daily readings
by richieboo

October 2

Daily Reflections
October 2

THE ACID TEST

As we work the first nine Steps, we prepare ourselves for the adventure of a new life. But when we approach Step Ten we commence to put our A.A. way of living to practical use, day by day, in fair weather or foul. Then comes the acid test: can we stay sober, keep in emotional balance, and live to good purpose under all conditions?
-TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 88

I know the Promises are being fulfilled in my life, but I want to maintain and develop them by the daily application of Step Ten. I have learned through this Step that if I am disturbed, there is something wrong with me. The other person may be wrong too, but I can only deal with my feelings.  When I am hurt or upset, I have to continually look for the cause in me, and then I have to admit and correct my mistakes.  It isn’t easy, but as long as I know I am progressing spiritually, I know that I can mark my effort up as a job well done. I have found that pain is a friend; it lets me know there is something wrong with my emotions, just as a physical pain lets me know there is something wrong with my body. When I take the appropriate action through the Twelve Steps, the pain gradually goes away.

Twenty-Four Hours A Day
October 2

A.A. Thought For The Day

What makes an effective talk at an A.A. meeting? It is not a fine speech with fine choices of words and an impressive delivery. Often a few simple words direct from the heart are more effective than the most polished speech. There is always a temptation to speak beyond your experience, in order to make a good impression. This is never effective. What does not come from the heart does not reach the heart. What comes from personal experience and a sincere desire to help the other person, reaches the heart. Do I speak for effect or with a deep desire to help?

Meditation For The Day

“Thy will be done” must be your oft-repeated prayer. And in the willing of God’s will there should be gladness. You should delight to do that will because when you do, all your life goes right and everything tends to work out for you in the long run.  When you are honestly trying to do God’s will and humbly accepting the results, nothing can seriously hurt you. He who accepts the will of God in his life may not inherit the earth, but he will inherit real peace of mind.

Prayer For The Day

I pray that I may have a yielded will.  I pray that my will be attuned to the will of God.

Walk In Dry Places
October 2

Living or Waiting?
Using time wisely

What is the real secret of living 24 hours at a time? Isn’t it really a matter of feeling completely comfortable in the present rather than believing that happiness depends on something in the future?

Whatever our situation today, it’s something we must life through and deal with effectively. We may be overlooking many wonderful things in our present life simply because we believe we need some exciting experience that can only come later on.

We also might be overlooking present opportunities because we’re spending too much time in the past. The past, whether it was god or bad, is beyond our control.

Our mission is to live effectively and happily today. We can do this best when we realize that yesterday and tomorrow don’t really exist… today is all we can be sure of.

I’ll live today in the present, handling every problem as well as I can and enjoying every experience that comes to me.

Keep It Simple
October 2

… and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
—Second half of Step Ten

We are human. We make mistakes. This is half the fun of being human.  Step Ten clearly tell us what to do when we are wrong: admit it. This keeps us honest. It keeps us from hiding secrets that could cause us to use alcohol or other drugs again.

Trust the gift we get from Step Ten. When we admit our wrongs, people start to trust us again. We feel good, and people feel good being around us.  Even when they don’t like how we act, they can trust us to run our lives.  No one will ever be prefect. The closet we get is that we admit it when we’re wrong. This is as good as it gets.

Prayer for the Day: Higher Power, help me admit my wrongs. Help me earn the trust of others by being honest about my mistakes.

Action for the Day: I will list any wrongs I’ve done today. That way, I’ll start tomorrow fresh and without any burdens from today.

FRIENDS IN YOUR LIFE ARE LIKE PILLARS ON YOUR PORCH. SOMETIMES THEY HOLD YOU UP AND SOMETIMES THEY LEAN ON YOU. SOMETIMES IT’S JUST ENOUGH TO KNOW THEY’RE STANDING BY. –ELIZABETH FOLEY

“CONSTANT KINDNESS CAN ACCOMPLISH MUCH. AS THE SUN MAKES ICE MELT, KINDNESS CAUSES MISUNDERSTANDING, MISTRUST, AND HOSTILITY TO EVAPORATE.” –ALBERT SCHWEITZER (1875-1965)

“IN THE HOPE OF REACHING THE MOON MEN FAIL TO SEE THE FLOWERS THAT BLOSSOM AT THEIR FEET.” –ALBERT SCHWEITZER (1875-1965)

WHEN WE DO THE BEST THAT WE CAN, WE NEVER KNOW WHAT MIRACLE IS WROUGHT IN OUR LIFE, OR IN THE LIFE OF ANOTHER. –HELEN KELLER

Father Leo’s Daily Meditation
October 2

REALITY

“THE BOOKS THAT THE WORLD CALLS IMMORAL ARE THE BOOKS THAT SHOW THE WORLD ITS OWN SHAME.” – OSCAR WILDE

In my addiction I avoided things that I did not like, did not want to consider. I hid from life and condemned things I did not wish to understand. My ego created a hypocritical purity that enabled me to judge, condemn and abuse the thoughts and ideas of those I considered inferior to myself.

Today I try to live and let live. I do this not to avoid conflict or criticism but because I have found, through experience, how my ideas and attitudes have changed during my years of recovery. People who I would have condemned to Hell have now become my friends and mentors. Concepts and lifestyles that were once abhorrent to me are now appreciated and inspiring. What was once dismissed as immoral is today, for me, a part of life.

God of Truth and Reality, help me to accept the difference that is in others.

Daily Inspiration
October 2

The condition of your heart is reflected in your face. Lord, help me to remove all harsh feelings from within my soul so that I will radiate love and kindness and others can feel safe in seeking me out.

If you exercise your mind, your spirit will never get old. Lord, give me the ability to rise above my worldly burdens and ability to always make things a little better.

Elder’s Meditation of the Day
October 2

“LAUGHTER – THAT IS SOMETHING VERY SACRED ESPECIALLY FOR US INDIANS.” –JOHN (FIRE) LAME DEER, ROSEBUD LAKOTA

Laughter is mental, laughter is emotional, laughter is physical and laughter is spiritual. Laughter helps us find balance. If we get too angry, laughter will turn that emotion in a balanced direction. If we have a mental picture of someone who is too strong, laughter will help ease the tension. If the body is stressed, laughter will release natural relaxants into our muscles and our nervous system. Laughter often changes our attitude. We need to lighten up and laugh more.

Great Spirit, teach me to laugh.

Today’s Gift
October 2

Image result for MADELEINE L’ENGLE

Stars have always helped me to get things into perspective … I tried to let the starlight heal something deep in me that hurt.
—Madeleine L’Engle

For a long time, people have used stars to find their way in the dark. Many a lost soul has been guided by the North Star or the Big Dipper.

If we watch the sky at night, we can see thousands of twinkling stars. They are our friends. They remind us how small we are. They remind us of the vastness of the universe, of the power and beauty that surround us.

Starlight in the sky, or reflected on a lake, can comfort us when we hurt. With safe and open arms, nature accepts our sorrow, no matter how we express it. Starlight, like all of nature, reflects a light that comes from way beyond us. It is that light that heals us in a deep and quiet way.

How has nature comforted me when I am troubled?

The Language Of Letting Go
October 2

Coping with Families

There are many paths to self-care with families. Some people choose to sever connections with family members for a period of time. Some people choose to stay connected with family members and learn different behaviors. Some disconnect for a time, and then return slowly on a different basis.

There is no one or perfect way to deal with members of our family in recovery. It is up to each of us to choose a path that suits us and our needs at each point in time.

The idea that is new to us in recovery is that we can choose. We can set the boundaries we need to set with family members. We can choose a path that works for us, without guilt and obligation or undue influence from any source, including recovery professionals.

Our goal is to detach in love with family members. Our goal is to be able to take care of ourselves, love ourselves, and live healthy lives despite what family members do or don’t do. We decide what boundaries or decisions are necessary to do this.

It’s okay to say no to our families when that is what we want. It’s okay to say yes to our families if that feels right. It’s okay to call time out and it’s okay to go back as a different person.

God, help me choose the path that is right for me with family. Help me understand there is no right or wrong in this process. Help me strive for forgiveness and learn to detach with love, whenever possible. I understand that this never implies that I have to forfeit self-care and health for the good of the system.

Touchstones Meditation For Men
October 2

ONE OUGHT, EACH DAY AT LEAST, TO HEAR A LITTLE SONG, READ A GOOD POEM, SEE A FINE PICTURE AND, IF POSSIBLE, SPEAK, A FEW REASONABLE WORDS. —GOETHE

A spiritual man can nourish his growing spirit through enriching and beautiful experiences. Such experiences might be quiet meditation, reading something, which provides ideas to ponder, conversation with a friend, or listening to music. Men have been taught to focus on things more than on people, on goals and achievement, and we neglect to provide ourselves with nourishment for our minds and souls.

Life’s experiences include joy and beauty and pain and grief. If we are uplifted every day by beauty in its many forms, we are strengthened and carried along to meet the tougher parts of our day. We may need to push some other things aside to have it. Perhaps some jobs can wait until tomorrow, and we can linger over a meal with our loved ones. Maybe mowing the lawn or fixing the car isn’t as important as a half-hour of good music. Do we make space for nourishing moments in each day?

I am grateful for the beauty all around. Help me keep life more balanced so I can receive the spiritual nourishment it provides.

Daily TAO
October 2

OBSCURITY

Writings about Tao are purposefully obscure.
Why? Because the writers cherish Tao.
The path is difficult to ensure worthiness.
The lazy look elsewhere,
The persevering find riches.

There was once an eccentric calligrapher who said, “When the ordinary person likes my work, I shudder. If they find me obscure, then I am delighted.”

Writings about Tao are not always easy to understand. Many times in the past, even monks in long training were still helpless to properly interpret the scriptures. Some have therefore accused followers of Tao of being coldly elitist. In fact, those who write about Tao are obscure only because they cherish Tao so much. They only want knowledge of Tao to go to those who will appreciate it. They do not want to pollute Tao by exposing it to the idly curious. If everyone in the world could appreciate Tao, then the knowledge of Tao would be given freely.

Actually, the masters have already babbled away all the secrets. In their compassionate determination to pass on their insights, they have worn themselves out trying to get their messages across to us. The secrets of life are already written repeatedly in all the holy books.  They are only secrets because we do not take the time to truly read.

Can you see jewels in the mud?

Daily Zen
October 2

Excessive thinking
Weakens the will.
The more you know,
The more your mind
Is confused.
A confused mind gives
Rise to vexation.
The weakened will obstructs the Tao.

– Shih Wang Ming (6th c)