Inspirations

A man falls into a hole so deep he can't get out. A doctor lowers a prescription into the hole. A clergyman tosses in a prayer. Finally, a stranger walks by and jumps into the hole. "Why did you do that?" the man asks. "Now we're both in the hole." "Yes," the stranger responds. "But I've been in this hole before, and I know the way out."

Addiction is a process of buying into false and empty promises: the false promise of relief, the false promise of emotional security, the false sense of fulfillment, and the false sense of intimacy with the world ... Like any other major illness, addiction is an experience that changes people in permanent ways. That is why it's so important that people in recovery attend Twelve Step and other self-help meetings on a regular basis; the addictive logic remains deep inside of them and looks for an opportunity to reassert itself in the same or in a different form. - Craig Nakken, author of "The Addictive Personality”

“When I do good, I feel good when I do bad, I feel bad. That’s my religion”
Abraham Lincoln

Keep Your Beliefs Positive Because…
Your Beliefs Become Your Thoughts
Your Thoughts Become Your Words
Your Words Become Your Actions
Your Actions Become Your Habits
Your Habits Become Your Values
Your Values Become Your Destiny

Mahatama Ghandi

“Words don’t cook rice”
-old Zen saying

John F. Kennedy reminded us that peace will come by recognizing our common wealth. "If we can not end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity. For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."

Although we wish to cast off grief,

We hasten after misery;

And though we long for happiness,

Out of ignorance we crush our joy

as if it were our enemy.

"Enlightenment is not about imagining figures of light

but of making the darkness conscious."

-- C.G. Jung

Our deepest need is for the joy that comes with knowing we are of

genuine use to others.

-- Eknath Easwaran

Holding an intention to be in service shapes our overall attitude

towards life in many ways. For example, it brings a greater sensitivity and

awareness of others, a commitment to harmlessness, a willingness to put

others needs before our own and a desire to be in harmony with all.

An attitude of service also involves a willingness to be served when we

truly need support.

"there is no such thing as just existing. Everything is in service to

everything else. Existence is giving and receiving. A stone gives and

receives no less than a saint."

-- Jacob Needleman

Self-centered Fear

The chief activator of our defects

has been self-centered fear --

primarily fear that we would lose something

we already possessed

or would fail to get something we demanded.

Living upon a basis of unsatisfied demands,

we were in a state of continual disturbance and

frustration.

Therefore, no peace was to be had unless we could find

a means of reducing those demands.

c. 1953 AAWS, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, p.

Your daily life -- with all its opportunities, challenges and dilemmas -- is a composite reflection of your recent focus of attention.

Shift this focus, and you will begin to realize new dimensions of unmanifest potential. Watch and learn as this energy moves.

"Whatever you focus on expands."

A program member once remarked that the main source of our unhappiness is that we ourselves don't know what we want. We think we are dissatisfied with what we have, with the way we live, and the way other people act toward us. He suggested that each person dig down deep to see what we really feel would bring us contentment. If this self-searching reveals only that we are disgruntled because we feel we deserve a better car, a bigger house or more money, we must dig still deeper for the real cause. Is it the envy of others? Is it our inability to enjoy fully what we do have? Do we, in defense of our shortcomings, look for excuses to blame others?

Today's reminder:

I can find serenity only by rooting out of my discontent. I must acknowledge to myself the real reasons why I react as I do. Am I doing my share? If not, my dissatisfaction may be due to unrecognized guilt. Is it difficult for me to feel and express appreciation? I will try to develop a sense of gratitude. Do I expect others to behave according to my expectations? I will live and let live.

"It really adds up to this, that we are not satisfied with ourselves, and we can certainly so something about that."

Today's Meditation:

I will never forget to say thank you to God, even on

the grayest of days.

My attitude will be one of humility and gratitude.

Saying thank you to God is a daily practice that is

absolutely necessary. If a day is not one of

thankfulness, the practice has to be repeated until it

becomes so.

Gratitude is a necessity for those who seek to live a

better life.

Today's Prayer: