12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit : Messages : 1573-1602 of 3349

Messages: Show Message Summaries (Group by Topic)

#1602

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Fri Apr 1, 2005 8:52 pm
Subject: 4/1/05 "Detox" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 10
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step10.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is March the 4th month, PLEASE share on the 4th step
If you haven’t done the 4th step with your sponsor
Please share on honesty and courage...
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
April 1
I accept myself today and am grateful
that I can grow from where I am.
As I bring more and more love to myself,
I continue to blossom and expand,
growing to be the best of who I can be.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Detox
(A poem for relapse prevention)

Heroin was my master, in bondage I the slave
Devil’s magic poppy potion, leading me closer to the grave
Dark tunnels, deep despair, pierced by bottoms jagged rocks
A lost soul, must gain control, as I head off to Detox
For months on end only, one set of footprints imprint the sand�
Leaping off his shoulders, as my feet touch down on land
Hot flashes, body stuck, to sweaty soaking sheets by night
Consuming Clonidine, to ease the relentless fight
Cold chill blowing, with no apparent way to calm it
Heading to the porcelain throne, with another load of vomit
Bath water steaming hot, time and time again
Soaking in the Epsom salts, to try and soothe the pain
Toss and turn, night after sleepless night
Feel like bolting, but continue the vicious fight
Mind exploding, consumed with guilt and shame
Gazing in the mirror, at the man who was to blame
God promised, it wouldn’t be more than I could handle
Was beginning to wonder, if he’d ever re-light my candle
The worst is over now, as four walls provided a safety box
Never experienced anything in life, as painful as Detox

Poem by: Kevin Kensick
<http://www.recoveryjonescartoons.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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Comic of the Week
<http://www.recoveryjonescartoons.com/comicsoftheweek.htm>

A.A. Photo Album
<http://www.thejaywalker.com/photo_album/index.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
April 1                    Love and addiction

"Some of us first saw the effects of addiction on the people
closest to us. We were very dependent on them to carry us
through life. We felt angry disappointed, and hurt when they
found other interests, friends, and loved ones." Basic Text p. 7

Addiction affected every area of our lives. Just as we sought the drug
that would make everything alright, so we sought people to fix us. We
made impossible demands, driving away those who had anything of worth
to offer us. Often, the only people left were those who were themselves
too needy to be capable of denying our unrealistic expectations. It's no
wonder that we were unable to establish and maintain healthy intimate
relationships in our addiction.

Today, in recovery, we've stopped expecting drugs to fix us. If we still
expect people to fix us, perhaps it's time to extend our recovery
program to our relationships. We begin by admitting we have a problem—
that we don't know the first thing about how to have healthy intimate
relationships. We seek out members who've had similar problems and
have found relief. We talk with them and listen to what they share about
this aspect of their recovery. We apply the program to all our affairs,
seeking the same kind of freedom in our relationships that we find
throughout our recovery.

Just for today: Loving relationships are within my reach. Today, I will
examine the effects of addiction on my relationships so that I can begin
seeking 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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
Each month we will share on a step and spiritual principles of the step.
Since it is March the 4th month, PLEASE share on the 4th step
If you haven’t done the 4th step with your sponsor
Please share on honesty and courage...
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/April.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
NO MORE STRUGGLE...

And we have ceased fighting anything or anyone -- even alcohol.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84

When A.A. found me, I thought I was in for a struggle, and that A.A. might
provide the strength I needed to beat alcohol. Victorious in that fight,
who knows what other battles I could win. I would need to be strong,
though. All my previous experience with life proved that. Today I do not
have to struggle or exert my will. If I take those Twelve Steps and let my
Higher Power do the real work, my alcohol problem disappears all by
itself. My living problems also cease to be struggles. I just have to ask
whether acceptance -- or change -- is required. It is not my will, but
His, that needs doing.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ April 1st

A.A. Thought for the Day

Since I've been in A.A., have I made a start toward
being more unselfish? Do I no longer want my own
way in everything? When things go wrong and I can't
have what I want, do I no longer sulk? Am I trying
not to waste money on myself? And does it make me
happy to see my family and my home have enough
attention from me? Am I trying not to be all "get"
and no "give"?

Meditation for the Day

Each day is a day of progress, steady progress forward,
if you make it so. You may not see it, but God does. God
does not judge by outward appearance. He judges by
the heart. Let Him see in your heart a simple desire
always to do His will. Though you may feel that your work
has been spoiled or tarnished, God sees it as an offering
for Him. When climbing a steep hill, people are often
more conscious of the weakness of their stumbling feet
than of the view, the grandeur, or even of the upward
progress.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may persevere in all good things. I pray that
I may advance each day in spite of my stumbling feet.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Allow For Differences

He's rational. He wants examples of the problem
and wants to focus on and find a solution.
She wants to talk about how she feels.
He wants to sit in front of the television
and click the remote control.

She wants to cuddle on the couch and look into his eyes.
He deals with his stress by playing basketball with his friends,
tinkering with the car, or going for a hike.
She wants to go to a movie, preferably one that makes her cry.

I spent much of my life thinking that men
and women-and generally all people-should
just be the same.
It took me a long time to realize that while we have much
in common with other people, we're each unique.

It took me even longer to realize that the practical application of this meant
I had to learn to allow for differences between the people I loved and myself.

Just because we have something in common with someone,
and might even think we're in love,
doesn't mean that each person is going
to respond and be the same.

So often in our relationships, we try to get the other person to
behave the way we want.
This forcing of our will on them will ultimately become a great strain.
It can also block love.
When we're trying to change someone else,
we overlook his or her gifts.
We don't value the parts of the person that are different from us,
because we're too busy trying to change the person into someone else.

Allow for the differences, but don't just allow.
Appreciate the differences.
Value what each person has to offer
and the gifts each person can bring.

Learn to say whatever, with a spark of amusement
and curiosity, when someone isn't the same as you.
Try getting a kick out of the unique way
each person approaches life.

God, help me understand the rich gifts
that letting go of control will bring to my life.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A Simple Path , Mother Teresa
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/motter/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/motter/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/motter/part3.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
April Fools
by Marie T. Russell

Everyday is April Fools Day...it doesn't only occur on April 1st. Many of us
are living daily the greatest April fool of all... and we are it!

We have been living our lives as a lie, pretending to be someone we're not.
That is a powerful statement, yet, in many cases it is the truth. We are
living OUR lives as if they belonged to someone or something else. We are
doing what we were pushed into, manipulated into, cajoled into, or simply
encouraged into. We dress the way someone else wants us do, we may be
working in a job or career that someone else chose for us, we may even be
married to someone based on their fulfilling certain "requirement" for our
security.

But, you may say, "It's not my fault. I simply did what my parents,
teachers, friends, etc. told me was best for me." Reflecting on our
upbringing, we may feel that we were helpless. Someone else made all the
decisions for us, and ours was not to question why.

Rather than go into a long debate about the past, let us instead look at our
lives right now. We still do things because others expect it of us. We dress
in certain ways to please husbands, wives, friends, employers, customers,
etc. We follow a particular career path or job, even if we are not happy
there, because we think we don't have a choice. Well... April fool! You do
have a choice and you always have had one... you simply did not realize it!

Perhaps now is the time to sit down with yourself, and really delve into the
realms of your sub-conscious desires. What do you really want out of life?
Where do you want to be? Whom do you want to be with? What do you want to be
doing? Are you working at a job you enjoy? Are you living where you would
'if' you had the choice? Are you sharing your time with people you love? Are
you choosing do to things that fulfill your needs and desires? Or are you
doing what you think you have to or 'should' do?

Whenever your motivation is a 'should', your actions do not stem from your
preference. You are acting out of obligation either towards parents,
society, or your own expectations. The crazy thing is that you may not think
you have a choice. Have you trapped yourself in a cage of your own
construction? And, most of all, are the bars of that cage illusionary?

There is no law, religious or otherwise, that states that humans must be
miserable. That is an April fool's trick. Contrary to what some religions
have taught for centuries, it is not necessary to suffer in order to get
into heaven. Surprise! Heaven is accessible to us right here and now if we
only step out of our self-made prison and free ourselves. We can create
heaven on earth in our day to day experience, simply by reclaiming our right
to freedom and happiness. It can be done slowly, little by little, if the
shock of discovering your total freedom is too much to handle.

Start with little things -- follow your intuition, your inner voice, with
'insignificant' events like what to wear that day, or what foods to eat that
day, or deciding what to do with your spare time. There is no rule that
declares you must go out and constantly be doing things, or eat what some
"expert" tells you to eat, or wear what "others" have decided is "in
fashion" this year. Listen to your inner voice. What is your true desire?
Maybe for you, puttering around the house fulfills a need to be alone and
creative. Or maybe, going out to celebrate life with friends is what you
need. Maybe you need to wear red that day, even if it doesn't match your
complexion (so you've been told). For example, I grew up being told by my
sister that I looked awful in red... only to discover, that I love wearing
red and it works fine for me. So, all those years that I listened to her
opinion, deriving myself of the pleasure of wearing a color that energizes
me.

Listen to yourself. Stop listening to others. What is best for others is not
necessarily best for you. You have your own path to follow. Follow the beat
of your own drummer, not someone else's.

Don't play an April Fools on yourself. Love yourself enough to let yourself
be free to be who you really are. Let your light shine bright within
yourself and see where it leads you.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A Final Goodbye

"I am going home to Denmark, Son, and I just wanted to
tell you I love you."

In my dad's last telephone call to me, he repeated that
line seven times in a half hour. I wasn't listening at the
right level. I heard the words, but not the message, and
certainly not their profound intent. I believed my dad would
live to be over 100 years old, as my great uncle lived to be
107 years old. I had not felt his remorse over Mom's death,
understood his intense loneliness as an "empty nester," or
realized most of his pals had long since light-beamed off
the planet. He relentlessly requested my brothers and I
create grandchildren so that he could be a devoted
grandfather. I was too busy "entrepreneuring" to really
listen.

"Dad's dead," sighed my brother Brian on July 4, l982.

My little brother is a witty lawyer and has a humorous,
quick mind. I thought he was setting me up for a joke, and I
awaited the punchline - there wasn't one. "Dad died in the
bed he was born in - in Rozkeldj," continued Brian. "The
funeral directors are putting him in a coffin, and shipping
Dad and his belongings to us tomorrow. We need to prepare
for the funeral."

I was speechless. This isn't the way it's supposed to
happen. If I knew these were to be Dad's final days, I would
have asked to go with him to Denmark. I believe in the
hospice movement, which says: "No one should die alone." A
loved one should hold your hand and comfort you as you
transition from one plane of reality to another. I would
have offered consolation during his final hour, if I'd been
really listening, thinking and in tune with the Infinite.
Dad announced his departure as best he could, and I had
missed it. I felt grief, pain and remorse, Why had I not
been there for him? He'd always been there for me.

In the mornings when I was nine years old, he would
come home from working 18 hours at his bakery and wake me up
at 5:00 A.M. by scratching my back with his strong powerful
hands and whispering, "Time to get up, Son." By the time I
was dressed and ready to roll, he had my newspapers folded,
banded and stuffed in my bicycle basket. Recalling his
generosity of spirit brings tears to my eyes.

When I was racing bicycles, he drove me 50 miles each
way to Kenosha, Wisconsin, every Tuesday night so I could
race and he could watch me. He was there to hold me if I
lost and shared the euphoria when I won.

Later, he accompanied me to all my local talks in
Chicago when I spoke to Century 21, Mary Kay, Equitable and
various churches. He always smiled, listened and proudly
told whomever he was sitting with, "That's my boy!"

After the fact, my heart was in pain because Dad was
there for me and I wasn't there for him. My humble advice is
to always, always share your love with your loved ones, and
ask to be invited to that sacred transitional period where
physical life transforms into spiritual life. Experiencing
the process of death with one you love will take you into a
bigger, more expansive dimension of beingness.

By Mark Victor Hansen from A 2nd Helping of Chicken Soup for the Soul
Copyright 1995 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Last Night I Had The Strangest Dream

Last night I had the strangest dream
I'd ever dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war

I dreamed I saw a mighty room
Filled with women and men
And the paper they were signing said
They'd never fight again

And when the paper was all signed
And a million copies made
They all joined hands and bowed their heads
And grateful prayers were prayed

And the people in the streets below
Were dancing 'round and 'round
While swords and guns and uniforms
Were scattered on the ground

Last night I had the strangest dream
I'd never dreamed before
I dreamed the world had all agreed
To put an end to war.

words and music by Ed McCurdy
TRO-©1950,1951 & 1955 Almanac Music, Inc.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Bill Wilson (song)

Once there was a drinking man
Bill Wilson was his name
yet he deserves a front row seat
in histories hall of fame
He spoke more about living
than we will ever feel
He wrote the language of the heart
so we can find what's real
CHORUS
Lets drink to old Bill Wilson
Yes lift your coffee high
As long as there's an A A
Don't let his memory die
That he was facing victory
never once occurred to him
Very few would be sober
If it weren�t for Bill Wilson
He spoke at many meetings
said to live we have to care
There's drunks who love the bottle
lets treat them fair and square
listen to their sad stories
don't laugh away their pride
Let them know we've been there
and that we're on their side
CHORUS
There's recovery unity and service
that tell of Wilson's fame
But compared to what went before
it's civilized and tame
The big book is good council
the traditions show the way
Thank God for the way of life
That's known as A A
CHORUS

Mack H. Tennek Not copyrighted dedicated to public domain
Can be heard on
www.geocities.com/starapex/bw.html
<http://www.geocities.com/starapex/bw.html>
Ken McKenzie
<http://www.starapex.com>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The principle we are working with today is BOUNDARIES.
They are mental, emotional, or physical constructs
that define or limit the area in which one is willing to be present.
The space or area in which one works, lives, desires to be.
Ilanya Vanzant
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It is funny about life: if you refuse to accept anything
but the very best you will very often get it.
W. Somerset Maugham
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Look past the body, past the personality, past the behavior,
into the window of one another's souls.
There we make a connection.
The God in me recognizes and honors the God in you.
Mary Manin Morrissey
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed
by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did. So
throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.
Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
Mark Twain
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To exist is to change, to change is to mature,
to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.
Henri Louis Bergson
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The message is hope,
The promise is freedom.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
One promise, many gifts.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Freedom isn't free.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I'd rather be in a meeting thinking about using,
than be in a crack house thinking about getting clean.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1601

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:04 pm
Subject: 3/31/05 "Soaring On a Pink Cloud" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 9
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step09.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 31
With softness and gentleness I am turning around
all negative thinking so that my mind is positive.
It feels so good to be in charge
of the world that I am creating for myself.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Soaring On a Pink Cloud

Innocence and enchantment taken so young
I quickly learned never to trust;
Unknowingly deeply inside me
My soul was forming it's crust.

Pain and turmoil had taken me
down the twisted paths of my years;
Leaving me weak and unyielding
hardened by the developing fears.

I wandered and stumbled while searching
for dreams that somehow were lost;
Found a place to hide, insanity - no tears
sold my soul....a very dear cost.

Addiction took me to places and things
I wish I have never known;
Through God, and with friend and a program
Twelve Steps to the light, I've been shown.

Enchantment and Joy are now gifts from my God
whom I trust in the heavens above;
The greatest of these, the one I treasure the most
is the ability to feel and give love.

The scales from my eyes have been falling
my life as I've know it is past;
My tears can flow, my soul can soar....
I am free from Self Bondage at last.

Ellen Campbell
ellen@...
October 1993
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This too shall pass
<http://nancian.tripod.com/choo.html>

Reach For Your Star
<http://www.geocities.com/lorisgarden/ReachForStar.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 31                   Insides & outsides

"Our real value is in being ourselves." Basic Text p. 101

As we work the steps, we're bound to discover some basic truths about
ourselves. The process of uncovering our secrets, exposing them, and
searching our characters reveals our true nature. As we become
acquainted with ourselves, we'll need to make a decision to be just who
we are.

We may want to take a look at what we present to our fellow addicts and
the world and see if it matches up with what we've discovered inside. Do
we pretend that nothing bothers us when, in truth, we're very sensitive?
Do we cover our insecurities with obnoxious jokes, or do we share our
fears with someone? Do we dress like a teenager when we're approaching
forty and are basically conservative?

We may want to take another look at those things which we thought
"weren't us:' Maybe we've avoided NA activities because we "don't like
crowds!' Or maybe we have a secret dream of changing careers but have
put off taking action because our dream "wasn't really right" for us. As
we attain a new understanding of ourselves, we'll want to adjust our
behavior accordingly. We want to be genuine examples of who we are.

Just for today: I will check my outsides to make sure they match
my insides. I will try to act on the growth I have experienced in
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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
MATERIAL AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING

Fear . . . of economic insecurity will leave us.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84

Having fear reduced or eliminated and having economic circumstances
improve, are two different things. When I was new in A.A., I had those two
ideas confused. I thought fear would leave me only when I started making
money. However, another line from the Big Book jumped off the page one day
when I was chewing on my financial difficulties: "For us, material
well-being always followed spiritual progress; it never preceded." (p.
127). I suddenly understood that this promise was a guarantee. I saw that
it put priorities in the correct order, that spiritual progress would
diminish that terrible fear of being destitute, just as it diminished many
other fears.

Today I try to use the talents God gave me to benefit others. I've found
that is what others valued all along. I try to remember that I no longer
work for myself. I only get the use of the wealth God created, I never
have "owned" it. My life's purpose is much clearer when I just work to
help, not to possess.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 31st

A.A. Thought for the Day

Since I've been in A.A., have I made a start toward
being more unselfish? Do I no longer want my own
way in everything? When things go wrong and I can't
have what I want, do I no longer sulk? Am I trying
not to waste money on myself? And does it make me
happy to see my family and my home have enough
attention from me? Am I trying not to be all "get"
and no "give"?

Meditation for the Day

Each day is a day of progress, steady progress forward,
if you make it so. You may not see it, but God does.
God does not judge by outward appearance. He judges
by the heart. Let Him see in your heart a simple desire
always to do His will. Though you may feel that your
work has been spoiled or tarnished, God sees it as an
offering for Him. When climbing a steep hill, people are
often more conscious of the weakness of their stumbling
feet than of the view, the grandeur, or even of the
upward progress.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may persevere in all good things. I pray
that I may advance each day in spite of my stumbling feet.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"We are the greatest thing that will ever happen to us.
Believe it. It makes life much easier." --"Codependent No
More" ~ Melody Beattie

It is time to stop this nonsense of running around picking
on ourselves.
We may have walked through much of our life apologizing
for ourselves either directly or indirectly--feeling less
valuable than others, believing that they know better than
we do, and believing that somehow others are meant to be
here and we are not.
We have a right to be here.
We have a right to be ourselves.
We are here. There is a purpose, a reason, and an intention
for our life. We do not have to apologize for being here or
being who we are.
We are good enough, and deserving.
Others do not have our magic. We have our magic. It is in us.
It doesn't matter what we've done in our past. We all have
a past, woven with mistakes, successes, and learning
experiences. We have a right to our past. It is ours. It has
worked to shape and form us. As we progress on this
journey, we shall see how each of our experiences will be
turned around and used for good.
We have already spent too much time being ashamed, being
apologetic, and doubting the beauty of ourselves. Be done with it.
Let it go. It is an unnecessary burden. Other have rights, but so
do we. We are neither less than nor more than. We are equal.
We are who we are. That is who we were created and intended to
be.That, my friend, is a wonderful gift.

God, help me own my power to love and appreciate
myself. Help me give myself validity instead of looking
to others to do that.

Today's meditation comes from the book
The Language of Letting Go
Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Light Inside the Dark , John Tarrant
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johtar/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johtar/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johtar/part3.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Art of Following Intuition
by Shakti Gawain

Listening to, trusting, and acting on your intuitive inner guidance is an
art. Like any other art or discipline, it requires a certain commitment. It
is an ongoing process in which we are always being challenged to move to a
deeper level of self-trust.

For most of us, the practice of allowing our intuition to guide us is really
a new way of life, very different from what we have been taught in the past.
At times it may feel uncomfortable or even a bit frightening. If we have
been conditioned to try to approach life entirely rationally, to follow
certain rules (or to automatically rebel against them), or to do what we
think other people want us to do, then beginning to follow our own inner
sense of truth is a major shift. It's natural for it to take some time and
it may be a little difficult and confusing at certain moments. It's
important to be very compassionate with ourselves in this process.

At times we may be very aware of the conflicting voices inside of us. One
part of us may be excited about making changes while another part of us is
terrified about it. If we can acknowledge and honor all our different inner
voices and their feelings, our intuition will show us an appropriate step to
take -- one that moves us in the right direction without being too
frightening for our vulnerable selves or too radical for our conservative
parts.

Opening New Doors
The more we practice following our intuition, the more faith we get, because
we see that it really does work. Not only is nothing disastrous happening
(as in our worst fears), but our lives are actually getting better and
better. Remember to start with small steps until you build a sense of
confidence in yourself and can gradually tackle bigger issues.

Your intuition will most likely push you gently toward taking some
appropriate risks and trying new things. For example, you might have a
fantasy of doing something creative that you haven't done before, such as
taking art, dancing, or music lessons. An inner critic voice might try to
stop you from risking failure or embarrassment by whispering in your ear,
"Don't be silly, you're not creative!" or "You're much too old to start
something totally new." You can acknowledge your inner critic and thank it
for its attempt to protect you from humiliation. Then you can go ahead and
give it a try anyway.

Your intuition may be trying to show you that you have a new direction in
which you need to move or that there is something within you that is trying
to come through. If you give yourself permission to try it, you don't have
to be great at it; just do it for fun. Follow your intuitive impulse and see
what happens. It may open a new door for you. It may give you a chance to
play and discover a new part of your personality that you haven't learned to
express before.

Suppose you have always wanted to start your own business. Allow yourself to
fantasize about it. Start thinking about what steps you could take in that
direction. Ask your intuition to show you what to do. Try following any
impulse you might have to explore this possibility. It may be that nothing
will happen, or that you take a few steps and then feel blocked. This may be
an indication that this is not the best course of action for you at this
time. Or it may mean that you need to be open to it happening in a totally
different and unexpected way. Stay open and see what happens. I know many
people who have become very successful this way.

As you learn to live from your intuition you may find that the process of
making decisions changes. Rather than just trying to figure things out in
your head, you follow your intuitive feeling for a while and let things
unfold. In the process, the right decisions usually get made.

For example, if you are unhappy in your job, don't immediately make a
decision to go in and quit, unless you truly have a strong gut feeling that
that is the best course of action. Instead, explore and acknowledge your
feelings, such as, "I'm really unhappy here, I'd like to work with people
more," or whatever. Then turn it over to your intuition and allow it to show
you step by step what you need to do. You will probably find that something
will emerge. You may find that your current job changes and improves, or you
may get an inspiration about a different career and begin to explore that
possibility. You may follow an impulse to interview for another job and find
that it is right for you. Or you may get very clear that you need to resign,
and it will feel appropriate to do so. The right action will emerge from the
process.

If you have a problem to solve, or a desire to fulfill, try turning it over
to your intuition. For example, if you feel like your social life is boring
or unrewarding and you'd like to make new friends, consciously ask your
intuition to guide you in this process. You might find that a week or two
later you read about a hobby group and you intuitively feel drawn to attend.
You may end up joining a camera club or a hiking club and find a new circle
of friends with a common interest.

Some people fear that trusting their intuition will lead them to do things
that are purely selfish, irresponsible, or hurtful to others. In reality,
the opposite is true. Since intuition is connected to our souls and to the
universal intelligence, it is always guiding us to our own highest good and
the greater good for all concerned.

When we follow our intuition, we sometimes behave in new and different ways,
and others may sometimes be temporarily disappointed or upset. For example,
if you are a very giving person who has always tried to please and care for
others, your intuition may push you to learn to say "no" when you really
don't want to do something, and to set better boundaries with people. At
first, this might upset someone. In the long run, however, you and everyone
else you relate to will be healthier and happier because of this change.

It's actually quite amazing to watch how the intuitive process sorts things
out so that everyone ends up exactly where they need to be, doing exactly
what makes them happiest.

A Guiding Force
In the process of learning to trust intuition, some people go through a
period of time where they feel like their life is falling apart.
Relationships may end or change dramatically, you may move, change jobs,
lose interest in familiar pastimes. These are indications that you are
letting go of certain aspects of your old identity. If you tried to hold on
to it, you would limit or imprison yourself. The forms in your life have to
change because you are changing. It's a matter of trusting that even when
things are not going exactly the way you expected, there is a deeper
perfection in the process. New forms of relationship, creativity, work, and
home will come into being and they will reflect your growth and
development.*

*For more understanding about how following your intuition can change your
life, I suggest reading my book Living in the Light.

It's important to have emotional support while you are going through these
kinds of changes. Find a friend or group of friends that you can talk to
about your hopes, dreams, and fears, someone who can support and encourage
you as well as give you honest feedback.

Sometimes family or old friends feel too threatened by the changes you are
going through and are unable to give real support. You may need to seek out
people who are interested in personal growth. One of the best ways to do
this is to go to a workshop or join a support group (or create your own).

Learning to follow your intuition can sometimes feel a bit like "living on
the edge". In a sense, it's learning to live without the false sense of
security that comes from trying to control everything that happens to us.
It's recognizing that as we follow our inner guidance, wonderful things are
going to unfold for us, things that we may not yet even imagine.

Gradually we become less afraid and more comfortable with uncertainty. We
can learn to enjoy not knowing! It's actually a very exciting, alive
feeling. We can learn to move into the unknown with the confidence that we
have a guiding force within us that is showing us the way.

FOLLOWING YOUR OWN ENERGY MEDITATION

Sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Close your eyes. Take a deep
breath and relax your body. Take another deep breath and relax your mind.
Continue to breathe slowly and deeply and let go of all tension or anxiety.
As you relax, you find yourself in a deep, quiet place inside. Allow
yourself to just rest in that place for a few moments, with nothing you need
to do or think about.

From this deep, quiet place, begin to sense the life force within you.
Imagine that you are following your own energy, feeling it, trusting it,
moving with it in every moment of your life. You are being completely true
to yourself, speaking and living your truth. You feel alive and empowered.
Imagine that you are expressing your creativity fully and freely, and let
yourself enjoy the experience.

Do this meditation as often as you like. I send you my blessings on your
journey.

Excerpted from the book "Developing Intuition" by Shakti Gawain, ©2000.
Reprinted with permission from New World Library, Novato, CA, USA 94949.
www.newworldlibrary.com

About The Author:
SHAKTI GAWAIN is an internationally renowned leader in the human potential
movement. Her many bestselling books, including Creative Visualization,
Living in the Light, The Path of Transformation, and Creating True
Prosperity, have sold more than six million copies in thirty languages
world. She leads workshops internationally and has facilitated thousands of
individuals in developing greater balance and wholeness in their lives. For
more info, visit her website at http://www.shaktigawain.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Making Room
by Virginia Santoro

"There is no room for all your good.
Where would it come to rest...
When clutter and confusion
Occupy your treasure chest?

You hope and pray.
You wish and dream.
You want much more from life.
It's time to act and clear the way...
Make room for what you like.

The bounty of God is limitless...
Fortune waiting to be claimed.
Laying in wait to thrill your heart,
but out there it must remain.

Until you decide to rid yourself
of all that bogs you down...
Your bounty stays up on His shelf
in some other part of town.

When you are ready for your treasure chest
to be again refilled,
With all your fondest wishes and dreams
there's something you must do.

Pick up your sword and clear the way,
Make room, delete the dross.
Invite the new, your good, your best,
God's blessings no more lost...
On things that are no use to you
that lock you stiff like frost.

Make room today for all your good.
Clean away what doesn't serve...
Your highest self, your goals and dreams,
The joy you so deserve."
(Copyright 2000)

Virginia Santoro is a friend of mine that puts out a light , nourishing,
spiritually uplifting daily meditation called Morning Musings

Morning Musings is a nondenominational, daily inspirational newsletter,
delivered to its subscribers Monday thru Friday,
and a single Weekender edition on Saturday.

It is born of the meditations and experiences of the author.
It's first purpose is to honor God in all expressions.
From this starting point, by sharing information it
offers healing, unity, compassion, peace and love to the reader.

To subscribe to Morning Musings please send an email to
MorningMusings@... and write subscribe in the subject line.
{{{{{{Virginia}}}}} Thank you for your selfless service.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
1} God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.
2) Dear God, I have a problem, it's me
3) Growing old is inevitable, growing UP is optional.
4) There is no key to happiness. The door is always open. '
5) Silence is often misinterpreted, but never misquoted.
6) Do the math count your blessings.
7) Faith is the ability to not panic.
8) Laugh every day it's like inner jogging.
9) If you worry, don't pray. If you pray...don't worry
10) As a child of God, prayer is kinda like calling home everyday.
11) Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape
12) The most important things in your home are the people.
13 When we get tangled Up in our problems, be still, God wants us to
      be still so He can untangle the knot.
14) A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.
15} He who dies with the most toys is still dead.
16) We do not remember days, but moments. Life is moving too fast
      So enjoy our precious moments.
17) Talking is sharing. Listening is caring.
18) Nothing is real to you until you experience it, otherwise it's just
      hearsay.
19) It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again.
      Just be sure to flush when you are done.
20) Surviving and living your life successfully requires courage. The goals
      and dreams you're seeking require courage and risk taking.
21) Learn from the turtle, it only makes progress when it sticks out
      it's neck.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Prayer of a Recovering Alcoholic

Now I lay me down to sleep
God kept me sober
For another period of 24 hours
As I went to all my meetings
And followed the directions of my sponsor
I worked the Steps and had some fun
But if my time here on Earth is done
Before the next morning sun
Please pass the gifts of what I've learned
On to another drunk.

Amy C.
12/24/02
AComperatore@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you want to leave footprints in the sands of time,
don't drag your feet.
Annot L. Sheppard
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Light, the divine energy from Spirit,
is within each and every one of us.

Whether that energy is used for the highest good
often depends on our attitude.
By choosing to choose, by focusing your mind, body, and heart,
by doing what it takes to do the best you can,
and by making a safe place for others to participate
with you as they do the best they can,
you can readily access the Light.

- John-Roger
(From: Wealth & Higher Consciousness)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all;
but whatever I have placed in Gods hands, that I still possess."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Life is a responsibility......
Ultimately, each person chooses whether he
comes out of the tumbler crushed or polished."
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Its about the message,
not the messenger.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I am just a vehicle for which the
words and spirit passes through.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I am only sharing what was so freely given to me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The message is meaningless unless we live it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Don’t shoot the messenger !!!
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1600

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Wed Mar 30, 2005 12:55 pm
Subject: 3/30/05 "Forgiven" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 8
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step08.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 30
My Higher Power is guiding me with my positive attitude today.
Negatives are something I no longer choose to live with.
I feel positive strength pour through me
as I release all negative thoughts.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Forgiven

There I sat,
all tattered and torn.
All that I did,
was constantly morn.
All of my pain,
I blamed on another,
My husband, my children,
my father, my mother.
Yet I know today,
that I am to blame,
for deep in my heart,
I carried such shame.
Now that I know,
that I am forgiven,
every new day,
is life worth the living.
Forgiving ones self,
Is a must to be done,
Then we'll have a life,
That's second to none.

Rebecca Ann Bowlin
rbowlin14@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Inner Beauty
<http://www.wisehearts2.com/ibnj.htm>

Choosing A Response
<http://www.eccentrix.com/members/wisehearts/CR.htm>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 30                     God - centeredness

"Gradually as we become more God-centered than self-centered,
our despair turns to hope." Basic Text p. 92

What a glorious thing to have hope! Before coming to Narcotics
Anonymous, many of us lived lives of utter hopelessness. We believed we
were destined to die from our disease.

Many members speak of being on a "pink cloud" their first months in the
program. We've stopped using, made some friends, and life looks
promising. Things are going great. Then reality sets in. Life is still life—
we still lose jobs, our partners still leave us, friends still die, we still get
sick. Abstinence is no guarantee that life will always go our way.

When the reality of life on its own terms sets in, we turn to our Higher
Power and remember that life happens the way life happens. But no
matter what occurs in our recovery we need not despair, for there is
always hope. That hope lies in our relationship with our Higher Power.

This relationship, as expressed by the thought in our text, develops
over time: "Gradually we become more God-centered". As we rely more
and more on the strength of our Higher Power, life's struggles don't have
to drag us into the sea of despair. As we focus more on God, we focus
less on ourselves.

Just for today: I will rely on my Higher Power. I will accept that,
regardless of what happens, my Higher Power will provide me with the
resources to live with it. pg. 92

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
LOVE AND TOLERANCE

Love and tolerance of others is our code.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 84

I have found that I have to forgive others in all situations to maintain
any real spiritual progress. The vital importance of forgiving may not be
obvious to me at first sight, but my studies tell me that every great
spiritual teacher has insisted strongly upon it.
I must forgive injuries, not just in words, or as a matter of form, but in
my heart. I do this not for the other persons' sake, but for my own
sake. Resentment, anger, or a desire to see someone punished, are things
that rot my soul. Such things fasten my troubles to me with chains. They
tie me to other problems that have nothing to do with my original problem.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 30th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Before I met A.A., I was very unloving. From the
time I went away to school, I paid very little
attention to my mother and father, I was on my
own and didn't even bother to keep in touch with
them. After I got married, I was very
unappreciative of my spouse. Many a time I would
go out all by myself to have a good time. I paid too
little attention to our children and didn't try to
understand them or show them affection. My few
friends were only drinking companions, not real
friends. Have I gotten over loving nobody but my
self?

Meditation for the Day

Be calm, be true, and be quiet. Do not get emotionally
upset by anything that happens around you. Feel a
deep, inner security in the goodness and purpose
in the universe. Be true to your highest ideals. Do
not let yourself slip back into the old ways of reacting.
Stick to your spiritual guns. Be calm always. Do not
talk back or defend yourself too much against
accusation, whether false or true. Accept criticism
as well as you accept praise. Only God can judge the
real you.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may not be upset by the judgment of
others. I pray that I may let God be the judge of the
real me.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Deal With Panic & Anxiety

I can still remember this day.
It was shortly after my divorce I was a single parent
with no money and two young children.
It came upon me suddenly, out of the blue.
I couldn't breathe. My chest hurt. My heart hurt.
I couldn't stop it. I panicked.
The more I panicked, the worse it got.

I called 911. The ambulance came.
They gave me some oxygen, then politely told me not to worry;
it was just a panic attack.
I had experienced another one
of those attacks, as long time ago.
Right after I first married the children's father,
I had shut myself down from anxiety.
I couldn't breathe, couldn't speak from the fear I felt.

Many people experience panic and anxiety attacks.
Maybe you've had only one or two incidents of it;
maybe panic and anxiety make regular
appearances in your life.
Most people I've met have experience fear.
These are a few little clues I've learned that
have helped me to deal with my own attacks.

* �Breathe. Whenever we panic, our breath comes
low, awkward spurts. By deliberately breathing slowly
and calmly, we can slow our panic down. We feed it
by breathing fast. We put our bodies on hyper alert.
If we breathe as were through we're relaxed,
our bodies will start slowing down.
* ��Don't respond to your panic with more fear. ��
��sometimes we double what we're going through
��by having an emotional reaction to our initial
��reaction to our initial reaction. We're afraid,
��because we're feeling fear. Let yourself go
��original feeling without reacting to yourself.

* ��Instead of focusing on your fear, let yourself �
be aware that you're feeling it, but do this. ��
��Your panic will want you to do something else,
��something that feeds panic and makes it grow.
��Do something calming and quiet even though �
��that activity doesn't feel right to you. It could ��
��be reading a meditation, listening to some ��
��quiet music, taking a shower, or saying a prayer.
��We all have things that help us calm us down.
��Find something that works for you.

If panic and anxiety are a continual problem,
seek professional help.
But if they are only isolated incidents in your life
you may be able to help yourself.
One tool that has never let me down when it comes to
anxiety and fear is working Step One of the Twelve Step program.
I admit that I'm powerless over my panic
and fear, and my life has become unmanageable.
Then I ask God what I need to do next.
��
Don't let your fears run from your life.
Make it a goal to get through them.
Ask them what they're trying to tell you.
You may be on a path that's new, and
your body is just reacting to that.
There may be a hidden emotion underneath all this fear,
something you'd rather not see.
Or maybe you and your life are just changing so fast
that everything in your world is brand new.
Be gentle and loving will yourself and others.

God, help me welcome all the new experiences in my life.
Give me the courage to calmly walk my path today,
knowing I'm knowing I'm right where I need to be.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Blessing , David Spangler
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/davspa/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/davspa/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/davspa/part3.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/davspa/part4.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/davspa/part5.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It's Not About the Horse
by Wyatt Webb

If you want to deal with your demons, it's appropriate to make a pit stop at
a place as hot as hell--Tucson, Arizona, in the summertime. It's 100-plus
degrees right now--with dark, ominous clouds erasing the Santa Catalina
mountaintops in the distance. It's the monsoon season, which means big
storms. But for the five women and two men sitting on hay bales in front of
Wyatt Webb, it appears that there are bigger storms brewing.

A sweet, musty smell of horse lingers in the air, and for no reason at all,
a 1,300-pound chestnut gelding fittingly named Monsoon rears and tears off
in a sweating gallop. This is his way of welcoming people to a new form of
therapy that blends horse sense with common sense. Monsoon's massive body,
thick mane, and tail fly through the air as he releases a high-pitched
scream that rips into your eardrums and rattles your insides.

Wyatt's just as much in awe of this beautiful animal as everybody else is.
He tells the group, "That's sheer joy. It's also an emotion that's somewhat
foreign to most of us humans on a daily basis."

Perhaps it's time for an introduction.

"My name is Wyatt," he says to the seven people in front of him. "Welcome to
the Equine Experience."

By the looks on their faces, these people are ready for an experience. They
don't appear to have felt joy for some time. But they miss the feeling, so
that's why they're here. They could clearly be elsewhere, but they chose the
Equine Experience, which is offered every day of the year at Miraval, one of
the top resorts in the world. Even though the people gathered in front of me
certainly have the means to be doing something else at this particular point
in time, they wouldn't prefer a seat in first class, or a velvet-covered
cushion in the lobby of the Four Seasons--they're right where they belong.

Wyatt starts the session by telling these folks that he's not here to change
anybody's life. "I don't have the power to do so," he says. "I don't have
your answers. To allow you to think that I do would be a complete lie and a
total disservice to you.

"Now I'm certainly not here to argue with or discredit traditional
therapeutic modalities. I'm not accusing anybody of doing a shitty job or
saying that traditional psychotherapy isn't helpful. But I certainly hope
that we can add to whatever already exists in the therapy world as you know
it."

Wyatt then shares with them what was told to him by Logan, the counselor
who, 22 years ago, helped save his life, his mind, and his very soul. What
he said was this: "If you're to achieve the peace, joy, and spiritual
fulfillment that you want so badly, it depends upon one thing and one thing
only--your willingness to simply do something different."

So to those clients who have spent half a lifetime in therapy with minimal
results, Wyatt smiles and states the obvious: "If the practice that you've
been involved with hasn't produced definitive changes, then guess what? It's
not working. Maybe what you're doing could be remedied so that you can
discover what does work."

Now, even though Wyatt has been a practicing therapist for a number of
years, his tools don't involve a leather couch and his helpers don't arrive
in suits or high heels. Of course, they wear shoes--but not the kind they
sell at Bloomingdale's.

"You're going to clean some hooves," he tells the group, "and you're going
to groom the horse. How you relate to this animal will tell us what you've
learned over the course of your lifetime concerning how you relate to all
living things. Your basic training has come from learning how to treat
people." He pauses and adds, "Remember one thing: It's not about the horse.
I mean, sure, I can teach you a few basic skills that will keep you safe in
any barn in the world, but what we're here to look at is what you've learned
over the course of your lifetime that either works for or against you in
your relationships."

He stops for a second and then continues. "Keep in mind that you've been
conditioned to be externally focused in all of your relationships. This is
one of the true impediments to our being able to learn anything about
ourselves. Let me ask you this: How much time do you spend during the day
wondering what others are thinking and feeling, and concocting stories about
why they're behaving as they do? See, as long as I'm focused on you in such
a manner, it will be impossible for me to connect with you because I'm not
present with myself.

"So, what I suggest you do is pay attention to what you're thinking and pay
attention to what you're feeling. Know that these two things dictate the way
you live your life. By focusing your attention internally as opposed to
externally, you'll be able to be present enough to connect with any other
living thing, which will also cause you to take responsibility for your life
and how you live it. Will I judge you? Of course not! But I will observe."

Wyatt promises these people that today he will pay attention. "Ask me for
help if you need it," he tells them. "I pledge to tell you the truth, to be
kind, but sometimes to be blunt. Together, let's examine the stories you're
making up to see how many of them are based in reality. Personally, prior to
the age of 36, almost every story I had was based in a lie. But I'd like you
to remember that it doesn't take nearly as many words to tell the truth as
it does to bullshit somebody."

Here he switches gears, for it's time for a few specifics. "The horses are
the same for every person who chooses to be with them. Whichever horse you
choose will serve as a mirror to your energy system--what you think, what
you feel, and every move your body does or doesn't make."

He makes it clear that the person dealing with the horse is the one who
tells the whole story. And most of the stories he sees have one thing in
common: pain. Most of this pain is rooted in self-doubt and fear. For
instance, one man in the group says, "I can't remember when I didn't hurt. I
think it's the world that messes us up."

"Well," Wyatt asks him, "whose job is it to clean up the mess?"

Then he turns to the audience and says, "We've been imprinted. We're born
being called 'bundles of joy.' Well, that's true. Babies generally are full
of joy--they're born happy and remain so unless they're hungry or
experiencing some discomfort. Once that's alleviated, they're right back in
the joy state. They're at one with everything when they arrive on the
planet. They run on pure emotion.

"They don't know what it means to doubt themselves or to be afraid until
about five days into the trip, when they begin to soak up the energy of the
adults," Wyatt says. "Then they feel the inconsistency. At this point in
time, welcome to a world full of scary people.

"Every culture I've ever been subjected to appears to be frightened," he
explains. "I've been working as a psychotherapist for 20 years, and if I
could boil down every problem that ever walked through any office that I've
occupied--and this includes when I've been alone in the office--every human
being suffers from two things in varying degrees of intensity, two things
that are taught to us. They're called self-doubt and fear.

"There's the fear of physical harm and of emotional harm. There's the fear
of not being good enough. There's the constant fear of being discovered. In
fact, I've done a lot of team building with corporate systems, and what do
you think the one thing that CEOs, presidents, and vice presidents of
companies don't want the people working for them to know? They don't want
anyone to know that at any given moment, they're completely clueless about
what they're doing. I've been privy to and a part of this phenomenon by
watching everyone run through the world 'bluffing it.' It seems that most
people truly aren't aware of what they're doing."

Wyatt's next words take the concept to a deeper level. "Anyone who really
wants to grow, expand, and know who they are has to travel uncharted
territories all the time. So that kind of person has to live in a world of
'I don't know,' which is scary, but that's the only place where you learn
anything. What you always find on the opposite side of fear and self-doubt
is joy. Joy is our birthright--we're born with it. But it gets taken away
from us and we have to go back and reclaim it.

"So, what we'll do today is not about discovering who you are. It's about
remembering who you are," he says. "End of story."

Wyatt gives the group some things to think about. "Why do we continue to
fight with each other? Thousands of years ago, we began with hand-to-hand
combat. Then we picked up some stones, which was followed by the fashioning
of weapons. Now we have the means to eradicate ourselves from the planet. We
even have the audacity to call this 'progress,'" he says. "The problem is
that we're afraid, and that's the reason we fight each other. We keep making
it about other countries or religions, and it's not. Why can't we sit down
and talk about what we're afraid of? We're afraid to tell the truth."

Wyatt shakes his head and mentions that Monsoon solidified this theory for
him about a year ago. "One day I was riding him, and I was transitioning
from the walk to the trot to the canter. It's called 'changing gaits.' The
walk to the trot--no problem. But even after ten years of riding, the power
of that canter still scares me. I tried to push Monsoon into a canter twice,
and both times I miscued him. My fear had me off balance--literally and
figuratively. So, I eased back to the trot, and I got frustrated. Like I had
done 10,000 times before when things weren't going my way, the tail started
wagging the dog, so to speak. I was the friggin' dog, and here we were in a
mess again.

"I was about to move into a canter for the third time, and again I felt that
I was off balance. This time, I was determined to win. I said, 'The hell
with it,' and cued him anyway. Monsoon shifted his massive frame, and I felt
his power ripple underneath me." Wyatt pauses and takes a look at his
audience, who seems to have forgotten about the prickly hay bales or
threatening storm clouds.

"I was so off that most of my weight shifted forward, which in the horse
world is called 'throwing the horse on the forehand.' This was his cue to
stop. And he did. I flew over his head about 20 feet onto the ground. If I
hadn't had a helmet on, it would have killed me. I hit the ground with a
bang! People heard it all the way back at the barn, some 40 yards away.

"Somehow in my daze, I managed to get up, checked to see if I was dead, and
brushed the dirt and muck off. Meanwhile, Monsoon was looking at me as if to
say: 'What the hell are you doing down there?'

"In that humiliating, spirit-crushing, bone-aching, ah-ha! moment, a light
bulb went off in my head. I thought to myself, I finally get it. Anytime I'm
in a relationship with any living thing and I have the need to win, the
possibility for connection and closeness is over. All I ever wanted was that
closeness and connection. In fact, I think we're all homesick for it.

"At the time, I wish I'd just been able to get honest enough to back off and
go, 'Wyatt, you're off balance. Pull up or you'll get hurt.' But do you
think I could even go to that place? I had to damn near kill myself to
figure it out. I had this lesson to learn, and my spirit was saying, 'Yes,
it's going to be a tough one. So let's go.'

"Thankfully, my spirit also said, 'Put your helmet on, you damn fool, so you
can live through it and we can learn it," Wyatt says.

He goes on to explain that he's never had that same issue with Monsoon ever
again. "I've had that problem with a few people," Wyatt laughs, "but I've
been able to reign it in because when I find myself trying to win, it's time
to stop. Because somebody has to lose. This whole culture is set up this
way. We've got to win, which means we're going to lose. It means that we
cannot even hope to connect with each other." As he gazes at the crowd of
onlookers, it seems like they finally get it.

For Wyatt, it's all about connection, and the first step to healing is
connecting with a horse. Those who want to connect have issues that include
mental, physical, and emotional abuse not limited to marriages on the rocks,
parent-child relationships gone bad, and much worse concerns including rape
and abandonment.

Now it's time to get to work. The group is brought into a large arena and
each person is told to choose one of the six large, inquisitive horses
waiting for them. Next to each animal is a small bucket with tools to clean
the horses' hooves, and various other grooming utensils associated with
preparing a horse for saddling.

Wyatt tells everyone to approach their horse and greet the animal at its
shoulder. He takes aside one young man and suggest that he stop rubbing the
horse for dear life.

"Try to leave a little fur on the horse, because the sun is gonna come out
and I don't want him to get burned," he says quietly to the young man. "You
also don't need to sweet-talk him."

"I'm trying to get him to like me so he'll cooperate," says the man.

"So," Wyatt asks, "is this one of your learned behaviors? Is your motto: If
I'm nice to you, then you must be nice to me back?"

"I guess I always try extra hard to get people to like me," says the young
man. "I figure if I'm the nicest person in the whole room, people will have
to be nice to me back."

"Let me suggest to you the fallacy behind that one," he explains. "You're
not really being nice to anyone. You're being manipulative. You're only
acting nice in the hopes of preventing people from rejecting you. True
kindness comes with no charge. Later on, the universe just pays you back."

The mini-dramas being played out on this sandy desert floor can easily
become much more serious, though. For example, Katie, a young lawyer whose
parents abandoned her and sent her to live in various foster homes is afraid
of her horse because she's scared to death of being rejected again.

"If you walk through your fear that something must be wrong with you, then
what you always find on the other side is that there's nothing wrong with
you. And there's nothing to be afraid of," he tells her.

"What happens then?" the woman asks, sobbing.

"When you get to that other side, there's only one thing waiting--joy."

Those wanting that feeling are looking for some help--and God, does Wyatt
understand how they feel. After all, it's impossible for him to forget his
very first client. This guy was the toughest bastard he's ever worked with,
and he almost made Wyatt give up on everything.

That man was Wyatt himself. . . .

This article is excerpted from It's Not About the Horse, ©, by Wyatt Webb.
Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Hay House Inc. www.hayhouse.com

About the Author:
Wyatt Webb survived 15 years in the music industry as an entertainer,
touring the country 30 weeks a year. Realizing he was practically killing
himself due to drug-and-alcohol addictions, Wyatt sought help, which
eventually led him to quit the entertainment industry. He began what is now
a 20-year career as a therapist. Today he's the founder and leader of the
Equine Experience at Miraval Life in BalanceT, one of the world's top
resorts, which is also located in Tucson. http://www.miravalresort.com/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Belonging

You test yourself with memory prompts
write your day in a book
You leave signs of your passing where you can
to secure a piece of illusive timespace
however fleeting, however scant

As if attempting to mark space or time
will guarantee the belonging is authentic

Be real to yourself
and you will belong there
Be real with others
and you will belong with them
They will belong with you

The memory is the bonding, you see:
An assemblage of touch, glances, unstated understandings
The mental, spiritual, heartfelt bonds
formed for belonging
Those that remain in preserves/reserves
are not of the physical dimension

The belonging searches to live
with intense expression inside
in real time, in real space
where it counts
it lives in the soul

Listen to the belonging of you
to yourself
to the people of unconditional love
they belong to you

Listen and be long in the duration
in the taking in
of the gift of its security...
be...
long...
there..

Love
Stella
© 2001 Stella Raymonde Savoie Johnson
Stella's monthly SoulZine features inspiration from articles,
meditations, affirmations, floral and herbal healers. Join here:
http://she.soulopen.com
Looking for alternative healing? Nutritional and Herbal help:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/herbalmenopause
Looking for Support in your Healing and Recovery? Come see:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/healingfromprocrastination
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Now

Imagine you are a sycamore seed
the wind has blown you far away
you land on barren soil.
For years you try to grow but you can't

suddenly rain comes aplenty,
the soil gets all that is necessary for a fruitful life.
The shrub grows and grows.
it is no longer small and insignificant
but large and very beautiful.
It dwarfs all that once dwarfed it.

Liken your life to this shrub,
with out god and your faith
you are just a stunted shrub.
God is the sun and God is the rain.
so that you can go forward and grow.
If you rise above all that used to surround and dwarf you
it can not be a bad thing. it is just you, being really you.

Some people have the sun and the rain but they fail to
put out the roots deep enough to blossom.
Do not fear of what you cannot control
have faith in the now.
It is all we have.
And let not the fear of fear hurt you.

To arrive somewhere means you must have journeyed.
So find who you are ,then you will know,
what you were really meant to be.
Howard
howie590@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Your Destiny

When all is said and done
Your at your end of your road
Whose path will you follow
What changes will you make to carry your load
Are you afraid to make another mistake
You have to have faith
To get along
God will bless you
With a new song
Don't say you are blind
Don't say you can't see
For the road you travel
Is your destiny
Stop
Drop
To your knees
And pray
Ask yourself what you want to say
You are welcomed here any day
Give it to God
Leave the results in His hand
He is the one who will always understand
Your motives are yours alone
Your love shall always
Be at your home

Daniel M Corkery
9/14/2000
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
<http://www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It is good to have an end to journey toward;
but it is the journey that matters in the end.
Usula K. LeGuin
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit
makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.
James Buckham
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Worrying about the future is like trying to eat the hole in a doughnut.
It's munching on what isn't.
Barry Neil Kaufman
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If we are to experience the greater oneness with the Spirit inwardly,
then we must remain open to support our connection outwardly as well.
We must be willing to do unto others what God,
though the Spirit, would do through us as the expression.
John Morton (From: The Blessings Already Are)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meeting makers make it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Those who make meetings regularly stay clean.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Many meetings ~ Many chances
Few meetings ~ Few chances
No meetings ~ No chances
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Those people who don't make meetings aren't around
to see what happens to people who don't make meetings.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There is a difference between being at a meeting
and being in a meeting
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1599

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:08 pm
Subject: 3/29/05 "Me, My Sponsor 'n' HP" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 7
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step07.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 29
God gives me all the strength and courage
to accept whatever happens in my life today.
It is so freeing to know that I am no longer
a victim of people, places and things.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Me, My Sponsor 'n' HP

Some times I REALLY believe
that I MUST do it ALL ALONE
sometimes
I fall down
and getting up seems impossible
being down seems
easier
seems more desirable
pushing some tiny
plastic buttons
is the most
difficult thing
I have ever done
hearing the noise
the buzz
as the other
end rings
the expectations
the emotions
the embarrassments
the doubts
the fears
how can
they ALL
crowd
into such a tiny
few moments
until
my sponsor
answers
welcomes me
and ALL
my demons
all of me
is in the right place
the quiet
roars
and I gush
forth
with all
my needs
my wants
my desires
my pains
my hurts
my denials
my blaming
my shaming
my arguing
yes
I argue with hp
most of the time
and my sponsor
listens
til I exhaust
all my words
and allow
myself to hear
hear what I am
saying
which all ways
contains
the answers
to my insanity
being accepted
being heard
finally
is enough
and for
those moments
I know
that I am
loved
loved without
limit
or conditions
because I AM
slowly
my despair
lightens
little
by little
so that
one
day
I might listen
and hear
what
you
have to say
and find
in your
openness
and honesty
the balm
for
my aching
soul's
pains
find
that I
have given
to you
what I
have been
blessed to
receive
and
in appreciation
found
how to
give it away
because
I can
by the
grace
of a power
greater
than myself
let go
and see
hp working
in you
in me

all the best
in all things

Bill
mystic@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Daily Zen
<http://www.dailyzen.com/>

Recovery Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=16>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step High School
The DeSisto School Homepage
<http://www.desistoschool.com/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 29                  Our own true will

"God's will for us consists of the very things we most value. God's
will... becomes our own true will for ourselves."   Basic Text p. 46

It's human nature to want something for nothing. We may be ecstatic
when a store cashier gives us back change for a twenty though we only
paid with a ten. We tend to think that, if no one knows, one small
deception won't make any difference. But someone does know—we do.
And it does make a difference.

What worked for us when we used, frequently doesn't work long in
recovery. As we progress spiritually by working the Twelve Steps, we
begin to develop new values and standards. We begin to feel
uncomfortable when we take advantage of situations that, when we
used, would have left us gloating about what we had gotten away with.

In the past, we may have victimized others. However, as we draw
closer to our Higher Power, our values change. God's will becomes more
important than getting away with something.

When our values change, our lives change, too. Guided by an inner
knowledge given us by our Higher Power, we want to live out our
newfound values. We have internalized our Higher Power's will for
us-in fact, God's will has become our own true will for ourselves.

Just for today: By improving my conscious contact with God, my
values have changed. Today, I will practice God's will, my own
true will.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PRAYER: IT WORKS

It has been well said that "almost the only scoffers at prayer are those
who never tried it enough."
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 97

Having grown up in an agnostic household, I felt somewhat foolish when I
first tried praying. I knew there was a Higher Power working in my life --
how else was I staying sober? -- but I certainly wasn't convinced he/she/it
wanted to hear my prayers. People who had what I wanted said prayer was an
important part of practicing the program, so I persevered. With a
commitment to daily prayer, I was amazed to find myself becoming more
serene and comfortable with my place in the world. In other words, life
became easier and less of a struggle. I'm still not sure who, or what,
listens to my prayers, but I'd never stop saying them for the simple reason
that they work.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 29th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Before I met A.A., I was very dishonest. I lied to
my spouse constantly about where I had been and
what I'd been doing. I took time off from my work
and pretended I'd been sick or gave some other
dishonest excuse. I was dishonest with myself,
as well as with other people. I would never face
myself as I really was or admit when I was wrong.
I pretended to myself that I was as good as the
next person, although I suspected I wasn't. Am I
now really honest?

Meditation for the Day

I must live in the world and yet live apart with God.
I can go forth from my secret times of communion
with God to the work of the world. To get the
spiritual strength I need, my inner life must be lived
apart from the world. I must wear the world as a
loose garment. Nothing in the world should seriously
upset me, as long as my inner life is lived with God.
All successful living arises from this inner life.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may live my inner life with God. I pray
that nothing shall invade or destroy that secret place
of peace.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Recognize Manipulations

Herein lies an irony: the person who is trying to manipulate
you views you as having greater strength or power
than he or she does. -George H. Green and Carolyn Cotter,
                    Stop Being Manipulated

George Green and Carolyn Cotter describe manipulation as
an encounter in which someone else attempts to control
how you feel, behave, or think-without your permission-and
it causes you discomfort as a result.

Most of us use manipulation, from time to time,
to get what we want.
Sometimes our manipulations are harmless, even cute.
Both people know a low-grade manipulation is at hand.
Both people basically want what the manipulator is
working so hard to get-dinner out, a movie,
a walk through the park.
It's not a big deal.

Other times, the stakes are higher
and the people involved don't agree.
That's when manipulations can be harmful.
When we don't know what we want, when we're not clear
with others and ourselves about how we feel,
a manipulation is in the air.

Sometimes manipulations are conscious and deliberate.
Other times, they're unconscious, foggy attempts
to get what we want.

"Let's simplify our definition of manipulation,"
suggest Green and Cotter.
"If an encounter leaves you feeling crummy,
it probably involves manipulation of some sort."

Isn't it ironic that sometimes the very feeling
we're trying to deny is exactly what we need
to be feeling to take care of ourselves?

Next time, you're faced with a situation
that leaves you feeling crummy,
take a moment to see if a manipulation was involved.
Remember that whenever others try to manipulate you,
they perceive you as having something they want
and as being more powerful than they are.
If you're powerful enough to be a target for a manipulation,
you're powerful enough to take care of yourself.

God, help me let go of my belief that
I need to manipulate other people to get what I want.
Help me stop letting others manipulate me.

Melody Beattie
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
365 Prescriptions for the Soul , Bernie Siegel
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part13.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part14.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part15.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part16.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SOMEONE LOVED IS HURTING

By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

When someone we love is hurting, how do we behave best? Our first
impulse is to comfort, to fix, to heal. Sometimes however, we are
helpless, powerless to fix or make things alright again. It's like
watching a loved pet determinedly running into a street busy with
traffic. All we can really do is stand there...yell and scream, and
hope he will turn around.

When we cope with our sense of helplessness as adults, we usually
engage in childhood patterns of feelings and behaviors we learned as
dependent children. We tend to feel and behave exactly as we did when
we were small, experiencing all the emotions we did then. As
grown-ups, we usually haven't had much practice at dealing with the
death of a parent, alcoholism of a spouse, death of a child, divorce
of a grown child, rape of a loved one, or...death of a spouse.

Sometimes we feel so overwhelmed by our feelings of helplessness, we
avoid getting involved. We choose to emotionally (or physically)
abandon the person we love, due to our own emotional suffering and
inability to cope with helplessness.

Other times we may choose to offer well-intentioned help or advice.
We may inadvertently alienate our hurting loved one by intrusively
taking control from them and superimposing our own fear-born behavior
on the situation.

And often, we worry endlessly. We neglect ourselves and our own
needs, thereby jeopardizing our own welfare, and hastening the time
when we can't "be there" for the one who is hurting.

Here are some hopefully helpful hints on learning grown-up ways of
addressing those people we love who are suffering and we "can't do
anything about it."

Be willing to reach out. Despite your own feelings of inadequacy
and helplessness, risk initiating contact. A note, a kind word, a
caring touch, or a quick phone call to say you are thinking of them,
or are available to them if they want your company. These actions may
let them know they are supported.

Rather than a helper, become a learner first. Hurting people need
to feel as powerful as they can. Allow them to teach us about their
feelings, their pain, their fears, their tears, their grief, their
sense of failure, guilt or shame. Being a receptive learner will help
them feel less useless. Besides, hurting people often show us the
meaning of patience, determination, courage, compassion, strength,
faith and love. Through their example, they make great teachers about
many important characteristics of the human spirit.

Avoid sharing your own experience with problems or pain, even if
it's an attempt to let them know you understand what they might be
going through. You do not. You cannot. You can't even imagine.
Their suffering is unique to them. Learn about it without imposing
your own.

In his little book, "Out of Solitude," Henri Nouwen wrote, "We feel
quite uncomfortable with an invitation to enter into someone's pain
before doing something about it. Still when we honestly ask ourselves
which persons in our lives mean most to us, we often find that it is
those, who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have
chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and
tender hand." Sometimes truly being present with your love, rather
than doing anything about his or her difficulty, is the best we can
offer.

Take good care of yourself. Call on others to nurture and support
you, so you and your energy and time can remain available to your
hurting loved one. When others hurt is a poor time to become
self-neglectful, thereby becoming empty and unavailable or have
nothing to offer.

Remain vital and available in the middle of another's crisis. When
a loved one hurts, it is a wonderful opportunity to grow in our
ability to love unconditionally. In doing so, we become more fully
the human. We evolve into the being we were meant to be. So when
someone you care about is suffering, let childhood patterns of
helplessness go, and seize that opportunity.

About the Author:
Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. has 30+ years experience as a Life Coach and
Licensed Psychologist. He is available for coaching in any area
presented in "Practical Psychology." As your Coach, his only agenda
is to assist you in creating the lifestyle you genuinely desire. The
initial coaching session is free. Contact him: (970) 568-0173 or
E-mail: DrLloyd@... or LJTDAT@....
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
And then all that has divided us will merge
And then compassion will be wedded to power
And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind
And then both men and women will be gentle
and then both women and men will be strong
and then no person will be subject to another's will
and then all will be rich and free and varied
and then the greed of some will give way to the needs of many
and then all will share equally in the earth's abundance
and then all will care for the sick and the weak and the old
and then all will nourish the young
and then all will cherish life's creatures
and then all will live in harmony with each other and the earth
and then everywhere will be called Eden once again."

Judy Chicago
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TOUCH SOMEONE

There is a place within all us
      so tender
            so sweet
                  so vulnerable
That when touched can bring tears
      to your eyes.

It takes so little to open the door
      to our hiding places.

A gentle word
      An understanding nod
            A loving gaze.

This beautiful place...
      So rarely visited...
            Such a shame!

Sometimes the door has been slammed shut...
      Locked for years with a
            DO NOT DISTURB
                  sign
      Hanging on the face outside.

Many years ago I bought my ex-husband a bowling ball
for his 25th birthday. Instant tears for surprise and gratitude
and love filled his eyes.

"I'm so sorry your son died."
Instant watering for my deep, deep pain.

"I love you," after a fight and the soul responds with tears
of relief and love and forgiveness and thankfulness.

"I appreciate you."

"I see your specialness."

The giving of ourselves with just
      a few words,
      a look,
      a touch
      can ease a broken heart,
            lift a fallen spirit
                  restore a lost soul.

How little it takes to touch someone with our love.
March 2002
By Ruth Fishel
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Fight Your Way

You fight your way
Then you lose
You live your life
Just the way you choose
Burning bridges
As you blaze your trail
Thinking you'll get away
You sometimes wind up
In the county jail
Then one day you look inside
All the years you thought
You did hide
Chased your heart so many times
Love was all you ever sought
Then you got caught
Never thought about today
Seeing things differently
You now pray to be free
The years you passed pleasing me
I was the only person I could see
You fought your way only to lose
So our way you now choose
Do your best to live this way
No better choice then today
So when your done fighting
And your at your end
No better chance then today
To get up and meet a new friend
As you make your way
We will be here to help you stay
But only you can choose
To make this your new way

Daniel M Corkery
11/23/2000
DMCDREAMER1@aol.com
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
<http://www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SOUL ADVICE

The screaming of my soul
to be free
deafens me.

No more, it seems to say
just be clean
for today.

Cannot bear the pain
of your grief
yet again.

So, cry those bitter tears
that release
all your fears.

Then dry those tired eyes
and admit
to your lies.

Find the strength inside
which will help
build your pride.

Hold yourself up tall
and have faith
you won't fall.

Slowly, you will heal
it takes time
but it's real.

Give yourself a cheer
on your way...
almost here!

Thank the Lord above
for the miracle
of his Love.

With him as your guide
you will
no longer hide.

Wounds you thought still there
won't be found
anywhere.

So much life to live
once you learn
to forgive.

Finally, you See
and the truth
sets you Free!!!

written by Lori W.
missred412@... click here
©2000
{Printed with Permission}
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Chinese have a proverb that says,
"A bit of fragrance clings to the hand that gives flowers."

This also goes for verbal or written bouquets.
Say something nice to someone,
and a bit of niceness will cling to you.

They say you can't get something for nothing.
You can't give something for nothing, either.
People who find good things to say about others
will find others saying good things about them
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Hindu God Ganesh is an elephant
that swings its trunk to clear the path before it.
The image of the Ganesh is to teach us about this aspect of God,
that when we are aligned with the power of God,
when our will and God's will are matched up,
God's power and energy goes before us
to sweep away confusion and fear,
and we can move powerfully into a vital experience of our lives.
Mary Manin Morrissey
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Why is it that when we talk to God we're said to be
praying, but when God talks to us we're schizophrenic?
Lily Tomlin
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Life is like a taxi. The meter just
keeps a-ticking whether you are
getting somewhere or just standing still.
Lou Erickson
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love is a behavior,
If I say that I love you,
I behave accordingly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To love is to share.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love builds highways out of dead ends.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We will love you,
until you learn to love yourself.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1598

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Mon Mar 28, 2005 1:40 pm
Subject: 3/28/05 "An Easier & Softer Way..for the Newcomer" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 6
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step06.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 28
I am at choice today.
I can watch my negative thoughts go by and
replace them with positive thoughts and compassion.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
An Easier & Softer Way..for the Newcomer

Step 1: I had an "Old Clunker" parked in the driveway.
              I had just about given up on it, but decided to make a
              whole hearted attempt to restore it.

Step 2: I couldn't fix it, but I came to believe someone could.

Step 3: I turned the car over to a mechanic.

Step 4: I took an inventory of all that was wrong with the "Old Clunker."

Step 5: I shared the inventory with the mechanic.

Step 6: I helped take off the old parts.

Step 7: I let the mechanic handle the rest.

Step 8: We made a list of all the parts that were needed,
                and got together and went over them.

Step 9:    I admitted I hadn't checked the oil and fluids properly,
                or fixed the other things that were going wrong. It was my
                responsibility to take care of the car, and I had not. I wanted
                to help, but being unfamiliar with the process, I allowed the
                mechanic to fix things. The car turned out beautifully!

Step 10: I checked the oil, fluids, tires etc. more regularly, and
                when I didn't the engine didn't hummmmm.

Step 11: I called on the mechanic whenever there was trouble,
                asking him to fix the car.

Step 12: That mechanic and I had become such close friends...
                we decided to take a trip across the country, and stopped to help
                all that needed it along the way.

I love you, Bridget T Hope Mills, NC

Mtgmkr99@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
N.A. Literature In Many Languages
<http://www.na.org/ips/>

Non-Alcoholic Beer
<http://alcoholism.about.com/od/nabeer/index.htm>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step High School
The DeSisto School Homepage
<http://www.desistoschool.com/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 28                                    Facing feelings

"We may fear that being in touch with our feelings will trigger an
overwhelming chain reaction of pain and panic."    Basic Text p. 29

While we were using, many of us were unable or unwilling to feel many
emotions. If we were happy, we used to make us happier. If we were
angry or depressed, we used to mask those feelings. In continuing this
pattern throughout our active addiction, we became so emotionally
confused that we weren't sure what normal emotions were anymore.

After being in recovery for some time, we find that the emotions we had
suppressed suddenly begin to surface. We may find that we do not know
how to identify our feelings. What we may be feeling as rage may only be
frustration. What we perceive as suicidal depression may simply be
sadness. These are the times when we need to seek the assistance of
our sponsor or other members of NA. Going to a meeting and talking about
what is happening in our lives can help us to face our feelings instead of
running from them in fear.

Just for today: I will not run from the uncomfortable emotions I may
experience. I will use the support of my friends in recovery to help me
face my emotions.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
REAL INDEPENDENCE

The more we become willing to depend upon a Higher Power, the more
independent we actually are.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 36

I start with a little willingness to trust God and He causes that
willingness to grow. The more willingness I have, the more trust I gain,
and the more trust I gain, the more willingness I have. My dependence on
God grows as my trust in Him grows. Before I became willing, I depended on
myself for all my needs and I was restricted by my incompleteness. Through
my willingness to depend upon my Higher Power, whom I choose to call God,
all my needs are provided for by Someone Who knows me better than I know
myself - even the needs I may not realize, as well as the ones yet to
come. Only Someone Who knows me that well could bring me to be myself and
to help me fill the need in someone else that only I am meant to
fill. There never will be another exactly like me. And that is real
independence.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 28th

A.A. Thought for the Day

When you come into an A.A. meeting, you're not
just coming into a meeting, you're coming into a
new life. I'm always impressed by the change I
see in people after they've been in A.A. for a while.
I sometimes take an inventory of myself, to see
whether I have changed, and if so, in what way.
Before I met A.A., I was very selfish. I wanted my
own way in everything. I don't believe I ever grew
up. When things went wrong, I sulked like a spoiled
child and often went out and got drunk. Am I still
all "get" and no "give"?

Meditation for the Day

There are two things that we must have if we are
going to change our way of life. One is faith, the
confidence in things unseen, the fundamental
goodness and purpose in the universe. The other
is obedience: that is, living according to our faith,
living each day as we believe that God wants us to
live, with gratitude, humility, honesty, purity,
unselfishness, and love. Faith and obedience, these
two, will give us all the strength we need to overcome
sin and temptation and to live a new and more
abundant life.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may have more faith and obedience.
I pray that I may live a more abundant life as a result
of these things.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Neutralize Conflicts

Unless you want a fight or an argument,
don't give people anything to push against.

Here is a key to harmonizing with people who are upset
or have a point of view different from your own.
Stay so relaxed when you talk to them that you allow
yourself to empathize with how they think and feel.
That doesn't mean that you give in
to people's every whim.
It means, instead, that you are so clear
and focused that you can genuinely
let other people be who they are, too.

It's both naive and egotistical to think that everyone
thinks and feels the same as us.
It's ridiculous to believe that everyone
will agree with our point of view.
One of the true signs of a person who is growing in consciousness
is that he or she recognizes that each person
has individual motives, desires, and feelings.

"Instead of meeting a verbal attack with a verbal counterattack
you respond first by coming around
to your attacker's point of view, seeing
the situation from his or her viewpoint,"
wrote George Leonard in the Way of Aikido.

He was talking about using a concept
called "blending" to deal with verbal
confrontations in our daily lives.
"The response, whether physical or verbal,
is quite disarming, leaving the attacker
with no target to focus on.
It's a means by which you can multiply your options
in responding to any kind of attack."

If the person espousing his or her point of view
is just trying to get us to react or has no desire
for reconciliation, we can still neutralize
the conflict by staying relaxed, letting the other person be
and responding by saying, "hmmmm."
Its a polite way of saying whatever,
when expressing your disagreement
would only lead to a senseless fight.
At the least, you'll become a great conversationalist,
a respectable art to be acquired.
At best, you'll bring about world peace,
at least in our corner of the world.

God, help me be so clear on who I am that I can generously
afford to let other people be who they are, too.
Help me to set aside my defensive behavior,
and teach me to blend with other people and see their
point of view while not relinquishing my own.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Healers on Healing , Bernie Siegel
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part7.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part8.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part9.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part10.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part11.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part12.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ego: A Lousy Guide to Relationship
by Carolyn Godschild Miller, Ph.D.

If you are to utilize guidance to find a soulmate, the first thing you need
to do is learn to tell the difference between the voice of your inner
teacher and that of your ego. This is not really difficult, since your guide
and your ego espouse entirely different thought systems. Indeed, cultures
throughout the world seem to resonate with the idea that there is a
high-minded influence within us that argues in favor of love, humility, and
forgiveness, and that it is opposed by another that urges us to be
egotistical, selfish, and judgmental. The cartoons of my childhood, for
example, depicted what I am calling ego as a little red devil whispering
malicious advice into a character's left ear, while a winged and haloed
angel representing guidance spoke words of generosity and tolerance in the
other.

Guide's Thinking Differs from Ego's
The simplest way to explain the difference between your guide's perspective
and that of your ego is to say that the former believes that love is real
and fear is not, while the latter believes that fear is real and love is
not. It may surprise you to learn that your ego doesn't believe that love
really exists, but it's true. Just think! When you allow your ego to direct
your search for love, you are actually asking the only thing in the universe
that doesn't know what love is, to find it for you. Talk about letting the
inmates run the asylum!

How is it that our false self knows nothing about love? Well, that's the way
we designed it. From a metaphysical perspective, the human mind invents an
ego for the purpose of making love seem unreal.

And just why would we want to do such a silly thing? A number of spiritual
traditions suggest that it is because God is love. They say we wanted to
forget about our Creator for a while, so that we could play at being
creators ourselves. And since everything that God creates is a perfect
reflection of divine love, the only way we could generate an experience that
would be uniquely our own was to make up an imperfect world where love's
opposite -- fear -- would appear to rule. Thus, fear is our own original
contribution to an otherwise loving universe.

The ego's problem is that any experience of love, however attenuated,
threatens to trigger our memory of reality, and spoil the game we came here
to play. Its job is to make sure that doesn't happen. Thus, we might compare
the ego to the weight belt a scuba diver dons to counteract her natural
buoyancy. If a diver took off her weight belt, she would quickly bob back up
to the surface. If you and I released identification with our ego, we would
quickly bob back up into reality; where it would be apparent that love is
everywhere. As long as we prefer to remain immersed in frightening
illusions, our ego is necessary to filter every trace of love out of our
perceptions -- no mean feat in a universe made entirely of love!

The fact is that whenever we genuinely care for anyone, we do bob back into
reality, although usually only briefly. That's why being in love is so
heavenly! It's like an all-expenses-paid vacation from fear. Our ego has to
be extremely vigilant to nip this sort of thing in the bud. It knows very
well that once we start loving, there is no telling where it might end.
Today your dog or cat -- tomorrow the world!

Why Egos Seek Love
You'd think that if our false self is so intent upon preventing us from
experiencing love, it would actively discourage our search for it, but this
is not the case. Our ego doesn't just warn us not to trust those who care
for us; it also inveighs against the horrors of a lonely old age. Indeed,
far from being indifferent to love, our false self often seems almost
obsessively concerned with finding it. To hear our ego tell it, no real
happiness is possible in life until we unite with that "special someone" who
alone can validate our worth, give meaning to our lives, and solve all our
earthly problems.

What we need to understand is that our ego knows perfectly well that love is
the only thing we really want or need. This leaves it with no alternative
but to become embroiled in our search for a soulmate. If it said what it
thinks -- that love doesn't really exist, and only fear is real -- we would
very quickly see the absurdity of searching for fulfillment within a
loveless illusion. At that point, our ego's whole world of distressing
possibilities would be canceled for lack of interest -- and our ego along
with it!

No, our false self can't induce us to remain in illusion by ignoring our
desire for love. None of us is so deluded that we'd put up with that! So
instead, it carries out its mission by offering to show us how to find love,
and then making sure that we never do. Like a carnival scam artist, our ego
assures us that there is no reason for us not to win the romantic jackpot on
our very next try. But somehow it never seems to work out that way. There is
actually no "danger" at all of finding a soulmate as long as we play the
game by our ego's rules.

How can our false self guarantee that we will not stumble upon true love
despite its interference? It can't. But what it can do is make it very
difficult for us to recognize what we've found. Egos render love "invisible"
in much the same way Siegfried and Roy make tigers disappear on stage in Las
Vegas -- through the skillful misdirection of attention. First our false
self reassigns the name "love" to something that poses no threat to it, and
then it keeps us so busy searching for the wrong thing that we wouldn't
notice the right one, even if we tripped over it.

I'll say more about the love substitute our ego keeps us searching for, but
for now, let me just call it conditional love or infatuation. When your ego
offers to help you find "love," it doesn't mean real love -- the
unconditional kind that fills you, and those around you, with lasting joy
and satisfaction. To find that kind of love you'd have to abandon your ego
and relate only with your soul. No, the kind of love your ego has in mind
for you is something quite different. Once you've become deeply embroiled in
the search for it, your gaze will pass right over the real thing without a
glimmer of recognition.

You see, the human romantic dilemma isn't that true love is so very hard to
find, but that it is too ordinary to withstand comparison with the exotic
illusions our ego offers in its place. In the same way that diamonds seem
precious while the pure water we need in order to survive doesn't, we take
love for granted and strain after the impossibly beautiful substitute our
ego offers in its stead. Infatuation ravishes our senses, and seems to
promise gratification beyond our wildest dreams. Unfortunately, when we
mistake it for the genuine article, we slowly starve for love even as we
seem to gorge ourselves on it.

Real love is actually a pretty pedestrian affair, characterized by simple
virtues like patience, forgiveness, tolerance, humor, gentleness, empathy,
tact, honesty, discipline, and practical support. It is not heralded by a
state of breathless exaltation, but by a sense of peaceful contentment.
Chances are you've had many opportunities in your life for "true love" that
you passed up without a backward glance.

The "Special" Relationship
A Course in Miracles contrasts the special relationship -- which is based
upon infatuation -- with the holy relationship, which is grounded in real
love. Special relationships are all about how love is supposed to be. In
pursuit of them, we do our best to achieve a union where everything looks
perfect, regardless of the way it feels.

The ego's fantasy of "special love" involves a partner so obviously
desirable that he or she reflects glory on us every time we are seen
together. A suitably romantic courtship, during which both parties do a
flawless portrayal of people in love, culminates in a fairy-tale perfect
wedding. Then the lucky couple goes off to live happily ever after in the
local equivalent of a palace, producing beautiful, trouble-free,
high-achieving children, who reflect well on their parents. It will all be
just perfect -- as long as everyone does their damndest to keep up
appearances.

Unfortunately, concern with the outward appearance of a relationship always
comes at the expense of content. It is exhausting to hold a pose for five
minutes, much less a lifetime, and however "perfect" special relationships
look from the outside, they leave the participants feeling empty and alone.
Both know that they are valued only for the act they can put on, and that
any attempt to reveal their true selves will be regarded as a breach of
contract. As the Course points out, the special relationship is a very
impressive frame, but the picture it holds is dark and depressing.

Holy relationships (think wholesome relationships if you find the religious
connotation off-putting) are achieved only when we forget about the frame
(the way our union appears to others, all the social and material advantages
it does or doesn't offer), and focus instead upon content (the glorious way
it feels to be with someone we truly enjoy). The holy relationships
soulmates work to create don't necessarily look like anything out of the
ordinary. Your friends aren't going to drop dead with envy when you walk
into a room on the arm of a man or woman whose chief appeal lies is the fact
that he or she really understands who you are, shares your enthusiasms, and
enjoys hanging out with you. But being with such a person feels marvelous!
You can finally stop smiling for the camera, let your belt out a notch or
two, and be yourself.

Are you beginning to see what I mean about real love being too ordinary to
compete with our ego's dreams of achieving glory through the conquest of a
very special partner? In interviewing couples for this book, I've been
repeatedly struck by the way people seem to reserve hyperbole for
individuals who appeal to their egos. When soulmates describe their early
impressions of each other, "nice" is the adjective that crops up most
frequently. Nice feels awfully good, but it is of no use whatsoever to our
ego in its quest for glory.

In closing, I'd like to point out one other interesting feature of soulmate
relationships -- the way everything else seems to fall into place once we
make love our first priority. The Bible says, "Seek ye first the kingdom of
heaven, and all else shall be added unto you." The literal truth of this
statement is repeatedly demonstrated in soulmate unions where someone gives
up "everything" for love, and then winds up getting it all anyway. Karen,
for example, thought she needed a man who was rich and successful. By
choosing to love and marry her soulmate, despite the fact that he was poor
and unsuccessful, that's exactly what she got. Invest in the picture that
brings you joy, and the universe may just throw in the frame for free!

GUIDELINES FOR ACTUALIZING A SOULMATE RELATIONSHIP
1. Look for the sort of person you'd want as a best friend even if you
weren't attracted to her or him sexually.

2. Don't cultivate a relationship with someone "superior" whose love appears
to "elevate" you in some way, but with an equal you enjoy.

3. Remember that your soul won't be satisfied with anything less than true
love. Accept no substitutes!

This article was excerpted from Soulmates: Following Inner Guidance to the
Relationship of Your Dreams, ©2000, by Carolyn Miller. Reprinted with
permission of H J Kramer/New World Library, Novato, CA, USA.
www.newworldlibrary.com.

About The Author
Carolyn Miller has been a licensed clinical psychologist since 1984 with a
thriving practice in Los Angeles. She is the author of Creating Miracles:
Understanding the Experience of Divine Intervention and Soulmates: Following
Inner Guidance to the Relationship of Your Dreams. Dr. Miller, along with
her soulmate and husband, Arnold Weiss, Ph.D., are founding directors of the
Los Angeles-based Foundation and Institute for the Study of A Course in
Miracles, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spiritual psychotherapy and
education.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We think in affirmations all the time:

- I don't want to be fat.
- I don't want to be broke.
- I don't want to be old.
- I don't want to live here.
- I don't want to have this relationship.
- I don't want to be like my mother/father.
- I don't want to be stuck in this job.
- I don't want to have this hair/nose/body.
- I don't want to be lonely.
- I don't want to be unhappy.
- I don't want to be sick.

This shows how we are culturally taught to fight the negative
mentality, thinking that if we do so, the positive will automatically
come to us. It doesn't work that way.

Let's turn the above negative affirmations into positive affirmations:

- I am slender.
- I am prosperous.
- I am eternally young.
- I now move to a better place.
- I have a wonderful new relationship.
- I am my own person.
- I love my hair/nose/body.
- I am filled with love and affection.
- I am joyous and happy and free.
- I am totally healthy.

Think thoughts that make you happy. Do things that make you feel good.
Be with people who make you feel good. Eat things that make your body
feel good. Go at a pace that makes you feel good.

Think for a moment of a tomato plant. A healthy plant can have over a
hundred tomatoes on it. In order to get this tomato plant with all these
tomatoes on it, we need to start with a small dried seed. That seed
doesn't look like a tomato plant. It sure doesn't taste like a tomato
plant. If you didn't know for sure, you would not even believe it could be
a tomato plant. However, let's say you plant this seed in fertile soil, and
you water it and let the sun shine on it.

When the first little tiny shoot comes up, you don't stomp on it and say:
That's not a tomato plant. Rather, you look at it and say: Oh, boy! Here
it comes, and you watch it grow with delight. In time, if you continue to
water it and give it lots of sunshine and pull away any weeds, you might
have a tomato plant with more than a hundred luscious tomatoes. It all
began with that one tiny seed.

It is the same with creating a new experience for yourself. The soil you
plant in is your subconscious mind. The seed is the new affirmation. The
whole new experience is in this tiny seed. You water it with affirmations.
You let the sunshine of positive thoughts beam on it. You weed the garden
by pulling out the negative thoughts that come up. And when you first see
the tiniest little evidence, you don't stomp on it and say: That's not
enough! Instead, you look at this first breakthrough and exclaim with glee:
Oh, boy! Here it comes! It's working!

Louise Hay believes that we create every so-called illness in our body.
The body, like everything else in life, is a mirror of our inner thoughts
and beliefs. The body is always talking to us, if we will only take the time
to listen. Every cell within your body responds to every single thought
you think and every word you speak.

Continuous modes of thinking and speaking produce body behaviors and
postures and eases or dis-eases. The person who has a permanently
scowling face did not produce that by having joyous loving thoughts.
Older people's faces and bodies show so clearly a life time of thinking
patterns. How will you look when you are elderly?

From the most beautiful work of Louise L. Hay and the book, You Can Heal
Your Life ... Visit her site for more of her work at Hay House.
http://www.hayhouse.com/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This Too Shall Pass

Patience is a virtue, and virtues have power
Recovery by the minute, sometimes by the hour
Remember your farewell letter, it said goodbye
Still you are longing for the ritualistic high
Although it can be a pain in the ass
Just remember… this too shall pass
Don't forget to remember the lie
The one that said it’s OK to die

All to lose…. for a perishing gain
At least in recovery it’s a growing pain
You’re not going insane, you’re getting sane
Adjustments to a slower lane
When your mind’s fragile as spun glass
Rest assured this too shall pass
Don't forget to remember the lie
The one that says it’s OK to die

Embrace the fact, it’s time to grow
If you never try you’ll never know
If your energy’s spent and your out of gas
Rest and remember, this too shall pass

Tell the disease to take a hike
Say not today, I’m on strike
Don't listen to the lies from the snake in the grass
The truth is this too shall pass
Don't forget to remember the lie
The one that says it’s OK to die
Soon the time will come alas
When you say “It’s true this all did pass”

Mark Thomas Spitler
March 20th 1997   ©
{Printed with Permission}
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Talk to Me

Talk to me, gentle voice within.
I'm listening for your guidance,
the message that you bring.

Talk to me, when my heart is sad and blue.
Give me words of comfort,
so I can be renewed.

Talk to me, whisper in my ear.
Softly tell me what to do,
Quietly, I wait to hear.

Talk to me, when it's time for me to decide.
Intuition is your gentle voice,
guiding me from inside.

Talk to me, I'm looking for the Truth.
I know the path You lead me to
is blessed and sure and good.

Virginia Santoro, Copyright 2000

Virginia is the author of a wonderful light nourishing and nurturing,
spiritual and inspirational daily email known as Morning Musings,
to subscribe please email her at MorningMusings@...
<mailto:MorningMusings@...>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The A.C.O.A. (Adult Children Of Alcoholic) "Laundry List"

These are some characteristics we seem to have in
common due to being brought up in an alcoholic
household.

a. We became isolated and afraid of people and
authority figures.

b. We became approval seekers and lost our
identity in the process.

c. We are frightened by angry people and any
personal criticism.

d. We either become alcoholics, marry them, or
both, or find another compulsive personality
such as a workaholic to fulfill our sick
abandonment needs.

e. We live life from the viewpoint of victims
and are attracted by that weakness in our love
and friendship relationships.

f. We have an overdeveloped sense of
responsibility and it is easier for us to be
concerned with others rather than ourselves.
This enables us not to look too closely at our
own faults.

g. We get guilt feelings when we stand up for
ourselves instead of giving in to others.

h. We become addicted to excitement.

i. We confuse love with pity and tend to
"love" people who we can "pity" and "rescue".

j. We have stuffed our feelings from our
traumatic childhoods and have lost the ability
to feel or express our feelings because it
hurts so much (denial).

k. We judge ourselves harshly and have a very
low sense of self-esteem.

l. We are dependent personalities who are
terrified of abandonment and will do anything
to hold on to a relationship in order not to
experience painful abandonment feelings which
we received from living with sick people who
were never there emotionally for us.

m. Alcoholism is a family disease and we
became para-alcoholics and took on the
characteristics of the disease even though we
did not pick up the drink.

n. Para-alcoholics are reactors rather than
actors.

(Adapted version) Tony A., 1977

Reprinted from WSO Newcomer, Page 2, with
permission from Adult Children of Alcoholics,
World Service Organization, P.O. Box 3216,
Torrance, CA 90510 310/ 534-1815.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Angels can unleash hurricanes of healing,
release tidal waves of love,
move whole mountains of hatred,
melt icebergs of jealousy,
and evaporate oceans of pain.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Angels don't disappear
even if you pretend they don't exist.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Angels at work - prepare for random miracles.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love is a decision.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love does not dominate,
it cultivates.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love is not a feeling, love is a behavior.
When I say that I love you......
I behave like I love you.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The act of love
can never be misunderstood.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1597

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Sun Mar 27, 2005 2:32 pm
Subject: 3/27/05 "The Miracle Of The Goldfinches" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 5
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step05.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 27
I am good enough...just the way I am
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Miracle Of The Goldfinches
Ruth Fishel

It was the second winter after my son, Bob, died.
I was still measuring time by his death. First it was
four days and then five, then it was a month and then
two. Now, it was hard to believe that more than a year
had passed.

I was definitely getting better. Everything I did
and thought during that first winter had some
relationship to Bob's death. In this, the second winter,
I was able to broaden my life and return to my work
on a somewhat regular basis again. On most days now
I could put in quite a few hours, as compared to the
first winter after he died, when I could barely work
at all.

When I say that I didn't work, I mean that I didn't
work on anything that could pay the rent or put food
on the table. I am a writer and I couldn't write anything
that could be published. But during that first winter
did I write and write and write. I wrote from such a
deep place inside of me, so deep that I did not even
know from where the pain or the words that described
the pain were coming to me. Words were right there,
flying from my finger tips. That writing was undisciplined
and disorganized, more of a purging that was necessary
for my healing. While I knew much of it could be used
some day to help people.    I knew it had to wait.

Being a self-employed author has some advantages.
One was that I couldn't be fired from my job. And
secondly I could take all the time I needed to heal from
this terrible tragedy. The other side of the coin was
that I wasn't paid when I didn't produce; and that
made for a very difficult burden financially.

During this second winter I had the gift of working
in a beautiful new office in my home. I installed two
bird feeders, one hanging from a high branch outside
French doors, which could be seen from everywhere
but my desk. The other feeder was plastic and had
suction cups to keep it stuck to the window just a few
feet forward and to the right of my computer.

During this second winter, I developed a fascination
for all the birds that came to visit my feeders, but I
found the goldfinches especially fascinating. I spent
hours watching them as they changed their colors over
the seasons. I had never seen anything like this
phenomena before. These observations became like
meditation for me, a deep concentration that blocked
out all other thoughts. I would watch in awe, transfixed
as these magnificent creatures paraded their shadings
before me, showing off one of God's masterpieces.

At the end of the Summer, the goldfinches had
been a bright yellow, the only way that I had ever
known goldfinches. But as Fall came they began to
actually change. One day they were yellow and
suddenly, or so it appeared to me, the very next day
some were muddy and gray looking. Others were
muddy and greenish. Some were tan. They were all
in the process of losing their bright color and
becoming less and less yellow. They continued to feed
all that winter and I looked forward to their everyday
visits, shooing the bluebirds and the crows away from
the other feeder that hung from the tree. I even
spent $10.95 for a shield so the squirrels couldn't
reach the feeder on the tree and eat their food.

I have learned that the change in their feathers is
nature's way of protecting Goldfinches during the winter.
When the leaves fall from the trees all birds lose their
hiding places. Now they had to sit out on bare branches,
becoming very visible. If they remained bright yellow,
they would be easy prey for larger birds. Their new,
muted colors help them to blend in more with the
branches, tree trunks and ground cover.

Gradually I became accustomed to the more quietly
colored beautiful creatures in their new winter attire.
And just as suddenly as their feathers had changed in
fall, one day in March, a speck of yellow re-appeared.
I hadn't expected it, although, if I had thought about
it, I would have realized this would eventually happen.
But, the yellow was returning in the strangest of
patterns; some in squares and patches, others blending
and soft as if an artist had taken a paint brush and
made majestically beautiful strokes at random.

We can call this miracle genetic memory or an
inner computer, Mother Nature or a number of
other scientific terms. But it was nothing less than
an awesome miracle to me! The birds did not have
to do anything to make it happen other than to just
be birds. They merely needed to have enough food
and sleep and warmth, and follow their natural instincts.
They simply did their bird thing and the rest followed
quite naturally.

As I continued to watch their daily visits, this
incredible miracle expanded as they continued the
process of changing back to brilliant yellow again.
During the process, some remained a bit muddy
looking, some still more greenish gray or grayish
green, some with more yellow than others. Their
color returned in patches, all at different times
and in different places. Each goldfinch received
the gift of magnificent new spring clothes in their
own time, and in time for the mating season to begin.

And here I was, working again fully into the joy of
my writing, discovering more and more gifts everyday
that reconnected me to God and to the universe.

How could I not possibly believe that if God could
make these wonderful miracles, the Goldfinches,
why not for me, in my shady and murky grayish- green
brown tan, sometimes even black pain, returning me
to the full and brilliant color of the sunshine again?

How could I possibly not believe that I, too, could
and would return to the joy of living, in whatever way
or shape God programmed me.

How could I possibly not believe that we are all
part of a higher plan, a greater purpose, and that
this knowledge comes to us when we are ready, with
each passing season.

All we have to do was be the best people we can be,
get plenty of food and rest, and do God's work. Time
and nature would tell us when we were ready for
anything more or less. We simply have to do our people
thing and the rest would follow quite naturally.

4/5/95
© Ruth Fishel
www.spirithaven.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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Circumstances
<http://relationshipweb.com/odat/mar/mar27.htm>

12 Step High School
The DeSisto School Homepage
<http://www.desistoschool.com/>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 27                      Looking for the assets

"In accordance with the principles of recovery we try not to judge,
stereotype, or moralize with each other"   Basic Text p. 11

How many times in our recovery have we misunderstood the behavior of
another, immediately formed a judgment, applied a label, and neatly
tucked the individual into a pigeonhole? Perhaps they had developed a
different understanding of a Power greater than themselves than we had,
so we concluded their beliefs were unspiritual. Or maybe we saw a couple
having an argument; we assumed their relationship was sick, only to find
out later that their marriage had prospered for many years.

Thoughtlessly tossing our fellows into categories saves us the effort of
finding out anything about them. Every time we judge the behavior of
another, we cease to see them as potential friends and fellow travelers
on the road to recovery. If we happened to ask those we are judging if
they appreciate being stereotyped, we would receive a resounding "no" in
response. Would we feel slighted if this were done to us? Yes, indeed.
Our best qualities are what we want others to notice. In the same way,
our fellow recovering addicts want to be well thought of. Our program
of recovery asks us to look positively at life. The more we concentrate
on the positive qualities in others, the more we'll notice them in
ourselves.

Just for today: I will set aside my negative judgments of others, and
concentrate instead on appreciating the favorable qualities in all.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
MYSTERIOUS WAYS

. . . out of every season of grief or suffering, when the hand of God
seemed heavy or even unjust, new lessons for living were learned, new
resources of courage were uncovered, and that finally, inescapably, the
conviction came that God does "move in a mysterious way His wonders to
perform."
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 105

After losing my career, family and health, I remained unconvinced that my
way of life needed a second look. My drinking and other drug use were
killing me, but I had never met a recovering person or an A.A. member. I
thought I was destined to die alone and that I deserved it. At the peak of
my despair, my infant son became critically ill with a rare
disease. Doctors' efforts to help him proved useless. I redoubled my
efforts to block my feelings, but now the alcohol had stopped working. I
was left staring into God's eyes, begging for help. My introduction to
A.A. came within days, through an odd series of coincidences, and I have
remained sober ever since. My son lived and his disease is in
remission. The entire episode convinced me of my powerlessness and the
un-manageability of my life. Today my son and I thank God for His
intervention.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 27th

A.A. Thought for the Day

You get the power to overcome drinking through the
fellowship of other alcoholics who have found the way
out. You get power by honestly sharing your past
experience by a personal witness. You get power by
coming to believe in a Higher Power, the Divine
Principle in the universe which can help you. You get
power by working with other alcoholics. In these four
ways, thousands of alcoholics have found all the power
they needed to overcome drinking. Am I ready and
willing to accept this power and work for it?

Meditation for the Day

The power of God's spirit is the greatest power in
the universe. Our conquest of each other, the great
kings and conquerors, the conquest of wealth, the
leaders of the money society, all amount to very little
in the end. But one who conquers oneself is greater
than one who conquers a city. Material things have
no permanence. But God's spirit is eternal. Everything
really worthwhile in the world is the result of the
power of God's spirit.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may open myself to the power of God's
spirit. I pray that my relationships with others may be
improved by this spirit.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Transcend Your Limitations

You're free now, free to take the journey of a lifetime.
Free to experience life, in it's newness, its freshness,
its magic-in a way you never have before.

The only limitations on you are the ones
you've placed on yourself.
Your prison has been of your own making.
Don't blame or chastise yourself.
Life has created certain challenges for you.
But the purpose hasn't been to imprison you.
The purpose has been to set you free,
to provide you with lessons, experiences, circumstances
that would trigger growth and healing.
Life has been provoking, promoting,
urging you to grow, stretch, learn, heal.
Life has been trying to break you out of your prison.

Set yourself free. Let yourself go on journey of love.
Take notes.
Be present. Experience. Learn.
Love and laugh, and cry when you need to.
Rest when you're tired.
Take a flashlight to help you see in the dark.
But most of all, take yourself and go.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love, Medicine and Miracles , Bernie Siegel
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part4.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part5.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part6.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Beyond Right & Wrong -- The Pharaoh Chewed Juicy Fruit
by Alan Cohen

While visiting Egypt, a member of our tour group named Gloria found an
unusual stone at the base of a sacred pyramid. The pink, round stone
glowed with a mystical light, and as she held it in her hand she could feel
a special energy about it. She wondered if it had been used by ancient
priests for healing, or perhaps even adorned the headdress of a pharaoh.

Immediately Gloria stole off to a private place and began to meditate,
stone in hand. Psychically she asked for images of the sacred ceremonies
the stone may have once been used for. After a few minutes she was
amazed to feel that the stone was getting softer. Visions of alchemy
flooded her consciousness; perhaps this stone was magic, a shape-shifter,
transforming with prayer.

As Gloria continued to meditate, the stone became even softer, to the
point of being slightly gooey. Gloria could wait no longer; she looked down
to see what the stone had become, only to find long pink strands
stretching across her hand. The stone was a wad of chewing gum.

Our minds are powerful indeed, powerful enough to connect with God
through a wad of chewing gum. What, then, is sacred, but that which we
use to focalize our sacred thoughts? Everything is potentially sacred or
profane, depending on how we think about it. As Shakespeare said,
"thinking makes it so".

True alchemy takes place in our minds. We transform lead into gold,
devils into gods, and fear into triumph, by choosing vision that matches
our intentions. A mystic finds God in the strangest places: As Blake
penned,
"To see a World in a Grain of Sand,
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour."

You and I might be in heaven right now and not even know it because we
are paying attention to hell. We may be in the midst of great love, caring,
and healing light. God may be in the person sitting next to us on the bus,
or the presidential candidate we didn't vote for, or even the security
guard who tickets cars at the airport. God might even be in you just as
you are.

The mind is capable of creating vast yet contradictory realities,
demonstrable by our experience. A woman with multiple personalities was
severely allergic to citrus in one personality (she would break out in
profuse hives), yet utterly unaffected by citrus in another personality. A
man had diabetes in one personality, requiring him to take insulin
supplements; in another personality he was perfectly healthy; if he took
insulin in that personality, it would have killed him. Perhaps this man is
symbolic of all of us, who are healthy by nature, but via societal training,
have taken on belief systems that make us feel and act smaller than we
are.

The game of life is won by finding beauty and good wherever we go, no
matter what opinion or appearances would indicate. Free will means that
we may choose our viewing point on the universe and live in the world our
view has generated. God has decided to explore creation through billions
of different vantage points (called you and me) for the fun of infinite
self-discovery. One poet said that "God is a flower that grew a nose to
smell itself."

The story is told about a man who went to India to find a certain saint he
had heard about. The man traveled far and wide, putting together bits
and pieces of information. Finally he found his way to an obscure village
where a shopkeeper told him that indeed the saint lived in that town,
where he sat by a certain tree.

Eagerly the pilgrim rushed to the tree and found a man who fit the
description. When he tried to converse with the man, however, the "saint"
was disheveled and drunk. Put off by the erroneous information he had
been given, the pilgrim returned to the shopkeeper and complained
"Oh, that was the saint, alright," the shopkeeper insisted.
"But the man was drunk!" the pilgrim protested.

"Yes, he does drink a lot. But if you had stayed with him for a while, you
would have heard great wisdom. You see, he is an enlightened soul who
had but one more lesson to learn, compassion for those who drink. So he
took that experience on to complete all of his earthly lessons. Besides
that one habit, he is an utter genius. If you could see beyond that one
trait, you would have found your saint."

And so it is with all of us. As we set out on our new year, we recognize
that everyone's garden has both weeds and flowers. We all have things
about us that could be used for condemnation or redemption. Nothing is
any one way, and everything is a matter of viewing point. We make or break
our lives with our thoughts. Yet God is in everything, and we find God if we
look. Who knows, maybe the Pharaoh chewed Juicy Fruit?

"Beyond your ideas of right and wrong, there is a field.
Meet me there."     -- Rumi
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This is it

Always we hope someone else has the answer.
Some other place will be better, some
other time it will turn out.

This is it.

No one else has the answer, no other place
will be better and it has already turned out.

At the center of your being you have the answer,
You know who you are and you know what you want.
There is no need to run outside for better
seeing nor to peer from a window.
Rather abide at the center of your being; for the
more you leave it the less you learn.

-- Lao-Tzu, Author of the Tao Te Ching
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Remember

Rose petals, like apple blossoms
have a sweet scent
They belong together
Both bring sweetness
and colour to melt away
the cold seasons
of our hearts

Sometimes we need our season
suspended, we need to
make time stop
While we deal with the
storm raging within

Inhale some healing essence
Touch something soft
Gaze upon beauty-filled
innocence
Remember a long
summer afternoon
While the warmth spreads
and melts the snow away
from the red rose petals
Softly

Love
Stella
© 2002 Stella Raymonde Savoie
stellaraymonde@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
BREAK

FEARFUL OF THE FUTURE
WORRIED ABOUT THE PAST
BEING OBLIVIOUS TO THE MOMENT
AND DOING THINGS HALF-ASSED
BREAK OUT OF YOUR SHELL
AND TRY SOMETHING NEW
HOW WILL YOU EVER KNOW
WHO IS THE REAL YOU ?

TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH
WHEN YOU’RE OUT ON A LIMB
DIVE INTO THE WATER
YOU’LL EITHER SINK OR SWIM
BREAK NEW GROUND
DIG ‘TILL YA SEE WHAT’S THERE
TRUDGE THROUGH THE JUNGLE
TO GET YOUR LION’S SHARE

TRYING A NEW EXPERIENCE IS NOT
A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH
SO WHEN YOU COME
TO BREATHING YOUR LAST BREATH
YOU CAN SAY “ I TRIED
I GAVE IT MY BEST SHOT”
SO YOU KNOW WITHIN YOURSELF
IT’S BEEN A GOOD FIGHT FOUGHT

TAKE WHATEVER IS RAW
AND BREAK IT IN A BIT
YOU’VE GOT TO TRY SOMETHING ON
TO SEE IF IT WILL FIT
BREAK OUT OF YOUR JAIL
ESCAPE WHILE YOU’RE ALIVE
WHY JUST EXIST
AND LIVE TO SURVIVE ?

GO FOR TOTAL FREEDOM
NOT JUST A PARDON
WHY SETTLE FOR TOMATOES WHEN
YOU CAN HAVE THE WHOLE GARDEN ?
NEVER GET IN A BOAT
AND PADDLE ONCE OR TWICE
ROW AND REST THEN ROW AGAIN
UNTIL YOU REACH YOUR PARADISE

NOBODY EVER WON A WAR
WITH AN ONGOING CEASE FIRE
NONE HAS EVER LEARNED A THING
UNTIL THEY DID INQUIRE
ONE MUST EXTEND A HAND
TO EVER HAVE A FRIENDSHIP
IF YOU WANT TO GET ANYWHERE
YOU HAVE TO TAKE THE TRIP

GO AHEAD DO THOSE THINGS
IT’S NEVER DO OR DIE
HOW WILL YOU EVER KNOW
IF YOU NEVER TRY ?
BREAK UP THE MONOTONY
TRY SOMETHING NEW
HOW WILL YOU EVER KNOW
WHO IS THE REAL YOU ?

GO AHEAD BREAK A LEG
YOU KNOW THAT MEANS GOOD LUCK
TRY DILIGENCE AND PERSEVERANCE
INSTEAD OF RUN AMUCK
BREAK AWAY FROM THE OLD
THAT’S GONNA BREAK YA DOWN
A CLOSED MIND WILL ALWAYS SAY
“I’M THE ONLY GAME IN TOWN”

BREAK OFF FROM A TREE
THAT’S BEARING NO GOOD FRUIT
MAKE UP YOUR MIND, MAKE A PLAN
THEN JUST FOLLOW SUIT
WHY NOT GO FOR IT ALL
INSTEAD OF JUST BREAK EVEN ?
PURSUE YOUR THOUGHT, CHASE THAT DREAM
YA GOTTA KEEP BELIEVIN’

BREAK THROUGH TO THE OTHER SIDE
STAY IF YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE
HOW WILL YOU EVER UNLOCK THE DOOR
IF YOU NEVER TURN THE KEY ?
WILL YOUR GRAVE STONE SAY “HE DID IT”
            OR WILL IT SAY …………R.I.P.

MARK THOMAS SPITLER
FEBRUARY 15TH 1997 ©
{Printed with Permission}
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Oh, the comfort,
the inexpressible comfort
of feeling safe with a person:
having neither to weigh thoughts
nor measure words,
but to pour them out.
George Eliot
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As you love the people, energy is released through your system.
Loving is highly regenerative and nurtures your entire being.
It's not as important who you love
or what you love as it is important that you are just loving.
Love, however, is not automatic.
It takes practice and heart focus to love people in a universal way.
Self-Empowerment, Doc Childre
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other.
To meet, to love, to share.
It is a precious moment, but it is transient.
It is a little parentheses in eternity.
If we share with caring, lightheartedness, and love,
we will create abundance and joy for each other,
and this moment will have been worthwhile."
Deepak Chopra, M.D.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
    A child's life is like a piece of paper on which
      every person leaves a mark.
Chinese Proverb
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you are dealing with fears and insecurities from old head programs,
Have compassion for yourself.
Just love your insecurities, fears and resentments.
Release and forgive them as they come up. Judging, beating or
repressing insecurities just gives them power.
Then you have a pattern that never gets resolved.
Recognize that your real security is built from your relationship with your own heart.
The Hidden Power of the Heart, Sara Paddison
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Dear God
Don't let me miss the message"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Keep it green,
What is green grows.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Show up...
Slow up...
Grow up...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Our answers are only as far away
as our moments of silence.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1596

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Sat Mar 26, 2005 12:56 pm
Subject: 3/26/05 "Constructing My Life" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 4
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step04.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 26
God gives me all the willingness I need today
to sit quietly and listen.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Constructing My Life

Constructing my life
On a day to day basis,
To put it together
Without changing places.

Still learning to live
Although I should know,
The lessons I learn
That help me to grow.

The best that I can
Is all I can be,
To build on my hope
That others can see.

I'll tear down the old
And put up the new,
To honor my God
In all that I do.

And just when I think
This battle is won,
I look all about me,
There's much to be done.

Sharlett Hunt 3/14/04
Sharlette863@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Free E-Cards
<http://www.123greetings.com/encouragement_and_inspiration/kick_bad_habits/alcoholism_and_drugs/>
<http://www.123greetings.com/encouragement_and_inspiration/>

12 Step High School
The DeSisto School Homepage
<http://www.desistoschool.com/>

Nar-Anon Meetings World Wide
<http://www.naranonmi.org/new_page_2.htm>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 26                  Trusting a sponsor - worth the risk

"A sponsor is... someone we can trust to share our life experiences
with..."    IP No. 11, "Sponsorship"

The idea of sponsorship may be new to us. We have spent many years
without direction, relying only on self-interest, suspecting everyone,
trusting no one. Now that were learning to live in recovery, we find we
need help. We can't do it alone anymore; we must take the risk of
trusting another human being. Often, the first person we take that risk
with is our sponsor-someone we respect, someone we identify with,
someone we have reason to trust.

As we open up to our sponsor, a bond develops between us. We disclose
our secrets and develop confidence in our sponsor's discretion. We share
our concerns and learn to value our sponsor's experience. We share our
pain and are met with empathy. We get to know one another, respect one
another, love one another The more we trust our sponsor, the more we
learn to trust ourselves.

Trust helps us move away from a life of fear, confusion, suspicion, and
indirection. In the beginning, it feels risky to trust another addict. But
that trust is the same principle we apply in our relationship with a
Higher Power-risky or not, our experience tells us we can't do without
it. And the more we take the risk of trusting our sponsor, the more open
we will feel about our lives.

Just for today: I want to grow and change. I will risk trusting my
sponsor and find the rewards of sharing.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AS WE UNDERSTAND HIM

My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea . . . "Why don't you
choose your own conception of God?" That statement hit me hard. It melted
the icy intellectual mountain in whose shadow I had lived and shivered many
years. I stood in the sunlight at last. It was only a matter of being
willing to believe in a Power greater than myself. Nothing more was
required of me to make my beginning.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 12

I remember the times I looked up into the sky and reflected on who started
it all, and how. When I came to A.A., an understanding of some description
of the spiritual dimension became a necessary adjunct to a stable
sobriety. After reading a variety of versions, including the scientific,
of a great explosion, I went for simplicity and made the God of my
understanding the Great Power that made the explosion possible. With the
vastness of the universe under His command, He would, no doubt, be able to
guide my thinking and actions if I was prepared to accept His
guidance. But I could not expect help if I turned my back on that help and
went my own way. I became willing to believe and I have had 26 years of
stable and satisfying sobriety.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 26th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Strength comes also from working with other
alcoholics. When you are trying to help a new
prospect with the program, you are building up
your own strength at the same time. You see
the other person in the condition you might be
in yourself and it makes your resolve to stay
sober stronger than ever. Often, you help
yourself more than the other person, but if you
do succeed in helping the prospect to get sober,
you are stronger from the experience of having
helped another person. Am I receiving strength
from working with others?

Meditation for the Day

Faith is the bridge between you and God. It is the
bridge that God has ordained. If all were seen
and known, there would be no merit in doing right.
Therefore God has ordained that we do not see
or know directly. But we can experience the power
of His spirit through our faith. It is the bridge
between us and Him, which we can take or not, as
we will. There could be no morality without free
will. We must make the choice ourselves. We must
make the venture of belief.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may choose and decide to cross the
bridge of faith. I pray that by crossing this bridge
I may receive the spiritual power I need.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Learn To Say Whatever

"Do you have issues with drama addiction,"
I asked my daughter one day, in a serious, interviewer kind of voice.
"Of course I do," she said.
"I'm the original drama queen."
"Can I interview you about it?" I asked.

There was a long pause on the phone.
"I've got a better suggestion," she said.
"Why don't you interview yourself?"

I've been addicted to many things this lifetime-alcohol, heroin, morphine,
Dilaudid, cocaine, barbiturates, Valium, and any other substance
that physically or psychologically promised
to change the way I feel.
I've been addicted to caffeine, tobacco and nicotine-cigarettes and
Cuban cigars-opium and hashish, too.
I've been caught up in other people's addictions
to these substances as well.
Some people might say I have
an addictive personality.
I don't know if I agree with the concept that we can become addicted
to people, but if the folks that say you can are right, I've probably been
addicted to certain of those, too.

But of all addictions possible on this planet,
I've found my addiction to drama absolutely
the hardest to recognize, accept,
deal with, and overcome.
The rush of emotional energy I feel from drama at the theater, on
television (small or big screen), in a book, and most preferably acted out
in real life (mine) is the legal, legitimate jones that society allows.

It's not politically correct to smoke, act out sexually,
be a non-recovering alcoholic, or shoot drugs.
But despite all the evolution in consciousness that's unfolded and gotten
us to this point, drama addiction is more than politically correct.

Drama addiction is in.
Right now, for many people, it's one of the only things giving meaning to life.

Potential guests line up, volunteering to have their relationship and court
battles-things which once were guarded secrets-broadcast on international
cable and satellite TV.
Our society can't wait to peek and snoop into their lives.
Broadcasting real-life soap operas guarantees the ratings will soar.

In 1999, I wrote the above words in a chapter on drama addiction in my
book called Playing It by Heart.
But the concept of drama addiction, and transcending it, has been around for
a long, long time.

In 1937, author Emmet Fox wrote an essay in Find and Use Your Inner Power.
The essay's title was "Don't Be a Tragedy Queen."

"Self pity, by making us feel sorry for ourselves,
seems to provide an escape from responsibility,
but it is a fatal drug nevertheless," he wrote.
"It confuses the feelings, blinds the reason,
and puts us at the mercy of outer conditions. . . .
Don't be a tragedy queen-whether you are a man
or a women, for it is not a question of gender but of mental outlook.
Absolutely repudiate a crown of martyrdom.
If you cannot laugh at yourself (which is the best medicine of all),
at least try to handle the difficulty in an objective way,
as though it concerned somebody else."

Maybe the antithesis to being a drama king
or queen has been around even longer than that.

Three tiny Buddha statues sit before me on my writing desk.
One is Serene.
One is Smiling.
One is Sorrowful,
doubled over in compassion for the world.
All you can see is the top of his head.
"The Kingdom of Heaven is within you," Jesus said.
"Nirvana is a state of consciousness," wrote Anne Bancroft,
in an introduction to the Dhammapada,
a book containing the teachings of Buddha.

Enlightenment and paradise aren't places we visit.
They're within our hearts and heads.
Say, It's a nightmare," if you must.
Even say, "Oh my God, I can't believe this
is happening, much less happening to me."
But whether you say the words with calmness
and serenity, bursting with laughter or a mere giggle,
or doubled over with compassion for the pain of the world,
learning to speak the language of letting go in the days, months,
and years of the millennium ahead means learning to say whatever, too.

God, help me let go of my need to create drama to have a life.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Peace, Love and Healing , Bernie Siegel
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/bersie/part3.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Asking and Offering: The Art of Spiritual Trading
by Christina Baldwin

We clasp the hands of those who go before us,
and the hands of those who come after us;
we enter the little circle of each other's arms,
and the larger circle of lovers
whose hands are joined in a dance,
and the larger circle of all creatures,
passing in and out of life,
who move also in a dance,
to a music so subtle and vast
that no one hears it except in fragments.

-- Wendell Berry, Healing

As a spiritual practice, when we ask for what we need and offer each other
what we can, we enter a dance of unavoidable reciprocity. We are doing a
two-step exchange of needs and offerings, and the whole village is dancing.
If we pay attention, we discover we cannot give without receiving; we cannot
receive without giving. When a friend asks, "Can I give you a hug?" I wonder
how she will give it to me without being in it with me? Or if someone says,
"I need a hug, " does he notice that his request requires my willingness to
offer my arms?
Asking / offering / giving / receiving is one circular motion. If we don't
ask for what we need, if we don't offer what we can, we block the dance.
Imagine a person in the middle of the dance floor suddenly not moving while
all around him continue on. People would start bumping into each other,
losing the beat, losing their sense of direction, tripping over each other's
toes. The dance is dependent on the dancers. Reciprocity is dependent on
unceasing exchange.

As we ask for what we need and offer what we can we become spiritual traders
of life's energy, time, abundance, and interrelatedness. Through this
practice, we are reminded that everything lives in reciprocal relationship
with everything else, whether or not we immediately perceive this
relationship, whether or not we choose to be aware of it. Even though we
often have an ambivalent relationship with reciprocity, not wanting to think
about the times when we are the ones stopping the dance, we are inspired by
it, over and over.

Though it was several decades ago, I remember an autumn dusk driving out of
the city in rush hour when I noticed a young boy sitting on his bicycle in
the grass median between lanes of busy traffic. The pack of cars on the
boulevard was crawling along bumper to bumper, giving me time to watch him
as I made my way up the block. A poor boy in a poor neighborhood of
subsidized housing units. Boy of brown skin, watching white-faced drivers
head home to houses he'd probably only seen on television. His demeanor
began to change as he waited for a break in the lines of cars. Now he
slumped across his handlebars, head down, resigned.

I knew nothing of his story, but I watched him through the eyes of
commonality, because I do know what it is like to stand at the side, to hope
for recognition, for entrance, for safe passage, for help. I turn on my
flasher lights and roll to a halt, stopping my lane of traffic. I bleep my
horn and signal the man next to me. We grin at each other and he, too, stops
his lane of traffic. The boy raises his head. Before him the Red Sea is
parting and he cannot believe his eyes. He looks through my windshield and
straight into my heart. Our faces light up for each other, and with the
greatest grin he jumps his rusty banana seat off the curb and wheelies
around in the space created for him. And in his acceptance of this gesture,
he creates for me a chance to celebrate exuberance. Confident now, he takes
his time. Crossing the road like a magic dancer, he struts his stuff before
us all, jumps the far curb, and rides off down a side street, head high and
whooping. I know nothing of his story, but I remember this moment, and trust
that he does, too.

Trading is practice in mindfulness. It slows us down so we may notice the
opportunity present in the moment. Through acts of spiritual trading we
learn to see that everything is an exchange. Today I will ask for what I
need, first by becoming aware of what that is. Today I will offer what I can
by holding all the choices I make within an understanding of reciprocity.
The trajectory I set into the day is not a straight line; it's a dance of
intersections and connections between myself and other people and the
opportunities we create as we cross each other's paths.

I have a saying by Annie Dillard posted over my desk that reads: "How we
spend our days is how we spend our lives." I have about sixteen hours of
waking energy in a day. How do I want to spend them? What will guide my
choices? My partner and some friends are going bicycling, but I need several
hours of peace and quiet to write. I trade one experience for another. There
is both loss and gain. I still need exercise and a sense that I have taken
advantage of sun and fresh air, so I make time to walk the dogs. I trade
their canine patience for the promise of a romp. I need help finding some
references, so I call the library and the local bookstore. I need to know
that my beloved and I are of like mind about a problem, so we talk over
breakfast and trade solitude for togetherness.

Today I will offer what I can by being open to surprise and interruption as
part of the flow of my intentions. An older neighbor calls to ask if I will
bring her mail from the box to her doorstep. Of course I will, though I also
know it means fifteen minutes of chatting. I trade a little efficiency for
the aid I can provide a neighbor. Someday I will be old and in need of a
younger person's kindness. A friend emails the request for a prayer chain
for his son. I stop and light a candle on my windowsill, hold the thought of
his need for a moment. Someday I will be in need of the prayers of friends
and strangers. A client calls and asks for twenty minutes of consultation.
As we enter our conversation, I trust that what she asks me to give will
also serve my needs. A friend invites us for supper. I say no, not tonight,
but I make a cup of tea and spend twenty minutes on the phone catching up
and setting a date for the future. I trade the evening for the moment,
because I want to honor our relationship even in my busyness. A solicitor
calls and I say no, but I trade one minute of politeness to a stranger who
may be working hard to pay her bills. Every yes and every no is held within
the flow of trade and reciprocity.

Sometimes reciprocity is immediate and obvious, sometimes we may not see it
for years, or may never see it, only trust the contribution has been made
and received and passed along. And I am not doing this alone. Everyone is
trading with everyone else. But not everyone is thinking about trade as a
spiritual practice.

I recently chose to help a teenager through her first year of community
college by lending her my car several days a week for the commute. I
willingly added her to my insurance, kept up repairs, and worked my own
needs for the car around her schedule. I entered this agreement to signal my
long-term support for her and to provide an opportunity for the two of us to
practice negotiating with each other. It was a very difficult offering
because she didn't see much need to offer something back. We were not very
successful in our negotiation practice, and she often used the car with an
attitude of entitlement that left me feeling my kindness was abused. Many
times I considered withdrawing my offer, wondering how to best help her see
reciprocity as a necessary skill for entering adulthood.

It was a complex choice, and I let her continue using the car. I decided I
had the stamina to make this offering and hold the tension of the trade
without demanding that her understanding match mine. I will be curious to
see if the gift of this support dawns on her over time. I will keep working
with our relationship to instill a sense of spiritual trade. And I will keep
track of my limits, for I am responsible to myself to see that I am indeed
asking for what I need and only offering what I can.

Only spiritual trading creates flow. As long as the energy is flowing and
cyclical, there is enough to go around. If any one of us stops asking or
stops offering, the flow is disrupted and the balance destroyed. We all know
people who give and give and give and forget to receive until they collapse
into exhaustion, depression, or illness. We all know people who take and
take and take and forget to offer until they find themselves alone at the
zenith of their careers, divorced from their families and friends. If we
become depleted, we have no energy left to respond and no energy left to
ask. If we keep demanding without reciprocating, people will respond with
resentment or hoard their energy and we will not get what we really need.
Perhaps the purpose of this learning cycle, playing out over and over again
in our lives, is to help us see the world differently.

Our Western cultural consciousness is saturated with competitive messages
and assumptions that do battle with our spiritual yearnings. We talk about
money and power and time as commodities, but we hardly know how to talk
about energy exchange, shared power, or spiritual trade. There is an
attitude out there (and in us) that if people are too dumb to take care of
themselves, well, it's their own fault if they get taken advantage of. There
is an attitude out there (and in us) that if we want something, and no one
is holding onto it at the moment, well, it must be ours for the taking:
land, oil, diamonds, market share, food, water, time, energy, attention.

All this confusion creates an enormous imbalance that extends all the way
from our personal emotions and thought processes to the global economy.
Along comes this little phrase that invites us to ask for what we need and
offer what we can, and we discover it has a taproot that penetrates the
subsoil of how we live in the world. This can make us very uncomfortable as
our unconscious privilege comes to light, but if a growing number of us
start living our lives as spiritual traders instead of as consumers or
competitors, something will change in the world.

This is the whisper that calls us in the opulent West to accountability.
Clattering about in our lives of too many things and too much to do, how do
we learn to live simply, so that others may simply live? Really, what do we
need? What do we offer? The rising interest in feng shui, in making sacred
space out of our homes and offices, and in recycling all point to our
awakening awareness of the need to simplify our lifestyles and make careful,
conscious choices.

In the coming years, I believe that we in the West will be challenged as
never before to look at the question of what we really need and what we have
the obligation to offer in order to re-establish balance in the global human
family. We cannot escape the system the world is living in at this time. We
cannot get pure, or self-righteous, or use our spirituality to remove
ourselves from the mess we are in. We can only consider our actions within
the circle of reciprocity.

This is not a New Age concept. In 1623, in his Devotions Upon Emergent
Occasions, John Donne wrote his famous soliloquy: "No man is an island,
entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main;
if a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less...." He understood.
And somewhere inside ourselves I believe we understand. It's just hard to
see this reality in our own culture where so much stuff puts us constantly
to sleep.

So on a recent trip to Africa I practiced noticing with new eyes. I noticed
that people were living side by side in what we would call great wealth and
what we would call stark poverty. The wealthy members of the community had
many resources and stockpiled goods, just as we do in America, but where the
flow of these goods stopped was much more obvious. The goods stopped at the
color line. The goods stopped at the neighborhood line. The goods stopped at
the economic line. I could wander a shopping mall that was like any mall in
the Western world, with the goods priced according to Western standards of
living. But outside, at the edge of town, at the edge of the squatter
villages, the markets were completely different. Here people sold crafts
they had made themselves or bartered from other tribes. Money that would pay
for one dinner in the city could buy a family's month supply of cornmeal in
the village. In these conditions, to ask -- What do I really need? What do I
have to offer? -- brought fresh insight and awareness. And discomfort to my
status quo.

While I pondered these questions, a woman told me with quiet dignity, "We
are happy to be poor in Africa, that we might teach the world how to be rich
in spirit. Despite our painful history, we are attempting to bring our
society back together in a way that honors all those who are here as
essential members of the community." She gestured at the razor wire
surrounding an opulent property. She gestured at the cardboard and tin
shacks and the shared, open cooking fires.

"It is taking too long. Some people are angry. Some people are afraid.
Nevertheless, the experiment continues, and we are all in it -- and you are
in it with us, even though you are thousands of miles away. What are you
going to do when you go home?"

At home I am going to stay awake and uncomfortable so that I can think. Not
that I know how to solve this dilemma -- it being the crisis of the modern
age -- but I can at least contribute my willingness to be aware. I might,
for example, turn to the woman next to me in the grocery store and ask her,
"Do you ever wonder how these bananas got here in the middle of winter in a
land where they don't grow? Do you wonder whether someone sends the children
of the banana pickers apples from the state of Washington in exchange for
this gift? Do you think we can do anything to change how so much food comes
here, while so little food is left there?" If we question, if we talk with
each other, if we hold the ambivalence and donate our concerns from heart to
heart, we will eventually act. We will dance with the reciprocity.

This article is excerpted from The Seven Whispers, ©2002, by Christina
Baldwin. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, New World Library.
http://www.newworldlibrary.com

About the Author:
Christina Baldwin has taught seminars and workshops internationally for more
than twenty years. Her best selling book, Life's Companion, Journal Writing
as a Spiritual Culture, she explores the tradition of council and
reintroduces it as a modern forum for people to meet and learn from each
other. Her educational company, PeerSpirit, Inc., is dedicated to building
communities of reflection, adventure, and purpose. She lives on an island
north of Seattle. Contact www.peerspirit.com for Seven Whispers study guide
and Christina's schedule.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE CHOSEN ONES...


God in His wisdom selected a group of men and women
to be the purveyors of His goodness.
In selecting them through whom to bring about this phenomenon,
He went not to the proud, the mighty, the famous of the brilliant.
He went instead to the humble, to the sick, to the unfortunate.
He went right to the drunkard, the so-called weakling of the world.

Well might He have said to us:
"unto your weak and feeble hands
I have entrusted a power beyond estimate.
To you has been given that which has been denied
the most learned of your fellows.
Not to scientist or statesmen, not to wives or mothers,
not even to my priest of ministers have I given this gift
of healing other alcoholics which I entrust to you.
It must be used unselfishly;
it carries with it grave responsibility.
No day can be too long;
no demands upon your time can be too urgent;
no case be too pitiful;
no task too hard; no effort too great.
It must be used with tolerance
for I have restricted its application to no race, no creed, and no denomination.
Personal criticism you must expect;
lack of appreciation will be common;
ridicule will be your lot; your motives will be misjudged.
You must be prepared for adversity,
for what men call adversity is the ladder you must use
to ascend the rungs toward spiritual perfection,
and remember, in the exercise of this power,
I shall not exact from you beyond your capabilities.
You are not selected because of exceptional talents,
and be careful always, if success attends your efforts,
not to ascribe to personal superiority
that to which you can lay claim only by virtue of my gift.
If I had wanted learned men to accomplish this mission,
the power would have been entrusted to the physician and scientist.
If I had wanted eloquent men,
there would have been many anxious for the assignment,
for talk is the easiest used of all talents with which I have endowed mankind.
If I had wanted scholarly men,
the world is filled with better-qualified men than you who would be available.
You were selected because you have been
the outcast of the world and your long experience as drunkards
has made or should make you humbly alert to the cries of distress
that comes from the lonely hearts of alcoholics everywhere.
Keep ever in mind the admission you made
on the day of your profession in AA,
namely that you are powerless
and that it was only with your willingness
to turn your life and will unto my keeping that relief came to you. "

<http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-Why_We_Were_Chosen.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
HOPE

What a Half-life you live
Diminished by dope
Faded shadows of dreams
Crumbling edges
You could shine, you know?
Resurrected by love
Brought back from the dead
Daily Miracles
Butterflies on the windowsill
Angels everywhere
Lessons in every face you see
The evolution of your soul
This can end
Your slow death
Your nightmare
Bloodshot-eyes looking in the window of what could've been
What should've been
The lead can leave your heart
You don't have to die
For the pain to let you go

written by LISA C
Na4mejft@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It takes courage to smile
though one is suffering inside
It takes love of life to get up
when one would rather stay down
It takes joy of spirit
to know that underneath
is a brighter, loftier reason for being
A reason of the soul
A reason of the heart
May yours grow deep and far

Love
Stella
© 2002 Stella Raymonde Savoie
stellaraymonde@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
In prosperity our friends know us;
in adversity we know our friends.
John Churton Collins
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Life is just a mirror,
and what you see out there,
you must first see inside of you.
Wally "Famous" Amos
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Friendship is always a sweet responsibility,
never an opportunity.
Kahil Gibran
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Grief can take care of itself;
but to get the full value of joy,
you must have somebody to share it with. -
Mark Twain
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
No matter who says what,
you should accept it with a smile
and do your own work.
Mother Teresa
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Many are called
and few choose to listen.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I was dumb enough to come
and I'm dumb enough to stay.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We must empty the glass
before we can fill it with anything meaningful.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Listening is an art,
Hearing is a gift.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1595

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Fri Mar 25, 2005 12:46 pm
Subject: 3/25/05 "My Worst Enemy" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 3
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step03.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 25
My Higher Power is with me in the sun
as well as the rain, in pain as well as joy.
As long as I know I am protected by the power
of faith and love, I will remain centered and balanced
throughout all of this day.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My Worst Enemy

My worst enemy, who could this be
And why’s he constantly, tormenting me

He just stole the money, for my hydro bill
Left me in the cold, feeling stressed out and ill

The landlord arrives, demanding his rent
All bridges are burnt, there’s nowhere to vent

No food in the cupboard, not a morsel to eat
My worst enemy’s winning and I’m in defeat

Suddenly my door opens, to a ray of hope
It’s him again, with a bag full of dope

Psychotic delusions, as my mind illuminates with fear
Face to face with my enemy, as I gaze in the mirror

My worst enemy, I must make amends
Me and myself, have got to be friends

I’ve gotta love myself, I must find a way
Asking God for help, on my knees as I pray

Communication flows, as our spirits blend
My enemy's leaving and I'm making a friend

Poem by Kevin Kensick
rjonesincoming@...
My worst enemy is my self will
<http://www.recoveryjonescartoons.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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Illumination
<http://www.journeywithspirit.com/illumination.htm>

Good Words To Live By
<http://www.ishaah.com/Affirmation.cfm>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step High School
The DeSisto School Homepage
<http://www.desistoschool.com/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just for Today
March 25                                I can't, but we can

"From the isolation of our addiction, we find a fellowship of people
with a common bond...Our faith, strength, and hope come from
people sharing their recovery..." Basic Text, Pages-94 & 95

Admit no weakness, conceal all shortcomings, deny every failure, go it
along-that was the creed many of us followed. We denied that we were
powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable,
despite all evidence to the contrary. Many of us would not surrender
without the assurance there was something worth surrendering to.
Many addicts could recover in Narcotics Anonymous.

In NA, we find others who've been in the same predicament, with the
same needs, who've found tools that work for them. These addicts are
willing to share those tools with us and give us the emotional support we
need s we learn to use them.. Recovering addicts know how important the
help of others can be because they've been given that help themselves.
When we become a part of Narcotics Anonymous, we join a society of
addicts like ourselves, a group of people who know that we help one
another recover.

Just for today; I will join in the bond of recovery. I will find the
experience, strength, and hope I need in the Fellowship of
Narcotics Anonymous.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
"I am new, At a meeting they told me to get a sponsor.
Can they find me a job and help me with my finances?
What else can a sponsor do for me?"
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE GOD IDEA

When we saw others solve their problems by a simple reliance upon the
Spirit of the Universe, we had to stop doubting the power of God. Our
ideas did not work But the God idea did.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 52

Like a blind man gradually being restored to sight, I slowly groped my way
to the Third Step. Having realized that only a Power greater than myself
could rescue me from the hopeless abyss I was in, I knew that this was a
Power that I had to grasp, and that it would be my anchor in the midst of a
sea of woes. Even though my faith at that time was minuscule, it was big
enough to make me see that it was time for me to discard my reliance on my
prideful ego and replace it with the steadying strength that could only
come from a Power far greater than myself.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 25th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Strength comes from coming to believe in a Higher
Power that can help you. You can't define this
Higher Power, but you can see how it helps other
alcoholics. You hear them talk about it and you
begin to get the idea yourself. You try praying in
a quiet time each morning and you begin to feel
stronger, as though your prayers were heard. So
you gradually come to believe there must be a Power
in the world outside yourself, which is stronger than
you and to which you can turn for help. Am I
receiving strength from my faith in a Higher Power?

Meditation for the Day

Spiritual development is achieved by daily
persistence in living the way you believe God
wants you to live. Like the wearing away of a
stone by steady drops of water, so will your
daily persistence wear away all the difficulties
and gain spiritual success for you. Never falter
in this daily, steady persistence. Go forward
boldly and unafraid. God will help and strengthen
you, as long as you are trying to do His will.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may persist day by day in gaining
spiritual experience. I pray that I may make
this a lifetime work.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Learn To Fly

Take your life in your own hands and what happens?
A terrible thing: no one to blame. Erica Jong
There is always someone else to take the fall if our plans don't work out:
"I would have been more successful, but the economy was slow this year."
"Well, that sounds nice, but my therapist says
that I should avoid too much stress."
"I wanted to do that, but my husband
didn't like the idea."

What a frightening prospect it is to take your life
into your own hands, to decide whether
or not you will accept full responsibility
for all of your actions and choices.

What an amazing-and sometimes terrifying-freedom
complete responsibility for your actions brings!
Sometimes we make mistakes.
Sometimes we stumble and fall.
But oh, the feeling when you finally get it right,
when you decide to take the step and it works!
That's when you discover that those
fragile butterfly wings on your back
are not there just for ornamentation.
You can fly!

Take charge of your life.
Take responsibility for your actions.
Ultimately no one chooses what you will do
but you, anyway.
Enjoy the freedom.
You've had it all along.

God, help me take complete responsibility for my own actions.
Give me the guidance, and power,
to steer my own course according to the dictates
of my heart and my conscience.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Game of Life , Florence Scovel Shinn
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part3.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part4.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part5.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part6.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part7.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part8.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part9.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/floshi/part10.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Getting Out of Our Way
by Chandra Alexander

Sometimes, things just go our way. We get the job we have been dreaming of,
an unexpected check comes in the mail, or things just seem to effortlessly
fall into place for no apparent reason. We call it luck or attribute it to
simply having a good day, but in truth, we have been given a glimpse of the
actual nature of the universe.

We tend to think the timing was right, never realizing that we are an innate
part of the process. We are not random recipients of bounty. If only for the
moment, our state of being pulls to us this divine experience of
synchronicity. There is rhyme and reason to the way the universe unfolds.
When we are "in the flow," we have released the illusion that we can protect
ourselves by being in control. We have gotten out of the way long enough to
experience how effortlessly this process takes place. We must be willing to
stop pushing and allow the universe to send us the things we truly need
rather than what we keep asking for.

When a bird looks for food, it makes an implicit assumption that it will
find the worm and all will be okay. It does not get up and start thinking
"What if I can't find food? What will happen to me?" It does not anticipate
that there will be a problem. There is an ease with which it moves through
its day, an underlying instinct that is minutely in keeping with life's
basic nature. It does not think anything. Its being trusts that all will be
provided for, and it does not question how.

To be in that state is to observe the precise timing in which all things
fall into place and to simultaneously marvel at the exquisite manifestations
of an ever-changing universe. When we are fortunate enough to have an
experience of this wholeness, we are filled with humility and compassion. We
never know when we will be the recipients of such grace -- that is part of
the wonder.

I never thought a trip to the corner drugstore would deliver such an
experience. I had gone there for the sole purpose of buying mascara and
found myself wheeling the cart up and down each aisle looking for what else
I could buy. On a top shelf, I spotted a box with a picture of a green
birdfeeder. I liked the green color, but knew the last thing I needed was
another birdfeeder. One had been hanging on my balcony for the past year. It
had taken the doves close to three months to find it, but now they came
every day. I looked at the box again and put it into my cart. I started to
think about why I was purchasing it, and stopped myself. I was just going to
buy it, and that was that.

Purchases in hand, I walked through my front door and headed out toward the
balcony. There, lying on the ground, was the birdfeeder. My heart stopped.
It looked like the wire that had been holding it had snapped. All I could do
was stare at the broken feeder. A sense of wonder and wholeness filled my
being. I felt disoriented, out of time and space, and yet at the same time I
knew exactly where I was. I was 100 percent present. I could feel the
intricacy of the process, every tiny little piece falling into place.
Feeling it work, I intuitively knew that the birdfeeder had fallen the
moment I had opened the door!

The universe operates with speed and efficiency in direct relation to our
degree of trust. When we feel stuck, we need to get out of our own way. This
does not mean that we simply sit back and do nothing, but rather that we
know when to let go, when we have done enough. When we move through the
world knowing that we will be provided for, magic happens.

Outside In & Inside Out
We are taught that spiritual life requires an inward turning. In doing so,
we neglect another part of life that has equal power to transform us --
life's outer manifestations. We are so focused on our inner life that we
often become immobilized as we wait for a new feeling to overtake us before
we make a change. We are looking for that inner green light. Sometimes, we
wait forever and the feeling never comes.

To concentrate solely on one way of changing is to deny the complexity of
how the universe works. Energy is constantly moving, and nothing stays the
same. If we are to remain vigilant and make good choices, we need to
maximize all our options.

If energy creates form, form also creates energy. That is, if what we feel
inside is capable of creating certain events in our life, aren't certain
things we do also able to alter the way we feel? For example, some of us
meditate every day. It's difficult to get up an hour earlier each day and
sit, hoping the mind will become quiet. It doesn't feel natural, but we
remain disciplined and do it anyway. And then one day our mind stops
churning, and we are filled with a sense of equanimity and contentment.
Simply the act of placing our body in the same spot every day, regardless of
how we feel, has a power all its own. It sends a message of longing to the
Inner Self and sets the stage by creating a new form for energy to fill.
This newly created vehicle will again connect us to our feelings and take us
back to our core.

It is never easy to embrace a new way of doing things even when we know it
is in our best interest. Initially, we feel immobilized, and forcing
ourselves to do something new feels unnatural. But if we understand how
energy works, we realize that it is precisely this feeling that is heralding
a change for the better. We are stuck. We have gone as far as we can go
without doing something different. Unless we are willing to stretch
ourselves and reach out into the world, we will never be able to create new
forms to express who we are. We cannot use our inner life as a weapon,
retreating from a world that won't let us hide. When we do, we cut ourselves
off from a lifeline of possibilities, fresh and different ways to experience
the world.

Life is organic. All the pieces fit together with no one part being any more
spiritual than any other. Our inner life feeds the outer, and the outer life
nourishes the inner. This symbiotic relationship permeates all of life and,
until we tap in to that rhythm, our life remains disjointed. No one can tell
us when to stay quiet and wait for insight, or when to move out into the
world with a sense of purpose and discipline. At each moment, only we can
decide how to become more, and what we need to do to get there.

This article is excerpted from Reality Works - Let It Happen, ©2002, by
Chandra Alexander. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Red Wheel /
Weiser. http://www.redwheelweiser.com

About the Author
Chandra Alexander is a life coach and motivational speaker. She spent ten
years in India studying with Swami Muktananda.She currently coaches clients
all over the world. Visit Chandra at her site http://www.artofbeingreal.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Poem Written By An African Shakespeare

Dear white fella,
Couple of things you should know.

When I born, I black
When I grow up, I black
When I go in sun, I black
When I cold, I black
When I scared, I black
When I sick, I black
And when I die, I still black.

You white fella,
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you grey
And you have the balls to call me colored?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Prison

I was locked in a prison
Without bars
Spent many a night
Under the stars
Held prisoner by
A crafty strong man
He was conning and baffling
I could not understand
Bound in chains
That were to soft to be felt
Sitting waiting
For a better hand to be dealt
The cards have been different
When dealt at night
Yet the dealer
Always had hind sight
You have to have money
If you want to play the game
Bring it to the dealer
It's always the same
He deals in pleasure
We all learn
Playing with fire
Your bound
To burn
Gone is the money
You hustled that day
Just to get down
Just to play
One day you wake up
Have to face what you've done
You fell off the latter
Just for fun
Hitting the bottom
Your ready to fight
Now it's so sad
You do not know
What is right
Your tired of the party
Being high everyday
That's when you wake up
That's when you have to pay
Busted sitting in the city jail
So sad you have no one
To came and pay your bail

Daniel M Corkery
©9/12/2000
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
<http://www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the
good we might win, by fearing to attempt.
[Measure For Measure]
William Shakespeare
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When we lose the right to be different,
we lose the privilege to be free.
Charles Evans Hughes
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You dwell always in the heart of God.
- John-Roger
(From: Loving Each Day, Volume 1)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"We don't ask God for too much;
in fact, we ask for too little.
Turn to Him for everything.
Give everything to God."
Marianne Williamson
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Letting go is a process not an event.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Anything that I have ever tried to let go of...
has 10 inch claw marks on it
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Let go
OR
Get dragged
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
God cannot take from me,
that which I won't release to him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Without God I can't,
Without me he won't.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Let God
And
Let Go
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1594

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Thu Mar 24, 2005 4:26 pm
Subject: 3/24/05 "What Is Narcotics Anonymous" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 2
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step02.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
I am a relapser and I feel all alone.
I want to start my own support group for relapsers,
So that we can kick it and identify with each others struggles.
Do you think this is a good idea?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 24
I forgive myself and all others today.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
What Is Narcotics Anonymous

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS is a fellowship designed and administered
by a bunch of ex-drugies whose only qualifications for membership are that
they can't use drugs and have decided they don't want to learn how.
Not that they could anyway, they never could,
and it's highly unlikely that they ever would.
It has no rules, dues or fees, nor anything else that
any sensible organization seems to require.
At meetings, the speaker starts on one subject,
winds up talking about something entirely different,
and concludes by saying he doesn't know anything
about the program except that it works.
The groups are always broke,
yet always seem to have money to carry on.
They are always losing members but seem to grow.
They claim NA is a selfish program but they always
seem to be trying to give it away and to do something for others.
Every group passes laws, rules, edicts and pronouncements
that everyone blithely ignores;
members who disagree with anything have the privilege to walk out
in a huff, quitting forever,
only to return as if nothing has happened and be greeted accordingly.
Nothing is ever planned 24 hours ahead,
yet great projects are born and survive magnificently.
Nothing in NA is according to Hoyle.
How can it survive?
Perhaps it's because we have learned to live and laugh at ourselves.
God made man. He made laughter too.
Perhaps he is pleased with our disorganized efforts
and makes things right no matter who pushes the wrong button.
Maybe he is pleased, not with our lack of perfection, but with our sincerity.
Maybe he is pleased with our trying to be nobody but ourselves.
We don't know how it works, but it does,
and members keep receiving their dividends from their NA investments.
It is smart to be clean, and much easier, my friends,
to stay clean than to get clean.
I not only believe in Miracles......I depend on them!!!!!!

anonymous
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

Recovery comics of the week
<http://www.recoveryjonescartoons.com/comicsoftheweek.htm>

12 Step High School
The DeSisto School Homepage
<http://www.desistoschool.com/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 24                           Letting go of the past

"It is not where we were that counts, but where we are going."
Basic Text p. 22

When we first find recovery, some of us feel shame or despair at
calling ourselves "addicts" In the early days, we may be filled with both
fear and hope as we struggle to find new meaning in our lives. The past
may seem inescapable and overpowering. It may be hard to think of
ourselves in any way other than the way we always have.

While memories of the past can serve as reminders of what's waiting
for us if we use again, they can also keep us stuck in a nightmare of
shame and fear. Though it may be difficult to let go of those memories,
each day in recovery can bring us that much farther away from our
active addiction. Each day, we can find more to look forward to and less
to punish ourselves for.

In recovery, all doors are open to us. We have many choices. Our new
life is rich and full of promise. While we cannot forget the past, we
don't have to live in it. We can move on.

Just for today: I will pack my bags and move out of my past into a
present filled with hope.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
I am a relapser and I feel all alone.
I want to start my own support group for relapsers,
So that we can kick it and identify with each others struggles.
Do you think this is a good idea?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE KEYSTONE
He is the Father, and we are His children. Most good ideas are simple, and
this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which
we passed to freedom.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 62

A keystone is the wedge-shaped piece at the highest part of an arch that
locks the other pieces in place. The "other pieces" are Steps One, Two,
and Four through Twelve. In one sense this sounds like Step Three is the
most important Step, that the other eleven depend on the third for
support. In reality however, Step Three is just one of twelve. It is the
keystone, but without eleven other stones to build the base and arms,
keystone or not, there will be no arch. Through daily working of all
Twelve Steps, I find that triumphant arch waiting for me to pass through to
another day of freedom.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 24th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Strength comes from honestly telling your own
experiences with drinking. In religion, they call
it confession. We call it witnessing or sharing.
You give a personal witness, you share your past
experiences, the troubles you got into, the
hospitals, the jails, the break-up of your home,
the money wasted, the debts, and all the foolish
things you did when you were drinking. This
personal witness lets out the things you had kept
hidden, brings them out into the open, and you find
release and strength. Am I receiving strength
from my personal witnessing?

Meditation for the Day

We cannot fully understand the universe. The
simple fact is that we cannot even define space
or time. They are both boundless, in spite of all
we can do to limit them. We live in a box of space
and time, which we have manufactured by our own
minds and on that depends all our so-called
knowledge of the universe. The simple fact is that
we can never know all things, nor are we made to
know them. Much of our lives must be taken on faith.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that my faith may be based on my own
experience of the power of God in my life. I
pray that I may know this one thing above all else
in the universe.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rejecting Shame

Shame can be a powerful force in our life.
It is the trademark of dysfunctional families.

Authentic, legitimate guilt is the feeling
or thought that what we did is not okay.
It indicates that our behavior
needs to be corrected or altered,
or an amend needs to be made.

Shame is an overwhelming negative sense
that who we are isn't okay.
Shame is a no-win situation.
We can change our behaviors,
but we can't change who we are.
Shame can propel us deeper
into self-defeating and sometimes
self-destructive behaviors.

What are the things that
can cause us to feel shame?
We may feel ashamed when we have a problem
or someone we love has a problem.
We may feel ashamed about certain
feelings or thoughts.
We may feel ashamed when we have fun,
feel good, or are vulnerable enough
to show ourselves to others.
Some of us feel ashamed just being.

Shame is a spell others put on us to control us,
to keep us playing our part in dysfunctional systems.
It is a spell many of us have learned
to put on ourselves.

Learning to reject shame can change
the quality of our life.
It's okay to be who we are.
We are good enough.
Our feelings are okay.
Our past is okay.
It's okay to have problems,
make mistakes, and struggle to find our path.
It's okay to be human and cherish our humanness.

Accepting ourselves is the
first step toward recovery.
Letting go of shame about who we are
is the next important step.

Today, I will watch for signs that I have fallen into shame's trap.
If I get hooked into shame.
I will get myself out by accepting myself
and affirming that it's okay to be who I am.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Interview with Dr. John Sarno's
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part10.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
HOW TO BE ATTUNED TO DIVINE WISDOM

As human beings we are wired for wisdom and guidance from God. When
we learn how to listen to our intuition we will hear the guidance that
will show us the next step to take. We don't have to be concerned
with all the minutiae about how to reach our goals and visions. We
only need to be concerned about listening for the next steps.

You have probably read the words, "let go and let God" many times.
But what is this trust all about? Does it mean that you have no role
or any responsibility for action in this process? Letting it go to
God always sounded so passive to me. It used to scare me more than
help me. I thought of it as giving up on what I wanted. It's not
that at all.

To trust in God is to believe that there is a friendly, abundant,
loving, wise energy in the Universe that supports you and wants what's
best for you. It supports your highest good. Letting your fears,
concerns, wishes, prayers "go to God" means that you trust and work
with this energy which powers the universe. God will work with you
through your own built-in guidance system to help draw to you what you
want.

I'm most comfortable when I'm taking action on something. The
concept of seeming to do nothing except "let go to God" has been a
tough one to get my head around! Here's the technique I use when I've
been struggling with an issue with no results. I call it the...

..SURRENDER BOX

Write out your worry or concern on a 3 x 5 card. Here's an example:
"Dear God - I'm having a difficult time communicating with my boss
about my job responsibilities. I need a new way to open up the
dialogue between us and I feel stuck. Everything I've tried hasn't
worked. I am surrendering this concern to you and ask for divine
guidance to bring about a positive result."

Summarize your concern with a question. "How can I communicate more
effectively with my boss?"

Close your eyes and go to a place of peace inside you. Take a few
slow deep breaths until you feel your energy begin to shift. Call God
to you. Imagine being in the presence of incredible love, light and
wisdom.

Repeat the concern that you've written on the card. Ask your
question. Listen for any words, feelings, images or sudden insights.
Maintain a respectful silence, allowing any wisdom to emerge into your
consciousness. Sometimes a new option will emerge out of the quiet.
When you feel ready, imagine placing this concern in a bubble of
light. See it being released into the universe. Know that you will
receive further information to help you resolve this issue.

Place your card in a box and place it on a shelf where you will see
it frequently. I have my box decorated with the words "Surrender" on
it. When you find yourself beginning to worry about this issue at any
point in the day or night, remind yourself that you have let go of
this concern and that you will receive guidance to resolve the
problem.

As you listen for guidance on a daily basis you'll find yourself
being given one step at a time. The answer may come through an
inspired idea, a dream, a fleeting insight for new directions. When
you consistently look within asking, "What is the right course of
action?" or "What path should I take?" you will be rewarded with wise
divine guidance. It will always be there gracing your steps through
life. You will find that your fear begins to drop away and you'll
move forward with confidence in all your endeavors.

Go with what your inner guidance directs you to do. Sometimes this
takes faith and courage. Begin with small steps. As you continue to
trust this insight you will come to understand that your life is on
purpose and your mission is unfolding. There truly is invisible
intelligence leading and guiding you to a more peaceful and harmonious
life.

by Lynn A. Robinson, M.Ed.

About the Author:
Lynn is one of the nation's leading experts on the topic of intuition. Her
most recent books include "Compass of the Soul: 52 Ways Intuition Can Guide
You to the Life of Your Dreams" (Andrews McMeel, 2003) and "Divine
Intuition: Your Guide to Creating a Life You Love" (DK Books, 2001). Lynn
is a popular and widely recognized author and motivational speaker as well
as a columnist and the Intuition-At-Work Expert for iVillage.com. Her free
monthly "Intuition Newsletter" is available at her Web site,
http://www.LynnRobinson.com.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Life Is Complex.

Each one of us must make his own path through life.
There are no self-help manuals, no formulas, no easy answers.

The right road for one is the wrong road for another...
The journey of life is not paved in blacktop;
it is not brightly lit, and it has no road signs.
It is a rocky path through the wilderness.

M. Scott Peck
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SPOONS

Spoons are for stirring coffee
They were not made to be
a device that's burnt or bent
Nor were they made to be
a part of life’s lament

Cotton is made for many things
like cleaning out your ears
Not to be sucking from
to feed the darkest fears

Spoons are for feeding hungry
people like you and me
Spoons are for stirring coffee
and sometimes stirring tea

Spoons are for kids to pound
on a pot or pan
and for digging in the dirt
or their box of sand

Spoons are made to go in the drawer
with the forks and knives
They are not disposable tools
and neither are our lives

Yes, spoons are for stirring coffee
and sometimes stirring tea
Not for an instrument of death
for either you or me

Mark Thomas Spitler April 29th 1997 ©
{Printed with Permission}
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Spring

As I look
into
my heart
as I seek
my soul's direction
seeking
conscious connection
with my higher power
everything
seems to be
good
seems to be
in place
and I have
effortless
serenity
as I
push
my serenity
stretches
to allow
my need
for illusion
my need
to seek
security
outside
my self
I can choose
anything
what
do
I want
each loss
of serenity
is not punishment
it is how
I learn
the value
of serenity
only
when
my serenity
is worth
whatever
it takes
only
when I
will go
to any lengths
when
I find myself
on my knees
heart
open
begging
the mystery
this power
greater
than myself
to SHOW ME
his will for me
and to give me
the power
to do that will
for me
only at this
moment
when
I am cracked open
when
all my illusions
become
less
important
than
serenity
at this
moment
am I
wrapped
in unending
warmth
which
soothes
my soul's
emptiness
I have
explored
my soul's
hollow feelings
and all ways
been led
to
self acceptance
as the core
the center
of my
seeking
is to recover
me
as I have all ways
been
consciously
connected
consciously
choosing
gratitude
and
in my gratitude
glows
the light
of
my higher powers
smiling
radiant
presence
which
no human
can
forget
or
ignore
here
in my
tattered
hearts
landscape
resides
all
I have
ever
sought
all
I have
ever
wanted
or needed
until
I accept
this in
me
I cannot accept
this is
also
in you
so my
prayer
for myself
is my prayer
for you
hp
show us your will
for each of us
and grant us
the power
to carry that
out
in all
things
I am grateful
I am filled with
awe
thank you...............

Bill
mystic@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Surrendering Secrets

God of my understanding
I am ready to release
shame-based secrets
My muscles no longer need clutch them
My body no longer needs hide them
Once boulders blocked progress
Pillows suffocated life breath

Today
I surrender
Accepting bio-facts of this incarnation as
Uncut gemstones waiting mounting

Today
(one minute at a time)
I talk, trust, and heal
letting fear pass thru me
learning that stumblings do not mean falls
and        even falls aren't fatal
and        I deserve undiluted joy
and        all movement is forward
(especially when it feels backward)

God of my understanding
Perfectly imperfect I choose life
Imperfectly perfect I live out karmic cards
Gathering my shame as gentle offering
As slowly I build an altar of willingness
Offering all of me up to be healed
One scarey feeling at a time
Pledging to feel just that tiny piece
to share it
to honour it as teacher
to open sealed windows
and let it fly to Thee

Judy Shepps Battle
Copyright 2003 Judy Shepps Battle
writeaction@...
judy@...
http://www.writeaction.com/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.
Milton Berle
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"The tree in which the sap is stagnant remains fruitless."
Hosea Ballou
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Friendship is like a bank account;
you cannot continue to draw on
it without making a deposit.
Nicole Beale
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you learn from your suffering,
and really come to understand the lesson you were taught,
you might be able to help someone else
who's now in the phase you may have just completed.
Maybe that's what it's all about after all . . .
Anonymous
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
What I learn I practice,
What I practice, I become.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Each one, teach one.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason,
to do twice as much listening and half as much talking.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This is an education without a graduation.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1593

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Wed Mar 23, 2005 1:11 pm
Subject: 3/23/05 "On Having Four Years" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 1
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2004/step01.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 23
Today, I no longer struggle to find my answers alone.
I welcome and am open to positive and healthy support
wherever I find it.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
On Having Four Years

Four years I have come
Far from the run
Out of the bag
Away from the drag
I've been freer than ever
And I'll always remember
The way it was
To loose the buzz
And be be left with the sick drugs
All over the floor
I wanted more
I was trapped
But found a door
Now I will have four
Years to remember
Dreams so tender
Fragile in their newness
I will not digress
I will follow Goddess
Remember to be modest
Take care of myself
Be gentle and healthy
Reach out my hand
Try to understand
Remember what it was like
When I sat down that night
No hope no fear no thought was clear
AA picked me up and helped with the fear
Here I am
Happy and Free in shiny Infinity.

Serena K
SERENAKASCHAK@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step High School
The DeSisto School Homepage
<http://www.desistoschool.com/>

God, One More Mountain?
<http://members.aol.com/SueBell202/Mountain.htm>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 23                                       God's gifts

"We do the footwork and accept what's being given to us freely on
a daily basis."     Basic Text p. 46

Our relationship with our Higher Power is a two-way street. In prayer,
we speak and God listens. When we meditate, we do our best to listen
for the will of our Higher Power. We know that we are responsible for
our part of the relationship. If we do not pray and listen, we shut our
Higher Power out of our lives.

When we think about our relationship with our Higher Power, it's
important to remember which one we are: the powerless one. We can
ask for guidance; we can ask for willingness or strength; we can ask for
knowledge of our Higher Power's will-but we cannot make demands. The
God of our understanding-the one with the power-will fulfill that half
of the relationship by giving us exactly what we need, when we need it.

We need to take action every day to keep our relationship with a
Higher Power alive. One way we do this is by applying the Eleventh Step.
Then we remember our own powerlessness and accept the will of a Power
greater than ourselves.

Just for today: In my relationship with my Higher Power, I am the
powerless one. Remembering who I am, today I will humbly accept
the gifts of the God I understand.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A WORLD OF THE SPIRIT

We have entered the world of the Spirit. Our next function is to grow in
understanding and effectiveness. This is not an overnight matter. It
should continue for our lifetime.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 84

The word "entered" . . . and the phrase "entered into the world of the
Spirit" are very significant. They imply action, a beginning, getting
into, a prerequisite to maintaining my spiritual growth, the "Spirit" being
the immaterial part of me. Barriers to my spiritual growth are
self-centeredness and a materialistic focus on worldly
things. Spirituality means devotion to spiritual instead of worldly
things, it means obedience to God's will for me. I understand spiritual
things to be: unconditional love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, self-control and humility. Any time I allow selfishness,
dishonesty, resentment and fear to be a part of me, I block out spiritual
things. As I maintain my sobriety, growing spiritually becomes a lifelong
process. My goal is spiritual growth, accepting that I'll never have
spiritual perfection.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 23rd

A.A. Thought for the Day

Strength comes from the fellowship you find
when you come into A.A. Just being with men
and women who have found the way out gives
you a feeling of security. You listen to the
speakers, you talk with other members, and
you absorb the atmosphere of confidence and
hope that you find in the place. Am I receiving
strength from the fellowship with other AA.
members?

Meditation for the Day

God is with you, to bless and help you. His spirit
is all around you. Waver not in your faith or in
your prayers. All power is the Lord's. Say that
to yourself often and steadily. Say it until your
heart sings with joy for the safety and personal
power that it means to you. Say it until the very
force of the utterance drives back and puts to
naught all the evils against you. Use it as a battle
cry. All power is the Lord's. Then you will pass
on to victory over all your sins and temptations,
and you will begin to live a victorious life.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that with strength from God I may lead an
abundant life. I pray that I may lead a life of victory.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Stop Throwing That Blame Around

"There are two kinds of people in the world,"
a friend explained to me one day.
"There are the ones who blame other people
for everything that happens.
And there are the ones who blame themselves."

Have you ever watched a movie where one of the actors used a flame thrower?
In a movie I watched one day, they called this instead a "blame thrower."
It's a lit torch of fiery rage that we throw at either others
or ourselves when situations don't work out the way we planned.

Blaming can be a healthy stage of grieving or letting go.
But staying too long in this stage can be unproductive.
It can keep us from taking constructive action.
Blaming ourselves too long can turn into self-contempt;
blaming others can keep us heavy and dark with resentments,
and fuel the victim within.

If you're going through a loss, or if life has twisted on you,
pick up your blame thrower-in the privacy of your own journal.
Give yourself ten or twenty minutes to blame without censorship.
Get it out.
Write out everything you want to say,
whether you're throwing blame at someone else or at yourself.

It may take longer if the loss is larger, but the point is to give yourself
a limited amount of time for a blame-throwing session, then cease fire.
Stop. move on to the next stage in living which is letting go,
accepting, and taking responsibility for yourself.

God, help me search myself to see if I'm holding on to blame
for myself or someone else. If I am, help me
get it out in the open, then help me let it go.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mindbody Prescription , Dr. John Sarno's
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part7.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part8.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part9.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE RIPPLE EFFECT
By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

In this morning's paper, one of the headlines is, "Sept. 11 ripple
effects buffet economy." When you drop a rock into a placid body of
water, the created ripples travel along the surface until they have
covered the entire body. When the World Trade Center Towers
dropped, the economic waves traveled throughout the country. The
tragic ripple effect continues to impact us all. It generates continual
turbulence in our daily lives.

Physics teaches us that when a wave traveling in an opposite
direction, impacts another wave of equal height, the ripple effect is
neutralized. If we want to neutralize the ripple effect of September
11, we need to start a wave of equal power in the opposite direction.
Perhaps we have already done that. In response to the events of
9/11/01, Americans have increased their generosity, strengthened their
patriotism, and reaffirmed their essential unity. They have generated
a wave of compassion that could possibly neutralize the negative
effect of the turbulence we have all experienced. Have you added your
behavior to such a wave? Or have you added to the strength and height
of the wave of hatred and violence?

For hundreds of years, spiritual leaders and masters of the mind
have used the characteristics of water as a metaphor for beneficial
behavior. People who are experts in the martial arts, seek to achieve
a constant mental state they call, "mind like water." In addition to
the ripple effect metaphorically used above, what are some other
characteristics of water you might want to develop?

When still, water accurately reflects the surrounding reality.
Still water mirrors perfectly whatever is around it. When water is
turbulent, its ability to accurately reflect is distorted. Perhaps we
need to still our minds to perceive more clearly and accurately
reflect on our current situation. On our own way of being in the
world. Let your mind and heart be quieted by not making judgments and
assumptions. Avoid fearful speculation.

Water never runs faster or slower than what the circumstances
surrounding it require. It seeks its own level without effort or
applied force. It flows. When your mind flows without force, you
always find your own center, your own level. Your life becomes
flowing and never moves faster or slower than your circumstances
really require. Does your actual, daily experience require you to be
terrorized?

Water is persistent and implacable. If it does not absorb what it
surrounds, it wears it away, ultimately destroying the hardest of
surfaces. Without hurry, with almost infinite patience, water
persists in changing everything it contacts. It transforms the rough
and hard into smooth and soft. With an implacable mind, you can
transform your life even when confronted with extremely hard
circumstances.

Water always receives whatever is thrown into it. It surrounds
with itself whatever it receives. It never anticipates, or prepares.
When your mind functions like water, you absorb whatever life throws
your way. No matter what happens, you cope. If you are alive, you
have already handled what life has thrown your way. You have taken
everything in and surrounded it with who you are. If you hadn't, you
would be dead. If you are still alive, you are more absorbent and
stronger than you might think.

Water is without motive. It has no agenda or "cause" of its own.
It has no plans for its future. It is not invested in having its own
way. It has no "way" of its own. It doesn't have to "prove" anything
to anyone. It "fits" itself into its environment. Without changing
its nature, it flows around, over, under or through any obstacles in
its path. One might say that water "trusts" itself and the world.
After all, water is absolutely necessary for life. Trust your own
life and its power. Live without modifying your essential nature.

Water may change its form from solid to liquid to vapor. It never
changes its essence. Water is, in its essence, always the same,
always complete within itself, always true to its own nature. No
matter what you confront in life, always be true to yourself. Sure,
you may change the way you express who you are. But never allow the
actions of others to change who you really are...your essence. Always
be yourself and express your true nature in all your relationships. I
believe our "true nature" is: love and compassion, curiosity and
acceptance, adaptability and growth.

Finally, water moves in ripples and waves. Live in such a state of
mind and heart, that you add to the waves of love and compassion. You
will neutralize any other waves of fear and hatred. You will live in
a state of mind like water.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We are here because there is no refuge finally from ourselves.
Until we confront ourselves in the eyes and hearts of others,
we are running .
Until we suffer to share our secrets,
We will have no safety from them,
Afraid to be known.
We will know neither ourselves nor any others.
We will be alone.
Where else, but our common grounds, can we find such mirrors?
Here we appear clearly to ourselves.
Not as the giants of our dreams nor as the dwarfs of our fears,
But as human beings!
A part of the whole, with a share in its purpose,
where we can each take root and grow.
Not alone anymore in death,
But alive to ourselves and to others.
Welcome to our world........

submitted by Tommy H. This poem was brought back to Joplin Mo. in 1979..
It was said many times at Narcotics Anonymous meetings
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Beauty Of The Day

I look, but do I see

I touch, but do I feel

I seek, but do I find

The beauty of the day?

I hear, but do I listen

I let go, but do I accept

I receive, but do I give

The beauty of the day?

The beauty of the day is everywhere.

The beauty of the day is all I seek.

The beauty of the day is in the way I live.

The beauty of the day is God's love for me.

written by Meg
mm1597@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I carry around a little card with a quote that reads,
"If you would learn the secret of Soul Transcendence,
look for the good, for the Divine in people and things,
and all the rest leave to God."
I carry it around with me because, at times, I need to be reminded.
I have had moments of difficulty seeing the good --
not only in people but also in events, in feelings,
in thoughts, and in various situations.

For me to work this principle, I need to look at each challenging person,
situation, or thing and tell myself,
"There has got to be some good in there somewhere.
There is always good. The Divine is always present."
My job is to continuously look for the good and the Divine.

John Morton
(From: The Blessings Already Are)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
No matter what we have done,
God always offers us the chance to begin anew.
Knowing that God grants us a new beginning, we, too,
can look at our parents, our children, our partner or our friends,
anyone with whom we've had some distance, and say,
"Let's have a new beginning."
Love is greater than any of our mistakes.
Mary Manin Morrissey
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"All minds are joined. Whatever thoughts we hold
towards others we are holding about ourselves as well."
Marianne Williamson
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Be patient with yourself.
Self-growth is tender;
it's holy ground.
There's no greater investment."
Stephen Covey
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A tulip doesn't strive to impress anyone.
It doesn't struggle to be different than a rose.
It doesn't have to. It is different.
And there's room in the garden for every flower. You didn't have to struggle to make
your face different than anyone else's on earth. It just is. You are unique
because you were created that way. Look at little children in kindergarten.
They're all different without trying to be. As long as they're
unselfconsciously being themselves, they can't help but shine. It's only
later, when children are taught to compete, to strive to be better than
others, that their natural light becomes distorted.
Marianne Williamson
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love is something you can leave behind you when you die.
It's that powerful.
John Lame Deer
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When I know that I don't know,
I know that I am teachable.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The smart ones leave,
The stupid ones stay.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you don't know what to do,
then don't do anything.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I am a student, not a victim.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1592

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Tue Mar 22, 2005 2:48 pm
Subject: 3/22/05 "Walking Down The Steps" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 12
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step12.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 22
No matter how busy I am today,
I will begin and end my day with quiet time.
I look forward to that time when I stop all outward activity,
rest and look within for my peace and truth.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Walking Down The Steps

I went back out
And without a doubt
I had found
The steps; I had walked back down
I stepped down from step twelve
And then slowly I went to hell
Stopping service work and sharing
And eventually I stopped caring
Stepping down from eleven
I stopped praying to my God in heaven
And I stopped my meditating
Slowly God and I were separating
Stepping off of number ten
Now I see I knew by then
I could not admit I was wrong
For I was a quarter of the way gone
Dropping down from step nine
I knew then I was fine
I had no amends to make
They just needed to give me a brake
Off of eight
It wasn't too late
But I continued seal my fate
I had my own little list
And I was starting to get pissed
Then from seven I stepped down
You wouldn't see my knees hit the ground
I had nothing to be removed
I had started my own little groove
Down from six
Didn't know I was in a fix
I couldn't have been entirely ready
For my decline it was steady
I walked down step five
I was sick but still alive
There was no way I could admit
So my truths I did omit
Stepping down from number four
Here is where I shut the door
My inventory was far from moral
As a sat resting on my laurels
Down from three
Maybe this program isn't for me
I can take care of my own life
I can handle all this strife
Off of two
I am nearly through
There was no power greater than self
I thought I was the picture of sane health
I stopped one
Where I had begun
But only for a minute
Because I was already in it
I was no longer powerless over alcohol
Then and there I had my fall
So if you think
You can again drink
Think again
For the disease will take you for a spin
Detox is where I ended
Let me tell you it wasn't splendid
Now I am working The program steps
For I never again want to fall and slip

By Angela Moore    WHFL
AMOORE530@...
©2001
{Printed with Permission}
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=15>

Stairway To Heaven
<http://www.mamarocks.com/stairway_to_heaven.htm>

Bill W. Quotes
<http://homepage.eircom.net/~recovery/quotes.htm>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 22                       The principle of self-support

"In our addiction, we were dependent upon people, places, and things.
we looked to them to support us and supply the things we found lacking
in ourselves." Basic Text p. 67

In the animal kingdom, there is a creature that thrives on others. It is
called a leech. It attaches itself to people and takes what it needs. When
one victim brushes the leech off, it simply goes to the next.

In our active addiction, we behaved similarly. We drained our families,
our friends, and our communities. Consciously or unconsciously, we sought
to get something for nothing from virtually everyone we encountered.

When we saw the basket passed at our first meeting we may have
thought, "Self-support! Now what kind of odd notion is this?" As we
watched, we noticed something. These self-supporting addicts were
free. By paying their own way, they had earned the privilege of making
their own decisions.

By applying the principle of self-support in our personal lives, we gain
for ourselves the same kind of freedom. No longer does anyone have the
right to tell us where to live, because we pay our own rent. We can eat,
wear, or drive whatever we choose, because we provide it for ourselves.

Unlike the leech, we don't have to depend on others for our sustenance.
The more responsibility we assume, the more freedom we'll gain.

Just for today: There are no limits to the freedom I can earn by
supporting myself. I will accept personal responsibility and pay my own
way today.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A DAY'S PLAN

On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. We consider
our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking,
especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or
self-seeking motives.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 86

Every day I ask God to kindle within me the fire of His love, so that love,
burning bright and clear, will illuminate my thinking and permit me to
better do His will. Throughout the day, as I allow outside circumstances
to dampen my spirits, I ask God to sear my consciousness with the awareness
that I can start my day over any time I choose; a hundred times, if necessary.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 22nd

A.A. Thought for the Day

We're all looking for the power to overcome
drinking. When we alcoholics come into A.A.,
our first question is: "How do I get the strength
to quit?" At first it seems to us that we will
never get the necessary strength. We see
older members who have found the power we
are looking for, but we don't know the process
by which they got it. This necessary strength
comes in many ways. Have I found all the strength
I need?

Meditation for the Day

You cannot have a spiritual need that God cannot
supply. Your fundamental need is a spiritual need,
the need for power to live the good life. The best
spiritual supply is received by you when you want it
to pass on to other people. You get it largely by
giving it away. God gives you strength as you pass
it on to another person. That strength means
increased health; increased health means more good
work, and more good work means more people helped.
And so it goes on, a constant supply to meet all spiritual
needs.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that my every spiritual need will be supplied
by God. I pray that I may use the power I receive
to help others.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Let God And Your Intuition Lead the Way

I define synchronicity as an external event
which triggers an internal knowing.
It has to do with events that are significant coincidences,
such as when you are trying to solve a problem
and someone "just happens" to call.
During the conversation the caller "just happens"
to give a clue or answer to the difficulty.
--Nancy Rosanoff, Intuition Workout

I was talking to my friend Kyle one day.
I was in the final stages of writing Playing It by Heart,
but I didn't know what the ending was.
The book was an in-depth life review.
I was astounded by the number of experiences I've had.

"I've been a pauper, a drug addict, a codependent,
a midwestern housewife, a married woman,
a single parent on welfare, a secretary, a journalist,
a chemical dependency counselor, a book author,
a bereaved parent, and a Californian.
I've traveled to the Middle East, across the United States,
ran a bookstore, and now, although I've taken
the long hard road to get here, I live at the beach," I said
"There's nothing left for me to do."

"I know one thing you want to do
that you haven't done yet," Kyle said.
"What?" I asked. There was a long silence.
I thought maybe he hung up.
"Just a minute," he said. "I'm thinking."

"I know," he said. "You've never jumped out a plane."
I forgot about the conversation.
Within a few days, the phone rang.
A man who had worked on my house about nine months
before was on the line.
He reintroduced himself.
Then he explained why he called.
He said he was a sky diver,
and he asked if I'd like to go to the drop zone with him sometime,
and maybe make a tandem jump.

A few months later, I went with him to Skydive Elsinore.
I learned that day that jumping out of airplanes
was something I very much wanted to do.
And the skydiving experience was exactly the ending
I needed for my book.

Trust your inner guidance.
Our Higher Power works in mysterious ways.
Listen to people, and watch for signs that
trigger your inner knowing.

God, help me be open to all the ways you speak
to me to help guide me along my path.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Healing Back Pain , Dr. John Sarno's
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part4.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part5.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part6.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Problem & The Solution Lies Within YOU
by Asoka Selvarajah

Whatever your lot in life, you doubtless consider it to be a
combination of external factors: some positive and others
negative. Doubtless, this is partly true. However, it may
surprise you to know that at any point, barring acts of God, your
future is almost entirely in your own hands.

This may sound like too much to bear or believe. After all, if it
were true, there would be no excuses left. You could not blame
your situation on your parents, the government, your boss, your
husband or wife, your race, or anything else. Hence, most of us
prefer to reject this thought. That leaves us with plenty of
excuses, and a comfortable, if rather mediocre, life.

Napoleon Hill's book "Think & Grow Rich" makes it clear that
Success only comes to those rare few who (a) create a major
definite purpose they burn to achieve in their lives, and (b)
pursue that purpose with total determination and persistence, to
the point of apparent folly in the eyes of others. Interestingly,
the qualification is NOT that you need any prior experience or
talent in that which you seek. Rather, it is the purpose, backed
with the determination to never give up in attaining it, combined
with tapping into the Infinite Intelligence of the universe,
that brings about lasting Success.

However, most of us think differently. You may think that you
cannot succeed because you do not have enough experience, or
because you have little money, or because you are disadvantaged
in some other way. If so, you need to consider the examples of
people like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. Both of these men had
nothing more than basic schooling. Van Gogh learned to paint
relatively late in life. Stevie Wonder is blind. The world's
leading cosmologist, Stephen Hawking, is in a wheelchair and
cannot even speak without a voice machine. Oprah Winfrey was born
black, dirt-poor, and was abused as a child. Excellent qualifications
for becoming the highest-paid TV personality in America?...

The basic problem that holds the vast majority from achieving
astonishing success is that they lack self-esteem at the very
deepest subconscious level. We place a ceiling on what we are
capable of achieving, because it makes us feel better about
ourselves and our own mediocre achievements. It's better to
shield ourselves with dozens of excuses than to admit to
ourselves that we could have done better, if only we had the guts
and the self-belief.

We spend our entire lives crawling around on our knees beneath
this insanely low ceiling we created for ourselves. An absurd
image? That's the way you are probably living your life.

Within certain obvious physical limits (e.g. a 70-year old trying
to win the Olympic 100m), there is almost NOTHING that someone
else has achieved that you could not achieve too, if you had a
burning desire to do it, made this the major definite purpose of
your life, and pursued it with relentless determination. Burn the
ships and the bridges and then head forward. No excuses or
fallbacks. You succeed or you die. That is the only attitude for
achieving the very highest levels of attainment. The artist,
Michelangelo, said he would not be considered a genius if people
only knew how many hours he had sweated to achieve it.

The Comfort Zone is the greatest barrier to Success. If you
achieve a certain level of the latter, the temptation to relax
and bask in the weak sunlight of what you've attained can be
overwhelming. A high level of dissatisfaction serves as excellent
motivation to spur you further. That way, you will take risks,
which is the only way to move forward rapidly. If you take NO
risks in life, you may as well be already dead. In fact, the most
common regret of dying people is the things they did NOT do, and
the risks they did NOT take.

Attaining success in any undertaking SHOULD make you feel
uncomfortable and challenged. Things are only totally comfortable
when you are not making any progress. That is why it is called
the Comfort Zone. However, it's that way because nothing is
happening. Maybe a coffin is comfortable too?

However, to succeed in your chosen major definite purpose, you
need to shed the garbage of your upbringing. Examine your beliefs
and values carefully. Where did they come from? Did you think
them up or inherit them? Are there any contradictions there that
hold you back? For instance, if you want to become rich, but have
a deep-seated belief that rich people are crooks, how likely are
you to succeed? Isn't it like driving with the handbrake on?

Most of the time, this is exactly what you are doing. Another
example. You want to be promoted and given more responsibility
at work? However, when you look within, you don't feel worthy of
it, or even believe that your colleagues are better than you.

Some deep self-examination is necessary. Take time with yourself
and ask yourself what your limiting beliefs are. Working on
deepening your sense of self-esteem is the most important work
you can do. It precedes any external success you may wish for.

Once you have deep self-esteem, you won't "care what the morons
think", as multimillionaire businessman, Dan Pena, so graphically
puts it. If you are afraid of failure, it's almost certainly
because failure is frowned upon in our society. After all, how
will you look to friends and family? "I told you so" will be the
inevitable response. Right?

So what? Why care? Don't bother what the morons think. When Tom
Watson, founder of IBM, was asked by a hungry young executive how
he might progress much faster within the company, Watson
answered, "Double your failure rate."

THAT should teach you how important the opinions of the morons
really are. This is something they don't and can't understand.
That is why they remain exactly where they are. INCREASE your
rate of making mistakes in order to accelerate your successes,
and make them ever more dramatic. It's the only way. However, you
can only do that if you feel good inside about yourself, and
don't care what others think.

In conclusion, external factors have less to do with where you
are at than you may ever have imagined. The main factor for
dramatic success or failure lies within. So, next time you stand
in front of a mirror, ponder the eyes looking back into yours.
The answers to every success in your life, now and in the future,
lie right there... staring back at you.

Copyright 2003. Asoka Selvarajah. All Rights Reserved.

<http://www.ofspirit.com/asokaselvarajah20.htm>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TODAY'S POSITIVE THOUGHT:

Love heals and protects you.

TODAY'S POSITIVE AFFIRMATION:

I allow love into my life and I AM safe
and secure.

TODAY'S POSITIVE VISUALIZATION:

I close my eyes and see myself wrapped in
a soft blanket of God's loving energy. I
feel my mind and body relax as I allow this
loving energy to comfort, heal, and protect
me. I see myself going through my day with
confidence. I imagine myself acting and
responding from a place of inner peace. I
feel safe and secure in my world. In my
mind's eye, I see myself and others experiencing
the healing power of God's love. As I quietly
exhale, I combine these images with joy and
let them go, knowing that they will create
the good things I am visualizing and thinking.

© 2002 Institute For Creative Living
All rights reserved.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
With Each Day...

May I positively impact the life of another, and smile more than frown;

Put service and compassion before my own renown;

Meet adversity with courage, sorrow with hope;

Have Faith to face uncertainty, and resiliency to cope;

With joy as my companion, and truth as my guide;

May I walk the path of excellence, gaining knowledge with each stride;

To see the good that lies within each person in suppression;

And through love and understanding, bring it forth into expression;

Though this day may bring new challenges, yet not manifest;

May I ever be reminded how much my life is blessed.

Robert Akers
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Balance

Somewhere between never and forever
I found a balance between that which
was meant to be and that which was not
It may be difficult for some to understand
that finding that which you want the most
is not what you need in this time and place
I could tell you of soul wrenching heartache
and endless nights of longing for deliverance
while the tears of my passion went unheeded
But why revisit the darkness we know so well
when the promise of tomorrow beckons us all
to accept that the past invites us into the light
It is for each of us to chose our own perception
of the events of our lives in the temporal world
and understand and accept that which we need
Is it really so formidable to welcome adversity
if it leads one to an everlasting enlightenment
and the certain knowledge of one's potential
So why not openly embrace the inevitable
and gracefully flow with the harmony
of all that which is your own destiny
Learn to trust your own instincts
and listen to your inner voice
as it guides you to yourself

dennis j hopkins
mrseven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"You can turn off the sun but I'm still gonna shine."
Jason Mraz
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Being vulnerable doesn't have to be threatening.
Just have the courage to be sincere, open and honest.
This opens the door to deeper communication all around.
It creates self-empowerment and
the kind of connections with others we all want in life.
Speaking from the heart frees us from the secrets that burden us.
These secrets are what make us sick or fearful.
Speaking truth helps you get clarity on your real heart directives.
The Hidden Power of the Heart, Sara Paddison
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Behold the turtle.
He only makes progress when he sticks his neck out."
James Bryant Conant
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Always continue the climb.
It is possible for you to do whatever you choose
if you first get to know who you are
and are willing to work
with a power that is greater than ourselves to do it.
Oprah Winfrey
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Gossip about a person, and his shadow will appear.
Japanese Proverb
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Recovery is a continual process
of things that you never expected to happen.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The joy is in the journey
the destination is always changing.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I had to go over there to get over here,
I had to feel like that to feel like this.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You don't have to complete the journey,
you just have to go the extra mile.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1591

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:44 pm
Subject: 3/21/05 " For A Little Someone" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 11
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step11.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 21
God is guiding me in peace and calm today.
I know that everything that upsets this feeling
is not permanent and will pass.
I no longer allow upsets to keep me
from seeing the good in others.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For A Little Someone

Someone’s hurting, very near
Full of worry, shame, and fear

Someone desperately, requires relief
From a toxic state, of core belief

“Big boy’s, aren’t supposed to cry!”
So all his tears, have poured out dry

“You’re a bad boy, and won’t amount to much!”
Have scarred his soul, with a verbal touch

So he protects himself, with character defects
The moment determines, how he selects

Constantly numb, to cover the pains
With liquor bottles, or needles veins

This someone you need to know, so very well*
Has been living life, that seems like hell

If you search, deep down inside
You and someone, will collide

While you’re running reckless and living wild
That someone is, you’re inner child

The child who lives, in each adult
Must come to realize, it’s not his fault

If he’s gonna live and really let live
The child within, must learn to forgive

Healings are possible, down in the depths
If we meet the child, down the Steps

It’s a journey that, Step One will start
That’ll connect your head, to your very heart

It’s something that, we must surely do
And God’s light will shine, to see us through

The child can heal, if the Steps are done
It’s the least we can do For A Little Someone

Poem by: Kevin Kensick
rjonesincoming@...
Step Four *
<http://www.recoveryjonescartoons.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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love is Never Silent
<http://www.serenitygarden.net/index27.htm>

Walls
<http://www.serenitygarden.net/index17.htm>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=15>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 21                                  A treatable illness

"Addiction is a disease that involves more than the use of drugs."
Basic Text p. 3

At our first meeting, we may have been taken aback at the way
members shared about how the disease of addiction had affected their
lives. We thought to ourselves, "Disease? I've just got a drug problem!
What in the world are they talking about?"

After some time in the program, we began to see that our addiction ran
deeper than our obsessive, compulsive drug use. We saw that we
suffered from a chronic illness that affected many areas of our lives.
We didn't know where we'd "caught" this disease, but in examining
ourselves we realized that it had been present in us for many years.

Just as the disease of addiction affects every area of our lives, so does
the NA program. We attend our first meeting with all the symptoms
present: the spiritual void, the emotional agony, the powerlessness, the
unmanageability.

Treating our illness involves much more than mere abstinence. We use
the Twelve Steps, and though they don't "cure" our illness, they do begin
to heal us. And as we recover, we experience the gift of life.

Just for today: I will treat my illness with the Twelve Steps.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
GOOD ORDERLY DIRECTION

It is when we try to make our will conform with God's that we begin to use
it rightly. To all of us, this was a most wonderful revelation. Our whole
trouble had been the misuse of willpower. We had tried to bombard our
problems with it instead of attempting to bring it into agreement with
God's intention for us. To make this increasingly possible is the purpose
of A.A.'s Twelve Steps, and Step Three opens the door.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 40

All I have to do is look back at my past to see where my self-will has led
me. I just don't know what's best for me and I believe my Higher Power
does. G.O.D., which I define as "Good Orderly Direction," has never let me
down, but I have let myself down quite often. Using my self-will in a
situation usually has the same result as forcing the wrong piece into a
jigsaw puzzle -- exhaustion and frustration.

Step Three opens the door to the rest of the program. When I ask God for
guidance I know that whatever happens is the best possible situation,
things are exactly as they are supposed to be, even if they aren't what I
want or expect. God does do for me what I cannot do for myself, if I let Him.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 21st

A.A. Thought for the Day

In A.A. we forget about the future. We know
from experience that as time goes on, the
future takes care of itself. Everything works
out well, as long as we stay sober. All we need
to think about is today. When we get up in the
morning and see the sun shining in the window,
we thank God that He has given us another day
to enjoy because we're sober, a day in which we
may have a chance to help somebody. Do I know
that this day is all I have and that with God's
help I can stay sober today?

Meditation for the Day

All is fundamentally well. That does not mean that
all is well on the surface of things. But it does
mean that God's in His heaven and that He has a
purpose for the World, which will eventually work
out when enough human beings are willing to follow
His way. "Wearing the world as a loose garment"
means not being upset by the surface wrongness
of things, but feeling deeply secure in the
fundamental goodness and purpose in the universe.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that God may be with me in my journey
through the world. I pray that I may know that
God is planning that journey.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lighten Up

"Mom can I sleep over at Johnny's
house again tonight?
Please?" Shane begged.
"Why?" I asked.
"For fun," he said.
"You just slept over last night," I said.
"Who said you can't have fun two days in a row?"
he asked.

While ideas such as discipline and focus are undeniably important,
so is the idea of having fun.

With a small amount of effort, we can extract all the fun and joy
out of most parts of our lives-our relationships, our work,
even our leisure time.
We can put so many restrictions and should's on everything
we do that our very lives become dull, over ponderous, and routine.
Before long, we find ourselves living up to a set of rules-
and we're not certain where the rules came from or whose they are.

I relented, and let Shane have the sleepover he asked for. He had fun.
He had a lot of fun that entire year. So did I.

Let yourself go. Have a little fun with life.
Or, have a lot of fun with life.
If you've spent years being extremely disciplined,
reliable, somber, maybe part of achieving balance
is having a decade of fun.

Dig out your goal list, the one you placed
at the back of this book.
Add another value to your list: have as much fun and joy
as possible in the days, months, and years to come.

It's time to lighten up.

God, please show me how to put ideas like fun and joy back into my life.
Show me how to have more fun in work, in love, and in play.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mind Over Back Pain , Dr. John Sarno's
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/johsar/part3.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE MIRROR OF SPIRITUALITY

We have spoken often of the mirror of life, how there is indeed a reflection
in all that is observed outwardly, a reflection of that which is known to be
true and known to be the point of reference from within. We have said that
you only see externally what you first feel and see internally.

This is often a difficult concept for the embodied soul to grasp and to
understand for there is always a tendency and a desire to give importance
and identity and a separate, let us say, identity to that which is observed
externally. It is as though there is indeed a separation between who you
think you are and what you think you know, and that which is being observed
and experienced in the external.

We would like to expand upon this theme and to speak of the mirror of
spirituality. There is, as has been given, within each and every soul the
complete statement of the Consciousness of Creation. All of the attributes
of the soul are always present. You cannot have simply part of the soul
present and part of it missing. It is always present in its entirety.

And so, if that is the case, what is the reference point from which outer
conditions and outer events are observed? You see, if there is a clarity of
understanding and a clarity of identity and a clarity of expression then of
that which is the truth of who you are as a soul, then all that is observed
is seen from that perspective, not from the perspective of limitation and
reactive response, but from the perspective of embracing all experience,
embracing all that is observed in life, and embracing all energy of creation
for simply what it is - the movement of creative energy experiencing,
expressing, and allowing all possibilities to be expressed.

As there is this clarity of vision, as there is this reference point that is
refined and aligned with, as the tools of expression - the mind, the
emotions, and the physical tendencies - merge with and align with this
clarity of spiritual perspective, then the outer vision in turn becomes
clarified and there is a very specific awareness of the process of creative
energy moving in and through all that is observed.

There is then in this mirror of spirituality a reflection of the truth, a
reflection of beauty, a reflection of harmony, a reflection of all the
attributes of the soul being expressed and experienced in the conditions of
the life pattern. As this becomes the singular and clarified perspective
from which the soul observes all that is occurring in and within and without
all that is created, there is then the attraction to this observation of
those elements of creation that resonate with the beauty, the balance, the
harmony, the truth, and the intelligence, and all the attributes of creation
being expressed.

The mirror of spirituality then reflects the truth of who you are as a soul
and you see all that is being created and expressed from its true
perspective. There is no reaction. There is only the response of being and
sharing the Love and Light you are. There is no limitation by expectation
of the outer world having to be a certain way, being this way or that way.
There is simply the embracing of all that is observed knowing that all
creation emanates from one source, and that source is the point of
reference, that source is the essence of soul reality that is being lived
moment by moment.

So the mirror of spirituality is crystal clear. It is transparent. It is
when the image and likeness of creation merge as one on the surface of the
mirror of spirituality that there is no separation between that which is
known and that which is observed. All is one. Is that not the succinct and
rather complete statement of oneness?

You see, as you know who you are, you know all of what creation is. And it
is seen to be the never-ending flow of creative energy expressing, being,
and simply fulfilling the mandate of creation. It is all a matter of
consciousness and we are simply suggesting being aware of that which you
are consciously aligned with. Then, as the truth is known, live that truth,
be that truth, and see the perfection of Love and Light in all that is
observed, all that is experienced.

You are I AM, the Love, Light, and Life of creation.

ALIGN: 20020415M

John and Cheryl
sacredwind@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
An adventure is going into the unknown.
If you know exactly where you are going,
exactly how you will get there,
and exactly what you will see along the way,
it is not an adventure...
Because they involve the unknown,
adventures are inherently dangerous
to a greater or lesser degree. Yet it is also only from
adventures and their newness that
we learn. If we know exactly where
we're going, exactly how to get there,
and exactly what we'll see along the way,
we won't learn anything.

M. Scott Peck
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Something To Work With
Virginia Santoro

When dreams and desires you choose to withhold,
innermost wishes remain untold.
Treasures kept secret, securely locked up...
How, then, to fill your waiting cup?

Your excessive caution ~ unwarranted fear.
The past set limiting rules you keep near.
Though I know before you utter it, I wish you declare...
What your heart knows is here, by the Grace that I share.

Your ego may insist you are more than blessed,
your portion meted out ~ It can handle the rest.
I assure you no one knows what is enough but Me.
In My Kingdom, enough is boundless, limitless and completely free.

Give Me something to work with ~ Leave your ego behind.
All your hopes and dreams ~ tell Me what's on your mind.
With great faith, speak freely. Open up and share.
And know, with absolute certainty...
I've already answered your prayer.
(Copyright 2002 - All Rights Reserved)

Morning Musings...
is a nondenominational, daily
inspirational newsletter, delivered to
its subscribers Monday thru Friday,
and a single Weekender edition.
It is born of the meditations and
experiences of the author.
Its first purpose is to honor God in all expressions,
and then, to offer healing,
compassion, peace and love to the reader.
to subscribe email MorningMusings@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Parable of the Rope

We are like a person holding on to a piece of rope.

He holds on for dear life, knowing that if he were
to let go he would fall to his death. His parents,
his teachers, and many others have told him this
is so; and when he looks around he can see everyone
else doing the same.

Nothing would induce him to let go.

Along comes a wise person. She knows that holding
on is unnecessary, that the security it offers is illusory,
and only holds you where you are. So she looks for a
way to dispel his illusions and help him to be free.

She talks of real security, of deeper joy, of true
happiness, of peace of mind. She tells him that he
can taste this if he will just release one finger from
the rope.

"One finger," thinks the man; "that"s not too much
to risk for a taste of bliss." So he agrees to take
this first initiation.

And he does taste greater joy, happiness, and peace of mind.

But not enough to bring lasting fulfillment.

"Even greater joy, happiness and peace can be yours,"
she tells him, "if you will just release a second finger."

"This," he tells himself, "is going to be more difficult.
Can I do it? Will it be safe? Do I have the courage?"
He hesitates, then, flexing his finger, feels how it would
be to let go a little more . . . and takes the risk.

He is relieved to find he does not fall; instead he discovers
greater happiness and inner peace.

But could more be possible?

"Trust me," she says. "Have I failed you so far? I know
your fears, I know what your mind is telling you -- that
this is crazy, that it goes against everything you have
ever learnt -- but please, trust me. Look at me, am I
not free? I promise you will be safe, and you will know
even greater happiness and contentment."

"Do I really want happiness and inner peace so much,"
he wonders, "that I am prepared to risk all that I
hold dear? In principle, yes; but can I be sure that I
will be safe, that I will not fall?" With a little coaxing
he begins to look at his fears, to consider their basis,
and to explore what it is he really wants. Slowly he feels
his fingers soften and relax. He knows he can do it.
And he knows he must do it. It is only a matter of time
until he releases his grip.

And as he does an even greater sense of peace flows
through him.

He is now hanging by one finger. Reason tells him he
should have fallen a finger or two ago, but he hasn't.
"Is there something wrong with holding on itself?"
he asks himself. "Have I been wrong all the time?"

"This one is up to you," she says. "I can help you no further.
Just remember that all your fears are groundless."

Trusting his quiet inner voice, he gradually releases
the last finger.

And nothing happens.

He stays exactly where he is.

Then he realizes why. He has been standing on the ground
all along.

And as he looks at the ground, knowing he need never hold
on again, he finds true peace of mind.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"There are lessons to be learned in every place.
The mark of spiritual mastery is the ability
to remember God wherever we go, and
through whatever we experience."
Alan Cohen, "The Dragon Doesn't Live Here Anymore"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love is an acorn until we do love,
and then it becomes a mighty oak.
Do love.
Mary Manin Morrissey
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"A friend will see us at our worst,
as well as our best.
A friend will not close his or her heart
when we have made a mistake.
A friend will not condemn us but
will compassionately support our return to a state of grace."
Marianne Williamson
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Someone's opinion of you does not have to become your reality.
Les Brown
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The ultimate form of insanity is to use again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The worst thing about being locked up is
having the key in your own pocket.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We as addicts will stick to the known,
rather than the unknown even if it will kill us.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The truth will set you free,
but first it will kick your ass.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1590

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Sun Mar 20, 2005 6:29 am
Subject: 3/20/05 "Famous Last Words" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 10
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step10.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 20
I am becoming more open
to look within me today for my solutions.
I trust that I will find the right answers
if I go quietly within and follow my inner guide.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Famous Last Words

"This is JUSTIFIED anger."
"I was very active in my home group -- when I was new."
"I'm too busy to work the Steps."
"I'm different."
"I can have just one."
"I can handle a relationship -- I've been sober six months."
"The meetings are different here from where I got sober."
"I don't need to go to meetings any more."

c. AA Grapevine, March 2002, page 47
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Online Community for Woman
<http://www.ShesInRecovery.com>

Sober Cruises and Dinner Cruises Vancouver Islands
<http://www.mvwindwalker.com>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=14>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 20                                     Higher Power

"Most of us have no trouble admitting that addiction had become a
destructive force in our lives. Our best efforts resulted in ever
greater destruction and despair. At some point, we realized that
we needed the help of some Power greater than our addiction."
Basic Text p. 24

Most of us know without a doubt that our lives have been filled with
destruction. Learning that we have a disease called addiction helps us
understand the source or cause of this destruction. We can recognize
addiction as a power that has worked devastation in our lives. When we
take the First Step, we admit that the destructive force of addiction is
bigger than we are. We are powerless over it.

At this point, our only hope is to find some Power greater than the force
of our addiction — a Power bent on preserving life, not ending it. We don't
have to understand it or even name it; we only have to believe that there
could be such a Higher Power. The belief that a benevolent Power greater
than our addiction just might exist gives us enough hope to stay clean, a
day at a time.

Just for today: I believe in the possibility of some Power that's bigger
than my addiction.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TODAY, IT'S MY CHOICE

    . . . we invariably find that at sometime in the past we have made
decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 62

With the realization and acceptance that I had played a part in the way my
life had turned out came a dramatic change in my outlook. It was at this
point that the A.A. program began to work for me. In the past I had always
blamed others, either God or other people, for my circumstances. I never
felt that I had a choice in altering my life. My decisions had been based
on fear, pride, or ego. As a result, those decisions led me down a path of
self-destruction. Today I try to allow my God to guide me on the road to
sanity. I am responsible for my action -- or inaction -- whatever the
consequences may be.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 20th

A.A. Thought for the Day

When we were drinking, we used to worry
about the future. Worry is terrible mental
punishment. What's going to become of me?
Where will I end up? In the gutter or the
sanitarium? We can see ourselves slipping,
getting worse and worse, and we wonder what
the finish will be. Sometimes we get so
discouraged in thinking about the future that
we toy with the idea of suicide. In A.A., have
I stopped worrying about the future?

Meditation for the Day

Functioning on a material plane alone takes me
away from God. I must also try to function on
a spiritual plane. Functioning on a spiritual plane
as well as on a material plane will make life what
it should be. All material activities are valueless
in themselves alone. But all activities, seemingly
trivial or of seemingly great moment, are all alike
if directed by God's guidance. I must try to obey
God as I would expect a faithful, willing servant to
carry out directions.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that the flow of God's spirit may come to me
through many channels. I pray that I may function
on a spiritual plane as well as on a material plane.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All
life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the
better. What if they are a little coarse, and you may get
your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly
rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again; you shall never be
so afraid of a tumble."--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Fear can be a big stopper for many of us: fear of fragility,
fear of failure, fear of making a mistake, fear of what others
might think, fear of success. We may second-guess our next
action or word until we talk ourselves out of participating
in life.

"But I failed before!" "I can't do it good enough!" "Look at
what happened last time!" "What if...?" These statements
may disguise fear. Sometimes the fear is disguising shame.
After I finished the first two chapters of a book I was
writing, I read them and grimaced. "No good," I thought.
"Can't do it." I was ready to pitch the chapters, and my
writing career, out the window. A writer friend called, and I
told her about my problem. She listened and told me:
"Those chapters are fine. Stop being afraid. Stop criticizing
yourself. And keep on writing."

I followed her advice. The book I almost threw away
became a "New York Times" best-seller.
Relax. Our best is good enough. It may be better than we
think. Even our failures may turn out to be important
learning experiences that lead directly to--and are necessary
for--an upcoming success.

Feel the fear, then let it go. Jump in and do it--whatever it
is. If our instincts and path have led us there, it's where we
need to be.

Today, I will participate in life to the best of my ability.
Regardless of the outcome, that makes me a winner.

From the book The Language of Letting Go
by Melody Beattie copyright 1990
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Work As a Spiritual Practice , Lewis Richmond
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lewric/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lewric/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lewric/part3.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lewric/part4.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lewric/part5.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lewric/part6.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
KEEPING CURRENT
by Terri A. Stark

May your Spring bring new growth and opportunities in beautiful abundance!

     As we shake off the doldrums of winter, it is the perfect time to peer
around with our "Feng Shui Eyes" and check to see if we are keeping current
in our environment.

     Our environment is a reflection of us. Our home is as connected to us
as our skin is to our body. Our home is the container that we plant
ourselves in. Providing the optimal conditions - the right amount of sun,
water, love, or whatever our needs may be - we thrive. If we have outgrown
our container in some way or if something about the container no longer
supports us, we must make a change. The only thing that remains the same is
that everything changes.

     Keeping current in our environment supports us and nurtures right now.
If not kept up, our environment can hold us back in the past. For example, I
had a client who had toys for small children (2-3 year olds) on the
bookshelves in her family room. As I talked with her, I found out her
youngest grandchild was 11.

     As we discussed the energetic reflection of these toys and the
possibility of them holding her in the past, she told me that they had been
her children's toys and then the grandchildren's. I did not tell her she
had to get rid of them. I only explained that energetically they were more
connected to her past than her present. She is the only one who can make
the evaluation as to whether they are holding her back in life. We must
each determine where we are in life and what is a part of us at every given
moment.

     Spring is a time of renewal in nature. It has been a challenging
winter in many areas. As renewal and new growth occur in nature, we may
practice the same renewal in our home as well as internally. Remember,
everything is alive. Do your spring-cleaning with intention. Set your
intention to release and let go of anything that is no longer serving your
highest good. Clutter and unused items stagnate the flow of energy in our
life. Cleaning it out and letting it go opens up the avenue for delicious
new delights to flow in.

     Shake yourself off and determine if there is something new you want in
your life. If there is, make room for it to come in. Clean out the things
that are no longer you. Bring something into your environment that is a
physical representation of what you want. Maybe you just want to simplify
your life. Support that by simplifying your environment. I recently picked
out fabric for a window treatment in my office. As I looked at fabric, I
realized that I need space between a pattern. The fabric I chose is a floral
but there is space around each flower. I create the same feeling throughout
my home. I need breathing room. I need space. It is a reflection of what is
true in my life. I must have quiet space in my life and I schedule it in.
When every minute is scheduled and jam packed, I do not operate optimally. I
need the balance of clear space and quiet time. That balance is different
for each of us but we can support it in our environment.

     To me, this is the true gift of Feng Shui. It enables us to see that
every single item we surround ourselves with is attached to us by an
energetic thread. By consciously choosing what we are living with, we create
our best support system.

     As we enter this joyous season of renewal and new growth, are there
any new seeds you wish to plant? Are there any old beliefs that are no
longer serving you and are ready to be tossed out? Stir the dirt around in
your container rejuvenating and revitalizing your life. Throw open your arms
and embrace whatever glorious new growth you are welcoming in your life!

Dance your Spring dance!

©Terri A. Stark/Feng Shui for Today
http://www.fengshuifortoday.org/

About the Author:
Terri Stark is a Writer, a Teacher and a Feng Shui Practitioner. She
graduated from the Western School of Feng Shui, practices Essential Feng
Shui® and has a degree in Business Administration from Indiana State
University. Terri says, "I not only apply Feng Shui principles to my home; I
apply them to my life. Feng Shui is a tool that assists me in connecting
with the deepest part of myself. My life is enriched with energy, joy,
peace, prosperity and harmony."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Invitation

It doesn’t interest me what you do for a living.
I want to know what you ache for
and if you dare to dream of meeting your heart’s longing.

It doesn’t interest me how old you are.
I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool
for love
for your dream
for the adventure of being alive.

It doesn’t interest me what planets are squaring your moon...
I want to know if you have touched the centre of your own sorrow
if you have been opened by life’s betrayals
or have become shrivelled and closed
from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain
mine or your own
without moving to hide it
or fade it
or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy
mine or your own
if you can dance with wildness
and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes
without cautioning us to
be careful
be realistic
remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me
is true.
I want to know if you can
disappoint another
to be true to yourself.
If you can bear the accusation of betrayal
and not betray your own soul.
If you can be faithless
and therefore trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see Beauty
even when it is not pretty
every day.
And if you can source your own life
from its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure
yours and mine
and still stand at the edge of the lake
and shout to the silver of the full moon,
“Yes.”

It doesn’t interest me
to know where you live or how much money you have.
I want to know if you can get up
after the night of grief and despair
weary and bruised to the bone
and do what needs to be done
to feed the children.

It doesn’t interest me who you know
or how you came to be here.
I want to know if you will stand
in the centre of the fire
with me
and not shrink back.

It doesn’t interest me where or what or with whom
you have studied.
I want to know what sustains you
from the inside
when all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone
with yourself
and if you truly like the company you keep
in the empty moments.

© Oriah Mountain Dreamer, from the book
The Invitation published by HarperSanFrancisco, 1999
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Unconditional Mom

I was a rotten teenager.    Not your average spoiled, know-
it-all, not-going-to-clean-my-room, getting-an-attitude-because-
I'm-15 teenager. No, I was a manipulative, lying, acid-tongued
monster, who realized early on that I could make things go my
way with just a few minor adjustments. The writers for today's
hottest soap opera could not have created a worse "villainess."
A few nasty comments here, a lie or two there, maybe an evil
glare for a finishing touch, and things would be grand. Or so I
thought.

For the most part, and on the outside, I was a good kid.    A
giggly, pug-nose tomboy who liked to play sports and who thrived
on competition (a nice way of saying: somewhat pushy and
demanding). Which is probably why most people allowed me to
squeak by using what I now call "bulldozer behavior tactics,"
with no regard for anyone I felt to be of value. For a while,
anyway.

Since I was perceptive enough to get some people to bend my
way, it amazes me how long it took to realize how I was hurting
so many others. Not only did I succeed in pushing away many of
my closest friends by trying to control them; I also managed to
sabotage, time and time again, the most precious relationship in
my life: my relationship with my mother.

Even today, almost 10 years since the birth of the new me,
my former behavior astonishes me each time I reach into my
memories. Hurtful comments that cut and stung the people I
cared most about. Acts of confusion and anger that seemed to
rule my every move -- all to make sure that things went my way.

My mother, who gave birth to me at age 38 against her
doctor's wishes, would cry to me, "I waited so long for you,
please don't push me away. I want to help you!"

I would reply with my best face of stone, "I didn't ask for
you! I never wanted you to care about me! Leave me alone and
forget I ever lived!"

My mother began to believe I really meant it. My actions
proved nothing less.

I was mean and manipulative, trying to get my way at any
cost.    Like many young girls in high school, the boys whom I
knew were off limits were always the first ones I had to date.
Sneaking out of the house at all hours of the night just to
prove I could do it. Juggling complex lies that were always on
the verge of blowing up in my face. Finding any way to draw
attention to myself while simultaneously trying to be invisible.

Ironically, I wish I could say I had been heavy into drugs
during that period of my life, swallowing mind-altering pills
and smoking things that changed my personality, thus accounting
for the terrible, razor-sharp words that came flying from my
mouth. However, that was not the case. My only addiction was
hatred; my only high was inflicting pain.

But then I asked myself why. Why the need to hurt? And
why the people I cared about the most? Why the need for all the
lies?    Why the attacks on my mother? I would drive myself mad
with all the why's until one day, it all exploded in a suicidal
rage.

Lying awake the following night at the "resort" (my pet
name for the hospital), after an unsuccessful, gutless attempt
to jump from a vehicle moving at 80 miles per hour, one thing
stood out more than my Keds with no shoe laces. I didn't want
to die.

And I did not want to inflict any more pain on people to
cover up what I was truly trying to hide myself: self-hatred.
Self-hatred unleashed on everyone else.

I saw my mother's pained face for the first time in years -
- warm, tired brown eyes filled with nothing but thanks for her
daughter's new lease on life and love for the child she waited
38 years to bear.

My first encounter with unconditional love. What a
powerful feeling.

Despite all the lies I had told her, she still loved me.    I
cried on her lap for hours one afternoon and asked why she still
loved me after all the horrible things I did to her. She just
looked down at me, brushed the hair out of my face and said
frankly, "I don't know."

A kind of smile penetrated her tears as the lines in her
tested face told me all that I needed to know. I was her
daughter, but more important, she was my mother. Not every
rotten child is so lucky. Not every mother can be pushed to the
limits I explored time and time again, and venture back with
feelings of love.

Unconditional love is the most precious gift we can give.
Being forgiven for the past is the most precious gift we can
receive. I dare not say we could experience this pure love
twice in one lifetime.

I was one of the lucky ones. I know that. I want to
extend the gift my mother gave me to all the "rotten teenagers"
in the world who are confused.

It's okay to feel pain, to need help, to feel love -- just
feel it without hiding. Come out from under the protective
covers, from behind the rigid walls and the suffocating
personas, and take a breath of life.

By Sarah J. Vogt from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul
Copyright 1997 by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen and Kimberly Kirberger
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There's the love of a son for his mother,
There's the love of a brother for his brother
But there's no greater love in this world
Than one drunken bum for another.
AMEN
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You can think.
You can make good decisions.
You can make choices that are right for you.
Yes, we all make mistakes from time to time.
But we are not mistakes.
We can make a new decision that takes new information into account.
We can change our mind from time to time.
That's our right too.
We don't have to be intellectuals to make good choices.
In recovery, we have a gift and a goal available to each of us.
The gift is called wisdom.
Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"You see what you choose to see,
because all perception is a choice.
And when you cease to impose your meanings on what you see,
your spiritual eyes will open,
and you will see a world free of judgment and
shining in its endless beauty."
Paul Ferrini
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
One-half of knowing what you want is knowing
what you must give up before you get it.
Sidney Howard
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To gain that which is worth having, it may
be necessary to lose everything else.
Bernadette Devlin
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone...
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed.
Never throw anybody out.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older you'll discover that you have two hands.
One for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
Author Unknown
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I haven't done everything,
but there's nothing that I haven't considered.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There was always a drug for a symptom,
I learned quickly how to manipulate one
to acquire the other.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I was chasing a shadow that I couldn't catch.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I am a veteran in the field of insanity,
I was chasing death and paying for it.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1589

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Sat Mar 19, 2005 1:19 pm
Subject: 3/19/05 "Mining For Gold" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 9
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step09.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 19
Today I dare to openly express my needs
and find healthy ways to get them met.
I like feeling good today.
I like myself today.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Mining For Gold

So you didn’t like the meeting, or so I’ve been told
Heard you we’re expecting, a mine full of gold

Some meetings are preferred, oh that fact is true
But there are guaranteed nuggets, in each you pursue

Listen to “Who is an Addict”, with all of your heart
A nugget you can’t deny, right off the start

As the Steps are read, examine your mind
Twelve of the most precious gemstones, you’ll ever find

Then become a miner and sift through the dirt
As people share their joy, experience and hurt

The chair you occupy, is golden I’m told
While the one’s you used in, were made of fool’s gold

Don’t sit there and think what you’d like to say
Or you’ll miss the nuggets, that could come your way

After the meeting, gather all the nuggets you’ve found
And look for some people and pass them around

Give one to the addict, whose days bin a bummer
And offer a gold handshake, to the newcomer

Then pick up some chairs, or give hugs at the door
Or find a nugget or two, as you sweep the floor

There’s a nugget that’s huge, bigger than all the rest put together
Available twenty-four seven, no matter the weather

This nugget is pure, never bin covered in sod
May you find him now, His name is God

Ask Him to change your intolerant, impatient, judgmental attitude
And fill your heart, with a gold mine of gratitude

With the Twelve Steps and God, the dirt will erode
And at each meeting you’ll find, the mother load

Poem by Kevin Kensick
rjonesincoming@...
<http://www.recoveryjonescartoons.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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
N.A. Service Structure
<http://www.gprsona.org/service_structure.html>

Take a Moment
<http://positivepause.com/>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=13>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 19                      Something valuable to share

"A simple, honest message of recovery from addiction rings true."
Basic Text p. 50

You're in a meeting. The sharing has been going on for some time. One
or two members have described their spiritual experiences in an
especially meaningful way. Another has had us all rolling in the aisles with
entertaining stories. And then the leader calls on you.., gulp. You shyly
introduce yourself, apologetically stammer out a few lines, thank
everyone for listening, and sit out the rest of the meeting in
embarrassed silence. Sound familiar? Well, you're not alone.

We've all had times when we've felt that what we had to share wasn't
spiritual enough, wasn't entertaining enough, wasn't something enough.
But sharing is not a competitive sport. The meat of our meetings is
identification and experience, something all of us have in abundance.
When we share from our hearts the truth of our experience, other
addicts feel they can trust us because they know we're just like them.
When we simply share what's been effective in our lives, we can be sure
that our message will be helpful to others.

Our sharing doesn't have to be either fancy or funny to ring true.
Every addict working an honest program that brings meaningful recovery
has something of immense value to share, something no one else can give:
his or her own experience.

Just for today: I have something valuable to share. I will attend a
meeting today and share my experience in recovery from addiction.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SURRENDERING SELF-WILL

Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as
we understood Him.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 34

No matter how much one wishes to try, exactly how can one turn his own
will and his own life over to the care of whatever God he thinks there is?
In my search for the answer to this question, I became aware of the
wisdom with which it was written: that this is a two-part Step.

I could see many times where I should have died, or at least been
injured, during my previous style of living, and it never happened. Someone,
or something, was looking after me. I choose to believe my life has always
been in God's care. He alone controls the number of days I will be granted
until physical death.

The matter of will (self-will or God's will) is the more difficult part of
the Step for me. It is only when I have experienced enough emotional
pain, through failed attempts to fix myself, that I become willing to
surrender to God's will for my life. Surrender is like the calm after the
storm. When my will is in line with God's will for me, there is peace within.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 19th

A.A. Thought for the Day

When we were drinking, we used to be ashamed
of the past. Remorse is terrible mental punishment:
ashamed of ourselves for the things we've said
and done, afraid to face people because of what
they might think of us, afraid of the consequences
of what we did when we were drunk. In A.A. we
forget about the past. Do I believe that God has
forgiven me for everything I've done in the past,
no matter how black it was, provided I'm honestly
trying to do the right thing today?

Meditation for the Day

God's spirit is all about you all day long. You have
no thoughts, no plans, no impulses, no emotions,
that He does not know about. You can hide nothing
from Him. Do not make your conduct conform only
to that of the world and do not depend on the
approval or disapproval of others. God sees in
secret, but He rewards openly. If you are in
harmony with the Divine Spirit, doing your best
to live the way you believe God wants you to live,
you will be at peace.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may always feel God's presence.
I pray that I may realize this Presence constantly
all through the 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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Make Your Own Fun

My house renovation project was
way behind schedule.
Spring was right around the corner.
Stress was a pounding ache in the back of my head.

Then we went to the toy store.
"Oh, these will be great," he said, grabbing
two Nerf dart guns off the shelf.
"And how about a bow-and-arrow set, too?"

When we got home, we took some markers and
drew a big target on the wall in the living room.
We started shooting at it, but soon grew tired of that game
and started shooting at each other instead.

A friend walked in the front door.
We shot him. Two to the belly and one to the forehead.
He threw me in the hot tub.

And I forgot that the ceiling wasn't done,
and that the walls weren't painted,
and that the carpet would have to be delayed.
That night we had a barbecue, and our friends
took out the markers and drew pictures of themselves,
their experiences, and their hopes on the
unpainted walls of the house that was behind schedule.
And we laughed, and no one cared that the house was unlivable.

We can't always control the timing of our plans,
but we can have fun along the way.
Friends don't care if the project is finished;
they just want to be a part of the magic of life.

Look at things from a new perspective.
Laugh. Be grateful you're where you are
at this moment.
Don't worry about trying to hurry the future along.
Look for the joy in life now.
Maybe a visit to the toy store would help you, too.

God, if I can't see the joy in life, help me look again.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
My Grandfather's Blessings ,Rachel Naomi Remen
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/racrem/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/racrem/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/racrem/part3.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/racrem/part4.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TOUCHING UP YOUR LIFE
By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

Touch is absolutely essential for human growth, development and
health. Of the five senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch)
there is more brain tissue used to receive input from your skin than
all the other four combined.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body. It is derived from the
same embryonic tissue as your brain and spinal cord. In his book,
"Touching: The Human Significance of the Skin," Ashley Montagu wrote:
"...the skin may be regarded as an exposed portion of the nervous
system." Your skin contains more sensory receptors than any other
organ of the body. Touch is the way we use our skin, just like vision
is the way we use our eyes and hearing is the way we use our ears.

If so much of our nervous system is devoted to touch, why has this
sense been so ignored? Because we have culturally "sexualized" it.
We have equated touch with sexual contact and declared such contact as
inappropriate outside a loving or committed relationship. Therefore
the instinctive need for physical contact has been minimally
addressed.

Sight and hearing are senses used for "distant" awareness. We read
newspapers, listen to music, watch T.V., hear lectures and concerts,
see what is happening at a distance.

Smell, taste and touch are our "proximal" (close) senses. Smelling
is both distant and proximal. But tasting and touching are "contact
sports."

You would think that we, as human mammals, would behave like all
other animals. Other mammals routinely integrate all of their senses
to receive and process information about themselves, their
environment, and their staying alive and healthy. Do we integrate
touch to alter our behavior, enhance our moods, improve our personal
relationships, communicate with each other, treat illnesses, and
enhance our life? Usually not! Touch is often avoided.

All other mammals use their sense of touch as the "final judge"
about "what is real." Physician, Dr. Julian Whitaker, writes: "You see
a sign that clearly says 'wet paint.' What do you do? You test the
paint with your finger. How do you know fire is hot? Does it look
hot? Have you ever picked up something that looked cool but was hot?
Did you stand there and hold it because it looked cool?" Indeed,
touch is the most important of the five senses.

A human being, even though blind and deaf from birth, can learn
speech and a vast array of other skills exclusively through the sense
of touch as did Helen Keller. And a newborn, with his sense of touch
intact, will die if it is not stimulated with holding, cuddling,
rocking and stroking the skin. Left untouched in their cribs, infants
literally cry to death.

Stroking and petting is appreciated by virtually all mammals. Yet
we are told from very early on, to "keep your hands to yourself."

Sensual touching is absolutely critical for the healthy
psychological development of us all. Our sense of being alive, of
existing, of learning about getting our needs met, of whether or not
we are powerful or important, of whether we determine the world to be
safe or dangerous, whether we are loved or not...all of these are
developed through the quality and quantity of touch.

Unfortunately, the religious and moral values of our society have
declared virtually all touching as "bad" or "sinful" or "sexual." It
is the starvation for touch, not the touch itself that generates
sexual dysfunction and promiscuity. It even invites drug abuse! Our
culture is so anti-touch, it seems the norm for most of us to hate our
bodies and avoid touch...the only true antidote for body hatred. How
unfortunate! By associating touch with sin and guilt, especially in
our early formative years, we have practically abolished our sense of
touch from our lives.

Dr. Whitaker concludes: "Folks, we have missed this touching thing
big time. Stimulation of the skin in a variety of ways, with much of
that stimulation coming from other people, is as beneficial [to your
health and well--being] as making the right dietary choices."

Hug; massage; rub with both hands (instead of shaking hands); use a
brush when bathing; use vibrators; give back-rubs; hold one another
with no talking, no clothes and no sex; sit close enough to
touch...all make effective use of the healthy sense of touch. Stay in
touch and your relationships are enriched. Touch up your life and you
enhance your health and happiness. Enjoy!

About the Author:
Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. has 30+ years experience as a Life Coach and
Licensed Psychologist. He is available for coaching in any area
presented in "Practical Psychology." As your Coach, his only agenda
is to assist you in creating the lifestyle you genuinely desire. The
initial coaching session is free. Contact him: (970) 568-0173 or
E-mail: DrLloyd@... or LJTDAT@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Albert

   Working in a hospital with recent stroke patients was an
all-or-nothing proposition. They were usually go grateful to be
alive or just wanted to die. A quick glance told all.

   Albert taught me much about strokes.

  One afternoon while making rounds I'd met him, curled in a
fetal position. A pale, dried-up old man with a look of death,
head half-buried under a blanket. He didn't budge when I
introduced myself, and he said nothing when I referred to dinner
"soon."

   At the nurse's station, an attendant provided some history.
He had no one. He'd lived too long. Wife of thirty years dead,
five sons gone.

   Well, maybe I could help. A chunky but pretty divorced
nurse avoiding the male population outside of work, I could
satisfy a need. I flirted.

   The next day I wore a dress, not my usual nursing uniform
but white. No lights on. Curtains drawn.

   Albert hollered at the staff to get out.    I pulled a chair
close to his bed, crossing my shapely legs, head tilted. I gave
him a perfect smile.

   "Leave me. I want to die."

   "What a crime, all us single women out there."

   He looked annoyed. I rambled on about how I liked working
"rehab" unit because I got to watch people reach their maximum
potential. It was a place of possibilities. He said nothing.

   Two days later during shift report, I learned that Albert
had asked when I'd be "on." The charge nurse referred to him as
my "boyfriend" and word got around. I never argued. Outside
his room, I'd tell others not to bother "my Albert."

   Soon he agreed to "dangle," sit on the side of the bed to
build up sitting tolerance, energy and balance. He agreed to
"work" with physical therapy if I'd return "to talk."

   Two months later, Albert was on a walker. By the third
month, he'd progressed to a cane. Fridays we celebrated
discharges with a barbecue. Albert and I danced to Edith Piaf.
He wasn't graceful, but he was leading. Tear-streaked cheeks
touched as we bade our good-byes.

   Periodically roses, mums and sweet peas would turn up. He
was gardening again.

   Then one afternoon, a lovely lavender-clad woman came on
the unit demanding "that hussy."

   My supervisor called; I was in the middle of giving a bed
bath.

   "So you're the one! The woman who reminded my Albert that
he's a man!" Her head tilted in full smile as she handed me a
wedding invitation.

By Magi Hart from Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul
Copyright 1999 by Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Lay My Head To Rest

God now I lay my head to rest
I am confident I've done my best
By your grace I live in today
Grateful and blessed
I walk this 12 step way
I was once a drunk
Whom did not give a damn
I would always say
I am who I am
If you did not like me
I could care less
In my mind I was the best
By Gods grace
I live in today
I'm very grateful
That I can say
My God spared me from my hell
Of His mercy I would gladly tell
God I lay my head to rest
To show my gratitude
I've done my best
Tomorrow
I'll stick out my hand
To every new man
This is the least I can do
You know I even go a lot further
As I put my best foot forward
I trudge this happy road
To my destiny
Now I love this thing
We call recovery
I'm in the meetings
In so many rooms
The faces change but it's still
The same story
This freedom we've won
Is to Gods glory
You probably know me
As Jim or Bill
I might also be
Mary or Jill
I'm in recovery for the long haul
I've found direction
I've heard the call
I worked the 12 steps
To sanity
God I just love recovery
God now I lay my head to rest
Know in my heart
I've done my best
If you don't know me just look
Around the room at the tables
I'll be there
Drinking coffee with a big smile
AA , NA , OA or SA
Many different programs
With 12 steps out
Just give up the confusion
Just come out
I thank God for this way
Now I'm ready
To get my rest
I thank you God for being blessed.......

Daniel M Corkery
6/14/2002
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
<http://www.geocities.com/dmcdreamer/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Puzzle Pieces ©

My life was a scattered-wide puzzle
I couldn't even assemble an edge
the cocaine and speed
pills booze and weed
were driving me out of my head
I've hurt so many in my life
used them all for all I could get
I'd lie cheat and steal
to make that next deal
(If you don't love, how can you regret?)
This self-centered life finally turned on me
I grew to hate who I was more and more
my world's size shrank down
from my country and town
to a spoon stuck behind a locked door
I came to a point in my using
I had to change, go to prison, or die
family and friends were all gone
my heart held no song
and worse, I couldn't even get high
I crawled into the rooms "Anonymous"
raised my hand and started to cry
you said I'd be ok
and just for today
I didn't have to use drugs or die
my life still feels like a puzzle
but its coming together today
step by step, piece by piece
"we're" rebuilding me
thanks to God and this thing called N.A.

Love and light, laughter and life
johnh94 2002
Johnh94@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"The most influential person who will talk to you all day is you,
so you should be very careful about what you say to you!"
Zig Ziglar
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Now and then I like to lift my eyes up
from the details of daily life and remember the bigger picture,
and take a breath of God,
and feel and remember that ultimately, it's all okay.
Dan Millman
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
Who are we NOT to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in us all."
Marianne Williamson
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Never believe that a few caring people can't change
the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have."
Margaret Mead
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Knowing is not enough;
we must apply.
Willing is not enough;
we must do.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The worse I felt,
The more I used.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I am not so afraid of the yets
as I am of the agains.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It's a hell of a thing
to be insane and not know it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When insanity doesn't feel comfortable that's growth.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1588

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Fri Mar 18, 2005 7:43 am
Subject: 3/18/05 "Have You Ever ?" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 8
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step08.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 18
Today I will be part of the mainstream of life.
I will share what I have when it can be useful,
looking for opportunities
to give to others the best of who I am.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Have You Ever ?

Have you ever looked at a bottle
That you want to throttle
Have you ever looked in the mirror
And start to quiver
Have you ever had the shakes
You think the earth quakes
Have you ever heard them say
Just call it a day
Have you ever been so drunk
You smell like a skunk
Have you ever known it all
Yet nothing at all
Have you ever forgot
That you lost the plot
Have you ever felt lonely
Being the one and only
Have you ever had a sip
Just to get a grip
Have you ever been so bad
It even makes YOU sad
Have you ever been too proud
To say your needs out loud
Have you ever had a cry
Then asked yourself why
Have you ever sat alone
With no-one to phone
Have you ever felt the pain
That drives you insane
Have you ever thought there's more
So what's the score
Have you ever felt so guilty
That you drown in self pity
Have you ever felt so low
You don't know where to go
Have you ever said "just one more"
And had five more
Have you ever looked above
For just a little love
Have you ever said I'll stop
But that was just a flop
Have you ever put friends before family
Just to be manly
Have you ever tried your best
Just to have a rest
Have you ever wanted a hug
Even though you were a thug

Oh! And by the way
Have you ever thought of joining AA?

Written by Leigh � Harare, Zimbabwe
17 February 2003
During his first week of recovery
kbassett@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Recovery Humor
<http://www.a-1associates.com/AA/HUMOR.HTM>

Recovery Humor
<http://www.a-1associates.com/AA/humor_page_2.htm>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=13>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today

March 18                              The full message

"There is a special feeling for addicts when they discover that there
are other people who share their difficulties, past and present."
Basic Text p. 53

The wealth of our recovery is too good to keep to ourselves. Some of us
believe that when we talk in meetings, we should "remember the
newcomer" and always try to carry a positive message. But sometimes
the most positive message we can carry is that we are going through
difficult times in our recovery and are staying clean in spite of them!

Yes, it's gratifying to send out a strong message of hope to our newer
members. After all, no one likes a whiner. But distressing things happen,
and life on life's terms can send shock waves even through the recovery
of long-time members of Narcotics Anonymous. If we are equipped with
the tools of the program, we can walk through such turmoil and stay clean
to tell the tale.

Recovery doesn't happen all at once; it is an ongoing process, sometimes a
struggle. When we dilute the fullness of our message by neglecting to
share about the tough times we may walk through on our journey, we fail
to allow newcomers the chance to see that they, too, can stay clean, no
matter what. If we share the full message of our recovery, we may not
know who benefits, but we can be sure someone will.

Just for today: I will honestly share both the good times and the
difficult times of my recovery. I will remember that my experience
in walking through adversity may benefit another member.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
TURNING IT OVER

Every man and woman who has joined A.A. and intends to stick has, without
realizing it, made a beginning on Step Three. Isn't it true that in all
matters touching upon alcohol, each of them has decided to turn his or her
life over to the care, protection, and guidance of Alcoholics Anonymous?
. . . Any willing newcomer feels sure A.A. is the only safe harbor for
the foundering vessel he has become. Now if this is not turning one's will
and life over to a newfound Providence, then what is it?
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 35

Submission to God was the first step to my recovery. I believe our
Fellowship seeks a spirituality open to a new kinship with God. As I exert
myself to follow the path of the Steps, I sense a freedom that gives me the
ability to think for myself. My addiction confined me without any release
and hindered my ability to be released from my self-confinement, but A.A.
assures me of a way to go forward. Mutual sharing, concern and caring for
others is our natural gift to each other and mine is strengthened as my
attitude toward God changes. I learn to submit to God's will in my life,
to have self-respect, and to keep both of these attitudes by giving away
what I receive.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 18th

A.A. Thought for the Day

When we alcoholics first come into A.A. and we
face the fact that we must spend the rest of our
life without liquor, it often seems like an
impossibility to us. So A.A. tells us to forget
about the future and take it one day at a time.
All we really have is now. We have no past time
and no future time. As the saying goes: "Yesterday
is gone, forget it; tomorrow never comes, don't
worry; today is here, get busy." All we have is
the present. The past is gone forever and the
future never comes. When tomorrow gets Here,
it will be today. Am I living one day at a time?

Meditation for the Day

Persistence is necessary if you are to advance in
spiritual things. By persistent prayer, persistent,
firm, and simple trust, you achieve the treasures
of the spirit. By persistent practice, you can
eventually obtain joy, peace, assurance, security,
health, happiness, and serenity. Nothing is too
great, in the spiritual realm, for you to obtain,
if you persistently prepare yourself for it.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may persistently carry out my
spiritual exercises every day. I pray that I may
strive for peace and serenity.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Let A Friendship be there for you

I was at a carnival somewhere, sitting on a bench,
eating blue cotton candy and experiencing the noise
and color the big carousel.
Garishly colored horses bounced up and down, round and round;
lights flashed; people whirred past.
The little girl was on the verge of tears
as her mother brought her up to the gate.
She stalled, trying desperately to convince her Mom,
that no, she really didn't want to go on the
merry-go-around after all.
Mom was reassuring but firm,
and finally a deal was reached.
Daughter would go on the big ride if Mom would go, too.

They gave the man their tickets and walked around,
the little one in awe of the multihued beasts that surrounded her.
Finally, she settled on a white one with gold mane and tail,
and directed her Mom to sit on the blue one next to her.
Mom smiled, a little embarrassed, but complied with her daughter's request.

Then the music started.
And suddenly, they were both five years old,
shrieking and laughing as their horses bounded away.
I laughed, too, watching from my bench.
They raced around an imaginary track through valleys, over rivers, across plains.
The music screamed, the lights flashed, and for a few minutes, they could fly.

They were still laughing when the ride ended.
"Again Mommy. Let's go again!" laughed the girl excitedly.
So they turned and got back in line.
In letting go of her fear, that little girl was able
to feel the wonder and excitement of a new experience,
and in helping her daughter to overcome fear,
the mother was able to recapture some of that thrill,
as well.
In our everyday lives, there are times when we are frightened,
times when we need a friend to give us courage,
and times when we can be a friend to give us courage
to someone else.
Be grateful for the times when you have
helped your friends find courage of their own.

Both sides of the coin are winners, and sometimes,
experience is sweetest when shared.

God, help me reach out my hand in friendship and strength
to those I meet along the way.
And when I'm scared, help me give up my pride
and ask a friend to stand by my side.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Kitchen Table Wisdom ,Rachel Naomi Remen
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/racrem/part5.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/racrem/part6.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/racrem/part7.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/racrem/part8.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
YOUR ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

Next Thursday, we celebrate a uniquely American holiday,
Thanksgiving. We set aside a day to appreciate who we are, what we
have, and the people who benefit our lives. Its a day when Gratitude
rejoices with her sister Joy and is always ready to have a party.
Gratitude doesn't much like the old cronies of boredom, despair, and
taking-things-for-granted. But they too are welcome to a Thanksgiving
Day party, because on that day, we are grateful for everything.

        Why spend only one day a year appreciating your life? Why
not develop a continual attitude of gratitude.

Nobel laureate, Hans Seyle, spent his life studying the effects of
stress on human physiology. He reported that the attitude of
"vengeance" had the most stressful impact on the human body. He also
declared that "gratitude" was the least stressful emotion anyone could
experience. If you strengthened your level of gratitude, you'd lower
your stress level...something each of us could well afford to do.

Sachiko Mirata, a scholar of Islam, calls gratitude the first
character trait that people owe Allah. He writes, "Ingratitude is to
shut our eyes to the obvious." When we open our eyes to all that is
around us, and we contemplate all with a grateful heart, then even the
common articles made for daily use become endowed with beauty. To
paraphrase George Washington Carver, "when you love [appreciate] it
enough, anything will talk with you."

How can your daily actions display your growing gratitude? Here are
some helpful hints.

---Express your thankfulness by doing the necessary, but menial tasks
around your home, so that other family members don't have to do them.
Become like the Franciscan, Brother Lawrence when he prayed, "Lord,
make me a saint through my washing the pots and pans."

---Make the words, "Thank you for..." a habitual part of your working
vocabulary. Kahlil Gibran once wrote, "I have learned silence from
the talkative, tolerance from the intolerant and kindness from the
unkind. I should not be ungrateful to those teachers." The medieval
Christian mystic Meister Eckhart suggests that if the only prayer we
say in our lifetime is "thank you," that would suffice

---Learn to appreciate who you are. Another Nobel Prize winner,
Albert Schweitzer cautions that "Your soul suffers if you live
superficially and ungratefully."

---Regard all things, all events, all living beings with
gratefulness. Take, for example a pencil, a dish, anything, and hold
it before you in both hands.   Regard it for a while. Forgetting its
use and name, continue to regard it with appreciation. Ask yourself
seriously, "What is it really?" Joseph Campbell writes that when you
do this, "Its dimension of wonder opens; for the mystery of the being
of that being is identical with the mystery of the being of the
universe---and yourself."

---Gratitude paid to all around us becomes a spiritual exercise.
Daily, show your gratitude to the music that enchants you, to your
shoes that protect your feet form the wear and tear of the elements of
the earth, to the movie that brings tears to your eyes and joy to your
heart, to the warmth of the sun upon which all life depends.

Finally, strengthen your gratitude for the relationships you have
with everyone around you. Appreciate how people have touched your
life, however briefly. The value of personal relationships to other
living beings creates intimacy. Intimacy creates understanding.
Understanding creates love. And love after all, is that for which we
need to be most grateful this Thanksgiving. Take your life for
grateful, not for granted, and you may indeed find joy in your being
alive.

Next Thursday, may you feast on the moments that stand out in your
mind as precious enough to replay them again and again. Then repeat
the mantra, "A good time is a taste of Gratefulness. I wish each and
every one of you a very happy Thanksgiving.

About the Author:
Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. has 30+ years experience as a Life Coach and
Licensed Psychologist. He is available for coaching in any area
presented in "Practical Psychology." As your Coach, his only agenda
is to assist you in creating the lifestyle you genuinely desire. The
initial coaching session is free. Contact him: (970) 568-0173 or
E-mail: DrLloyd@... or LJTDAT@....

Dr. Thomas also serves on the faculty of the Institute For Life Coach
Training. In that capacity, he teaches advanced coaching teleclasses:
*Coaching Successful Life*s Lessons,* and *Intentional Creation:
Re-Shaping Your Life.* To contact the Institute, call 970-224-9830 or
E-mail: doccoach@.... Check out the website:
www.lifecoachtraining.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Awakening
by Virginia Marie Swift ©

�A time comes in your life when you finally get it...

When in the midst of all your fears and insanity
you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere
the voice inside your head cries out - ENOUGH!

Enough fighting and crying or struggling to hold on.
And, like a child quieting down after a blind tantrum,
your sobs begin to subside, you shudder once or twice,
you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet
lashes you begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your awakening.

You realize that it's time to stop hoping and
waiting for something to change or for happiness,
safety and security to come galloping over the next horizon.
You come to terms with the fact that he is not Prince Charming
and you are not Cinderella and that in the real world
there aren't always fairy tale endings
(or beginnings for that matter)
and that any guarantee of "happily ever after"
must begin with you and in the process
a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.

You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that not
everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who
or what you are . . . and that's OK.
(They are entitled to their own views and opinions.)
And you learn the importance of loving and championing yourself
and in the process a sense of newfound confidence
is born of self-approval.
You stop complaining and blaming other people for the things
they did to you (or didn't do for you) and you learn
that the only thing you can really count on is the unexpected.

You learn that people don't always say what they mean
or mean what they say and that not everyone will always
be there for you and that it's not always about you.

So, you learn to stand on your own and to take care of yourself
and in the process a sense of safety and security is born of
self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept
people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and
human frailties and in the process a sense of peace and
contentment is born of forgiveness.

You realize that much of the way you view yourself, and the world
around you, is a result of all the messages and opinions that have
been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all
the crap you've been fed about how you should behave, how you
should look and how much you should weigh, what you should wear
and where you should shop and what you should drive, how and where
you should live and what you should do for a living, who you should
marry and what you should expect of a marriage, or what you owe
your parents.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view.
And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are what you
really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and
needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with and in
the process you learn to go with your instincts.

You learn that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there
is power and glory in creating and contributing and you stop
maneuvering through life merely as
"consumer" looking for your next fix.

You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are
not the outdated ideals of a bygone era, but the mortar that
holds together the foundation upon which you must build a life.

You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job to
save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.

You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.

Then you learn about love. Romantic love and familial love.
How to love, how much to give in love, when to stop giving and
when to walk away. You learn not to project your needs or your
feelings onto a relationship. You learn that you will not be more
beautiful, more intelligent, more lovable or important because
of the man on your arm or the child that bears your name.
You learn to look at relationships as they really are and not as
you would have them be. You stop trying to control people,
situations and outcomes. You learn that just as people grow and
change so it is with love . . . and you learn that you don't have the
right to demand love on your terms . . . just to make you happy.
And, you learn that alone does not mean lonely . . .

You look in the mirror and come to terms with the fact that
you will never be a size 5 or a perfect 10 and you stop trying
to compete with the image inside your head and agonizing over
how you "stack up".

You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside,
smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that
feelings of entitlement are perfectly OK . . . and that it's your
right to want things and to ask for the things that you want . . .
And that sometimes it is necessary to make demands.
You come to the realization that you deserve to be treated
with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and you won't
settle for less. And, you allow only the hands of a lover who
cherishes you to glorify you with his touch . . . and in the
process you internalize the meaning of self-respect.
And you learn that your body really is your temple.
And you begin to care for it and treat it with respect.
You begin eating a balanced diet, drinking more water
and taking more time to exercise.

You learn that fatigue diminishes the spirit and
can create doubt and fear. So you take more time to rest.
And, just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul.
So you take more time to laugh and to play.

You learn that, for the most part,
in life you get what you believe you deserve . . .
and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working
for and that wishing for something to happen is different
from working toward making it happen.
More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success
you need direction, discipline and perseverance.
You also learn that no one can do it all alone and
that it's OK to risk asking for help.

You learn that the only thing you must truly fear is the
great robber baron of all time . . . FEAR itself.
You learn to step right into and through your fears because
you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in
to fear is to give away the right to live life on your terms.
And you learn to fight for your life and not to squander
it living under a cloud of impending doom.

You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get
what you think you deserve and that sometimes-bad
things happen to unsuspecting, good people.
On these occasions you learn not to personalize things.
You learn that God isn't punishing you or
failing to answer your prayers. It's just life happening.

And you learn to deal with evil in its most primal state - the ego.
You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and
resentment must be understood and redirected
or they will suffocate the life out of you
and poison the universe that surrounds you.

You learn to admit when you are wrong
and to build bridges instead of walls.

You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many
of the simple things we take for granted,
things that millions of people upon the earth
can only dream about: a full refrigerator,
clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.

Slowly, you begin to take responsibility for yourself
by yourself and you make yourself a promise
to never betray yourself and to never ever to settle
for less than your heart's desire.

You hang a wind chime outside your window
so you can listen to the wind.
And you make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting,
and to stay open to every wonderful possibility.

Finally, with courage in your heart and with God by your side
you take a stand, you take a deep breath
and you begin to design the life
you want to live as best as you can.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Zuëla stood on the crest of the deep ravine, her dark body bathed in
the glow of the dying sun. Fascinated, she watched the misty spray,
spiral upwards, from the swirling waters below, enshrouding her with
dampness. Finally, she drew back from the edge, and lifted her gaze. The
mist, combined with the suns’ rays, obscured the opposite side of the
ravine. She paused. Faint whisperings reached her, gently carried on
the wind. She trembled with fear, recognizing the summons.

   Directly in front of Zuëla, was an old, narrow, rope bridge. She
stared at it, uncertain whether it would support her progress to the
other side. She looked down into the murky depths, that represented her
fears and doubts. She hesitated. Behind her she knew, lay shelter, food,
clothing, friends and family.

         She recalled the wise one’s warnings. Finally, she understood.
In order to gain freedom for her people, she must relinquish her security
and cross this narrow, flimsy bridge. She realized that this would be the
most, important decision of her life.

         Once more Zuëla looked towards the other side. She felt a
yearning, from deep within, arise and this feeling, this longing, was so
strong that it propelled her forward, and onto the bridge. Tentatively
she made her way across, hanging tightly on to the sides, never allowing
her eyes to look below.

     She was halfway across, when the wind rose. The bridge began to
wobble. It swayed and teetered under her weight. Suddenly, panic seized
her. She lost her grip. Her ears deafened with the loud beating of her
frightened heart. Her body froze. What was she doing out here? What
if the bridge collapsed and threw her into the dark waters below?

    Zuëla heard voices, urging her to return. They pleaded with her to
forget this silly nonsense. Her mind joined in and hammered her with
logical reasons for turning back.

   "Who do you think you are?" It argued. "Why should you put yourself
at risk to save other people? You’re not really worthy to perform this
deed. They won’t accept you. You’re not capable of knowing, what it is you
really want. Let me be in control. I‘ll keep you safe and assist you to
become powerful and capable.”

   Zuëla’s head spun from this barrage of thoughts. She could feel
herself wavering just as the bridge too was trembling and wavering
beneath her feet.

  Suddenly, from deep within, she felt something - something so minute
and small struggling and battling its way to the surface. Finally, this
spark of knowingness and faith, burst through the quagmire of
uncertainties. It stilled the panic. She took some deep breaths, and, with
eyes fixed straight ahead walked confidently forward and crossed the
bridge.

         The golden beings stood quietly watching They welcomed Zuëla
and lovingly embraced her. She felt the golden light slowly drift over
her. Finally, she accepted her wholeness and completely surrendered to
her beloved spirit - that spark from within, that had pushed her, ever
forward and onwards. Love seeped through every cell of her body and she
felt free and ecstatically happy. She glanced down at herself, and
recognized that, now she too, had become one of the Golden Beings of
Light.

         Zuëla turned, immersed in this golden radiance and looking
back, she saw her people lined up on the other side of the bridge, waiting.
The wise one was with them. She gazed upon them with love recognizing
the golden Spirit that resided within each one of them. She stretched
out her arms towards them, whispered their names and beckoned them
to join her.

Written by LLa'Rah
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Smile

Many Americans are familiar with The Little Prince, a
wonderful book by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. This is a
whimsical and fabulous book and works as a children's story
as well as a thought-provoking adult fable. Far fewer are
aware of Saint-Exupery's other writings, novels and short
stories.

Saint-Exupery was a fighter pilot who fought against
the Nazis and was killed in action. Before World War II, he
fought in the Spanish Civil War against the fascists. He
wrote a fascinating story based on that experience entitled
The Smile (Le Sourire). It is this story which I'd like to
share with you now. It isn't clear whether or not he meant
this to be autobiographical or fiction. I choose to believe
it to be the former.

He said that he was captured by the enemy and thrown
into a jail cell. He was sure that from the contemptuous
looks and rough treatment he received from his jailers he
would be executed the next day. From here, I'll tell the
story as I remember it in my own words.

"I was sure that I was to be killed. I became terribly
nervous and distraught. I fumbled in my pockets to see if
there were any cigarettes which had escaped their search. I
found one and because of my shaking hands, I could barely
get it to my lips. But I had no matches, they had taken
those.

"I looked through the bars at my jailer. He did not
make eye contact with me. After all, one does not make eye
contact with a thing, a corpse. I called out to him 'Have
you got a light, por favor?' He looked at me, shrugged and
came over to light my cigarette.

"As he came close and lit the match, his eyes
inadvertently locked with mine. At that moment, I smiled. I
don't know why I did that. Perhaps it was nervousness,
perhaps it was because, when you get very close, one to
another, it is very hard not to smile. In any case, I
smiled. In that instant, it was as though a spark jumped
across the gap between our two hearts, our two human souls.
I know he didn't want to, but my smile leaped through the
bars and generated a smile on his lips, too. He lit my
cigarette but stayed near, looking at me directly in the
eyes and continuing to smile.

"I kept smiling at him, now aware of him as a person
and not just a jailer. And his looking at me seemed to have
a new dimension, too. 'Do you have kids?' he asked.
" 'Yes, here, here.' I took out my wallet and nervously
fumbled for the pictures of my family. He, too, took out the
pictures of his ninos and began to talk about his plans and
hopes for them. My eyes filled with tears. I said that I
feared that I'd never see my family again, never have the
chance to see them grow up. Tears came to his eyes, too.
"Suddenly, without another word, he unlocked my cell
and silently led me out. Out of the jail, quietly and by
back routes, out of the town. There, at the edge of town, he
released me. And without another word, he turned back toward
the town.

"My life was saved by a smile."
Yes, the smile - the unaffected, unplanned natural
connection between people. I tell this story in my work
because I'd like people to consider that underneath all the
layers we construct to protect ourselves, our dignity, our
titles, our degrees, our status and our need to be seen in
certain ways - underneath all that, remains the authentic,
essential self. I'm not afraid to call it the soul. I really
believe that if that part of you and that part of me could
recognize each other, we wouldn't be enemies. We couldn't
have hate or envy or fear. I sadly conclude that all those
other layers, which we so carefully construct through our
lives, distance and insulate us from truly contacting
others. Saint-Exupery's story speaks of that magic moment
when two souls recognize each other.

I've had just a few moments like that. Falling in love
is one example. And looking at a baby. Why do we smile when
we see a baby? Perhaps it's because we see someone without
all the defensive layers, someone whose smile for us we know
to be fully genuine and without guile. And that baby-soul
inside us smiles wistfully in recognition.

By Hanoch McCarty from Chicken Soup for the Soul
Copyright 1993 by Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Fear knocked at the door.
Faith answered.
No one was there.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"...the ignorant bemoan their fate and seek to blame
their problems on others. The wise seek the cause
of the problem within themselves."

Hex. 39 The Oracle of Changes (CDROM)
http://www.iching.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
John F. Kennedy
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
   "Evil (ignorance) is like a shadow--
it has no real substance of its own,
it is simply a lack of light.
You cannot cause a shadow to disappear
by trying to fight it, stamp on it,
by railing against it, or any other form
of emotional or physical resistance.
In order to cause a shadow to disappear,
you must shine light on it."
Shakti Gawain
Author Of "Creative Visualization"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
...our life crises tell us that we need
to break free of beliefs that no longer serve our personal development. These points at which we must choose to change
or to stagnate are our greatest challenges.
Every new crossroads means we enter into a new cycle of change -
whether it be adopting a new health regimen
or a new spiritual practice.
And change inevitably means letting go
of familiar people and places and moving on to another stage of life.

Caroline Myss, PH.D., Anatomy of the Spirit
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
easy does it
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
keep coming back
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
first things first
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
let go and let god
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1587

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Thu Mar 17, 2005 12:36 pm
Subject: 3/17/05 "Planted Close To The Stream" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 7
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step07.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 17th
Today I know I have a right
to be alive and happy and full of joy.
Today I trust that I am where I am supposed to be,
and am moving in the right direction.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Planted Close To The Stream

My mind is peaceful ... my heart is sure.
My spirit has wings on which I soar,
away from what little minds think and feel.
A coward can't know what to me is so real.

I'm not in the box that most people live in,
Too scared to imagine ... nowhere to begin.
The things that most matter thrive inside my heart.
Expressed through humor, music, writing and art.

I'm proof of the things that most people can't see.

Look at the Oak ... as it used to be.
Climb up the branches and look at the earth,
you'll see where the tree ... was a seed.
Now, stand on the ground while the Oak is a seed,
look up at the sky and see the whole tree.
It's really not hard to believe ... and then see.
In fact, it's quite natural ... for me.

So with peace and assurance inside ... inside I soar,
Into the future that I am meant for.
Knowing it holds all the things that I need.
Like an Oak with roots so secure;
a tree ... that once was a seed,
un-afraid to be more.

My roots found a way to the stream.
Reaching upward ... continued to dream.

Written by Rita Hurd
nafesah_faith_ali_loves_you@...

( Only through the 12 steps and recovery is this possible.
Each of us without our higher power is nothing. Yet, with
our minds open and our hands reaching up to a God of our
understanding we can be all we are meant to be.
It is my prayer that each of us remain humble ...
keeping our roots near the stream of life.)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Comics of the Week
<http://www.recoveryjonescartoons.com/comicsoftheweek.htm>

N.A. Archive
<http://mwbr.net/narchive/carena/recovery/>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=12>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 17                             True Courage

"Those who make it through these times show a courage not their
own." Basic Text p. 82

Before coming to NA, many of us thought we were brave simply because
we had never experienced fear. We had drugged all our feelings, fear
among them, until we had convinced ourselves that we were tough,
courageous people who wouldn't crack under any circumstances.

But finding our courage in drugs has nothing to do with the way we live
our lives today. Clean and in recovery, we are bound to feel frightened at
times. When we first realize we are feeling frightened, we may think
we are cowards. Were afraid to pick up the phone because the person on
the other end might not understand. We're afraid to ask someone to
sponsor us because they might say no. We're afraid to look for a job.
We're afraid to be honest with our friends. But all of these fears are
natural, even healthy. What's not healthy is allowing fear to paralyze us.

When we permit our fear to stop our growth, we will be defeated. True
courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the willingness to walk
through it.

Just for today: I will be courageous today. When I'm afraid, I'll do
what I need to do to grow in 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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE KEY IS WILLINGNESS

Once we have placed the key of willingness in the lock and have the door
ever so slightly open, we find that we can always open it some more.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 35

The willingness to give up my pride and self-will to a Power greater than
myself has proved to be the only ingredient absolutely necessary to solve
all of my problems today. Even the smallest amount of willingness, if
sincere, is sufficient to allow God to enter and take control over any
problem, pain, or obsession. My level of comfort is in direct relation to
the degree of willingness I possess at any given moment to give up my
self-will, and allow God's will to be manifested in my life. With the key
of willingness, my worries and fears are powerfully transformed into serenity.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 17th

A.A. Thought for the Day

A.A. also helps us to hang onto sobriety. By having
regular meetings so that we can associate with
other alcoholics who have come through that same
door in the wall, by encouraging us to tell the story
of our own sad experiences with alcohol, and by
showing us how to help other alcoholics, A.A. keeps
us sober. Our attitude toward life changes from one
of pride and selfishness to one of humility and
gratitude. Am I going to step back through that door
in the wall to my old helpless, hopeless, drunken life?

Meditation for the Day

Withdraw into the calm of communion with God. Rest
in that calm and peace. When the soul finds its home
of rest in God, then it is that real life begins. Only
when you are calm and serene can you do good work.
Emotional upsets make you useless. The eternal life
is calmness and when you enter into that, then you live
as an eternal being. Calmness is based on complete
trust in God. Nothing in this world can separate you
from the love of God.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may wear the world like a loose garment.
I pray that I may keep serene at the center of my being.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Clarity and Direction

In spite of our best efforts to work our programs
and lean on God's guidance, we sometimes
don't understand what's going on in our life.
We trust, wait, pray, listen to people,
listen to ourselves, and the answer still does not come.

During those times, we need to understand
that we are right where we need to be,
even though that place may
feel awkward and uncomfortable.
Our life does have purpose and direction.

We are being changed, healed, and transformed
at levels deeper then we can imagine.
Good things, beyond our capacity to imagine,
are being prepared and brought to us.
We are being led and guided.

We can become peaceful.
We do not have to act in haste or urgency
just to relieve our discomfort, just to get an answer.
We can wait until our mind is peaceful.
We can wait for clear direction.
Clarity will come.

The answer will come, and it will be good for us
and those around us.

Today, God, help me know I am being guided into what's good about life,
especially when I feel confused and without direction.
Help me trust enough to wait until my mind and vision are clear and consistent.
Help me know that clarity will come.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Peace Pilgrim
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/peapil/>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/peapil/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/peapil/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/peapil/part3.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/peapil/part4.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/peapil/part5.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/peapil/part6.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I Choose.....
by Marie T. Russell

The other day I was giving myself a "good talking to". telling myself I
really need to exercise regularly, eat better, take better care of myself.
You get the picture. It was one of those days when I was determined to do
better and was giving myself what I was considering a "pep talk" to get
myself to follow a path of health and vibrancy. But of course I realized
that all this "telling myself what to do" and this "sermonizing" to myself
was not getting me anywhere. As with many of us, I still bristle at being
"told what to do" -- whether by others or by myself.

What I realized is that when I made those same decisions (exercising, eating
better, etc.) from a position of choice rather than a position of "have to"
or "should", then I had a much better feeling about it. So I decided to
experiment. Rather than saying to myself that I "should" or really "have to"
exercise regularly, I said to myself "I choose to exercise regularly".

It was interesting to note the different feeling or energy that accompanied
that statement: "I choose.". Rather than a feeling of guilt, of not being
"good enough", of not living up to what I know is "best", I found myself
feeling empowered. Saying "I choose to." put me in a position of making
choices for myself rather than following the dictates of somebody else or of
my own "shoulds" and "have tos".

So throughout that day, whenever a situation came up when a "should" or
"have to" came up, I would replace it with "I choose". For example, looking
at the dirty dishes left over from the night before, instead of saying to
myself "I have to do the dishes", I said "I choose to do the dishes". All of
the sudden, the energy around washing those dishes changed. It was no longer
a chore, something that I knew I had to do, but something that I was doing
because I chose to do it, because I no longer wanted to look at those dirty
dishes. Then later, as it came time for lunch, rather than saying "I really
should eat something healthy", I said "I choose to eat something healthy".

The feelings I had from those two statements were like night and day -- the
"really should" statements are usually accompanied by judgment (for failures
in the past), by preaching (you know better than to eat fast food), by guilt
(you're not taking good enough care of yourself). Definitely not energies
that are supportive of good feelings, not to mention good digestion.

On the contrary, when I replaced the "should" statement, with an "I choose"
statement, I felt empowered to take care of myself. Saying "I choose" laid
no guilt trip, imposed no rules that I "should" be following, did not make
me feel like I was not doing it "right". Saying "I choose to eat healthy
food" was very empowering and freeing. It took me out of the realm of the
"rebellious child" and into the world of the empowered adult making choices
of her own for her own wellbeing -- rather than doing what "others think is
best" for me. What I found is that applying the "I choose" method to
anything that I was balking at doing changed the whole energy about it.

Everything we do is a choice. Even if someone if holding a gun at you and
asking you to hand over all your money, that is your choice. You can choose
not to. Mind you the consequence of that choice may ensure your being shot,
but it is a choice nevertheless. A little less drastic example? OK. There
are times when your body sends you signals -- it's hungry, it needs to go to
the bathroom, it's thirsty.

Even if your body is sending those messages, you choose whether to respond
immediately or whether to delay. All of those things are choices. While yes
you will have to eat eventually, you don't necessarily stop in the middle of
a sentence and say, oops, I have to go right now, my body is hungry. It is a
choice. Everything we do (except breathing possibly) is a choice -- and even
with breathing, we can control the speed and frequency of our breath and we
can hold our breath (to a point).

How can this work for you? Maybe it's Monday morning and you're resisting
going to work. You have those Monday blues. Rather than muttering to
yourself "I hate my job" or "I wish I didn't have to go to work", I suggest
you might first look at the reasons you're going to work. Probably to earn
some money for food, lodging, clothing, fun things, etc. So rather than
going to work begrudgingly, you might try saying "I choose to go to work
today". This puts a whole new spin on it, rather than "I have to go to work
today". Remember, you always have the choice. There are many people who have
chosen to no longer go to work every day -- some are homeless, others are
earning a living in some other creative ways. Every morning when we get
up -- that's a choice. We could choose to stay in bed all day, but we choose
to get up (even if we say we're getting up because we "have to").

You could choose to stay in bed. You could choose to stay home all week. You
might get fired? You might end up without a job? You might end up homeless?
While all those scenarios are a little drastic, all of them are the result
of choices made. So in the same way, going to work in the morning is a
choice -- one we make each day.

I find myself feeling better about my actions when I remind myself that they
are choices -- not "have tos". I choose to get up in the morning, I choose
to work everyday, I choose to eat healthy foods, I choose to take good care
of my health, I choose to wash the dishes, I choose to take out the garbage,
I choose to be loving and patient with myself and others.

In the same way when I find myself feeling impatient, angry, etc., if I tell
myself "I'm choosing to be impatient", "I'm choosing to be angry", it puts
the whole thing in new perspective. All of a sudden, I see that I have a
choice. I could also choose to be patient, to be understanding. Now why
would I choose to be impatient, when it is only getting me upset? When I see
that the impatience is indeed a choice I'm making, I can choose differently.

This whole process has been quite a revelation to me and very freeing. All
of a sudden I'm not doing anything because I "have to" anymore. I see that
everything I'm doing I do because I choose to do it -- but the difference is
that when I'm aware that it is a choice, I no longer have to grumble and
complain about it -- because I'm choosing, not "having to" do it. I choose
to wash the dirty dishes because if I don't they will accumulate and I'll no
longer have any clean dishes to eat on. I could choose to not wash them and
eat on dirty dishes (yuk), or I could choose to go hungry (not), or I could
always go out to eat (I don't think so), I could choose to throw out the
dishes and eat on paper plates (not very environmentally friendly), etc. So
based on these alternatives, I see that I wash the dishes because I choose
to. or I go to work because I choose to, or whatever I've felt was a "have
to" in my life I really do because I choose to.

Everything is a choice. When we recognize that everything we do is because
of a choice we're making, we then become empowered to choose things that
bring us wellbeing and happiness -- because, after all, it is our choice.

About The Author
Marie T. Russell is the publisher of InnerSelf Magazine and The Natural
Yellow Pages. She produced a weekly South Florida radio broadcast, Inner
Power, from 1992-1995 which focused on themes such as self-esteem, personal
growth, and well-being. Her articles focus on transformation and
reconnecting with our own inner source of joy and creativity. Marie can be
reached at marie@... with personal comments and feedback, or to be
placed on a mailing list to be advised when her book becomes available.
http://innerself.com/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Gentle Art of Blessing

On awakening, bless this day, for it is already full of unseen good
which your blessings will call forth; for to bless is to acknowledge
the unlimited good that is embedded in the very texture of the
universe and awaiting each and all.

On passing people in the street, on the bus, in places of work and
play, bless them. The peace of your blessing will accompany them
on their way and the aura of its gentle fragrance will be a light
to their path.

On meeting and talking to people, bless them in their health, their
work, their joy, their relationships to God, themselves, and others.
Bless them in their abundance, their finances...bless them in every
conceivable way, for such blessings not only sow seeds of healing
but one day will spring forth as flowers of joy in the waste places
of your own life.

As you walk, bless the city in which you live, its government and
teachers, its nurses and streetsweepers, its children and bankers,
its priests and prostitutes. The minute anyone expresses the least
aggression or unkindness to you, respond with a blessing: bless them
totally, sincerely, joyfully, for such blessings are a shield which
protects them from the ignorance of their misdeed, and deflects
the arrow that was aimed at you.

To bless means to wish, unconditionally, total, unrestricted good
for others and events from the deepest wellspring in the innermost
chamber of your heart: it means to hallow, to hold in reverence, to
behold with utter awe that which is always a gift from the Creator.
He who is hallowed by your blessing is set aside, consecrated,
holy, whole.

To bless is yet to invoke divine care upon, to think or speak
gratefully for, to confer happiness upon - although we ourselves are
never the bestower, but simply the joyful witnesses of Life's
abundance.

To bless all without discrimination of any sort is the ultimate
form of giving, because those you bless will never know from
whence came the sudden ray of sun that burst through the
clouds of their skies, and you will rarely be a witness to the
sunlight in their lives. When something goes completely askew
in your day, some unexpected event knocks down your plans and
you too also, burst into blessing: for life is teaching you a
lesson, and the very event you believe to be unwanted, you
yourself called forth, so as to learn the lesson you might balk
against were you not to bless it. Trials are blessings in disguise,
and hosts of angels follow in their path.

To bless is to acknowledge the omnipresent, universal beauty
hidden to material eyes; it is to activate that law of attraction
which, from the furthest reaches of the universe, will bring
into your life exactly what you need to experience and enjoy.
When you pass a prison, mentally bless its inmates in their
innocence and freedom, their gentleness, pure essence and
unconditional forgiveness; for one can only be prisoner of one's
self-image, and a free man can walk unshackled in the courtyard
of a jail, just as citizens of countries where freedom reigns can
be prisoners when fear lurks in their thoughts. When you pass
a hospital, bless its patients in their present wholeness, for
even in their suffering, this wholeness awaits in them to be
discovered. When your eyes behold a man in tears, or seemingly
broken by life, bless him in his vitality and joy: for the material
senses present but the inverted image of the ultimate splendor
and perfection which only the inner eye beholds. It is impossible
to bless and to judge at the same time. So hold constantly as a
deep, hallowed, intoned thought that desire to bless, for truly
then shall you become a peacemaker, and one day you shall,
everywhere, behold the very face of God.

Pierre Pradervand
THE GENTLE ART OF BLESSING-
LIVING ONE'S SPIRITUALITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Unquiet Mind

Ever seeking, ever listening
ever reaching
always dreaming
The unquiet mind is an open
road to the new discovery
of self's advancing reflection

Beaming this way and that
across paths of thought
towards sanctuaries of healing
through forest successions
sometimes still - enough
to absorb the silence
or dormancy of the cycle
inside the circle
sometimes racing - forward
tumbling over others

Unquiet is the mode
of imperfection
of detours on the road
of life
of the soul seeking wholeness

If the mind
opens
and lets light...
a new destination...
behold! an understanding...
peep through
then unexpectedly
the unquietness
embraces the solemn promise of
its own destiny
and peace is born

Love
Stella

© 2002 Stella Raymonde Savoie
stellaraymonde@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nudge The Balance
Anonymous Sage

"A 91-year-old woman died after living a very long dignified life.
When she met God, she asked Him something that had really bothered her for a very long time.
"If Man was created in God's image, and if all men are created equal,
why do people treat each other so badly?"

God replied that each person who enters our life has a unique lesson to teach us.
It is only through these lessons that we learn about life, people and our relationships with God.

This confused the woman, so God began to explain:

"When someone lies to you, it teaches you that things are not always what they seem.
The truth is often far beneath the surface.
Look beyond the masks people wear if you want to know what is in their hearts.
Remove your own masks to let people know who you really are.

When someone steals from you it teaches you that nothing is forever.
Always appreciate what you have. You never know when you might lose it.
Never take your friends or family for granted,
because today and sometimes only this very moment is the only guarantee you may have.

When someone inflicts injury upon you, it teaches you that the human state is a very fragile one.
Protect and take care of your body as best as you can, it's the one thing that you are sure to have forever.

When someone mocks you, it teaches you that no two people are alike.
When you encounter people who are different from you, do not judge them by how they look or act,
instead base it on the contents of what is in their hearts.

When someone breaks your heart, it teaches you that loving someone
does not always mean that the person will love you back.
But don't turn your back on love, because when you find the right person,
the joy that one person brings you will make up for all of your past hurts.
Times a thousand fold.

When someone holds a grudge against you, it teaches you that everyone makes mistakes.
When you are wronged, the most virtuous thing you can do is forgive the offender without pretense.
Forgiving those who have hurt us is often the most difficult and painful of life's experiences,
but it is also the most courageous thing a person can do.

When a loved one is unfaithful to you, it teaches you that resisting temptation is Man's greatest challenge.
Be vigilant in your resistance against all temptations.
By doing so, you will be rewarded with an enduring sense of satisfaction far greater
than the temporary pleasure by which you were tempted.

When someone cheats you, it teaches you that greed is the root of all evil.
Aspire to make your dreams come true, no matter how lofty they may be.
Do not feel guilty about your success, but never let an obsession
with achieving your goals lead you to engage in malevolent activities.

When someone ridicules you, it teaches you that nobody is perfect.
Accept people for their merits and be tolerant of their flaws.
Do not ever reject someone for imperfections over which they have no control."

Upon hearing the Lord's wisdom, the old woman became concerned
that there are no lessons to be learned from man's good deeds.
God replied that Man's capacity to love is the greatest gift He has.
At the root of kindness and love, and each act of love also teaches us a lesson.
The woman's curiosity deepened. God, once again began to explain:

"When someone loves us, it teaches us love, kindness, charity, honesty, humility, forgiveness, acceptance,
and all of these can counteract all the evil in the world.
For every good deed, there is one evil deed.
Man alone has the power to control the balance between good and evil,
but because the lessons of love are not taught often enough, the power is too often abused.

When you enter someone's life, whether by plan, chance or coincidence,
consider what your lesson will be.
Will you teach love or a harsh lesson of reality?
When you die, will your life have resulted in more loving or more hurting?
More comfort or more pain?
More joy or more sadness?
Each one of us has the power over the balance of the love in the world. Use it wisely!"

Don't miss an opportunity to tilt the seesaw in the right direction!
This is a story you may want to pass on to those you love and those you have hurt,
and those that have hurt you.
Hopefully with each person that receives this, there will be a great deal more love to nudge the balance!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Dear God:

Where my body is broken,
Please heal it.
May every cell,
be filled with grace.
And returned to its divine right placement,
In me
And in all others...Amen

"Illuminated Prayers" by Marianne Williamson
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"The soul enters through the wound of defeat."
K. Bly
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Reputation is made in a moment:
character is built in a lifetime.
Unknown
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches,
but reveal to them their own."
Disraeli
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Perception - the lens through which we view life -
is at the root of how we deal with all of it.
As Victor Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and author, put it so eloquently,
"everything can be taken away from a man but one thing:
the last of the human freedoms-
to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances,
to choose one's own way."
From Chaos to Coherence, Doc Childre and Bruce Cryer
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If God seems far away, who moved ?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Recovery is a journey,
not a destination.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There are no coincidences,
It's Gods way of remaining anonymous.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If your not a part of the solution,
Then you are a part of the problem.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1586

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Wed Mar 16, 2005 5:36 pm
Subject: 3/16/05 "Meeting Makers- Make It" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 6
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step06.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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
REGP64@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
a safe place for addicts, members of the gay community…
<http://www.geocities.com/lisbethduck/index1.htm>

Earth Group N.A. Website is “Changing Its Look” on March 20th
<http://www.earthgroupna.org>
this is how you have to resign up to start back getting the EGNA emeeting
The eMeeting is a twice weekly email NA Meeting that is sent to your email address.
To subscribe go to: http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org
<http://earthgroupna.org/mailman/listinfo/egna_meeting_earthgroupna.org>
After you sign up you will receive a confirmation email with instructions on how to confirm.
After that you will receive an email telling you how to unsubscribe,
change your email address, view past eMeetings, suspend your account when you
don't want to receive the eMeeting for a period of time (i.e. when your on vacation).
Send all shares and questions to mailer@...
<mailto:mailer@...>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=11>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A 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.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*You Are A Miracle*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Redefine Your World

"One power we gain on our journey to the heart is the ability
to redefine what we believe. We learn to see things in a new way."

We usually have a definition for most areas of our lives, particularly
important areas such as work, love, money and ourselves, but we're not
always conscious of it. The experiences we go through can help our
definitions surface, help us see more clearly how we define these areas.
That's called growth. This growth, this process of redefining, will
happen naturally on our path. But we can also consciously, actively work
on our definitions.

Ask yourself if you're defining something or someone right now in a
way that you'd like to change. Perhaps a work relationship, a love
relationship, a project, or an issue is causing you distress. You may find
you have the power to redefine this area in a way that minimizes or
reduces your pain.

A healing professional and friend once taught me a technique that can be
used on any subject you're trying to define. On a sheet of paper write
down everything you currently believe, including and especially everything
negative, about the subject or issue. Include all the "I Cants'" and the
"Why Nots." That's your current definition. On a clean sheet of paper,
write down how you want to redefine this area and your involvement in it.
Write down everything you want it to be, what you wish for it, what you
think the highest truth possible about this subject could be.

Burn the paper with the old definition. Let the smoke clear away from
your eyes. Save your new definition. Then watch how the new definition
comes to life and takes shape.

You don't have to let past definitions of life, love, God and yourself,
limit you anymore. You are free to redefine and help create the life you
choose, and you're free to see life in a different way."

by Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Excerpts From Recent Talks, Mary Manin Morrissey
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part5.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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
DMCDREAMER1@...
DMCDREAMER's Page of Poetry
<http://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.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1585

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Tue Mar 15, 2005 1:14 pm
Subject: 3/15/05 "Joy in the Seeking" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 5
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step05.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 15
My Higher Power guides me in directions
that fills positive needs in my life today.
I have grown to see that my true needs
are love and peace and joy.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Joy in the Seeking

I no longer search for fortunes
or the fame I once desired
or to be a well known writer
like the ones I have admired.
All I seek today is knowledge
of the Grace of God so sweet
and to pass it on to others
this will make my life complete.
Just to shine His light toward others
giving back what's give to me
so the lonely hearts in darkness
might find a way to see
That there's joy in every moment
In the Grace our God has give
and the peace is over flowing
if our life for Him we live
Let us pray to be a vessel
of the light He shines today
so others all about us
will see to find their way.
As we trudge this road together
hand in hand we shall survive
baring one another's burdens
makes us glad to be alive.
For true joy is in the seeking
and with gratitude we list
all the blessings we are given
by His Grace we still exist.
For in truth it's in the knowing
by all rights we should be dead.
Yet He lets us keep on living
so that others might be lead.

Written by: Rebecca Ann Bowlin
copywrite © 2002
rbowlin14@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A.A. Cuba
"This site is maintained by 4 Canadian members of 'AA'
We have a commitment to help struggling AA groups in Cuba"
<http://aaincuba1.homestead.com/>

NA Way Of Life
NON approved NA Litereature
take what ya need and leave the rest
<http://www.nawol.org/>

Earth Group N.A..’s NEW HOME :)
<http://www.earthgroupna.org/forum/>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=10>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 15                               Feeling a "part of"

"The get-togethers after our meetings are good opportunities to
share things that we didn't get to discuss during the meeting."
Basic Text p. 29

Active addiction set us apart from society, isolating us. Fear was at the
core of that alienation. We believed that if we let others get to know us,
they would only find out how terribly flawed we were. Rejection would be
only a short step away. When we come to our first NA meeting, we are
usually impressed by the familiarity and friendliness we see other
recovering addicts share. We, too, can quickly become a part of this
fellowship, if we allow ourselves to. One way to start is by tagging along
to the local coffee shop after the meeting.

At these gatherings, we can let down the walls that separate us from
others and discover things about ourselves and other NA members. One
on one, we can sometimes disclose things that we may be reluctant to
share at the group level. We learn to make small talk at many of these
late-night gatherings and forge deep, strong friendships as well.

With our newfound friends in NA, we no longer have to live lives of
isolation. We can become a part of the greater whole, the Fellowship of
Narcotics Anonymous.

Just for today: I will break free of isolation. I will strive to feel a
part of the NA Fellowship.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A LIFELONG TASK

     "But just how, in these circumstances, does a fellow 'take it
easy?' That's what I want to know."
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 26

I was never known for my patience. How many times have I asked, "Why
should I wait, when I can have it all right now?" Indeed, when I was first
presented the Twelve Steps, I was like the proverbial "kid in a candy
store." I couldn't wait to get to Step Twelve; it was surely just a few
months' work, or so I thought! I realize now that living the Twelve Steps
of A.A. is a lifelong undertaking.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 15th

A.A. Thought for the Day

We alcoholics were on a merry-go-round, going
round and round, and we couldn't get off. That
merry-go-round is a kind of hell on earth. In A.A.
I got off that merry-go-round by learning to
stay sober. I pray to my Higher Power every
morning to help me to keep sober. And I get the
strength from that Power to do what I could
never do with my own strength. I do not doubt
the existence of that Power. We're not speaking
into a vacuum when we pray. That Power is there,
if we will use it. Am I off the merry-go-round of
drinking for good?

Meditation for the Day

I must remember that in spiritual matters I am
only an instrument. It is not mine to decide how
or when I am to act. God plans all spiritual matters.
It is up to me to make myself fit to do God's work.
All that hinders my spiritual activity must be
eliminated. I can depend on God for all the strength
I need to overcome those faults that are blocks.
I must keep myself fit, so that God can use me as
a channel for His spirit.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that my selfishness may not hinder my
progress in spiritual matters. I pray that I may
be a good instrument for God to work with.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Feelings

It's okay to have and feel our feelings--all of them.
Years into recovery, we may still be battling with
ourselves about this issue. Of all the prohibitions
we've lived with, this one is potentially the most
damaging and the most long-lived.

Many of us needed to shut down the emotional part
of ourselves to survive certain situations. We shut
down the part of us that feels anger, sadness, fear,
joy, and love. We may have turned off our sexual or
sensual feelings too. Many of us lived in systems
with people who refused to tolerate our emotions.
We were shamed or reprimanded for expressing
feelings, usually by people who were taught to
repress their own.

But times have changed. It is okay now for us to
acknowledge and accept our emotions. We don't
need to allow our emotions to control us; neither do
we need to rigidly repress our feelings. Our
emotional center is a valuable part of us. It's
connected to our physical well-being, our thinking,
and our spirituality.

Our feelings are also connected to that great gift,
instinct. They enable us to give and receive love.
We are neither weak nor deficient for indulging in
our feelings. It means we're becoming healthy and
whole.

Today, I will allow myself to recognize and accept
whatever feelings pass through me. Without shame,
I will tune in to the emotional part of myself.

from the book, The Language of Letting Go
by Melody Beattie © 1990
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
No Less Than Greatness, Mary Manin Morrissey
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part6.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part7.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part8.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part9.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part10.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There is enough of everything on this planet for everyone. There is an
abundance of air, food, love, joy, and money. There is enough money on this
planet for everyone to have a million dollars! The "problem" is not the
amount of money, it is the consciousness that determines the distribution.
Are you ready to shift your consciousness?

10 Prosperity Principles

1. In this moment, choose to believe that the Universe is abundant and that
you are a part of that abundance. You are a part of the universal flow of
energy in an ocean of abundance. One aspect of this energy is the concept we
call money, and it is just as spiritual as anything else.

2. In this moment, feel the presence of Spirit in your life and know that
Spirit is the true Source of your abundance, not your job or any other
person. You are always taken care of. You are safe. Remember that Spirit
always has the solution for any challenge that confronts you. Meditate daily
to connect with Spirit so that you can truly feel that all is well.

3. In this moment, know that you are deserving of all the abundance of the
Universe. Just because you exist, you are deserving. There is nothing you
need to do or be. Just be willing to accept the idea that you are deserving.

4. In this moment, be willing to give up your limiting beliefs about
prosperity. The abundance of Spirit abounds everywhere! Open your mind to
the idea that there is plenty for everyone. Your personal beliefs in any
area of your life create your personal reality. As you change the beliefs
that limit you, the outer reality changes!

5. In this moment, remember that you are connected with Infinite Mind. This
Mind works through the Law of Attraction, and It is always responding to
your thoughts and feelings. Affirm and visualize the abundance that you want
in your life. Include joy, peace, love, wonderful relationships, and health
along with money and material things.

6. In this moment, practice feeling the joy of knowing that all is well in
your life. Relax. Smile. Dance. Enjoy the beauty of nature. Focus on this
moment in time, not yesterday or tomorrow, and appreciate this moment.
Practice faith and trust.

7. In this moment, recognize that as you accept your prosperity, you
encourage others to do the same. When the consciousness of one person
shifts, it affects everyone else. Your own acceptance of prosperity helps
the entire planet.

8. In this moment, be willing to begin sharing your prosperity with others,
even if it is only a dollar. When you give freely to others, you are
affirming that you are prosperous enough to share.

9. In this moment, remember that you are on this earth for a purpose, and
that purpose is to be of service. You have your own unique skills and
abilities to offer in being of service. As you practice joyful service, your
prosperity will increase.

10. In this moment, feel the attitude of gratitude. Be grateful for
everything in your life, even those things you would say are challenging.
Each morning when you wake up, think of everything you are grateful for.
Open your arms wide and say to Spirit, THANK YOU!

Enjoy the miracles that occur in your life as you practice these principles!

© Patricia J. Crane Ph.D. 2001
http://www.heartinspired.com/

About the Author

Since earning her Ph.D. in social psychology from Claremont Graduate School,
Dr. Patricia J. Crane has dedicated her work to healing the earth and it's
peoples. Searching for a deeper spiritual connection with life, Patricia
began practicing Transcendental Meditation in the mid 70's, and then began
working with Louise Hay in 1987 assisting in the workshop intensives. Since
then she has rounded out her spiritual experience and education through a
devoted study of A Course In Miracles, Reiki Healing, Science of Mind and
many other life transforming philosophies and practices. Dr. Crane has had
the privilege of training with some of the premier spiritual teachers of our
time, including Deepak Chopra, Louise Hay, and Marianne Williamson. She
has, herself, trained many people around the world to lead the "You Can Heal
Your Life Study Course" and the "Love Yourself, Heal Your Life Workshop". A
Reiki Master and internationally sought-after speaker on a variety of
spiritual topics, Dr. Crane continues to create, develop and present
programs on the mind-body connection, creative visualization, stress
management and Reiki natural healing. She has been a wonderful teacher to
many people. Additionally, Dr. Crane has written and produced several audio
tapes on meditation, visualization, and stress reduction.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
What was I Thinking?

I looked at the mountain,
What was I thinking?
It spoke to me of Strength!

I looked at the river,
What was I thinking?
It spoke to me of Life!

I looked at a child,
What was I thinking?
She spoke to me of Innocence!

I looked at the beggar,
What was I thinking?
He spoke to me of Faith!

I looked at the stars,
What was I thinking?
They spoke to me of Wonder!

I looked at the sunrise and sunset,
What was I thinking?
It spoke to me of Peace.

I gazed at a rose,
What was I thinking?
It opened my heart to Love!

Always we create outside what
Is hidden within and speak to
Ourselves as the Inner Guide
What we need to know to
Awaken to all we are.

©Copyright
John McIntosh and Rev. Jo Ann "Ananda" Polito
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Clean & CRaZy

With no whiskey
with no wine
I’m able to have
a kick ass time
with no downers
with no speed
it’s full blown life
I’m guaranteed
with no needles
with no spoon
I chase parked cars
and howl at the moon

I’m livin life
clean-n-crazy
no longer livin
to push up daisies
I don’t laugh
with l.s.d.
I’m a chuckling monkey
in a tree
no more better living
through chemistry

I still have a mouth that talks to me
from the side of my neck
with a couple of jokers
and half of a deck
I’m still clean
I’ll always be crazy
I walk through life’s fog
no matter how hazy
no more dull imagination
from smokin pot
I’m livin a life
I’ve always sought
with natural clean kilowatt

Mark Thomas Spitler
May 23rd 1997 ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You are a rich and creative spiritual being.
You can never be less than this.
You may frustrate your potential.
You may identify with that which is less than what you can be.
But within you now and always
is the unborn possibility of a limitless experience
of inner stability and outer treasure,
and yours is the privilege of giving birth to it.
And you will, if you can believe.
Eric Butterworth, Spiritual Economics
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart...
Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."
Carl Jung
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
No matter how long a room is dark,
turn on a light and the room brightens.
Today marks a new beginning.
You can claim a clean slate with God.
Mary Manin Morrissey
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
MEDITATION –
The principle we are working with today is STILLNESS.
It is accomplished through the act of meditation,
which is stilling of the physical/conscious mind to all external stimuli.
Continuous, contemplative thought given to truth.
A steady effort of the mind to know and hear
the voice of God from within the being.
The act of “not doing” in an attempt
to expand the awareness of “being.”
When we quiet the conscious mind to hear the Divine presence.
Iyalna Vanzant
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Faith is the bird that sings
    when the dawn is still dark."
Rabindranath Tagore
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Let go. Why do you cling to pain?
There is nothing you can do about the wrongs of yesterday.
It is not yours to judge.
Why hold on to the very thing which keeps you from hope and love?
Leo Buscalglia
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Insanity is when I do the same things over and over,
I know what I am getting into,
and I am willing to pay the price.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Those who fail to remember are doomed to repeat.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I ran for 14 years
and no one was chasing me.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I was like a dog chasing its tail.
I couldn't catch it.....
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1584

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Mon Mar 14, 2005 1:51 pm
Subject: 3/14/05 "Living a Clean Life" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 4
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step04.html>

The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 14
I will value myself today both for my perfections
and especially for my imperfections.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Living a Clean Life

There's a pain inside that you can't see
I've struggled and worried how to let it all out
Gotta tell somebody what it's all about

I was drinkin and druggin but still couldn't hide
All the things I was holding and hurting inside

I gotta face reality is what I gotta do
And admit all this suffering that I'm going through

I wanted to be accepted amongst all my peers
So I partied and carried on for 25 years

Took too long to realize that this wouldn't work
Came close to my death from hiding this hurt

Giving to others I thought were my friends
They took for the taking and gave no amends

So to Hell with being accepted by all of them
And accept myself for who that I am

Now that I know it I'm opening my gut
Staying away from escaping and just facing up

Letting it out and showing my fears
Brings relief in my suffering and comes out in tears

Living a clean life and changing the plans
Letting these feelings slide right through my hands

By
John Poulos 4/16/95
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Sunlight of the Spirit
<http://sunlightofthespirit.org/>
<>

Earth Group N.A..’s NEW HOME :)
<http://www.earthgroupna.org/forum/>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=9>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 14                                   Relationships

"Also, our inventories usually include material on relationships."
Basic Text p. 29

What an understatement this is! Especially in later recovery,
entire inventories may focus on our relationships with others.
Our lives have been filled with relationships with lovers, friends,
parents, co-workers, children, and others with whom we come in
contact. A look at these associations can tell us much about our
essential character.

Often our inventories catalog the resentments that arise from
our day-to-day interactions with others. We strive to look at our
part in these frictions. Are we placing unrealistic expectations on
other people? Do we impose our standards on others? Are we
sometimes downright intolerant?

Often just the writing of our inventory will release some of the
pressure that a troubled relationship can produce. But we must also
share this inventory with another human being. That way, we get
some needed perspective on our part in the problem and how we can
work toward a solution.

The inventory is a tool that allows us to begin healing our
relationships. We learn that today, with the help of an inventory,
we can start to enjoy our relationships with others.

Just for today: I will inventory the part I play in my relationships. I
will seek to play a richer, more responsible part in those relationships.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The weekly meeting topic is:
What does "spirituality" mean to you?
How is it growing in your life?
How do you get out of those "spiritual slumps" that we all experience?
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
WEEDING THE GARDEN

The essence of all growth is a willingness to make a change for the better
and then an unremitting willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility
this entails.
AS BILL SEES IT, p. 115

By the time I had reached Step Three I had been freed of my dependence on
alcohol, but bitter experience has shown me that continuous sobriety
requires continuous effort.

Every now and then I pause to take a good look at my progress. More and
more of my garden is weeded each time I look, but each time I also find new
weeds sprouting where I thought I had made my final pass with the
blade. As I head back to get the newly sprouted weed (it's easier when
they are young), I take a moment to admire how lush the growing vegetables
and flowers are, and my labors are rewarded. My sobriety grows and bears
fruit.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 14th

A.A. Thought for the Day

Can I get well? If I mean, "Can I ever drink
normally again?" the answer is no. But if I mean,
"Can I stay sober?" the answer is definitely
yes. I can get well by turning my drink problem
over to a Power greater than myself, that Divine
Principle in the universe which we call God, and
by asking that Power each morning to give me
the strength to stay sober for the next
twenty-four hours. I know from the experience
of thousands of people that if I honestly want to
get well, I can get well. Am I faithfully following
the AA program?

Meditation for the Day

Persevere in all that God's guidance moves you to
do. The persistent carrying out of what seems
right and good will bring you to that place where
you would be. If you look back over God's guidance,
you will see that His leading has been very gradual
and that only as you have carried out His wishes,
as far as you can understand them, has God been
able to give you more clear and definite leading.
You are led by God's touch on a quickened,
responsive mind.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may persevere in doing what seems
right. I pray that I may carry out all of God's
leading, as far as I can understand it.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rejecting Shame

Shame can be a powerful force in our life.
It is the trademark of dysfunctional families.

Authentic, legitimate guilt is the feeling
or thought that what we did is not okay.
It indicates that our behavior
needs to be corrected or altered,
or an amend needs to be made.

Shame is an overwhelming negative sense
that who we are isn't okay.
Shame is a no-win situation.
We can change our behaviors,
but we can't change who we are.
Shame can propel us deeper
into self-defeating and sometimes
self-destructive behaviors.

What are the things that
can cause us to feel shame?
We may feel ashamed when we have a problem
or someone we love has a problem.
We may feel ashamed about certain
feelings or thoughts.
We may feel ashamed when we have fun,
feel good, or are vulnerable enough
to show ourselves to others.
Some of us feel ashamed just being.

Shame is a spell others put on us to control us,
to keep us playing our part in dysfunctional systems.
It is a spell many of us have learned
to put on ourselves.

Learning to reject shame can change
the quality of our life.
It's okay to be who we are.
We are good enough.
Our feelings are okay.
Our past is okay.
It's okay to have problems,
make mistakes, and struggle to find our path.
It's okay to be human and cherish our humanness.

Accepting ourselves is the
first step toward recovery.
Letting go of shame about who we are
is the next important step.

Today, I will watch for signs that I have fallen into shame's trap.
If I get hooked into shame.
I will get myself out by accepting myself
and affirming that it's okay to be who I am.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Building Your Field of Dreams, Mary Manin Morrissey
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part3.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/marmor/part4.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Being Masterfully Human
by Aluna Joy Yaxk'in

"Life is not about being a master in a human body,
                      but being a human masterfully!"

Who said that if you lived consciously nothing bad or challenging would ever
happen to you? Who told you would never get sick, have a lover leave you,
have a loved one die, have a car accident, or make a bad choice, huh? Who
ever said that walking the spiritual path would be a piece of cake, easy as
pie? Come on now, stand up, and let's take a look at your life, because I
could use a good example to follow.

When a friend asks you how you are, do you hide the fact you might feel
miserable that day? Do you respond to your friends by saying "Hey I am
great, it's all perfect!" Why do we hide the truth and hide ourselves from
each other. Why are we so afraid of being judged for being human, for having
a down day. How often have you felt like eating a pint of ice cream and hid
the carton at the bottom of the shopping cart away from the curious eyes?
Why is it that we do not allow each other to be human with all our amazing
qualities and frailties? Where is the non-judgment, the compassion, and why
is having human vulnerabilities means you're not on a spiritual path, not
heading for spiritual graduation?

Welcome everyone to HUMAN MASTERY 101. I'll have to say that at times I felt
I was not getting good grades in this class. In fact sometimes I felt like I
was failing altogether and wishing I could drop the course. Guess I have
been judging myself. But the fact is that if you and I are in a human body
we are not getting out of this class without a few major challenges,
illnesses and bad choices. And YES, we will get judged for these at the very
time we need support. So what do we do, we try harder to be perfect and work
harder to hide our human vulnerabilities. But soon the law called "being
human" rears its ugly head and takes us down another peg, another wrung of
the ladder, with the next challenge. Sometimes don't you wish you could
stick your head in the sand to avoid further persecution? But sadly we can
not avoid persecution from ourselves.

From the world's major religions to New Age thought, we have bought into the
subtle program that we must be perfect, live a balanced life to warrant a
graduating degree in HUMAN MASTERY 101. The paradox is our world is a world
of polarity, not neutrality. Being balanced 100% of the time in this reality
really means you are stuck -- not growing -- or dead. If you think your life
is balanced all the time, you are in denial, and running as hard as you can
from the challenges chasing you down. But guess what? The conflict and
challenge that we are embarrassed to have in our lives, or try to avoid, are
the very spiritual fuel that makes us all grow stronger toward Mastery. So
my big question here is how can we be super human, ascended masters and the
pure embodiment of an angel while being human in a dualistic world? Now this
is the test, the challenge, and the ironic joke the creator has given us to
figure out. And I don't have any answers myself yet.

Well like I said before, I need a good example to follow. If it is possible
to be masterful in this dualistic world then surely there is some example of
this happening is history. So I complied a quick list of those I felt are
top shelf, got the Grammy, the Oscar, really did it right in their life. Off
the top of my head I thought of Jesus, the Dalai Lama, St. Francis, Martin
Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Joan of Arc, and Mother Theresa.

I began at the top of my list with Jesus, a master teacher of love and
compassion, but didn't he create a situation in his life in which a good
buddy, one of his own disciples, betrayed him and this betrayal cost him his
life and at the hand of his own people? Hummm. Wow, he must have really been
out of balance the day they hung him on the cross. Why did he attract that
to his life? .. OK.. next one.

His Holiness, The Dalai Lama, is a beautiful being with the purest of hearts
and the most beautiful teaching of love and compassion. There is hardly
anyone on the planet he has not touched thanks to modern media. But yet with
all his sincerity, ceremony, sand mandalas, political clout, Nobel Peace
Prize and a entire lineage of incredible power he could not save Tibet and
still can not save his people from daily torture. Hummm.. Did he forget to
meditate the day the Chinese took over Tibet, did he mess up one of those
sand mandalas creating/attracting to himself such a horrible outcome? ..
Next..

OK, let's look at those who taught and lived non-violence, Martin Luther
King and Mahatma Gandhi. Oh yeah, they both attracted violent murderous
deaths. Now how did that happen? Gandhi freed India and Dr. King freed the
African Americans from racial segregation. But they both got a fatal bullet.
Now that doesn't seem right does it? Joan of Arc.granted she was a little
strange, led by intense visions from spirit, but she won great battles for
France.. Oh yeah. they burned her at the stake as a witch. Mother Theresa,
now how about her? She gave up all personal desires to heal the poorest of
poor, but she got sick and died. And St. Francis gave up everything for
peace and love and was never accepted for it in his life time and lost what
little he did have.

So who said if you are a master you do not attract any bad, challenging or
hard situations to you? I don't get it. If we think these ones are saints,
masters and great examples to follow then why do we judge our friends for
having a frail moment, week or month? And why do we judge ourselves just as
badly?

Do you know what makes one a Master, an angel or saint? It is not the
absence of challenge but the right reaction to challenge that makes us
masters of our human existence. If we act using what we know is right,
unconditionally in light of hard challenges, that is mastery. We honor
Jesus, Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi, His Holiness and the rest for
their enlightened behaviors based on their truth principles. This is why we
honor them. Jesus taught love and non-judgment even while hung on the cross.
Now that had to be a hard to do. The Dalai Lama still smiles and practices
non-violence and compassion even though the Chinese still today torture his
people. Martin Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi both doubted their teachings,
wondering if the world was ready for what they had to offer, but they kept
on until someone judged them so much they took them out. They acted the best
they could, with what they had to work with based on their truth principles.

How could we live perfectly balanced when so much of the population is
waging war, committing murder, suffering, and starving? If we think we can
separate ourselves from the collective and become masters over the material
world, well I don't think so, unless you are a monk in a cave in the
Himalayas. Even then, you would be challenged by yourself.

I think we are all capable of AMAZING deeds and actions, but I think we are
being a little idealist and maybe not very authentic to think we can avoid
the changes and challenges that happen in this crazy world. Maybe if we want
to pass HUMAN MASTERY 101 it is as simple as reacting with love when faced
with hate, when faced with anger react with peace, when there is judgment
react with compassion.

Life is not about being a master in a human body, but being a human
masterfully! Maybe our challenges are masterful tests so we have the
opportunity to put into action the truth principles we personally believe
in. Maybe, just maybe, the greater the test we attract the stronger we are
and the closer we are to passing final exams. So if you are having bad day,
bad week, bad life -- hey get over it. Own it, and decide to act rightly to
the best of your ability with what you have and learn from the experience.
And if you mess up . again... FORGIVE YOURSELF and go on and remember no one
out there is getting it right all the time even though they would like you
to think so.

We are not superhuman, at least not all the time. We get tired, feel ill,
get angry or sad. It is part of living in a dualistic world. On good days we
are all heroes, masters, saints, and angels, and these are great days to be
honored and celebrated. But remember to honor the courage it takes us
everyday to face our lives when the picture is not so pretty. Celebrate the
growth when we are sick, lonely, lost, angry and sad. Hey it IS all perfect,
if you own the beautiful fact you are human and a master, an angel, a saint
all wrapped into one very human body in a very wacky world. Oh and by the
way, everyone passes HUMAN MASTERY 101 . because God never judges you.

About The Author:
Aluna Joy Yaxk'in is an internationally known speaker, author, Mayan
Astrologer, Clairvoyant / Clairsentient, and Sacred Site Essence Formulator.
She has been called a modern mystic and psycho-geographical healer. She is
author of Mayan Astrology and her articles have been published worldwide.
Aluna Joy Yaxk'in, PO Box 1988, Sedona AZ 86339. Ph: 928-282-6292. Webpage:
www.1spirit.com/alunajoy
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I Shall Allow Myself To....

I shall allow myself to feel capable
-- so that I may seek excellence.

I shall allow myself to feel sadness
-- so that joy may return.

I shall allow myself to feel happy
-- so that I may be revitalized.

I shall allow myself to feel afraid
-- so that I may find courage.

I shall allow myself to feel alone
-- so that I may know me.

I shall allow myself to feel beautiful
-- so that I may feel free.

I shall allow myself to feel lovable
-- so that the loving may seek me.

I shall allow myself to feel pain
-- so that I may heal.

I shall allow myself to feel worthy
-- so that I may fulfill my purpose.

When I am centered, I see the
perfection in the world,
myself and others.

When I find the world to be imperfect, I will take
responsibility for painting it that way. I will look into
the heart of a rose, or the eyes of a
newborn baby and again know perfection.

I take responsibility for creating
my own life story through
the choices I have made
-- to blame others is to give away my personal power.
Who will I allow to write the next chapter of my life?
I shall make a small difference on this planet through the
work I do -- when I leave I will have done my share. I shall
live, love, laugh, and learn on my journey ... People will
forget what you said,
People will forget what you did,
But people will never forget how
you made them feel.

- Author Unknown
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meant for More
by James Dillet Freeman

"How do I find what life's about
Unless I venture farther out?
Something in me is not content,
Something affirms that I am meant
For more, and so I have to try
And see if somehow I can fly.
Going beyond the edge of things,
I may find out that I have wings.
Though they are of a different kind
Than birds, being mainly in the mind.
Whatever now I seem to be,
Yet more is to be found in me."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE THOUSAND POUND PHONE

In dark isolation, feeling alone
Staring at my, thousand pound phone
Scanning the numbers, my support list
Frozen in fear, I somehow resist
Light as a feather, when lusting for dope
So hard to lift, when needing some hope
Head's in control, feel the disease
Desperate I pray, "Take my will please"
Sponsor imparts, a portion of love
Keeping me clean, as a white dove
Loneliness be gone, you're not my wife
Telephone thanks, you saved my life
When face to face, with my disease
I find some strength, down on my knees
Thanks be to God, I'm never alone
As together we lift, the thousand pound phone

poem by Kevin Kensick
<http://www.recoveryjonescartoons.com>
rjonesincoming@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love.
The real miracle is the love that inspires them.
In this sense everything that comes from love is a miracle.
A Course In Miracles, Foundation for Peace
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
There are 10,080 minutes in a week
That's 168 hours per week
A meeting takes 1 1/2 hours
It takes on average 3-5 minutes to read a page from the book
The Basic Text can be read on average in 7 hours (the first 103 pages)
Got time for your recovery?
Mark Thomas Spitler July 3rd 1998 ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"It only takes one person to change your life -- you."
Ruth Casey
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
You can learn these things from your dog:
to love children, to drink plenty of water,
to be a dependable friend, to express pleasure when treated well,
to guard faithfully the interests of those who care for you,
and to be faithful until death.
Unknown
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"I like not only to be loved, but also to be told that I am loved.
I am not sure that you are of the same mind.
But the realm of silence is large enough beyond the grave.
This is the world of light and speech,
and I shall take leave to tell you that you are very dear."
George Eliot
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I used to compare my insides,
by everyone else's outsides.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Keep it green,
What is green GROWS
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
It's not the story,
It's the feelings.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The chase is better than the catch.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1583

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Sun Mar 13, 2005 2:45 pm
Subject: 3/13/05 "AM I A GOOD AA WHEN..." ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 3
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step03.html>

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....
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 13
I have a purpose today. As I let go and let God,
This purpose is becoming more and more clear.
My heart is full of joy and love
as I move towards God's Will for me.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
AM I A GOOD AA WHEN...

I TALK SO LONG AT MEETINGS THAT THE OTHERS
DO NOT GET A CHANCE ?

I INTERRUPT WHEN OTHERS ARE TRYING TO TALK ?

I BREAK TRADITIONS AND WILL NOT HELP A PERSON,
  WHO HAS A DOUBLE PROBLEM ?

I FRIGHTEN AN ALREADY FRIGHTEN PERSON WITH THE
DANGERS OF THE WORLD ?

I TREAT EVERYONE AS THOUGH I WAS THE ONLY ONE
WITH A BRAIN ?

I CRITICIZE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN CRITICIZED ALL
THERE LIVES ?

I THROW AN AA SAYING AT SOMEONE INSTEAD OF
BEING UNDERSTANDING ?

I FORGET THAT A PERSON THAT I DISLIKE MAY HAVE
COME A LOT FURTHER THAN I ?

I REFUSE SYMPATHY OR UNDERSTANDING TO SOMEONE
WHO WANTS AND NEEDS IT SO MUCH ?

I CRITICIZE PEOPLE HOLDING OFFICES THAT I COULDN'T
HANDLE NEARLY AS WELL ?

I AM ENVIOUS OF THE ONES WHO ARE DOING THE WORK
THAT I AM TO LAZY OR SCARED TO DO ?

I TALK SO LOUD THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN HAVE ANY PEACE
OF MIND ?

I START A PROJECT AND EXPECT EVERYONE ELSE TO FEEL
THE SAME WAY ABOUT IT ?

I UNLOAD ALL MY TROUBLES ON OTHERS, NOT GIVING THEM
A CHANCE TO UNLOAD TOO ?

I WANT ATTENTION WHEN I SAY SOMETHING BUT DO NOT
LISTEN TO THE OTHER FELLOW ?

I LOOK DOWN MY NOSE AT PEOPLE WITH DUAL PROBLEM ?

I QUIT COUNTING MY BLESSINGS AND STOP BEING GRATEFUL ?

I LEAVE ALL THE CALLING TO THE OTHER PERSON ?

I WORK SO HARD WITH SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T WANT
AA THAT I AM NOT READY FOR SOMEONE THAT DOES ?

I THINK BEING KIND ENDS WITH AA MEMBERS ?

I THINK I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS PROBLEMS BECAUSE
I AM THE ONLY ONE TELLING THEM ?

  MOST OF THESE THINGS I DO OR RESENT IN SOMEONE ELSE ,
SO I AM NOT A GOOD AA ; BUT I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT GOD ,
THRU AA HAS HELPED ME IN SPITE OF THESE DEFECTS !
ALSO IF YOU SEE YOURSELF HERE TAKE ACTION !
LOVE TO ALL
RICH R ST LOUIS
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
One Moment in Time
<http://www.geocities.com/luvourworld4/OneMomentInTime.html?976640233620>

Lets Ask Bill W.
<http://silkworth.net/ask_billw/ask_billw.html>

Earth Group N.A..’s NEW HOME :)
<http://www.earthgroupna.org/forum/>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=8>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 13                          That one special person

  "With one sponsor, we can learn to build a relationship
based on trust and honesty Through shared experience,
a sponsor is able to reflect on personal growth."
IP No. 11, "Sponsorship"

We've asked someone to sponsor us, and the reasons we
have for asking that particular person are as many as the
grains of sand on a beach. Perhaps we heard them share at
a speaker meeting and thought they were funny or
inspiring. Perhaps we thought they had a great car and we
would get one by working the same program they work. Or
maybe we live in a small town and they were the only
person who had the time available to help.

Whatever our initial reasons for getting the sponsor
we have, we're sure to find that our reasons for keeping
them are quite different. Suddenly they'll amaze us with
some stunning insight, making us wonder whether they've
been sneaking peeks at our Fourth Step. Or maybe we're
going through some sort of life crisis, and their
experience with the same problem helps us in ways we
never dreamed possible. We call them in pain, and they
come up with a special combination of caring words that
provide genuine comfort.

None of these remarkable feats on the part of our
sponsor are mere coincidence. They've simply walked the
same path before us. A Higher Power has placed that one
special person in our lives, and we are grateful for
their presence.

Just for today: I will appreciate that one special
person in my life—my sponsor.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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....
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
OVERCOMING SELF-WILL

So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out
of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run
riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics
must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us!
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 62

For so many years my life revolved solely around myself I was consumed with
self in all forms -- self-centeredness, self-pity, self-seeking, all of
which stemmed from pride. Today I have been given the gift, through the
Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, of practicing the Steps and Traditions
in my daily life, of my group and sponsor, and the capacity -- if I so
choose -- to put my pride aside in all situations which arise in my life.

Until I could honestly look at myself and see that I was the problem in
many situations and react appropriately inside and out; until I could
discard my expectations and understand that my serenity was directly
proportional to them, I could not experience serenity and sound sobriety.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 13th

A.A. Thought for the Day

We've gotten rid of our false, drinking selves and
found our real, sober selves. And we turn to God,
our Father, for help, just as the Prodigal Son arose
and went to his father. At the end of the story, the
father of the Prodigal Son says: "He was dead and
is alive again, he was lost and is found." We
alcoholics who have found sobriety in A.A. were
certainly dead and are alive again. We were lost
and are found. Am I alive again?

Meditation for the Day

Gently breathe in God's spirit, that spirit which,
if not barred out by selfishness, will enable you
to do good works. This means rather that God will
be enabled to do good works through you. You can
become a channel for God's spirit to flow through
you and into the lives of others. The works that
you can do will only be limited by your spiritual
development. Let your spirit be in harmony with
God's spirit and there is no limit to what you can
do in the realm of human relationships.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may become a channel for God's spirit.
I pray that God's spirit may flow through me into
the lives of others.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Relax. You'll Figure It Out

Let the answers come naturally.

Have you ever gone into a room to get something
and by the time you got there,
you forgot what you went to get?
Often the harder we try to remember,
the worse our recollection.

But when we relax and do something else for a minute -
just let go - what we're trying so hard to remember
pops naturally into our minds.

When I suggest that we let go,
that's all I'm suggesting we do.
I'm not saying the problem doesn't matter,
or that we have to entirely extinguish all thoughts
of the subject from our minds, or that the person
we care about isn't important anymore.
All I'm saying is that if we could do anything about it,
we probably would have by now.
And seeing as we can't letting go usually helps.

God, help me relax and let my answers about what
to do come naturally from you.

Melody Beattie
From - More Language of Letting Go ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A Gradual Awakening, Stephen Levine
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/stelev/part4.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/stelev/part5.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/stelev/part6.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
HOLDING ON TO RESENTMENT

By Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D.

A young woman, recently separated from her jealous and possessive
marriage partner, closes her eyes and experiments with images of
forgiveness. She tries to let her partner back into her heart, which
is closed to him by a wall of resentment, built and strengthened by
years of emotional pain and frustration. She can't do it. "The
resentment is too big," she says.

Despite the understanding that letting go of resentment is in our
own emotional best interests, we often keep our hurt and anger inside,
where it generates tension, stress and emotional havoc within.

In a close relationship, anger and resentment may center on an
isolated incident. Your partner embarrassed you in front of friends
or was sexually unfaithful. More often resentment is collected in
response to daily behaviors and attitudes that you feel aren't
important enough to confront, but you still hurt. Your partner often
"puts you down" in front of the children, is sarcastic or hostile in
"little ways" or humiliates you with "funny stories" in social
settings. You may disagree about money, child-rearing practices, or
your partner may be addicted to alcohol, drugs, work or sex. Yet
there is a psychological bond between the two of you. One that keeps
your relationship together despite the pain and resentment.

Someone once said, "If you want to walk the path of fire, get into a
relationship." Resentment, kept inside, generates heat. And heat can
be the catalyst to dissolution of the relationship, or to your healing
through self-discovery and fulfillment. In part it depends on what
you do with that energy.

In order to heal, when filled with resentment, you have to have the
willingness to forgive. Not that you forgive for the sake of the
other. Not that you condone your partner's behavior. Rather, you
need to heal yourself from within. And forgiveness is the route
leading to your own emotional healing.

After her visualization, the woman described above, cried out, "I'm
afraid if I let go of my resentment, I will have to go back to my
husband and I really don't want to do that." We hold on to our
resentments for a variety of reasons. Here are but a few.

We keep our resentments inside as a method of:

~ proving to ourselves that we are "right" and the other is
clearly I/wrong;

~ reinforcing a belief that the other really isn't worth
loving (he or she doesn't deserve it");

~ maintaining control (or illusion of control) of the
relationship or the situation;

~ being angry to avoid intimacy, or other deeper feelings of
hurt, sadness, despair, sex or fear;

~ being heard or listened to;

~ taking revenge or punishing ("getting back at" a partner);

~ keeping the position that the problem is all the others fault;

~ maintaining the "status quo" out of fear that change would be
destructive.

Basically, we learn to hold on to our resentments as a way of
protecting our own ego. The personal emotional price of such
protection is high. Nobel Prize laureate, Hans Selye, described the
most stressful emotion as "the desire for vengeance."

You have at least four choices if you are keeping in anger or
resentment: 1) Hold on to it indefinitely and be pretty miserable; 2)
Forgive and become more free, peaceful and clearer; 3) Let go of your
own fear and create the opportunity for you and your partner to
develop a new level of respect, understanding, and intimacy; or 4)
Decide to forgive and choose to keep as a top priority, the
maintenance of the partnership.

If you decide to forgive, remember to acknowledge all of your
feelings toward your partner...not just the hurt or resentment. Take
responsibility for sharing what you want, what you fear, what you
need, what you would like it to be between the two of you. Keeping
the lines of communication open is one of two critical factors in
becoming forgiving.

Keeping your heart open is the other. Resentment collecting closes
off some part of you and keeps it hidden from yourself or others.
Forgiveness allows you to become fully open to the possibility of
love, enjoyment, fulfillment and connection with others. An open
heart keeps you alive.

Lloyd J. Thomas, Ph.D. has 30+ years experience as a Life Coach and
Licensed Psychologist. He is available for coaching in any area
presented in "Practical Psychology." As your Coach, his only agenda
is to assist you in creating the lifestyle you genuinely desire. The
initial coaching session is free. Contact him: (970) 568-0173 or
E-mail: DrLloyd@... or LJTDAT@....
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Maintain peace of mind.
Move at the pace of guidance.
Practice certainty of purpose.
Surrender to surprise.
Ask for what you need and offer what you can.
Love the folks in front of you.
Return to the world.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I Know You're Tired

The magnitude of life is weighing
heavy on your shoulders,
you're weary... oh so tired at end of day.
You're afraid you've nothing left to give
and questioning this life you live.
The joy that you once felt has gone away.

But way down deep inside yourself,
concealed from your view,
a tiny, hidden spark awaits your call.
It longs to be a brilliant light,
burning proud and full of fight.
It yearns for one more chance to stand you tall.

You've shared so many pieces
of your kind and loving soul.
You've put your needs and wants upon a shelf.
The time for 'you' is now at hand.
The world will surely understand
if you devote a slice of life to your precious yourself.

© 1999 Terri McPherson
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
tmcphers@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Gravity

Pushing ourselves up in life is more difficult
than going down or staying down in life
The theory of Gravity applies in our lives as well,

Staying down is easy, no work is needed
However, to reach the stars,
you would need a powerful boost ...

Of course this boost may come from others
but the greatest source of power
that can push you to great heights is your Heart ....

Within your heart lies Conscience
and within that conscience God lives
and working with both, miracles happen ...

~joyce gordonj
joydave@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Excuses are the nails used to build a house of failure.
Don Wilder
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
See God in every person, place, and thing,
and all will be well in your world.
Louise Hay
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions.
Small people always do that,
but the really great,
make you feel that you too can become great.
Mark Twain
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
   Life is a mystery - unfold it.
   Life is a struggle - face it.
   Life is beauty - praise it.
   Life is a puzzle - solve it.
   Life is opportunity - take it.
   Life is sorrowful - experience it.
   Life is a song - sing it.
   Life is a goal - achieve it.
Life is a mission - fulfill it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Pain is a motivator.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If God brings you to it,
He will see you through it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
If you have enough pain,
you will learn to leave it alone.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We're here for a reason,
not for the season.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
When you clean up after your group,
you leave the signature of NA behind you.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1582

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Sat Mar 12, 2005 3:10 pm
Subject: 3/12/05 "Luis Medallion's" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 2
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step02.html>

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....
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 12
I can be centered and at peace inside
when the world is going my way,
as well as when things are happening that are not my choice.
I am learning to focus on this newly found inner peace,
especially at times of confusion and stress.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Luis Medallion's

Now that you are gone
We'll give you the real thing;
This decision was a difficult one
But it'll be like a graduation ring.
The medal of eternity
Will be pasted in your grave
In a moment of serenity
That in our minds we'll save.
Your place still's there
Nobody sits on it at Friday;
I loved to hear you share
And i miss you everyday.

Carlos C., Portugal
carvalheiras99@...

here's some lines i wish it could be published at
12 steps food for soul spirit.
Sorry for my awful english.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Earth Group N.A..’s NEW HOME :)
<http://www.earthgroupna.org/forum/>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=7>

Climb Till Your Dream Comes True
<http://thundercloud.net/acpressions/climb.htm>

For 2 Cool Parents and Kids
<http://www.2coolbaby.com/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 12                           Getting out of the rut

"Many times in our recovery, the old bugaboos will
haunt us. Life may again become meaningless, monotonous,
and boring." Basic Text, p. 75

Sometimes it seems as though nothing changes.
We get up and go to the same job every
day. We eat dinner at the same time every night. We
attend the same meetings each week. This morning's
rituals were identical to the ones we performed
yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before
that. After the hell of our addiction and the
roller-coaster craziness of early recovery, the stable
life may have some appeal—for a while. But, eventually,
we realize we want something more. Sooner or later, we
become turned off to the creeping monotony and boredom in
our lives.

There are sure to be times when we feel vaguely
dissatisfied with our recovery. We feel as though we're
missing something for some reason, but we don't know what
or why. We draw up our gratitude lists and find literally
hundreds of things to be grateful for. All our needs are
being met; our lives are fuller than we had ever hoped
they'd be. So what's up?

Maybe it's time to stretch our potential to its
fullest. Our possibilities are only limited by what we
can dream. We can learn something new, set a new goal,
help another newcomer, or make a new friend. We're sure
to find something challenging if we look hard enough, and
life will again become meaningful, varied, and
fulfilling.

Just for today: I'll take a break from the routine
and stretch my potential to its fullest.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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....
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
HOPE

Do not be discouraged.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 60

Few experiences are of less value to me than fast sobriety. Too many times
discouragement has been the bonus for unrealistic expectations, not to
mention self-pity or fatigue from my wanting to change the world by the
weekend. Discouragement is a warning signal that I may have wandered
across the God line. The secret of fulfilling my potential is in
acknowledging my limitations and believing that time is a gift, not a threat.

Hope is the key that unlocks the door of discouragement. The program
promises me that if I do not pick up the first drink today, I will always
have hope. Having come to believe that I keep what I share, every time I
encourage, I receive courage. It is with others that, with the grace of
God and the Fellowship of A.A., I trudge the road of happy destiny. May I
always remember that the power within me is far greater than any fear
before me. May I always have patience, for I am on the right road.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 12th

A.A. Thought for the Day

The Prodigal Son "took his journey into a far
country and wasted his substance with riotous
living." That's what we alcoholics do. We waste
our substance with riotous living. "When he
came to himself, he said: 'I will arise and go
to my father.'" That's what you do in A.A.
You come to yourself. Your alcoholic self is
not your real self. Your sane, sober,
respectable self is your real self. That's why
we alcoholics are so happy in A.A. Have I come
to myself?

Meditation for the Day

Simplicity is the keynote of a good life. Choose
the simple things always. Life can become
complicated if you let it be so. You can be
swamped by difficulties if you let them take
up too much of your time. Every difficulty
can be either solved or ignored and something
better substituted for it. Love the humble
things of life. Reverence the simple things.
Your standard must never be the world's
standard of wealth and power.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may love the simple things of life.
I pray that I may keep my life uncomplicated
and free.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
LET YOUR STORMS SUBSIDE

Watch the pounding surf. Watch the waves lap against
the shore, their beginnings somewhere far out to sea,
their beginnings in a storm we might never see. Know
your oneness with those waves, with the water of the
seas.

Your emotions are like the surf. Sometimes they pound
gently, sometimes    fiercely. Sometimes the color is blue,
sometimes gray. They may be the result of a storm,
sometimes a squall far away. Let them pound. Let them
pass through. Let them subside. Let them turn into the
next wave.

Each emotion is connected to a belief, a belief
embedded in your soul: "I am abandoned. I am
deserted. I am separated from God and love."

But you are not your emotions. Your emotions don't
control your life, no matter how fierce,
no matter how strong. No matter
how relentless. No matter, at times, how
overwhelming.

Let the emotions pass through. Feel all you need to
feel. Say all you need to say to let the storm
subside. Then pause. Wait. Rest. Let your body
regroup and heal. You will have grown. You will have
changed. And you will be on your way to learning
something new.

From "Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the
Path to Freeing Your Soul," ©
by Melody Beattie
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Embracing the Beloved, Stephen and Ondrea Levine
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/stelev/part1.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/stelev/part2.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/stelev/part3.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A Conversation with God
by Neale Donald Walsch

GOD, IF YOU COULD CHANGE ONE THING ABOUT TODAY'S SOCIETY,
WHAT WOULD IT BE? -- Peter, 15 yrs old

I would change your beliefs about who you are, and who I am, and how life
is.

I would cause you to notice that you and I are One, that you are likewise
one with everything and everyone else, and that life is eternal, with no
beginning and no end.

These simple ideas would alter the course of your experience forever, and
change your whole world.

WHY DON'T YOU DO THAT, THEN? WHY DON'T YOU CAUSE US TO
NOTICE THIS? WHY DON'T YOU CHANGE THIS ONE THING ABOUT
OUR SOCIETY?

I do not do anything, Peter, on my own. If I did, I would be breaking the
law of free will. I would be directly interfering in your life.

SO THIS ONE THING WILL NEVER BE CHANGED?

There is only one way that this can occur, and that is through you. I cannot
do it TO you, I can only do it THROUGH you. This is because Who You Are is
me -- God -- expressed as life, in, as, and through YOU.

That is what I have come here to tell you. That is what you have brought
yourself here to be told. You, and everyone else who is holding this book in
their hands.

HOW, THEN, CAN I CHANGE THE WORLD?

So far all the best efforts of your governments and your social systems and
even your religions have not been able to change the most basic human
behaviors. And so, after all this time, things are still pretty much the way
they always have been among human beings -- squabbling, fighting, killing,
and inability to openly share or openly love.

WHY?

Because all humans do is keep trying to change the conditions of life on
your planet, rather than the beliefs that have created those conditions.

Humans keep trying to eliminate the condition of poverty, the condition of
hunger, the condition of misery, the condition of oppression, the condition
of prejudice and lack of equal opportunity, the condition of violence, the
condition of war ... they keep trying to make these conditions go away.

They try religious persuasion; they try legislative mandate; they try royal
decree; they try benevolent dictatorship; they try totalitarian government;
they try popular uprising; they try everything they can think of, and still
they cannot make these conditions go away.

With all humanity's supposed advancement, with all its fancy technology,
with all of its newly created abundance and wealth, and with all its
increased awareness, humans have not been able to eliminate the most basic
problems of poverty, hunger, misery, oppression, prejudice and lack of equal
opportunity, violence, and war.

And they cannot, because these conditions are reflections of beliefs that
have not changed. If you want your world to change you have to work to
change the world's beliefs.

Behaviors and conditions can only be changed temporarily. You may work on
that now if you wish to provide temporary relief, but if you want long-term
relief you must work on helping people change their beliefs.

Remember this always: Beliefs create behaviors and behaviors create
conditions.

This is true in your individual life as well as in the collective reality
that you are creating planet-wide.

HOW CAN WE CHANGE BELIEFS? HOW CAN WE DO THAT?

First you have to be aware of what beliefs you are trying to change. Most
people do not know what it is that they do believe. They have not thought
about it deeply. They are too busy living. They are too busy trying to solve
the problems created by their beliefs to look into the matter of what
beliefs are creating them.

WHAT ARE THE BELIEFS WE NEED TO CHANGE?

The human race believes in neediness. It believes not only that there are
things that it needs, it believes that it has insufficient means to meet
those needs. It believes in disunity. It believes in failure. It believes in
superiority.

It believes, most of all, in the conditionality of love. It believes that
love is conditional. That my love is conditional, and that all love is
conditional, and that, therefore, there are requirements that must be met in
order to receive the benefits of love, and judgments that must be made about
who has and who has not met those requirements, and condemnations that must
be meted out to those who have failed.

Because it deeply believes in such a system of separateness, scarcity,
failure, judgment, condemnation, and superiority, it allows itself to behave
in accordance with those beliefs -- and thus to create all of its own
miseries.

Finally, the human race believes that it is not possible to disavow its
basic beliefs, or to recreate them, because it does not, and cannot, know
how. The human race believes in ignorance.

These are the Ten Illusions of Humans, and they are a very big part of
earthly reality. Still, you can change this.

SO HOW DO WE DO IT?

The first thing you must do is really understand the problem, which you are
doing here, and then look at solutions. The solutions are to change your
most basic beliefs and to assist others in changing theirs.

OKAY BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE BEFORE I HEAR ABOUT
SOLUTIONS THAT WE DO HAVE THE POWER TO PRODUCE THEM.
I DON'T WANT TO BE LED DOWN THE GARDEN PATH HERE.
I MEAN, WE CAN DO THIS, RIGHT? EVEN THOUGH NO ONE'S
DONE IT BEFORE?

No one's had it explained to them before with this kind of clarity.

More and more people are seeing clearly now that the problems confronting
the human race are real -- and could destroy their species and its home --
and more and more people are hearing with greater clarity how they can help
in doing something about it.

That's what makes this a very important time. That's why this book "fell"
into your hands when it did.

Yes, you have the power to recreate your reality on Earth in a new way.
Absolutely. That's where your power to create -- your Original Power --
comes in. But that may be the first belief you have to change. You may have
to change the belief that you do not have this power.

BECAUSE -- AND NOW WE'RE BACK TO WHERE WE WERE BEFORE --
WHAT WE BELIEVE, WE EXPERIENCE.

Exactly. And some things are harder to believe than others, so those things
are harder to experience.

LIKE WHAT?

Well, it's easier to imagine that you're going to find a parking space right
where you want it than it is to imagine that disunity or separation does not
exist, or that condemnation does not exist, or that ignorance does not
exist. So, many people are willing to try to produce what you would call
"smaller results" by using Original Power, but they do not use that power to
create what you would call larger results, because they do not believe they
can.

In the same way, some people can experience small, negative life encounters
as gifts (they call them "blessings in disguise"), while they experience
other, larger, negative life encounters as struggles and dramas (they call
them "misfortunes" or "tragedies"). They believe they can transform the
smaller ones, but they don't believe they can transform the larger.

Masters are people who believe that they can use Original Power (or what
some people call the power of God, or the power of prayer) to create
anything -- and so, they produce what you would term "miracles."

SO IF I BELIEVE THAT MY LIFE DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE WAY IT IS,
AND THAT THE WHOLE WORLD, FOR THAT MATTER, CAN BE CHANGED,
THEN IT CAN BE.

Yes. That is how the changes that have been made have come about. Somebody,
somewhere, believed that it could happen. And it did. Usually because that
particular person helped make it happen.

That's why I said earlier, do not give up hope, do not ever stop trying to
change your life or change the world.

All of you have come here, to this book, to this moment, to begin the next
part of your journey. It is a journey to hopefulness. A journey to
wholeness. It is the journey home.

This is about waking up, getting what's going on. This is about living your
life in a new way, with intention and purpose and clarity and more fun than
you ever thought possible. Remember the Three Way Path?

a.. Have fun.
b.. Spread joy.
c.. Share love.
Man, are you going to have a chance to do that in the years ahead!

Are you ready?

Good! Start now.

Start now.

Today at home. Tomorrow at school.

Start now.

This is all it will take. That's why it can be said with such certainty that
none of this is too big for you. None of this is too much. Fun, joy, and
love is who you are. It is the natural you. Just give in to that.

Have fun doing whatever you're doing. Yes, even going to school. Just have
fun with it. See it for what it is -- a stepping stone on the path to the
greatest life you could ever hope to live.

Have fun with everything. It is possible. Just take the drama out of it,
take the stress out of it. It's all good. Spread joy around you. You can do
that with something as simple as a smile, a laugh, a word of encouragement
to a fellow traveler, a favor for a friend, a helping hand for a parent.
Share love with everyone, in the form that your soul tells you is most
appropriate to the moment and to the kind of relationship that you have with
each person -- and with yourself.

Go now and create your world as you would have it be. Go now and celebrate
your life, and everything that makes you, "you".

Go now and recreate yourself anew in the next grandest version of the
greatest vision you ever had about who you are.

This is my invitation. This is your dream. This is our next grand adventure.

This article is excerpted from Conversation with God for Teens, ©2001, by
Neale Donald Walsch. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Hampton
Roads Publishing. http://www.hrpub.com

About the Author:
Neale Donald Walsch is the author of numerous books, including Conversations
with God, Books 1, 2, and 3; Friendship with God; and Communion with God;
all of which have been New York Times bestsellers. Book 1 occupied that list
for more than two and a half years. Walsch lives with his wife, Nancy, in
Ashland, Oregon. Together they operate ReCreation, a nonprofit organization
whose goal is to help people reclaim their true selves. His most recent work
involves an outreach to the world's teen population, including specifically
produced teen retreats and this book. http://www.cwg.org
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ice cream for dessert

   Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six year old son
asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads, he said, "God is
great, God is good. Thank you for the food, and I would thank you even
more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And liberty and justice
for all! Amen."

Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby, I heard a
woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country, kids don't even
know how to pray. Asking God for ice cream, why I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do wrong?
Is God mad at me?" As I held him I assured him that he had done a
terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him. Just then, an elderly
man approached the table. He winked at my son and said, "I happen to
know that God thought that was a great prayer." "Really?", my son
asked.   "Cross my heart", the gentleman replied. Then in a theatrical
whisper the man added (inclining his head to indicate the woman whose
remark had started the whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for
ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul."

Naturally, I bought my kids ice cream at the end of the meal. My son
stared at his for a moment, and then did something I will remember for
the rest of my life. He picked up his sundae, and without a word, walked
over and placed it down in front of the woman. With a big smile he told
her, "Here, this is for you! Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes,
and my soul is already good."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
�� My God Can

I have a God can, so easy to do.
It used to hold coffee, and when it was through,
I use it to hold my petitions and such,
To a God I hold dear who loves me so much!
When I have a problem, I write it and say,
Dear Lord, it is your will and not mine today.
I fold it and place it inside of this can,
No longer mine, it's in God's Divine Plan.
My prayers are all answered in His loving way.
I'm grateful to have Him in my life today!
I know that this might sound quite silly to some.
But I know the answer to my prayers have come,
I believe in my God can and that's how I know,
When it goes in that can, it's time to let go.
The relief that I feel when I do it this way,
Helps me feel so peaceful and happy today!

Sharlett Hunt 2/22/03
Sharlette863@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
4th STEP PRAYER

Dear God :
I know resentments
Are what's holding me back
And you in my life
Is all that I lack
Help me to do my 4th step
And let it all go
Bring it all to the light
And let it all show

Mark Thomas Spitler November 18th 1995 ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Choosing to live your life by your own choice is the
greatest freedom you will ever have.
Shad Helmstetter
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Imagine what a harmonious world it could be if every
single person shared a little of what he is good at doing."
Quincy Jones
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Your purpose is always about giving, loving
and serving in some capacity."
Dr. Wayne Dyer
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Hope and faith
Fuel our dreams
Action makes them go
January 5th 1998 © Mark Thomas Spitler
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Identify don't compare.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
By listening I can identify with someone,
This gives me a better understanding of where I am.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We can't learn from things that are difficult to identify with.
People are mirrors.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We know each other,
better than we know ourselves.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Addiction doesn't come in bottles; it comes in people.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1581

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Fri Mar 11, 2005 6:11 pm
Subject: 3/11/05 "Anger" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 1
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2003/step01.html>

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....
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 11
Today I continue to let go of all thoughts
that continue to pull me out of the present
and bringing me to the past and the future.
I am becoming more and more open
to letting the power of good and love into my life.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Anger

Why have I been experiencing so much anger here of late?
I feel as I did a few years back, always full of anger and hate.

As I sat here trying to figure why I get so upset to see people that waste,
I remember when I lived in a tent in summer,
a cellar in the winter
and was glad to get anything that taste.

This is a part of my life I had almost forgotten,
another part to make me grateful today.
I must remember, not everyone has experienced
the want of love and food, they didn't live that way.

I also realize I haven't lived their ways either
and probably wouldn't understand.
When something from their past comes back to remind them
I hope they can write about it like I can.

Even though this has came to me,
I hope I can turn it over to a God who loves me,
I know one thing I can remember hearing,
waste not, want not, both He and I on that agree.

I have been so full of anger at everyone
and everything for several days or more,
I have tried to justify it within myself
and have done a good job until now, no longer can I be sore.

If it continues there is trouble for me ahead,
I don't want to go back as I once was so sick,
Please God, help me to overcome this,
You have helped me so much, don't give up on me,
help me quick.

I give my children to you, they don't like the way I am, I can't change them,
But God with Your help we can work on me,
if they can't accept that, it's their problem,

Take this anger and hostility from me please,
I don't like it. I feel so ill at ease.
I say this as a prayer, not as an order,
there are no bargains, just take it, please.

Fiji B. 8-7-74/9-6-99
mly@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Russian Cartoons Can you identify? :)
<http://cartoon.kulichki.net/drunk/drun026.htm>

Comics of the Week
<http://www.recoveryjonescartoons.com/comicsoftheweek.htm>

Earth Group N.A..’s NEW HOME :)
<http://www.earthgroupna.org/forum/>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=6>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 11                              Lightening the load

�   "It will not make us better people to judge the faults
of another It will make us feel better to clean up our
lives.". Basic Text, p. 37

  Sometimes we need something tangible to help us
understand what holding a resentment is doing to us. We
may not be aware of how destructive resentments actually
are. We think, "So what, I have a right to be angry;' or,
"I might be nursing a grudge or two, but I don't see the
harm."

To see more clearly the effect that holding resentments
is having in our lives, we might try imagining that we
are carrying a rock for each resentment. A small grudge,
such as anger at someone driving badly, might be
represented by a pebble. Harboring ill will toward an
entire group of people might be represented by a enormous
boulder. If we actually had to carry stones for each
resentment, we would surely tire of the weight. In fact,
the more cumbersome our burden, the more sincere our
efforts to unload it would be.

   The weight of our resentments hinders our spiritual
development. If we truly desire freedom, we will seek to
rid ourselves of as much extra weight as possible. As we
lighten up, we'll notice an increased ability to forgive
our fellow human beings for their mistakes, and to
forgive ourselves for our own. Well nourish our spirits
with good thoughts, kind words, and service to others.

Just for today: I will seek to have the burden of resentments
removed from my spirit.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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....
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
IT WORKS

It works -- it really does.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 88

When I got sober I initially had faith only in the program of Alcoholics
Anonymous. Desperation and fear kept me sober (and maybe a caring and/or
tough sponsor helped!). Faith in a Higher Power came much later. This
faith came slowly at first, after I began listening to others share at
meetings about their experiences -- experiences that I had never faced
sober, but that they were facing with strength from a Higher Power. Out of
their sharing came hope that I too would -- and could -- "get" a Higher
Power. In time, I learned that a Higher power -- a faith that works under
all conditions -- is possible. Today this faith, plus the honesty,
Open-mindedness and willingness to work the Steps Of the program, gives me
the serenity that I seek. It works -- it really does.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / March 11th

A.A. Thought for the Day

By having quiet times each morning, we come to
depend on God's help during the day, especially
if we should be tempted to take a drink. And
we can honestly thank Him each night for the
strength He has given us. So our faith is
strengthened by these quiet times of prayer.
By listening to other members, by working with
other alcoholics, by times of quiet meditation,
our faith in God gradually becomes strong. Have
I turned my drinking problem entirely over to God,
without reservations?

Meditation for the Day

It seems as though, when God wants to express
to men what He is like, He makes a very beautiful
character. Think of a personality as God's
expression of character attributes. Be as fit
an expression of Godlike character as you can.
When the beauty of a person's character is
impressed upon us, it leaves an image which in
turn reflects through our own actions. So look
for beauty of character in those around you.

Prayer for the Day

I pray that I may look at great souls until their
beauty of character becomes a part of my soul.
I pray that I may reflect this character in my
own life.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Grief

No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear. I am not afraid
but the sensation is like being afraid. The same fluttering in the
stomach, the same restlessness, the yawning. I keep on swallowing.....
Not that I am (I think) in much danger of ceasing to believe in God.
The real danger is of coming to believe such dreadful things about Him.
The conclusion I dread is not "So there's no God after all,
" but "So this is what God's really like. Deceive yourself no longer."
C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

There's no way to prepare for deep grief, for the pain that
shatters a heart and a life when a beloved leaves.

No one can coach us on it.
Those who could, who knew exactly how it felt,
who describe it in detail, would not presume
to encroach on this most intimate part
of our relationship with a loved one.
Those who casually say,
"Aren't you over that yet?" don't understand.

This much I will tell you about grief: If there was ever a second,
or a moment, when you suspected or knew you had been betrayed
at the deepest level by someone you adored, and a splintering pain
began to shred your heart, turn your world grimly unbearable to the
point where you would consciously choose denial and ignorance about
the betrayal rather than feel this way, that is one one-millionth of
what it feels like to grieve.

Grief is not an abnormal condition, nor is it something
to be treated with words.
It is a universe, a world, unto itself.
If you are called to enter this world,
there is no turning back.
We are not allowed to refuse that call.
Grief is like nothing else, with the possible exception of the pounding
waves of the ocean.
To the untrained, casual eye, each wave looks the same.
It is not. No two are the same.
And each one washes away the old,
and washes in the new.

Gradually, almost imperceptibly, whether we believe it
or not, we are being transformed.

God, take care of me those moments and hours when I cannot find
the will or power to take care of myself.
Transform me, if not in the twinkling of an eye,
then over the slow movement of the years, into who I will become.

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cancer as a Turning Point: Dr. Lawrence LeShan
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lawles/part4.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lawles/part5.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lawles/part6.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/lawles/part7.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Emotions Are Your Guides
by Doreen Virtue, Ph.D.

Some people cannot distinguish or name the emotions that they feel. In such
cases, it's important to increase the emotional vocabulary and learn how
varied feelings can be.

An easy way to accomplish this is to use an emotional vocabulary list (see
below). Make several photocopies of this list and keep them handy. Once or
twice daily, stop and circle the feelings that describe your current
emotional state. Within a week or two, this process will create a marked
increase in your ability to distinguish one feeling from another. You will,
for example, be better able to sort out your mixed feelings. This process
also helps us to own our feelings and heal them ourselves instead of
projecting them on other people, and then relying on them to change so we
can feel better.

I used a list similar to the one below when I was in my early twenties and
newly enrolled in college. I was just becoming aware of the variegated
spectrum of emotions.

In one of my psychology courses, the professor emphasized the importance of
understanding your feelings. So, he regularly asked the students in the
class, "What are you feeling right now?" When he'd ask me, I'd invariably
answer, "Well, I think that I'm ... "

The professor would interrupt and say, "No, Doreen. Don't tell me what you
think. Tell me how you feel." When I answered, "Tired," he'd reply, "That's
a physical feeling, not an emotion!"

I realized I had very limited awareness of my range of emotions, so I used
an emotional vocabulary list for several weeks. The rainbow of feelings I
had inside amazed me! Through this process of discovery, I learned how to
pinpoint the precise emotion I felt.

How are you feeling right now? Circle all that apply:

EMOTIONAL VOCABULARY LIST

Adorable
Comfortable
Giggly
Overwhelmed
Afraid
Concerned
Grief-stricken
Passionate
Amorous
Confident
Guarded
Peaceful
Amused
Criticized
Happy
Pleased
Angelic
Crushed
Hesitant
Polite
Angry
Cuddly
Hilarious
Quiet
Annoyed
Daring
Horrible
Ready
Anxious
Delighted
Interested
Relaxed
Apathetic
Demoralized
Irritable
Respectful
Appreciative
Disappointed
Jealous
Restless
Apprehensive
Eager
Joyful
Romantic
Attractive
Ecstatic
Kind
Sensible
Beautiful
Edgy
Lighthearted
Sentimental
Betrayed
Elated
Loving
Serene
Blaming
Emotional
Loyal
Serious
Blessed
Embarrassed
Moody
Sexy
Blissful
Entertained
Mushy
Shocked
Bold
Euphoric
Mysterious
Silly
Bored
Excited
Odd
Stressed
Calm
Explosive
Opinionated
Sweet
Carefree
Fearful
Optimistic
Tense
Charming
Fearless
Open
Ugly
Cheerful
Frisky
Offended
Upset

You can use this vocabulary to decipher the intuitive guidance that comes to
you. Whenever you feel a strong emotional or physical feeling, remember that
it is a message to you. The feeling is the equivalent of a knock on the
door. Our task is to open the door and listen to the feeling. One way to do
this is by asking the feeling, "What are you trying to tell me?" Even if
this process seems silly or feels forced, ask the question anyway. You will
receive a reply.

Trusting Your Clairsentience
The next step is learning to trust the feelings. Clairsentience is the
reception of Divine guidance through physical feelings and emotions. You may
struggle with doubts over the validity of a clairsentient message. You worry
that following the feeling's guidance may lead to hardship. Sometimes,
clairsentients tell me they are waiting to receive "permission" from outside
before allowing themselves to follow their gut feelings. Other
clairsentients hesitate to follow an intimidating or seemingly illogical gut
feeling.

One way to increase trust in your clairsentience is to review past occasions
on which you were glad you followed your intuition, and occasions when you
were sorry you didn't. You can also mentally "try on" a situation to feel
what it would be like to follow your intuition and to know if you would
enjoy the outcome. Another way is through repeatedly saying affirmations to
reduce fear, such as, "I deserve happiness," "When I win, others win too,"
and "I fearlessly follow God's guidance for me now".

The best way to increase faith in your clairsentient guidance is to mentally
ask God and the angels to help you release any blocks that keep you from
enjoying full faith and clear feelings. Feel the release and lift as you
surrender all fearful thoughts and energies to the Divine spiritual realm.
You don't need to analyze your fears; just open your heart to God and the
angels, and they will do all of the healing work for you. Repeat this method
every time you feel afraid.

Remember that warm and loving feelings surround true Divine guidance, even
when it warns of trouble or confronts you about unhealthy behaviors. False
guidance creates cold, prickly feelings.

If you receive any guidance that makes you feel inadequate or afraid, then
you are wise not to follow it. Instead, call on the angels and ask them to
help you shed these feelings. They love to be called on to help you
understand and follow God's glorious will for you. Heaven wants to help you
clear away the effects of the lower self's fears.

When the late, great philosopher Joseph Campbell advised, "Follow your
bliss," he meant we should ask for guidance; the joyful, God given
directions are roadmaps to success in all ways. When you have joyless
feelings, let them tell you what areas of your life aren't working. Ask God
to help you have the courage to shed them, and to replace them with
situations that truly make your heart sing.

Fears of loneliness, poverty, abandonment, criticism, and other pain come
from the lower-self ego. It tries to tell us that, if we let go of joyless
parts of our life, something terrible will happen. We must not believe the
ego's threats, but instead, honor ourselves. If you feel resistance in any
part of your life, listen to it. It is guidance from God and the angels
telling you that something is amiss. Heaven does not will discomfort. God
wills for you and all of His children to have your material needs met while
you fulfill your Divine life-purpose.

God doesn't want you to do anything that could hurt you or your family. When
you ask God for guidance, His power works through you to heal your life and
the lives of those around you. You cannot fail, because God cannot fail.

This article is excerpted from Divine Guidance, ©1998, by Doreen Virtue,
Ph.D.. Reprinted with permission of the publisher, Renaissance Books.
http://www.renaissancebks.com

About the Author
Doreen Virtue is a spiritual psychologist who holds Ph.D., M.A., and B.A.
degrees in Counseling Psychology and is the author of twenty-two books about
mind-body-spirit issues including Angel Therapy and Divine Guidance.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Lesson Of The Geese

This fall, when you see geese heading south for the winter flying
along in the "V" formation, you might consider what science has
discovered as to why they fly that way.

FACT: As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the
bird immediately following. By flying in the "V" formation, the
whole flock has at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird
flew on its own.

LESSON:People who share a common direction and sense of community
can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they
are traveling on the thrust of one another.

FACT: When a goose flies out of formation, it suddenly feels the
drag and resistance of trying to go it alone. It quickly gets back
into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird
in front of it.

LESSON: If we have as much common sense as a goose, we stay in
formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to
accept their help and give our help to others. It is harder to do
something alone than together.

FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, it rotates back into the
formation, and another goose flies to the point position.

LESSON: It is sensible to take turns doing the hard and demanding
tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are
interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities, and unique
arrangements of gifts, talents, or resources.

FACT: The geese flying in formation honk from behind to encourage
those up front to keep up their speed.

LESSON: We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In
groups where there is encouragement, the production is much
greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or
core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the
quality of honking we seek. We need to make sure our honking is
encouraging and not discouraging.

FACT: When a goose gets sick, wounded, or shot down, two other
geese will drop out of formation with that goose and follow it down
to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until
it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out on their
own, or with another formation to catch up with their flock.

LESSON: If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by our
colleagues and each other in difficult times as well as in good!
Copyright © Milton Olsen All Rights Reserved
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Easy Does It*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Entertainer

Evening comes in bitter sweet
Relief is calling, my day complete
I look for no one, I close my blind
And hear the voice inside my mind
Beside me sits a crystal glass
Inside - false hope, a backstage pass
To a show I don't want to see
But the entertainer beckons me
He sings a hymn with rig in sight
Inside my room prepared for flight
I tremble as I always do
And in my fear I look for you
I hear you talking, I feel you there
Must keep you blind and unaware
A storm grows strong outside the walls
My mind grows calm when Heaven calls
To you it was another day
Nothing more or less - as others say
But in that moment I wished you knew
And prayed for words of solitude
Absolution would never come
I drank the strength of sweet dark rum
I prepared to say farewell to you
And found a vein - yes, this will do
A hand I could not see touched me
A voice I could not hear but see
Said I can help please let me try
To wash away the pain inside
I question not just how you know
We sit in silence as moments grow
I crawl to you - unstable ground
And hold my heart to stop the sound
"You are found though not yet whole
But He can heal your shattered soul"
And as you spoke those words to me
An Angel wrote my destiny..........

wrote by: Kelly G.
beaglelover2002@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Live And Let Live*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Love knows no place it cannot go
and no person it cannot bring rest.
Gerald G. Jampolsky, MD, Teach Only Love
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep The Focus On You*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To the degree that you doubt your worthiness,
you tend to sabotage your efforts and undermine your relationships.
Dan Millman
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Let God and Let Go*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Man can learn nothing except by
going from the known to the unknown.
Claude Bernard
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
We are co-creators with God,
not puppets on a string waiting
for something to happen.
Father Leo Booth, Creation Spirituality
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I can't take credit for this,
God blesses me with this glorious day
and all I do is show up.
Yes, I am willing to go to meetings,
but I pray for the willingness.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Come To Believe*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Do something nice for someone,
and don't tell anyone about it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Look For The Beauty*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A person who is humble doesn't brag about it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Today Is A Gift*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
With God I can,
without me he won't.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep Stepping*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Addiction is an equal opportunity destroyer.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Stay In The Light*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
High bottoms have trap doors.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*Put Gratitude In Your Attitude*~*~*~*~*~*~*
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit does not endorse any of the
advertisements that may appear in this daily mailing.
Advertising is the price that we pay for a free list server
that yahoo groups provides.

Putting together these Daily Recovery Emails has been such
a blessing for me, Thanks for your support and contributions,
"What I can't do alone we can do together." If you have any
original poetry or submissions that you would like to send to
me you can email me at
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
or YOUnMEnHP@...

"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." Anyone can subscribe to this free daily e-zine
by sending an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and
write subscribe in the subject line.

Under Bill s.1618 TITLE III passed by the 105th U.S. Congress
this letter cannot be considered spam as long as the following words
are included:
To unsubscribe to to this list send an Email message to:
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
and write unsubsribe in the subject line
or go to the website and unsubscribe
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Promise, Many Gifts*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Adult Children of Alcoholics
http://www.AdultChildren.org/

Al-Anon/Alateen
http://www.al-anon.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous Deaf and Hard of Hearing
http://www.dhh12s.com/access.htm

Artists Recovering through the Twelve Steps
http://www.artsanonymous.org/

Clutterer’s Anonymous
http://www.clutterersanonymous.net

Cocaine Anonymous World Services
http://www.ca.org/

Co-Dependents Anonymous Home Page
http://www.codependents.org/

Crystal Meth Anonymous
http://www.crystalmeth.org/

Criminal and Gangs Anonymous
http://www.angelfire.com/id/CGAnonymous/

Debtors Anonymous: A Twelve Step Fellowship for…
http://www.debtorsanonymous.org/

Dual Recovery Anonymous - a 12 Step program
http://www.draonline.org/

Eating Disorders Anonymous
http://www.eatingdisordersanonymous.org/

Emotions Anonymous
http://www.emotionsanonymous.org/

Families Anonymous
http://www.familiesanonymous.org/

Gamblers Anonymous Official Home Page
http://www.gamblersanonymous.org/

Hepatitis C Anonymous
http://www.hcvanonymous.com/

HIV Anonymous
http://www.hivanonymous.com/

The Marijuana Anonymous
http://www.marijuana-anonymous.org/

Methadone Anonymous
http://www.afirmfwc.org/methanon.htm

Narcotics Anonymous Official Homepage
http://www.na.org/

Nar-Anon is a family support group
http://www.nar-anon.org

Nicotine Anonymous (WWW Home Page) NA Home Page
http://www.nicotine-anonymous.org

Overeaters Anonymous
http://www.oa.org/

Parents Anonymous
http://www.parentsanonymous.org/paIndex1.htm

Rape Survivors Anonymous
http://www.rsaws.org/

Recovering Couples Anonymous
http://www.recovering-couples.org

Sex Addicts Anonymous
http://www.saa-recovery.org/

Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous
http://www.slaafws.org/

Shoplifters Anonymous
http://www.shopliftersanonymous.org/

Suicide Anonymous
http://www.geocities.com/samemphis/

Survivors Of Incest Anonymous
http://www.siawso.org/

Workaholics Anonymous
http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*@¿@*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

By the grace of God and through your efforts of passing on this
email, we are reaching many recovering people in different areas of
the world. If you are receiving this, from a country outside of the
USA please send me an email and tell me where you are receiving this.
So far we reaching over 6000 recovering people in 66 countries
including Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Barbados,
Belgium, Bermuda, Brazil, Canada , Columbia, Costa Rica, China ,
Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, England, Finland, France, Guatemala,
Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Indonesia,
Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Japan, Korea,
Lithuania, Mali West Africa, Mozambique, Nepal, Netherlands,
New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico,
Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia , Saudi Arabia,
Scotland, Singapore, South Africa , Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Thailand, Trinidad, Turkey, United Arab Emirates,
U.S.A., Venezuela, Wales, West Indies, Zimbabwe.
Even if your country is listed
please email me, and let me know where you are from.
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-owner@yahoogroups.com
Stay in the Light,
In loving service,
Scott H. from N.Y. ~ clean date 10/27/88
YOUnMEnHP@...

    (\o/\o/)   we are each of us angels with only one wing (\o/\o/)
     /_\/_\    and can only fly     by embracing each other   /_\/_\

For the daily recovery email please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit/>

For the weekly topic meeting please visit me at:
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>

Reply | Forward | Messages in this Topic (1)

#1580

From: YOUnMEnHP <YOUnMEnHP@...>
Date: Thu Mar 10, 2005 12:23 pm
Subject: 3/10/05 "Choices" ~12 Step Soul Food for the Spirit

younmenhp

Offline

Send Email

Step 12
<http://www.recoverycartoons.com/html/steps2002/step12c.html>

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....
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Please Be There For The Newcomers*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
March 10
I am open and willing to take a step forward in a new direction.
I am no longer allowing myself to stay stuck
by old thoughts and feelings.
This new place is exciting and energizing.
written by ~ Ruth Fishel
"Time for Joy"
PLEASE visit and check out Ruth's new book
LIVING LIGHT AS A FEATHER is arriving at bookstores now!
She even interviewed me for the book :)
If you would like a signed copy you can
order it at <http://www.spirithaven.com/> or email her at
spirithaven@... or call at 508-420-5301.
Check out her collection of
light, nourishing and nurturing Books and Tapes
& some touching and embracing Greeting Cards
<http://www.spirithaven.com/>
for inspirational messages email
spirithaven@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Just for Today*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Choices

Sobriety has taught me that "Just for today" I have Freedom of choice.
Freedom to choose to: OR Freedom to choose to:

Drink......OR......Not Drink
Stay Sick......OR......Get Well
Live in the Past......OR......Live in the Today
Stay Irresponsible......OR......Learn to Accept Responsibility
Deny......OR......Accept
React......OR......Think and Act
Go It Alone......OR......Seek Help
Be Dishonest......OR......Truthful
Feel Self Pity......OR......Live Gratitude
Have Fear......OR......Have Faith
Swear......OR......Have Prayer
Suffer Humiliation......OR......Seek Humility
Try and Change Others......OR......Change Myself
Analyze Everything......OR......Utilize the Steps
Feel Guilt......OR......Seek Forgiveness
Dwell on the Negative......OR......Live the Positive
Vegetate......OR......Grow
Be Impatient......OR......Learn Patience
Be Judgmental......OR......Be Tolerant of Others
Be Sad......OR......Be Happy
Be Disrespectful of Others......OR......Treat All With Courtesy, Dignity and Respect
Be Lonely......OR......Be a Friend
Procrastinate......OR......Do It Now
Complicate......OR......Simplify
Be a Slave to the Bottle......OR......Be Free to Be Me
Die a Slow Death......OR......Live a Full Life
Be Selfish......OR......Caring
Hoard......OR......Share of Myself
Lust......OR......Love
Be Shattered......OR......Whole
Believe in No-One......OR.......Believe in God

Thank You God for the Choices You Give to Me
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*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 ~ YOUnMEnHP@...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*No Matter What*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Recovery Links
<http://sponsortosponsor.homestead.com/links.html>

Recovery Links
<http://www.soberrecovery.com/>

Earth Group N.A..’s NEW HOME :)
<http://www.earthgroupna.org/forum/>

12 Step Hangman
<http://www.12stepcity.com/hangman/hangman.php?n=5>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Make A Meeting*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Just For Today
March 10                                Our own recovery

"The steps are our solution. They are our survival kit They are
our defense against addiction, a deadly disease. Our steps are
the principles that make our recovery possible." Basic Text, p. 19

There's lots to like in Narcotics Anonymous. The meetings, for one, are
great. We get to see our friends, hear some inspiring stories, share
some practical experience, maybe even hook up with our sponsor. The
campouts, the conventions, the dances are all wonderful, clean fun in the
company of other recovering addicts. But the heart of our recovery
program is the Twelve Steps—in fact, they are the program!

We've heard it said that we can't stay clean by osmosis—in other words,
we can't just attend meetings, no matter how many, and expect to
breathe recovery in through the pores of our skin. Recovery, as another
saying goes, is an inside job. And the tools we use in working that
"inside job" are the Twelve Steps. Hearing endlessly about acceptance
is one thing; working the First Step for ourselves is something very
different. Stories about making amends may be inspiring, yet nothing will
give us the freedom from remorse that taking the Ninth Step ourselves
will give. The same applies to all twelve steps.

There's much to appreciate about NA, but to get the most from our
recovery we must work the Twelve Steps for ourselves.

Just for today: I want everything my personal program has to offer. I will
work the steps for myself.

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
12StepSoulFoodForTheSpirit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Thanks, In loving service, Scott :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Get A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
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....
to share please visit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
or email
twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit@yahoogroups.com

This is a DIFFERENT Yahoo Club you
MUST join this club in order to participate
Yahoo! Clubs Twelve Step Soul Food 4 the Spirit
<http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/twelvestepsoulfood4thespirit/>
A Safe Place to Share , Discover and Recover.
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.
Thanks for your participation and support :)
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Use Your Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meditation of the Day
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts>

Daily Meditation for ALL 12 Steppers
<http://www.open-mind.org/Daily/>

Dr. Twerski's Sober Thought of the Day
<http://www.gatewayrehab.org/March.html>

NEED HELP Pick a topic Daily Meditation
<http://www.hazelden.org/servlet/hazelden/thoughts/search.html>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Be A Sponsor*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A UNIQUE STABILITY

Where does A.A. get its direction? . . . These practical folk then read
Tradition Two, and learn that the sole authority in A.A. is a loving God as
He may express Himself in the group conscience. . . . The elder
statesman is the one who sees the wisdom of the group's decision, who holds
no resentment over his reduced status, whose judgment, fortified by
considerable experience, is sound, and who is willing to sit quietly on the
sidelines patiently awaiting developments.
TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, pp. 132, 135

Into the fabric of recovery from alcoholism are woven the Twelve Steps and
the Twelve Traditions. As my recovery progressed, I realized that the new
mantle was tailor-made for me. The elders of the group gently offered
suggestions when change seemed impossible. Everyone's shared experiences
became the substance for treasured friendships. I know that the Fellowship
is ready and equipped to aid each suffering alcoholic at all crossroads in
life. In a world beset by many problems, I find this assurance a unique
stability. I cherish the gift of sobriety. I offer God my gratitude for
the strength I receive in a Fellowship that truly exists for the good of
all members.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden/ March 10th

A.A. Thought for the Day

We also strengthen our faith by working with
other alcoholics and finding that we can do
nothing ourselves to help them, except to tell
them our own story of how we found the way out.
If the other person is helped, its by the grace
of God and not by what we do or say. Our own
faith is strengthened when we see another
\alcoholic find sobriety by turning to God. And
finally we strengthen our faith by having quiet
times every morning. Do I ask God in this quiet
time for the strength to stay sober this day?

Meditation for the Day

My five senses are my means of communication
with the material world. They are the links
between my physical life and the material
manifestations around me. But I must sever
all connections with the material world when I
wish to hold communion with the Great Spirit of
the universe. I have to hush my mind and bid all
my senses be still, before I can become attuned
to receive the music of the heavenly spheres.

Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may get my spirit in tune with the
Spirit of the universe. I pray that through faith
and communion with Him I may receive the strength
I need.

"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*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
SEE YOURSELF SAFELY ACROSS THE BRIDGE

Help bridge the gap between your conscious mind and your soul
with a guided mediation. This one is simple but powerful. Read it
until you're familiar with it, then get in a comfortable position,
either sitting or lying down. Close your eyes and visualize it in you
mind until you can see the picture clearly and can see yourself in
the picture.

Picture yourself standing at the entrance to a bridge, a walkway
across a chasm. You can make the bridge high or as low or as wide
or narrow as you want. But to get to the other side, you need to
step onto the bridge and walk across. The side you're standing on
is a little dark. It's familiar, but it's not where you want to be
anymore. Even if you have some fear, envision yourself feeling
excited and curious to get to the other side, but it looks greener,
lighter, happier over there. Feel your desire and determination to
cross the bridge.

Picture yourself walking, safely taking each step, or running (if
you want to run) across the bridge. Stay with yourself each step of
the way. Hold the railing if you like, or run freely down the middle of
the bridge. Stay with yourself each step of the way. But take each
step until you get to the other side. When you get to the other side,
keep walking until you are completely off the bridge and your feet are
planted on solid ground. Give yourself a moment to look back at where
you've come from. Smile and wave at anyone, or anything, you left
behind. Bless them. Release them. Don't worry about who you've left
behind; when they're ready to cross, their bridge will appear. Turn
around, smile, and take a moment enjoy the beauty you see and feel on
this new side.

Know you're safe. You have successfully crossed the bridge. Your feet
are planted on solid ground. Feel yourself surrounded by people who love
you. You may not be able to see their faces or recognize who they are yet,
but you can feel their love. Feel yourself surrounded by trees, mountains,
sunshine, and birds. You may not know exactly what you're going to find on
this new side, but you feel secure. Know and trust that it will be good.

Whenever life gets too intense, reach into your soul survival kit and
retrieve this picture. See yourself safely across the bridge, on the other
side, liking what you feel and trusting what you can't yet clearly see.
Finding Your Way Home ~ A soul survival kit

Melody Beattie ©
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Keep It Simple*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The Dance of Anger , Harriet Lerner
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/harler/part4.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/harler/part5.shtml>
<http://www.spiritsite.com/writing/harler/part6.shtml>
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*One Day At A Time*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I Choose Joy

I choose the path of joy.

I am now willing to release struggle,
and embrace the path of joy.

I relax my body.

I bring relaxation
into my face, head, and neck.

I adjust my posture
so that energy flows easily through me.

I allow my emotions
to grow quiet and calm.

My mind is now becoming serene.
I am at peace with the world.

As I breathe in, I draw in light.

As I breathe out,
I release any thoughts or feelings
I do not want.

I feel the light of my soul all around me,
embracing me with its love.
I expand into the light of my soul.

My soul sings a song of joy.
I draw my soul's joy into my being.

I draw my soul's joy
into the cells of my body.

I draw my soul's joy into my emotions.
I draw my soul's joy into my thoughts.

I sound a note of joy
that reverberates throughout my being.

I think of an area of my life
in which I would like more joy.

As I think of this area of my life,
I ask my soul to permeate this area
with its note of joy.

I affirm that I can release anything
in this area of my life
that does not bring me joy.

I ask my soul to assist me
in releasing any thoughts,
emotions,
attitudes,
and behaviors
that do not contribute to
my having a joyful life.

I believe that I can have joy in this
and in every area of my life.

I open to and experience joy now.

I am aware of my inner being
throughout the day.

I connect with my soul often,
and as I do,
I draw in its joy.

Joy becomes the keynote of my life.

Meditation by Orin and DaBen

About The Authors:
This meditation was "given" by Orin and DaBen, both timeless beings of love
and light, channeled by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer. For a free
subscription to their newsletter which includes messages from Orin and
DaBen, write to: LuminEssence, P.O. Box 1310, Medford, OR 97501. Phone:
541-770-6700. Visit their website at www.orindaben.com This meditation is
reprinted from their website with permission.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*First Things First*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nudge The Balance

"A 91-year-old woman died after living a very long dignified life. When she
met God, she asked Him something that had really bothered her for a very
long time. "If Man was created in God's image, and if all men are created
equal, why do people treat each other so badly?"

God replied that each person who enters our life has a unique lesson to
teach us. It is only through these lessons that we learn about life, people
and our relationships with God.

This confused the woman, so God began to explain:

"When someone lies to you, it teaches you that things are not always what
they seem. The truth is often far beneath the surface. Look beyond the
masks people wear if you want to know what is in their hearts. Remove your
own masks to let people know who you really are.

When someone steals from you it teaches you that nothing is forever. Always
appreciate what you have. You never know when you might lose it. Never
take your friends or family for granted, because today and sometimes only
this very moment is the only guarantee you may have.

When someone inflicts injury upon you, it teaches you that the human state
is a very fragile one. Protect and take care of your body as best as you
can, it's the one thing that you are sure to have forever.

When someone mocks you, it teaches you that no two people are alike. When
you encounter people who are different from you, do not judge them by how
they look or act, instead base it on the conte

Yahoo! Groups Tips

Did you know...

Messages

Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail
	Sign In New User? Sign Up
		Health - Groups - Help

Yahoo! Groups Tips

Did you know...

Best of Y! Groups

Messages