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Post by BW on Jan 22, 2011 0:51:39 GMT -5
A Humility Collection
HUMILITY
Humility is not humiliation, though humiliation could bring us to it. It was not gratitude, though humility could bring us gratitude. For me, humility relates to power: it is the recognition and acceptance of the limits of my own power. I therefore began to understand that humility was indeed the foundation of all the Steps, and so could be a healer of pain, a way to spiritual freedom, and a turning point in our lives.
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HUMILITY
Humility is simply the virtue of being ourselves and realizing how small we are in a big world full.
"...Humility, a word often misunderstood. To those who have made progress in AA, it amounts to a clear recognition of what and who we really are, followed by a sincere attempt to become what we could be." (Bill Wilson, TT, pg. 58)
That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will..." (Bill Wilson, TT, pg. 72)
There can be no absolute humility for us humans. At best, we can merely glimpse the meaning and splendor of such a perfect ideal. Only God himself can manifest in the absolute; we human beings must live and grow in the domain of the relative.
So we seek progress in humility for today.
As Bill Sees It: page 236
All A.A. progress can be reckoned in terms of just two words: humility and responsibility. Our whole spiritual development can be accurately measured by our degree of adherence to these magnificent standards.
Ever deepening humility, accompanied by an ever greater willingness to accept and to act upon clear-cut obligations--these are truly our touchstones for all growth in the life of the spirit. They hold up to us the very essence of right being and right doing. It is then that we are enabled to find and to do God’s will.
As Bill Sees It: page 271
Though the variations were many, my main theme was always "How godawful I am!” Just as I often exaggerated my modest attainments by pride, so I exaggerated my defects through guilt. I would race about, confessing all (and a great deal more) to whoever would listen. Believe it or not, I took this widespread exposure of my sins to be great humility on my part, and considered it a great spiritual asset and consolation!
But later I realized at depth that the great harms I had done others were not truly regretted. These episodes were merely the basis for story-telling and exhibitionism. With this realization came the beginning of a certain amount of humility.
As Bill Sees It: page 311
...our AA program is spiritually centered. Most of us have found enough humility to believe in and depend upon God. We have found that humility by facing the fact that alcoholism is a fatal malady over which we are individually powerless.
The Language of the Heart: page 7, paragraph 4
...I may attain "humility for today" only to the extent that I am able to avoid the bog of guilt and rebellion...
The Language of the Heart: page 256, paragraph 5
...Perfect humility would be a state of complete freedom from myself, freedom from all the claims that my defects of character now lay so heavily upon me. Perfect humility would be a full willingness, in all times and places, to find and do the will of God.
I only need to dwell on the vision itself, letting it grow and ever more fill my heart.
The Language of the Heart: page 258, paragraph 8, line 4
As we know, all A.A. progress can be reckoned in terms of just two words: humility and responsibility. Our whole spiritual development can be accurately measured by our degree of adherence to these magnificent standards. Ever deepening humility, accompanied by an ever greater willingness to accept and to act upon clear-cut obligations--these are truly our touchstones for all growth in the life of the spirit. They hold up to us the very essence of right being and right doing. It is by them that we are enabled to find and to do God's will.
The Language of the Heart: page 340, paragraph 3
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Post by caressa on Jan 22, 2011 16:29:07 GMT -5
Early in recovery, it was told that humility meant to become teachable. To not thing that I knew it all and being ever open to learning.
As you say, being grateful for what I have. It is a gift from God and it is through His Grace that it is mine. What is, is just in today and not mine to keep but to give away and share, because it was granted to me.
At one time, I thought it was humiliating to not know. If I didn't know, I felt less than. In today, I ask for my own knowingness, my own truth. That truth comes from my Higher Power.
Humility is knowing that I didn't get to where I am on today on my own will and power. It is knowing that I am powerless. It is knowing that when I surrender, I am empowered. I am not controlling my life.
As a long-timer said several years ago, "If someone says they have it, you know they don't!"
A lack of humility – Feeling better than and worse than others, and being self centered.
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Post by SunnyGirl on Jan 23, 2011 14:27:53 GMT -5
Good topic Fluttering
I ran across this on-line today: Dr. Bob's Prayer on Humility
"Humility is perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble.
It is never to be fretted or vexed, or irritable, to wonder at
nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing that is done against
me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am
blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in myself
where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in
secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness, when all
around and about is seeming trouble."
I am so thankful that I have a loving God who picks me up when
I stumble and gives me the strength to get up each day and
start all over again. The road to recovery is a lifetime journey
and obtaining perfection is always just out of our grasp. Just
to find that inner peace gives me the strength to keep going.....
and the resolve to get up each day and do my best!
Humility is not saying what you know
It is admitting you don't know.
Humility is not self-centerness
It is respect and reverence for others.
Humility is not thinking less of self
It is thinking more of others.
by Joseph Wardy
I am so grateful for this 12-step journey, as it's brought me
closer to God.... He has always been my Father, but like a
spoiled child I shut him out of my life for many years. Today
I accept His blessings and share what I've learned to those
around me.....
One day at a time, SunnyGirl
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Post by BW on Jan 23, 2011 15:06:43 GMT -5
Thank You SG
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Post by caressa on Jan 25, 2011 1:33:35 GMT -5
One of the previous posts on the topic. eor.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=spuds&action=print&thread=9594Elder's Meditation: Humility is probably the most difficult virtue to realize." --Thomas Yellowtail, CROW Two definitions of humility are (1) being aware of one's own defects of character, and (2) giving credit where credit is due. This means if you do something and are successful because God gave you certain talents, give credit to God when someone tells you how well you did; this is being humble. If you are successful at something, but had help from friends, spouse, neighbors, give credit to those who helped you; this is being humble. If you have done a task and you alone accomplished it, give credit to yourself; this is being humble. Say the truth and give credit where credit is due. Grandfather, let me walk a truthful road today. |
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Post by ~graced~ on Feb 10, 2011 21:25:44 GMT -5
Oh wow.....
I soooooo needed to have everything in this posting slapped down in front of me this evening.
Thank you, BW.
And thank you, ladies--
As I was reading--struggling to read and skimming would be honest...I forced myself to start over and pay attention.
PAY ATTENTION--and really, really READ and HEAR what was being said/shared.
I read and I could feel the ebbing away of ME......the shrinking of all that I've given importance to, all those things borne of ego that I've been keyed up and wired up over......and this wash of peace in my own now apparent smallness happened.
I'm centered in what's true.
G-d's large.
And it ain't about me.
Even though it's all about me.
(sorry....finger to keyboard moment and that probably only makes sense in my brain....)
And I do thank you all.
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Post by Lin on Feb 12, 2011 17:22:54 GMT -5
Thanks so much for stopping in to post Graced. We have sure missed you aroudn here! So glad I called you and reminded you we'd love to ehr from you.
For me humility is being HUMBLE. It's knowing GOD is bigger than I am and Being willing to listen and learn. It's not bragging and boasting. Being teachable is a good way to see it too.
LIN
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Post by ~graced~ on Feb 12, 2011 17:39:51 GMT -5
((((((((((((((( Lin )))))))))))))))))
Me too. :-)
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Post by recoverywfaith on Feb 16, 2011 12:55:04 GMT -5
Humility vs. Humilation ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In many societies today, people are taught to force being humble. It is when one person goes out to brag and parades around their ego that the egos of others begin to feel inferior. In an effort to save their own face, the inferior egos will “cut down” the successful ego by telling it to be humble and not brag about all its accomplishments. Faking being humble actually reduces you. It doesn’t enhance you. Life is meant to be a joyful experience, something to be celebrated and loved. We are all given our own unique qualities with which to play with in the world. We all have our own special characteristics which make us one of a kind and memorable. It’s what creates variety in the world. Life in all its forms is meant to be expressed, not repressed. Take a look at how flowers live. You never see them trying to hide themselves, cover themselves up, or be humble. No, they JOYOUSLY open up their petals and gleefully say to the world, “This is who I am! I am love! I am beauty! I am the stunning radiance of life itself!” Notice that flowers are essentially saying, by their very presence, “I am wonderful. I am not claiming to be more wonderful than you, but I am wonderful.” There is no comparison here. No duality. No judgment. I am what I am! A flower radiating its essence in no way diminishes the glow of any other flower, nor does it limit how much another flower can express its beauty. (In reality, you ARE special, but not MORE special than anyone else. Just because you rock doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t.) Now, a critical understanding here is that this not a statement of how “I” am special. It’s a display of what’s possible by consciousness. Rather than trying to take all the credit for how wonderful “you” are, look at your life and say to yourself, “Look at what’s possible by humanity. Look at what ANY of us can accomplish if we let go of resistance and open up to the possibilities. Look at the splendor of life. Look at the magnificence of infinite consciousness!” This is called humility. Humility has nothing to do with being humiliated. If you notice a negative connotation around the world humility, it’s because of an incorrect association with humiliation. Humility is when you lovingly open yourself up to the world and show what’s possible by God. It’s not “you” being awesome. It’s God being awesome. “You” are merely the vessel to both observe what’s possible by consciousness and BE what’s possible by consciousness. If you’re a great basketball player, for example, you can say, “Thank you God for giving me this gift of being a naturally talented basketball player! I’m going to take this gift and enjoy it totally. I’m going to share it with the world.” Hiding your gifts from the world is really doing everyone a great disservice. If you bashfully close yourself off in order to not brag, you are not living up to your full potential. You’re not creating the grandest version of yourself. You’re withholding your own beauty from the world. Sure, you take responsibility for your actions in the world. This is absolutely recommended. Credit, however, goes to God. You are merely a vessel for consciousness to not only know itself, but to experience itself. So the trick is to have humility and thank God for everything in life, to live with appreciation and joy, and to enjoy the gifts you’ve developed in this lifetime alongside the rest of the world. Your purpose is to serve others with your unique gifts. Let go of the desire to come from ego, and instead choose to come from the heart. Open yourself up and RADIATE your Self out into the world. Instead of raising yourself up above others to become superior than, celebrate your unique expression of Allness, your individuation of Divinity, thereby lifting up all mankind! Give, Give, Give! Love! and Be. Namaste. Source: www.youaretrulyloved.comHow do you define the difference between Humility and Humilation? What types of self centered fear have you had in your life? Why do you fear being Humble? These are all questions I have for myself because fear has ran my entire life; which have lead me to be self centered from Ego and not from love. All of which I want to address in my life today in order to be the person I know God has intened for me to be.
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Post by caressa on Feb 16, 2011 14:28:19 GMT -5
Thank you so much for sharing this. I know I had to learn the difference. I thought I had to be humiliated in order to become humble. I was so glad I didn't have to put myself through any more shame and guilt, I had already paid the price to walk through the doors of recovery. All I had to do was to learn to listen and know that I couldn't do this all by myself. There is no shame in trying and failing. The failure is in the not trying.
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ednace
Newest Family Member
Posts: 1 
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Post by ednace on Jul 24, 2017 16:31:59 GMT -5
A Humility Collection HUMILITY Humility is not humiliation, though humiliation could bring us to it. It was not gratitude, though humility could bring us gratitude. For me, humility relates to power: it is the recognition and acceptance of the limits of my own power. I therefore began to understand that humility was indeed the foundation of all the Steps, and so could be a healer of pain, a way to spiritual freedom, and a turning point in our lives. ------------------------------------------------------------- Can anyone provide full title and page reference for the above quote from Bill W? I read it once long ago and want to use it as a meeting topic but cannot remember where I found it. It is on MANY recovery websites but never fully sourced. Thanks! |
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Post by majestyjo on Jul 24, 2017 22:59:09 GMT -5
Thanks for sharing, don't know off the top of my head. I did a search and they quote EoR. I will ask at my group on Thursday. There are a couple of gentleman with over 40 years of sobriety, so they may know. I am going to a NA meeting tomorrow, so if they guys from my group don't know, I will go to another AA meeting and phone around to see what I can find here in Canada.
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Post by majestyjo on Jul 25, 2017 22:09:01 GMT -5
Asked a friend and this is what I got back. It looks like it came from Language of the Heart.
This is what I found Jo when looking up what you posted:
Quote:
HUMILITY
Humility is not humiliation, though humiliation could bring us to it. It was not gratitude, though humility could bring us gratitude. For me, humility relates to power: it is the recognition and acceptance of the limits of my own power. I therefore began to understand that humility was indeed the foundation of all the Steps, and so could be a healer of pain, a way to spiritual freedom, and a turning point in our lives.
-------------------------------------------------------------
HUMILITY
Humility is simply the virtue of being ourselves and realizing how small we are in a big world full.
"...Humility, a word often misunderstood. To those who have made progress in AA, it amounts to a clear recognition of what and who we really are, followed by a sincere attempt to become what we could be." (Bill Wilson, TT, pg. 58)
That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will..." (Bill Wilson, TT, pg. 72)
There can be no absolute humility for us humans. At best, we can merely glimpse the meaning and splendor of such a perfect ideal. Only God himself can manifest in the absolute; we human beings must live and grow in the domain of the relative.
So we seek progress in humility for today.
As Bill Sees It: page 236
All A.A. progress can be reckoned in terms of just two words: humility and responsibility. Our whole spiritual development can be accurately measured by our degree of adherence to these magnificent standards.
Ever deepening humility, accompanied by an ever greater willingness to accept and to act upon clear-cut obligations--these are truly our touchstones for all growth in the life of the spirit. They hold up to us the very essence of right being and right doing. It is then that we are enabled to find and to do God’s will.
As Bill Sees It: page 271
Though the variations were many, my main theme was always "How godawful I am!” Just as I often exaggerated my modest attainments by pride, so I exaggerated my defects through guilt. I would race about, confessing all (and a great deal more) to whoever would listen. Believe it or not, I took this widespread exposure of my sins to be great humility on my part, and considered it a great spiritual asset and consolation!
But later I realized at depth that the great harms I had done others were not truly regretted. These episodes were merely the basis for story-telling and exhibitionism. With this realization came the beginning of a certain amount of humility.
As Bill Sees It: page 311
...our AA program is spiritually centered. Most of us have found enough humility to believe in and depend upon God. We have found that humility by facing the fact that alcoholism is a fatal malady over which we are individually powerless.
The Language of the Heart: page 7, paragraph 4
...I may attain "humility for today" only to the extent that I am able to avoid the bog of guilt and rebellion...
The Language of the Heart: page 256, paragraph 5
...Perfect humility would be a state of complete freedom from myself, freedom from all the claims that my defects of character now lay so heavily upon me. Perfect humility would be a full willingness, in all times and places, to find and do the will of God.
I only need to dwell on the vision itself, letting it grow and ever more fill my heart.
The Language of the Heart: page 258, paragraph 8, line 4
As we know, all A.A. progress can be reckoned in terms of just two words: humility and responsibility. Our whole spiritual development can be accurately measured by our degree of adherence to these magnificent standards. Ever deepening humility, accompanied by an ever greater willingness to accept and to act upon clear-cut obligations--these are truly our touchstones for all growth in the life of the spirit. They hold up to us the very essence of right being and right doing. It is by them that we are enabled to find and to do God's will.
The Language of the Heart: page 340, paragraph 3
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. I will be back looking for Lin and others.