Conscious Contact

[caressa]

From "A Drunk, Like You:"
"I finally began to separate the religious aspects of
my life from A.A.'s spiritual program. Now the
big difference to me is that religion is the ritual, and
we all differ there, and spirituality is the way we
feel about what we do. It's about my personal
contact with my personal Higher Power, as I
understand Him.
"Everything has turned around....All this and more
I owe to the Fellowship in the rooms and the
program in the book."

c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 406

My spirituality enhances my religious beliefs, my religious beliefs enriches my spirituality.

[caressa]

Today was a special day, a very spiritually connected day. My friend and I went to the beach and had fun, food and frolic on the beach and in the water.

Meditating with God and Creation is a sure way for me to be balanced, grounded and connected to the God of my understanding.

[~graced~]

There's something about beach time that gets me 'right sized' in the scheme of things, that moves me to peace even in the midst of a storm. It's a good place for me to get centered and replenished.

I'm glad you got some beachtime--sounds like it was exactly what you needed!

[caressa]

Today started with a meeting that I haven't been to for over four years. A good way to make connection is to go to a meeting. It was extra special today because I saw a girl today that I hadn't seen for a long time. I was at her first meeting. Although she has gone out and done some research over the years, it was good to see that just for today she is staying clean and keeps coming back. Another girl that was there was just coming back and realizing that this time she needs to do the do things, things that are suggested to her and not try to work the program her way.

I am glad that when I got here I was willing to go to any length not to go back to where I came from. I had tried staying sober for eight years. I could stop, but couldn't stay stopped. It was only through the spiritual gift of this program and my daily contact with my Higher Power that I never had to go back out and that I was able to stay, one day at a time.

[caressa]

Step Three asks us to listen for the quiet and in the stillness hear the direction our Higher Power has for us today. When we pray, we need to find that quiet to hear the answers. When my mind is busy, all I can hear is my own chatter and endless obessiving about what I want and what I think I need. I need to get out of my own way so the voice of reason can shine through.

[caressa]

Many things happen during a day which makes you aware that God is there for you, often when you aren't aware of it. Today I received a call from someone I met yesterday and was asked to be a temporary Al-Anon sponsor. This person was new to Al-Anon but knows me from another fellowship and I was honored to be asked.

This afternoon I called my sister. She has been waiting for me to call because she programed my new phone number incorrectly. We don't see each other often but do try to phone once in a while. She said she would try to come to my anniversary on the 26th. She hasn't missed very many and her daughter has only missed one.

Conscious contact can be as simple as doing the do things you need to do in today. Today started out to be a rainy day and has ended up to be a bright sunshiney one. I made the decision to stay home and rest the knee and am trying to patiently wait for my roast of pork to finish cook so I can have it with some apple sauce. Good food, good blessings, good friends and good experience all bring me closer to my God.

[caressa]

Tonight I went to a meeting, the first meeting in my city and surrounding area, that I have gone to in fourteen years that I have not known anyone at the meeting, until the last person arrived late. I knew her face but am not sure of her name. It is good to know that God is everywhere and no matter where I go, He is there.

Even in early recovery I saw people I knew from meeting to meeting because I went to two meetings a day for two years. At ten years sober, I was still dooing 7-10 meetings a week because of being involved in service. This showed me how isolated I had become and how you can get caught up in your own little corner and not reach out and move out of your comfort zone.

True I only get to this group as a rule once or twice a year, but have gone to it for 14 years, so tonight it shows me the program works. New people keep coming, more important they keep coming back so they don't have to come back.