we do this, our own leaves will be healthier, and our blossoms will grow.
Is there someone I am jealous of? Can I use my clippers today?
Touchstones
Meditation For Men
June 19
Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.
—Helen Keller
When a man looks at his life and at the lives of others, it is clear that pain is part of life. We cannot escape this tragic truth; our growth and our wholeness must include it because our recovery stresses honesty. In our old way of living, we may have been bitter. Many of us felt sorry for ourselves. Some of us cursed God and wasted time in our self-centeredness thinking life was especially unfair to us. Life is not fair; it just is. It is left to us to choose how we will respond.
People’s responses to life inspire us. We not only acknowledge the pain, but we see the heroic lives of others around us. They met their limitations and went forward with a willing spirit and faith. Today we can be grateful for the progress we have made in overcoming our suffering. We have friends who give us the joy of human contact. We have choices and possibilities where we never saw them before. We have a growing self-respect as men.
I accept the reality of life, and I will respond with faith in the choices I make today.
Daily TAO
June 19
Shrine
Wade the warm stream to
The shrine across the river of golden sound.
Where a drunken bee drones the holy syllable
Over a crimson lotus.
Rich mango magenta and spice offerings
Are piled high by the devout.
Entering into hut of blue stone –
Cool black interior smeared with incense and
Pierced with tiny triangles of candle flame –
Ordinary cares fall to the crystalline floor.
Fiery letters appear in the air
And reappear in your heart.
It is good to have holy places in the world, and it is good for us to go on pilgrimages. Ultimately, it is not the place that is important; it is what you feel that is lasting. To visit a place is minor; to change within yourself is greater.
When people visit a holy place, some say the spirits of that place speak to them. Others remember the exotic pageantry. When it comes to sacred sites, it’s better to be a pilgrim than a tourist. Go with a humble attitude, and let your heart be moved by what you experience. Then you will receive the true treasure of the shrine.
Daily Zen
June 19
Monks these days study hard in order to turn
A fine phrase and win fame as talented poets.
At Crazy Cloud’s hut there is no such talent,
But he serves up the taste of truth
As he boils rice in a wobbly old cauldron.
– Ikkyu (1394-1481)