HAVING HAD A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING AS A RESULT OF THESE STEPS WE TRIED TO CARRY THIS MESSAGE TO OTHERS AND TO PRACTICE THIESE PRINCIPLES IN ALL OUR AFFAIRS
ODAT PAGE 348
AT no point in my life will I achieve perfection; there will never be a time in my life when I will not need the joy and satisfaction of helping others.
Page Paths to Recovery Page 119
It can be said the entire alanon program is summed up in the 12th Step. We see the results of our efforts, a Spiritual awakeningcommit ourselves to share the gifts we have received and recognize that living a Spiritual Life is an ongoing process.
My Share
When I first entered the rooms of alanon and heard the Steps read at each Meeting, I really felt inspired and hopeful. The 12th Step stated:" Having Had a Spiritual Awakening as a result of These Steps. " That was a promise that if I followed these Steps i would be changed and receive a new outlook on the world-- All I needed was to begin the task of working the steps with a sponsor. All my life I was looking for workable guidelines that I could use in order to learn a new constructive ways to respond to life and grow as a person. These Steps promised me that.
I do believe that I was in a spiritual coma!!! And the promise of A Spiritual Awakening suggested that I would be able to access another deeper part of myself that I had never reached before. What an adventure and promise.
Carrying the message to others and practicing these principles in all my affairs was equally impressive. I decided to carry the message by attending one meeting a day, sharing, an d holding office then I was carrying the message as well as I could.
Practicing these principles took a little time I needed to determine exactly what were the principles I could live by and then feel comfortable enough to use them as part of" who I was. "The steps that preceded this one helped me to define my principles and gave me the courage to let go of my destructive actions and trust HP to guide me. Thanks to the God of my understanding and this program I will never again be so lost in a spiritual wasteland. I have the tools and the fellowship to walk with courage, serenity and dignity.
QUESTIONS STEP 12
1. Describe your experiences in carrying the message to others. Describe an effort that backfired or didn't work. Describe one that you believed was successful.
2. How have you begun to take recovery principles to areas of your life other than your primary relationships? In what areas of your life would you like to experience healing and more growth and change? You may want to turn these wants into written goals.
3. How has your relationship with yourself changed since you began recovery? How do you treat yourself differently now? How does it feel when you treat yourself well and in a nurturing, loving manner?
4. Describe your experiences trying to share or explain your recovery to family members. Get feedback from someone else in recovery, someone you trust, about these experiences.
5. How have you grown spiritually since you began recovery? How would you describe your spiritual awakening?
6. Have you awakened to the beauty and joy of yourself?
Have I experienced a Spiritual Awakening ? Describe
What are the different ways I can carry the Message?
How can I recognize a cry for help without meddling in others affair?
How can I carry the message to others in my family?
What are these principles?
How can I apply them in my life?
How am I living the program?
How am I a Good example of alanon recovery?
DavidG said
Feb 17, 2014
hotrod wrote:
QUESTIONS STEP 12
1. Describe your experiences in carrying the message to others. Describe an effort that backfired or didn't work. Describe one that you believed was successful.
I propose to promote by attraction. My 12th step is a bit limited by my gender in Alanon... I 12th stepped a member a long time ago, by arrangement with her family. She has passed, but her son comes along today.
2. How have you begun to take recovery principles to areas of your life other than your primary relationships? In what areas of your life would you like to experience healing and more growth and change? You may want to turn these wants into written goals.
I was at a community meeting this morning. I broke my anonymity to a health professional- to spread the message.
my primary loyalty is to my family
I regard Alanon FG as family as well.
3. How has your relationship with yourself changed since you began recovery? How do you treat yourself differently now? How does it feel when you treat yourself well and in a nurturing, loving manner?
Nothing at all has changed, except that I have found myself. Which was already there... ...I was led there by my higher power and other members. I keep my place here by keeping in touch. T...ouch.
4. Describe your experiences trying to share or explain your recovery to family members. Get feedback from someone else in recovery, someone you trust, about these experiences.
My family hated my guts for breaching family secrets. More obvious in a small town. When our dad died that said I would end up becoming a lonely old man. So far I have proved them wrong.
5. How have you grown spiritually since you began recovery? How would you describe your spiritual awakening?
I had two awakenings so far. One at age 20 was fairly religious. The second, about 10 years ago was more about the cosmos. In my early years I felt I was having spiritual experience, from time to time. Looking back I was getting glimpses of what it was like to have safe normal emotions. I built a life a round these experiences. Today i spend time 'in the moment' a lot more. I find the God of my understaning a lot more available here. And it connects me with others... (thanks Betty).
6. Have you awakened to the beauty and joy of yourself?
Getting there, with help...
hotrod said
Feb 17, 2014
Dear David,
Thank you for your honest and well thought out experience, strength and hope. I love to hear about how others have experienced this step and in particular the Spiritual Awakening. Others Spiritual Awakening.
I know that you carry the message often, to members on the MIP board.
Your dedication hard work is respected and is evident in your powerful recovery
grateful2be said
Feb 28, 2014
How can I best carry the message to family members is the question from Paths that I want to answer. All members of my family have been affected by alcoholism or have the disease. As the only one in my family who has entered recovery to my knowledge, it has been a difficult experience to keep working the program especially as the disease has progressed in my family members. Sometimes, I have wanted to go back to the way things were to avoid the pain that has occurred because I no longer believe in so much of what I was taught. On one hand, I know how unhealthy those beliefs are now. On the other hand, it gets lonely sometimes. I've learned that the best way to carry the message is to stick to what I am learning in Al-Anon even when difficult and painful and to spend more time with those who can accept the changes in me. It isn't my job to insist that family members get help in Al-Anon or AA. That's up to them. But it is my job to continue to work the program for me regardless of what family members do or don't do. Perhaps there will come a time when their misery will be enough that they will either enter the program for themselves or will ask me for my experience. If and when that happens, I'll be happy to support their effort in this program of recovery. Until then, I will practice what I've learned in the program with my daughter and grandson - the two people in my family I do feel at home with even though neither is in an active recovery program. I have noticed that my grandson listens to both what I say and what I do and is open with me about his own thoughts and feelings even though he is a teen now. Perhaps Al-Anon has helped me keep a door open to him that he feels safe to enter and be himself in? As a teen myself, I shut down with my parents because I didn't trust them and I didn't share much with my grandparents either. Perhaps I have been carrying the message with my grandson that could be breaking the cycle of this disease in our family? I hope so.
hotrod said
Feb 28, 2014
Thank you Grateful2Be
Your insight and honesty has helped to carry the message tonight. I know that by practicing these principles in all my affairs i will do nothing to enable this dreadful disease and will ensure that all that i connect with are treated with courtesy and kindness.
What they do and how they act or respond is on them How freeing is that?.
Loved reading your thoughts
Serenity4uNme said
May 18, 2014
Carrying the message to others and practicing these principles in all my affairs was equally impressive... <- thanks betty .. seeing the carrying part after years of not .. by Working the steps we carry the serenity acceptance love hope .. the tradition I believe states helping & encouraging families of alcoholics .. we Do this By practicing the 12 steps (ourselves)
hotrod said
May 20, 2014
Absolutely Serenity. By the 12th Step and 12th Tradition we have now been granted the Courage, Serenity and Wisdom to share with others. Kepp on showing up and sharing your ESH
Step 12
HAVING HAD A SPIRITUAL AWAKENING AS A RESULT OF THESE STEPS WE TRIED TO CARRY THIS MESSAGE TO OTHERS AND TO PRACTICE THIESE PRINCIPLES IN ALL OUR AFFAIRS
ODAT PAGE 348
AT no point in my life will I achieve perfection; there will never be a time in my life when I will not need the joy and satisfaction of helping others.
Page Paths to Recovery Page 119
It can be said the entire alanon program is summed up in the 12th Step. We see the results of our efforts, a Spiritual awakeningcommit ourselves to share the gifts we have received and recognize that living a Spiritual Life is an ongoing process.
My Share
When I first entered the rooms of alanon and heard the Steps read at each Meeting, I really felt inspired and hopeful. The 12th Step stated:" Having Had a Spiritual Awakening as a result of These Steps. " That was a promise that if I followed these Steps i would be changed and receive a new outlook on the world-- All I needed was to begin the task of working the steps with a sponsor. All my life I was looking for workable guidelines that I could use in order to learn a new constructive ways to respond to life and grow as a person. These Steps promised me that.
I do believe that I was in a spiritual coma!!! And the promise of A Spiritual Awakening suggested that I would be able to access another deeper part of myself that I had never reached before. What an adventure and promise.
Carrying the message to others and practicing these principles in all my affairs was equally impressive. I decided to carry the message by attending one meeting a day, sharing, an d holding office then I was carrying the message as well as I could.
Practicing these principles took a little time I needed to determine exactly what were the principles I could live by and then feel comfortable enough to use them as part of" who I was. "The steps that preceded this one helped me to define my principles and gave me the courage to let go of my destructive actions and trust HP to guide me. Thanks to the God of my understanding and this program I will never again be so lost in a spiritual wasteland. I have the tools and the fellowship to walk with courage, serenity and dignity.
QUESTIONS STEP 12
1. Describe your experiences in carrying the message to others. Describe an effort that backfired or didn't work. Describe one that you believed was successful.
2. How have you begun to take recovery principles to areas of your life other than your primary relationships? In what areas of your life would you like to experience healing and more growth and change? You may want to turn these wants into written goals.
3. How has your relationship with yourself changed since you began recovery? How do you treat yourself differently now? How does it feel when you treat yourself well and in a nurturing, loving manner?
4. Describe your experiences trying to share or explain your recovery to family members. Get feedback from someone else in recovery, someone you trust, about these experiences.
5. How have you grown spiritually since you began recovery? How would you describe your spiritual awakening?
6. Have you awakened to the beauty and joy of yourself?
Have I experienced a Spiritual Awakening ? Describe
What are the different ways I can carry the Message?
How can I recognize a cry for help without meddling in others affair?
How can I carry the message to others in my family?
What are these principles?
How can I apply them in my life?
How am I living the program?
How am I a Good example of alanon recovery?
Thank you for your honest and well thought out experience, strength and hope. I love to hear about how others have experienced this step and in particular the Spiritual Awakening. Others Spiritual Awakening.
I know that you carry the message often, to members on the MIP board.
Your dedication hard work is respected and is evident in your powerful recovery
Your insight and honesty has helped to carry the message tonight. I know that by practicing these principles in all my affairs i will do nothing to enable this dreadful disease and will ensure that all that i connect with are treated with courtesy and kindness.
What they do and how they act or respond is on them How freeing is that?.
Loved reading your thoughts