GOING WITH THE FLOW Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him. . TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 96
The first words I speak when arising in the morning are, "I arise, O God, to do Thy will." This is the shortest prayer I know and it is deeply ingrained in me. Prayer doesn't change God's attitude toward me; it changes my attitude toward God. As distinguished from prayer, meditation is a quiet time, without words. To be centered is to be physically relaxed, emotionally calm, mentally focused and spiritually aware. One way to keep the channel open and to improve my conscious contact with God is to maintain a grateful attitude. On the days when I am grateful, good things seem to happen in my life. The instant I start cursing things in my life, however, the flow of good stops. God did not interrupt the flow; my own negativity did.
Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*Work The Steps*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Twenty-Four Hours A Day by Hazelden / December 1st
A.A. Thought for the Day
The thoughts that come before having a slip are often largely subconscious. It is a question whether or not our subconscious minds ever become entirely free from alcoholic thoughts as long as we live. For instance, some of us dream about being drunk when we are asleep, even after several years of sobriety in A.A. During the period of our drinking days, our subconscious minds have been thoroughly conditioned by our alcoholic way of thinking and it is doubtful if they ever become entirely free of such thoughts during our lifetime. But when our conscious minds are fully conditioned against drinking, we can stay sober and our subconscious minds do not often bother us. Am I still conditioning my conscious mind?
Meditation for the Day
Having sympathy and compassion for all who are in temptation, a condition that we are sometimes in, we have a responsibility toward them. Sympathy always includes responsibility. Pity is useless because it does not have a remedy for the need. But wherever our sympathy goes, our responsibility goes too. When we are moved with compassion, we should go to the one in need and bind up his wounds as best we can.
Prayer for the Day
I pray that I may have sympathy for those in temptation. I pray that I may have compassion for others' trials.
