Often I will use an online searchable Big Book and look up a word. I will read what it says and use it as a point of mediation throughout the day. Today I searched for the word "Peace", and this is one of the places it is used in the Big Book.
Chapter 4 Pg 50
Here are thousands of men and women, worldly indeed. They flatly declare that since they have come to believe in a Power greater than themselves, to take a certain attitude toward that Power, and to do certain simple things. There has been a revolutionary change in their way of living and thinking. In the face of collapse and despair, in the face of the total failure of their human resources, they found that a new power, peace, happiness, and sense of direction flowed into them. This happened soon after they wholeheartedly met a few simple requirements.
I really can relate to this reading... since I got sober and started working this program and enlarging my spiritual life through prayer and mediation... I do have a new power, peace, happiness and sense of direction that was unavailable to me before I reached for it through the steps.
As I started to grow up spiritually, I started to calm down mentally and emotionally...and could get past my own nose when looking at the rest of the world around me.
This is one of the greatest statements of faith made by AA. It silences the critics & teaches us alcoholics that God is a good God & He cares for us more than we can ever imagine.
Also, somewhere else in the Big Book, it speaks of "Peace surpassing all Understanding", our own Mikef write about that in many of his Posts, when speaking of calamity.
On the timing, in my little life, I had just lent a friend one of my favorite books that she asked to borrow, I said sure, and if you read only this one Chapter on Peace, it is also one of the most beautiful things ever written on this mysterious force. From the book by Scott Peck in "The Road less Traveled"
You live on the East Coast and I understand that Kenneth Wapnick is Standing Room only, when he lectures and one of his best is a speech on "The Obstacles to Peace"
I was very lucky to have found 7 tapes, a complete original set, at a garage sale.....one of my most treasured possessions.................................Kenneth Wapnick is originally from the Course in Miracles that started out in California. .
Thank you for finding that, yes we alcoholics we are so blessed to have a simple, but difficult 12 Steps to get through, and if we keep finding one of those steps is lacking when we get off track with our own sense of peace. however there are clear ways to recify, and we do this.
You were speaking the other day of the insanity in this world, the econonic times that are trying to bare up to, and Pray that for the non alcoholic that hopefully go to their own meditation, Prayer, to find that awesome mysterious force.
Thank you, and God Bess us all.
Toni
-- Edited by Just Toni on Friday 17th of June 2011 02:07:27 PM
