Spiritual Principle a Day for November 27, read by Andrew
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November 27
Humbly Asking for Help
"We all go through times when we need help of one kind or another. Asking for help may be as principled and as difficult as anything we ever do."
—Guiding Principles, Tradition Seven, “For Members”
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Moving into our first apartment clean, learning how to pay bills on time, going to a funeral or a wedding for the first time in recovery, asking someone to sit with us while the craving to pick up passes—life on life’s terms presents us with opportunities to ask for help on a daily basis. Our old way of thinking—shaped by self-centeredness and denial—guards a myth that equates asking for help with weakness.
It takes a great deal of courage to push past the impulse to do all of this on our own. We cultivate humility as we surrender our excessive pride. We ask for and receive support from other members and find the courage to face new emotions and experiences. One member shared, “Today, I see that asking for help is our greatest source of strength.”
At times, life shows up and hits us square in the face. No matter how good a program we work, life still has its ups and downs. We all suffer losses. Success, at first so unfamiliar, can be challenging as well. And often we feel ill equipped to handle life on life’s terms alone.
The good news is that we don’t have to.
The hardest part of getting help may be asking for it. We don’t feel worthy and may think of ourselves as a burden. We swallow our pride and turn to more experienced NA members for help. As awkward as that might be, our requests are typically met with graciousness.
Having navigated many of life’s obstacles clean, they’re usually delighted to share their wisdom and offer support. The joys of helping another addict don’t end when we attain X number of years.
Learning how to be self-supporting does not mean that life’s challenges become a solo endeavor. By practicing humility, we learn what our limitations are, establish some healthy boundaries, and set out in new directions that develop our strengths.
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Spiritual Principle:
Today I will challenge my old ways of thinking by asking someone about their experience and opening myself up to their support.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
ust for Today meditation for November 27, read by Andrew
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voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 27
Seeking God's help
"At times during our recovery, the decision to ask for God's help is our greatest source of strength and courage."
Basic Text p. 26
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When we take the Third Step, we decide to allow a loving Higher Power to guide us and care for us in our daily lives. We make the decision to allow this guidance and care into our lives. Some of us believe that, once we've made the Third Step decision, God leads us; from that point on, it's just a matter of paying attention to where we are led.
The Third Step decision is an act of faith, and asking for God's help is a way of renewing that act of faith. Putting faith to work in our daily lives gives us all the courage and strength we need, because we know we have the help of a loving Higher Power. We trust that our needs will be met. We can tap into that faith and trust just by asking.
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Just for today:
I will remind myself that I'm not alone by asking my Higher Power for help each step of the way.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
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November 28: Just for Today meditation, read by Andrew
Just for Today meditation for November 28, read by Andrew
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 28
Being ourselves
"To be truly humble is to accept and honestly try to be ourselves."
Basic Text p. 35
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Humility is a puzzling concept. We know a lot about humiliation, but humility is a new idea. It sounds suspiciously like groveling, bowing, and scraping. But that's not what humility is at all. True humility is, simply, acceptance of who we are.
By the time we reach a step that uses the word "humbly" we have already started to put this principle into practice. The Fourth Step gives us an opportunity to examine who we really are, and the Fifth Step helps us accept that knowledge.
The practice of humility involves accepting our true nature, honestly being ourselves.
We don't have to grovel or abase ourselves, nor must we try to appear smarter, wealthier, or happier than we really are. Humility simply means we drop all pretense and live as honestly as we can.
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Just for today:
I will allow knowledge of my true nature to guide my actions. Today, I will face the world as myself.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 26, read by Andrew
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 26
Responsibility
"A lot happens in one day, both negative and positive. If we do not take the time to appreciate both, perhaps we will miss something that will help us grow."
IP No.8, "Just For Today"
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Responsibility, responsibility-the responsibilities of life are everywhere. We're "supposed to" wear seat belts. We're "supposed to" clean our homes. We're "supposed to" do certain things for our spouse, our children, the people we sponsor.
On top of all this, we're "supposed to" go to meetings and practice our program as best we can. It's no wonder that, sometimes, we want to run from all these tasks and escape to some far-off island where we're not "supposed to" do anything!
At times like these, when we've become overwhelmed with our responsibilities, we have forgotten that responsibility need not be burdensome. When we have a desire to run away from our responsibilities we need to slow down, remember why we have chosen them, and pay attention to the gifts they bring. Whether it's a job we normally find challenging and interesting, or a partner whose personality we are usually excited by, or a child whom we naturally like to play with and care for, there is joy to be found in all the responsibilities of our lives.
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Just for today:
Each moment is special. I will pay attention, grateful for my responsibilities and the special joys they bring.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 26, read by Andrew
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 26
Reliability and Reasonable Expectations
"We make a commitment to our home group, and if we are absent for some reason, we will be missed."
—IP #2: The Group, “Home group”
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When we were using, reliability was as rare as hen’s teeth. We showed up when it was convenient, and only if we were getting something out of it. We might have made it home for the holidays but stayed just long enough to get gifts that we could return for cash. We might reliably show up to work, but mostly to steal from the till or take our patients’ meds.
The gratification of spending time with family or giving an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay was lost on us.
It didn’t take much cleantime to figure out this way of doing things wouldn’t serve us well in recovery. The idea that we could live clean and enjoy stable, happy lives inspired us. We understood that reliability would be an important part of becoming a responsible, productive member of society.
For many of us, becoming reliable starts with finding a home group, accepting our first commitment, and then doing our best—as one member put it—“to live up to the trust placed in me. My sponsor told me that reliability precedes trust. As suggested, I learned to show up and do what I said I’d do.” By keeping our word, we practiced the essence of reliability and built a foundation for integrity.
Our reliability makes us real assets as members of a home group. Beyond any specific duties we perform, home-group members steady the atmosphere of recovery. We think of some members as “fixtures” at certain meetings—the same people, often in the same seats, week after week—and, in time, we become them. “It’s okay to take us for granted—that’s what we’re here for,” one home-group member explained. “We’re like candles you keep on hand just in case. We’re here to produce some light if needed or to set the mood.”
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Spiritual Principle:
I will be true to my word today. I will show up and do what’s expected of me at home, at work, in the community, and in meetings.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 25, read by Andrew
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November 25
Meditation
"Quieting the mind through meditation brings an inner peace that brings us into contact with the God within us."
Basic Text p. 45
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As our recovery progresses, we often reflect on what brought us to Narcotics Anonymous in the first place and are able to appreciate how much the quality of our lives has improved. We no longer have to fear our own thoughts. And the more we pray and meditate, the more we experience a calm sense of well-being. The peace and tranquility we experience during our quiet times confirms that our most important needs-our spiritual needs-are being met.
We are able to empathize with other addicts and strengthen our conscience in the process. We learn to avoid judging others and experience the freedom to be ourselves. In our spiritual reflection, we intuitively find "the God within us" and see that we are in harmony with a Power greater than ourselves.
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Just for today:
I will reflect upon the gift of recovery and listen quietly for my Higher Power's guidance.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 25, read by Andrew
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 25
Practicing Forgiveness, Foregoing Resentments
"Forgiveness is an action and a decision. We need a lot of forgiveness, and we also get to provide it."
—Living Clean, Chapter 7, “Love”
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Working the Twelve Steps of NA teaches us to make decisions for ourselves and take deliberate actions in our lives. We no longer allow circumstances and our disease to dictate our every move. We choose to practice forgiveness and try not to worry too much about when and if our loved ones forgive us. (We’d been pretty rotten at times, after all.) We focus on matters that are in our control and do the work necessary to forgive ourselves and others.
NA service provides plenty of opportunities to apply this spiritual principle. As we serve alongside fellow members, it’s almost inevitable that we’ll bump heads from time to time.
For the most part, we manage to set aside our disagreements, uniting to support the addict who still suffers. But practicing unity does not neutralize the need for forgiveness. “Despite acting in unity, I was still holding a grudge,” a member shared. “It occurred to me that service might be more pleasant if I would forgive some of those I serve with.”
Many of us have taken a turn standing on the NA soapbox in defense of what we believed was best for the Fellowship. We can forgive others for being irritatingly passionate because we’ve been that, too. Instead of keeping a record of each other’s worst moments, we can make a decision to focus on the good work they’re doing. We adjust our perspective to take the bigger picture into account.
None of us is all good or all bad. By practicing forgiveness, we allow ourselves and others to be human. Sure, we make mistakes, but our worst moments don’t need to define us. By practicing forgiveness, we can shift our focus and appreciate the strengths each of us brings to the table.
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Spiritual Principle:
I choose to practice forgiveness today. I’ll revisit some old resentments, take positive action on any unresolved issues, and let go of any lingering bitterness. I will accept people as they are now.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 24, read by Andrew
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 24
Hospitality Counters Self-Centeredness
"Simply making eye contact or offering a hug to a newcomer can make all the difference to them—and to us."
—Guiding Principles, Tradition Three, “Spiritual Principles”
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To those of us accustomed to being unwelcome nuisances to family, friends, and others, the hospitality we encounter in NA can be both unexpected and unfamiliar. “People I used with stopped wanting me around even when I was willing to share my drugs,” one member shared. “Talk about feeling like an outcast!”
That special welcome we felt as newcomers in NA inspires many of us to go out of our way to help other newcomers feel welcome. “When I was in early recovery, I asked my sponsor how to be a homegroup member,” one addict wrote. “My sponsor told me I could start by making sure that no one new to the meeting ever leaves without being welcomed.”
The act of welcoming others has a big impact on us, too. For people prone to self- centeredness, it’s a great relief to put our own wants, needs, and feelings on the back burner long enough to concern ourselves with how others feel. Our sense of attention and concern expands, allowing us to notice who is around and what they might be feeling. As many of us have heard, we build self-esteem by doing esteemable things. We don’t even need to do much to help anxious, scared, or alienated addicts begin to feel calm, safe, and welcome in NA—and doing so rewards us in ways we cannot measure.
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Spiritual Principle:
My feeling of connection and belonging in NA increases by leaps and bounds when I welcome others. I will go out of my way to make someone feel welcome today.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 24, read by Andrew
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 24
Gratefully recovering
"We entertained the thought that staying clean was not paying off and the old thinking stirred up self-pity, resentment, and anger."
Basic Text p. 98
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There are days when some of us wallow in self-pity. It's easy to do. We may have expectations about how our lives should be in recovery, expectations that aren't always met. Maybe we've tried unsuccessfully to control someone, or we think our circumstances should be different. Perhaps we've compared ourselves with other recovering addicts and found ourselves lacking. The more we try to make our life conform to our expectations, the more uncomfortable we feel. Self-pity can arise from living in our expectations instead of in the world as it actually is.
When the world doesn't measure up to our expectations, it's often our expectations that need adjusting, not the world. We can start by comparing our lives today with the way they used to be, developing gratitude for our recovery. We can extend this exercise in gratitude by counting the good things in our lives, becoming thankful that the world does not conform to our expectations but exceeds them. And if we continue working the Twelve Steps, further cultivating gratitude and acceptance, what we can expect in the future is more growth, more happiness, and more peace of mind.
We've been given much in recovery; staying clean has paid off. Acceptance of our lives, just for today, frees us from our self-pity.
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Just for today:
I will accept my life, gratefully, just as it is.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 23, read by Andrew
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voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 23
God's will
"The relief of 'letting go and letting God' helps us develop a life that is worth living."
Basic Text p. 26
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In our addiction, we were afraid of what might happen if we didn't control everything around us. Many of us made up elaborate lies to protect our use of drugs. Some of us manipulated everyone around us in a frenzied attempt to get something from them so we could use more drugs. A few of us went to great lengths to keep two people from talking to each other and perhaps discovering our trail of lies. We took pains to maintain an illusion of control over our addiction and our lives. In the process, we kept ourselves from experiencing the serenity that comes with surrender to a Higher Power's will.
In our recovery, it is important to release our illusion of control and surrender to a Higher Power, whose will for us is better than anything we can con, manipulate, or devise for ourselves. If we realize that we are trying to control outcomes and are feeling afraid of the future, there is action we can take to reverse that trend. We go to our Second and Third Steps and look at what we have come to believe about a Higher Power. Do we truly believe that this Power can care for us and restore us to sanity? If so, we can live with all of life's ups and downs-its disappointments, its sorrows, its wonders, and its joys.
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Just for today:
I will surrender and let a Higher Power's will happen in my life. I will accept the gift of serenity this surrender brings.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 23, read by Andrew
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 23
Maturity Calls for Some Humility
"Doing the right thing when no one is looking is an act of service to what we believe in. Some of us call this integrity; the Sixth Step calls it character. Whatever we call it, this practice is the discipline that forms the basis of our growing maturity."
—Living Clean, Chapter 6, “Commitment”
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Integrity. Character. Discipline. Maturity. Not often were these words used in reference to us when we were in active addiction, except perhaps to note the lack thereof.
While many NA members completely reject being the center of attention, there are just as many of us who adore the spotlight or who, at the very least, undertake commitments to be acknowledged and praised. In the course of our recovery, we’ll have ample opportunity to dissect what motivates our choices. As a practical matter, we might simply concede that active addiction left us with many regrets. We were ashamed of many of our actions and inactions. In recovery, we have the opportunity to get things done—in NA, in our jobs, and in our family life—because those things need to get done. Adhering to that sense of practicality and work ethic—rather than the attention-grabbing “Look at me!”—is a sign of maturity and integrity. It shows character and discipline, too. All of it.
And, sure, if we have a commitment that we do consistently, competently, and maybe with our own creative spin on it, our efforts may draw some positive attention. Accepting others’ gratitude is also a sign of maturity.
We don’t need to plan our service entirely around making sure no one is looking. That would be anonymity overkill. We don’t need to hide our talents or skills in order to do the right thing. We embrace our capabilities so we can stay clean and help others do the same.
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Spiritual Principle:
Today I’m deciding to let my contributions to the world speak for themselves. If they speak only to me, so be it. If others notice and express their appreciation, I will be gracious.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 22, read by Andrew
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 22
Facing Life with Courage
"We find the courage to follow our heart, to listen to the voice within, to create, to commit, to explore, and to live."
—Living Clean, Chapter 3, “Creative Action of the Spirit”
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It takes courage to give this NA way of life a try. Whether it’s for the first or the fourteenth time, walking through the doors to our first meeting—or first meeting back—takes real determination. And that’s just the beginning. Once we stop using, and our obsession fades, the challenges of living life on life’s terms will call on us to be courageous again and again.
Lucky for us, the NA way gives us the gumption to persevere despite life’s difficulties. We forge lasting friendships, learn from our fellow travelers, and find in them enough courage to transcend the challenges of each day. NA literature can be a source of strength and courage, too. We each find our own understanding between the lines and in the tough questions we ask ourselves. As we contemplate and apply the collective wisdom found in NA literature, we are emboldened to be more fully ourselves, drawing strength from our Higher Power.
With a firm foundation in recovery, we can move through the world with courage and confidence, though sometimes we decline opportunities to do so. “My ‘fear goggles’ kept my focus on the potential for failure or rejection,” a member shared. “I was afraid to start or end relationships, to express my feelings, to come out. I was unwilling to be fully myself and paid a price for my lack of courage. In my effort to avoid pain, I’d also sidestepped chances to find real joy.” That’s no way to live.
The example of others and our faith in a Higher Power inspire us to live courageously, despite a lack of certainty. Life is a risky business, and things won’t always work out in our favor. As one addict put it, “I’m not God’s little honey bunny, and the answers to my prayers aren’t always ‘yes.’ But even when things don’t go my way, I still walk with courage. It helps to know that you folks will pick me up if I stumble.” We dare to dream—to try and fail and try again.
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Spiritual Principle:
If I don’t risk anything, I risk everything. I will muster the courage necessary to take a leap of faith today, big or small.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 22, read by Andrew
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 22
Foundation first
"As we begin to function in society, our creative freedom helps us sort our priorities and do the basic things first."
Basic Text p. 83
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No sooner do we get clean than some of us begin putting other priorities ahead of our recovery. Careers, families, relationships-all these are part of the life we find once we've laid the foundation of our recovery. But we can't build a stable life for ourselves before we do the hard, basic work of laying our recovery foundation. Like a house built on sand, such a life will be shaky, at best.
Before we begin putting all our attention to rebuilding the detailed framework of our lives, we need to lay our foundation. We acknowledge, first, that we don't yet have a foundation, that our addiction has made our lives utterly unmanageable. Then, with the help of our sponsor and our home group, we find faith in a Power strong enough to help us prepare the ground of our new lives. We clear the wreckage from the site upon which we will build our future. Finally, we develop a deep, working familiarity with the principles we will practice in our continuing affairs: honest self-examination, reliance upon our Higher Power's guidance and strength, and service to others.
Once our foundation is prepared, then we can go full steam ahead to put our new lives together. But first we must ask ourselves if our foundation is secure, for without our foundation, nothing we build can stand for long.
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Just for today:
I will take care to lay a secure foundation for my recovery. Upon such a foundation, I can build for a lifetime in recovery.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
November 21: Spiritual Principle a Day, read by Alexis
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 21, read by Alexis
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voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 21
Discernment and Group Conscience
"We trust—and we use good sense. Living in fellowship with other addicts, we learn discernment."
—Guiding Principles, Tradition Two, Opening Reflection
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The spiritual principle of discernment—exercising good judgment—is central to practicing Tradition Two. In our personal recovery, we work on developing a guiding conscience in our own decision making that helps us decipher what’s healthy for us and what isn’t. Many of us have described that conscience as a voice in our head that tells us right from wrong. Many others say it’s our loving Higher Power working in our lives.
We bring this awareness into our groups and try to practice it there, in fellowship with each other. Discernment is group conscience in action; using it requires some common sense, experience, and, hopefully, clarity about what’s our opinion, what’s factual, and what’s actually important. Some of our groups develop trust and a collective conscience over time, but we need to stay open-minded as our membership evolves. To sustain our practice of Tradition Two, we need unity, faith, goodwill, and even more trust.
Speaking of trust, discernment helps us choose our trusted servants and guides us in our efforts to be trustworthy as we serve. We create guidelines that outline preferred qualities for particular roles in our groups. These may aid the process but aren’t the whole of it.
Other circumstances that aren’t on paper and still meet our need to serve the greater good may play a role in our decisions. We listen to our fellow members offer qualifications for a position, learn about each other’s capacity for effective leadership, and then use discernment, expressed through our group conscience, to match talent to task.
As trusted servants, we’re trusted to serve the needs of our group and NA as a whole, rather than our own egos, individual opinions, and desired outcomes. To keep our leaders in check, we are each other’s eyes and ears, shining light on one another’s blind spots and turning up the volume when we aren’t listening carefully.
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Spiritual Principle:
I am committed to serving the greater good. I aim to do so by exercising good judgment, inviting my own conscience to contribute to the group’s, and letting go of the outcome.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 21, read by Alexis
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 21
Letting our defects go
"If [character defects] contributed to our health and happiness, we would not have come to such a state of desperation."
Basic Text p. 34
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Getting started on the Sixth and Seventh Steps isn't always easy. We may feel as though we have so much wrong with us that we are totally defective. We might feel like hiding under a rock. Under no circumstance would we want our fellow addicts to know about our inadequacies.
We will probably go through a time of examining everything we say and do in order to identify our character defects and make sure we suppress them. We may look back at one particular day, cringing at what we're certain is the most embarrassing thing we've ever said. We become determined to be rid of these horrible traits at all costs. But nowhere in the Sixth or Seventh Steps does it say we can learn to control our defects of character. In fact, the more attention we focus on them, the more firmly entrenched they will become in our lives. It takes humility to recognize that we can't control our defects any more than we can control our addiction. We can't remove our own defects; we can only ask a loving God to remove them.
Letting go of something painful can be as difficult as letting go of something pleasant. But let's face it-holding on is a lot of work. When we really think about what we're holding onto, the effort just isn't worthwhile. It's time to let go of our character defects and ask God to remove them.
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Just for today:
I'm ready to have my defects removed. I will let go and allow a loving Higher Power to care for me.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 20, read by Alexis
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 20
Humor as a Practice of Surrender
"One of the gifts of recovery is regaining our sense of humor."
—Living Clean, Chapter Seven, “The Lifelong Practice of Surrender”
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When we were using, everything was life-or-death serious—that lifestyle of getting, using, and finding ways and means to get more! Some of us felt like we hadn’t laughed for years when we first got to NA. Others of us experienced plenty of laughter out there—directed right at us. “You’re so thin-skinned,” our mates would mock us. “Get a sense of humor.”
While actual events of our using history stay the same, our relationship to them evolves as we grow in recovery. We see fellow NA members finding humor in their pasts, and we begin to lighten up about the darkness in ours. Our stepwork reveals a long list of defects that still affect us today. And being able (finally) to laugh at ourselves as we act out on that shortcoming—yet again!—is a strategy that can help us to not beat ourselves up and to be okay with where we are right now. Humor becomes a way we identify, connect, and express empathy and forgiveness, for others as well as ourselves. Humor is a practice of surrender.
For many of us, humor can also be a hazard. It’s a strategy we may use to escape our feelings or avoid being real in our relationships. We sometimes use it to put people down, including ourselves. Self-deprecating humor has a place, but self-ridicule breeds self-doubt.
Some of us used humor to survive out there, but in recovery we aren’t living in that life-or- death cycle. As we become more aware of these issues through working our program and receiving input from our sponsor and others we trust, our relationship to humor may shift.
Ideally, the sense of humor we gain in recovery becomes less self-pitying, protective, or aggressive than the one we came in with. And we can finally breathe because we don’t take ourselves quite as seriously as we used to.
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Spiritual Principle:
I will try to surrender to levity today. I can laugh at myself without putting myself down, and do the same for my fellow addict, with love, sensitivity, and wit, if I have a bit of that.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 20, read by Alexis
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 20
Finding fulfillment
"We weren't oriented toward fulfillment; we focused on the emptiness and worthlessness of it all"
Basic Text p. 86
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There were probably hundreds of times in our active addiction when we wished we could become someone else. We may have wished we could trade places with someone who owned a nice car or had a larger home, a better job, a more attractive mate-anything but what we had. So severe was our despair that we could hardly imagine anyone being in worse shape than ourselves.
In recovery, we may find we are experiencing a different sort of envy. We may continue to compare our insides with others' outsides and feel as though we still don't have enough of anything. We may think everyone, from the newest member to the oldest old-timer, sounds better at meetings than we do. We may think that everyone else must be working a better program because they have a better car, a larger home, more money, and so on.
The recovery process experienced through our Twelve Steps will take us from an attitude of envy and low self-esteem to a place of spiritual fulfillment and deep appreciation for what we do have. We find that we would never willingly trade places with another, for what we have discovered within ourselves is priceless.
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Just for today:
There is much to be grateful for in my life. I will cherish the spiritual fulfillment I have found in recovery. Just For Today Meditations for recovering addicts
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 19, read by Alexis
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 19
Healing with Empathy
"One of the benefits of reaching out is finding that our most painful experiences can help someone else."
—Living Clean, Chapter 1, “Growing Pains”
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Being clean doesn’t give us immunity from life’s struggles. Fortunately for us, we don’t have to navigate life on our own. When we ask for support and allow people to be there for us, we access perhaps the Fellowship’s greatest resource: each other. If cleantime and other successes have caused us to lose touch with this asset, life’s difficulties can provide a gentle nudge in its direction. When we summon the courage to reach out for support, our NA communities respond with empathy. It helps to have someone to lean on, to sit with us as we sit with our feelings, to cheer us on as we put one foot in front of the other, and to empathize as we heal, regroup, and start again.
Our fellow members understand our urge to run away or to find some temporary relief in food, sex, or spending. We can identify with that impulse to shut down or be massively controlling or lean into other character defects to manage our troubles and feelings. We empathize because we’ve been there emotionally—or at least in the neighborhood. We can connect deeply and share the burden of each other’s sorrows and emotional pain. Even if we don’t have direct experience with a specific way in which life has shown up for a fellow member, we’re all capable of listening, bringing a hot dish, or taking the kids out for ice cream. Sometimes, a reminder that there will be sunshine after the rain helps us get through the day.
When we share with an addict in pain, we’re able to get outside ourselves. The empathy we experience creates identification, gratitude, and perspective. “The therapeutic value of one addict helping another” is beneficial to both the helper and the helped—we know this because we’ve been both. One member’s comment to another captures this dynamic: “Someone told me that my struggle would give me the strength I’d be needing down the line. That strength was for you, and when my experience helped you, I got to heal on a whole new level. Your call for help was a real mitzvah.”
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Spiritual Principle:
The well of empathy runs deep in NA, and I will keep returning to it. I will share my burdens with another addict today, knowing it will provide a source of healing for both of us.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 19, read by Alexis
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 19
The language of empathy
"".... the addict would find from the start as much identification as each needed to convince himself that he could stay clean, by the example of others who had recovered for many years"."
Basic Text p. 85
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Many of us attended our first meeting and, not being entirely sure that NA was for us, found much to criticize. Either we felt as though no one had suffered like we had or that we hadn't suffered enough. But as we listened we started to hear something new, a wordless language with its roots in recognition, belief, and faith: the language of empathy. Desiring to belong, we kept listening.
We find all the identification we need as we learn to understand and speak the language of empathy. To understand this special language, we listen with our hearts.
The language of empathy uses few words; it feels more than it speaks. It doesn't preach or lecture-it listens. It can reach out and touch the spirit of another addict without a single spoken word.
Fluency in the language of empathy comes to us through practice. The more we use it with other addicts and our Higher Power, the more we understand this language. It keeps us coming back.
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Just for today:
I will listen with my heart. With each passing day, I will become more fluent in the language of empathy. Just For Today Meditations for recovering addicts
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 18, read by Alexis
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 18
Self-discovery
"The Tenth Step can help us correct our living problems and prevent their recurrence."
Basic Text p. 41
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Our identities, how we think and feel, have been shaped by our experiences. Some of our experiences have made us better people; others have caused us shame or embarrassment; all of them have influenced who we are today. We can take advantage of the knowledge gained in examining our mistakes, using this wisdom to guide the decisions we'll make today.
Acceptance of ourselves means accepting all aspects of ourselves-our assets, our defects, our successes, and our failures. Shame and guilt left unaddressed can paralyze us, preventing us from moving forward in our lives. Some of the most meaningful amends we can make for the mistakes of our past are made simply by acting differently today. We strive for improvement and measure our success by comparing who we used to be with who we are now.
Being human, we will continue making mistakes; however, we need not make the same ones over and over again. By looking over our past and realizing that we have changed and grown, we'll find hope for the future. The best is yet to come.
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Just for today:
I will do the best I can with what I have today. Each day I'll learn something new that will help me tomorrow. Just For Today Meditations for recovering addicts
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 18, read by Alexis
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 18
Unity, Our Practical Foundation
"With unity as our practical foundation, we find that our relationship with one another is more important than any issue that may arise to divide us."
—It Works, Tradition One, “Applying Spiritual Principles”
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Addicts tend to be creative and bright, with brains chock full of . . . endless opinions. We are passionate and often have a strong sense of justice . . . the flip side of which can be profound self-righteousness. Lots of us are charismatic individuals blessed with considerable leadership qualities . . . who can be manipulative, giving others the smack- down with our encyclopedic knowledge of the Traditions. We are curious sorts who ask a million questions . . . about issues addressed in the subcommittee chair’s report that we didn’t read. We can be wonderfully flexible in weighing all the options about an issue . . .
and change our minds and alliances many times in a single discussion. We can be calm, deep listeners who reserve offering opinions until all the facts are in . . . and then passive- aggressively subvert the group’s conscience.
All of these personalities (and many more) are charged with ensuring that NA remains steadfast in its purpose to support the newcomer by carrying a message of recovery.
Conflicts arise at group business meetings, during learning days, when planning a regional convention, and in NA World Services. Putting the principle of unity before personalities can be a challenge in practice. But it’s our commitment to each other and to our shared purpose—the very essence of unity—that helps us grow as individuals and strengthens the Fellowship of NA.
At the end of the day, it’s our relationships with each other that get us through personal upheaval, financial peril, professional concerns—through every aspect of our lives. We strive to safeguard those relationships, especially when we can’t agree on whether or not it’s cool to buy cakes with the Seventh Tradition cash.
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Spiritual Principle:
Instead of obsessing about our differences of opinion, I will focus on strengthening relationships with other members. I will seek opportunities to give or receive support from another addict.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom