Voices of Recovery

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 31, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 31Finding Balance in Our Lives"Each of us seeks our own balance that allows us to participate in the world without sacrificing our recovery or putting ourselves at risk."—Living Clean, Chapter 5, “Bridging Two Worlds”––––=––––Imagine life as a pie chart. The sections of this pie represent the different areas of our lives.We have a portion for Narcotics Anonymous and sections for family, friends, work, our community, our interests, and many other categories we could add to this list. While we often hear that recovery should be our priority, maybe even the biggest segment, there’s no prescribed ideal balance for how much time we dedicate to NA versus the world outside of NA.While we were using, our addiction took up most of the pie. Everything else was reduced to a sliver. For a lot of us, when we’re new in the program, NA becomes the lion’s share of our pie chart. As newcomers, we tend to stick very close to the Fellowship because it’s suggested by our sponsor and other members—and because NA is where we begin to find comfort and safety in being who we are.But as we transform in recovery, our lives tend to fill up. Our pie chart diversifies! Even though our aim may be to sustain the same level of participation in meetings and Steps and service, there are only so many hours in a day—and space in our chart. As we seek to maintain balance in our busy lives, we may find ourselves obsessing about one area and neglecting others. No matter what we have going on, we have to remember that our number-one priority must be to stay clean or we risk losing the rest of the pie—along with our cleantime.We can seek the balance we need without worrying about perfecting it. We can learn how to assess when things are off-kilter and a dose of the NA basics is needed. We can adapt as the demands of our lives keep shifting. We can enjoy a full life without posing unnecessary risks to our recovery.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:How’s my pie chart sectioned these days? How am I balancing my NA program with my other responsibilities and pursuits?––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 31, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 31Keep it simple"We live a day at a time but also from moment to moment. When we stop living in the here and now, our problems become magnified unreasonably"Basic Text, p.96––––=––––Life often seems too complicated to understand, especially for those of us who've dodged it for so long. When we stopped using drugs, many of us came face to face with a world that was confusing, even terrifying. Looking at life and all its details, all at once, may be overwhelming. We think that maybe we can't handle life after all and that it's useless to try. These thoughts feed themselves, and pretty soon we're paralyzed by the imagined complexity of life.Happily, we don't have to fix everything at once. Solving a single problem seems possible, so we take them one at a time. We take care of each moment as it comes, and then take care of the next moment as it comes. We learn to stay clean just for today, and we approach our problems the same way. When we live life in each moment, it's not such a terrifying prospect. One breath at a time, we can stay clean and learn to live.––––=––––Just for today:I will keep it simple by living in this moment only. Today, I will tackle only today's problems; I will leave tomorrow's problems to tomorrow.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 30, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 30Accepting Another’s Path"I have learned to love and to accept the people I sponsor as the people they are—not little mirror-images of me or any other model of recovery."—Sponsorship, Chapter 3, “To the Sponsor”––––=––––Each of us looks for a sponsor who does the deal: trusts a Higher Power, cleans house, and helps other addicts. We seek out experienced members who have what we want and will accept us without judgment. Most importantly, we look for sponsors who will offer loving guidance through the Twelve Steps of NA.Such love takes many forms. Some of us rely on our sponsors for an unbiased perspective on our thoughts and behaviors. Others appreciate being offered gentle guidance, tempered with loads of support and empathy. Whether our sponsors apply a firm hand or a soft touch, we learn to confide in them. Their acceptance of us—warts and all—helps us to accept that everything is as it should be.Working Steps is a process of self-discovery. With a sponsor to hold the flashlight, our hands are free to dig deep. They help us figure out who we are and who we’re not. As one member described it, “This process taught me not to fear the truth about myself. It turns out that I’m not as good or as bad as I thought I was.”We can learn a lot about recovery by talking to more experienced members. To find what’s true for ourselves, however, it’s helpful to have someone to question our ideas. As one member put it, “Instead of telling me what to do, my sponsor helped me figure out my own answers about who I am.” We may aspire to be like our sponsors at first, but few sponsors are looking to mold a mini-me. Instead, they help us to be ourselves.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:My sponsor’s love and acceptance helped me discover who I am, who I’m not, and who I want to be. Today I’ll try to practice those same principles and help someone else on their recovery journey.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 30, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 30Loneliness vs. being alone"Sharing with others keeps us from feeling isolated and alone."Basic Text, p.81––––=––––There is a difference between being alone and being lonely. Being lonely is a state of the heart, an emptiness that makes us feel sad and sometimes hopeless. Loneliness is not always alleviated when we enter into relationships or surround ourselves with others. Some of us are lonely even in a room full of people. Many of us came to Narcotics Anonymous out of the desperate loneliness of our addiction. After coming to meetings, we begin to make new friends, and often our feelings of loneliness ease.But many of us must contend with loneliness throughout our recovery.What is the cure for loneliness? The best cure is to begin a relationship with a Higher Power that can help fill the emptiness of our heart. We find that when we have a belief in a Higher Power, we never have to feel lonely. We can be alone more comfortably when we have a conscious contact with a God of our understanding.We often find deep fulfillment in our interactions with others as we progress in our recovery. Yet we also find that, the closer we draw to our Higher Power, the less we need to surround ourselves with others. We begin to find a spirit within us that is our constant companion as we continue to explore and deepen our connection with a Power greater than ourselves. We realize we are spiritually connected with something bigger than we are.––––=––––Just for today:I will take comfort in my conscious contact with a Higher Power. I am never alone. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 29, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 29Vigilance for the Long Haul"Many of us leave not when things are horrible, but when we have one more spiritual hump to get over. We lose our way right before the miracle— sometimes again and again. Living Clean, Chapter 1, Growing Pains ––––=––––Most of us have heard the saying, Don't leave before the miracle happens. For newcomers, that can mean staying in a meeting even when the urge to leave feels like more than we can handle. After a little time clean, it might mean taking one more phone call from the sponsee who hears nothing we say or choosing not to react when our boss or significant other pushes our last button —again (and again and again). But how do we get there? How does the newcomer stay in the seat when everything in them screams: Get up! Get out of here! How does the sponsor dig deep and offer experience, strength, and hope to the troubled sponsee, instead of just sighing deeply and asking, Have you prayed about it? How do we shift our focus from the momentary frustration of an argument to the fulfillment we experience in our relationship or career? It's easy to do the right thing when things are going well, when we're getting what we want or think we deserve. Sometimes, though, the rewards might seem minimal or feel like they're taking forever to arrive. Some members have described recovery as being a marathon, not a sprint. Marathoners call it hitting the wall-that point in the race when it feels impossible to keep going, and there's no end in sight. It happens in recovery, too: We live by these principles for months, years, even decades, but some of our hopes and dreams still seem so out of reach. We can't even see the finish line yet, and we are TIRED. We have to remember that there is no finish line in a just-for-today program. We're not here for the reward at the end. We keep the pace. Even if it's slow and steady, we keep moving forward whether we feel like it or not. We might need to stop at an aid station -for runners, a cup of cold water or sports drink every couple of miles makes it possible to go the distance. In recovery, coffee or tea with another addict can get us over that next spiritual hump—to the miracle on the other side.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:When I feel like quitting, I’ll take a moment to remember that recovery is a journey, not a destination. I will be vigilant and keep moving forward.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 29, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 29Carry me"We believe that our Higher Power will take care of us."Basic Text, p.55––––=––––We all have times when it seems as though our lives are falling apart. There are days, or even weeks, when it seems that everything that can go wrong is going wrong. Whether it's the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, or the end of a relationship, we doubt that we'll survive the changes taking place in our lives.It's during the times when the world is crashing down around our ears that we find our greatest faith in a loving Higher Power. No human being could relieve our suffering; we know that only God's care can provide the comfort we seek. We feel broken but we go on, knowing that our lives will be repaired.As we progress in our recovery and our faith in our Higher Power grows, we are sure to greet the difficult times with a sense of hope, despite the pain we may be in. We need not despair, for we know that our Higher Power's care will carry us through when we can't walk on our own.––––=––––Just for today:I will rely on God's care through the painful times, knowing that my Higher Power will always be there. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 28, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 28Equality in Anonymity"NA has no classes of membership and no second-class members. The common denominator in NA is the disease of addiction. We are all equally subject to its devastation. We share an equal right to recovery."—It Works, Tradition Three, “Applying Spiritual Principles”––––=––––Tradition Three, which insists that there’s only one requirement for NA members, comes easy to some of us. We found recovery in NA, after all, and no one asked us about our qualifications. We may take for granted that everyone else finds it that simple. Maybe we’d lived a fortunate life with a tight circle of friends despite our addiction, so the idea of not belonging had never occurred to us. If we shared a language and culture with others in attendance, fitting in may not have been a challenge for us. Maybe we looked around the room and saw faces that looked like our own. Or maybe our desperation had dulled our cynicism just enough to allow us to receive the warm welcome we found in our first meetings, despite any outward differences. No matter the specifics, many of us unthinkingly assumed that others felt equally welcome. The disease of addiction tries to weaponize our differences to keep us sick.The fact is that barriers exist for many potential members despite our individual efforts to extend that classic NA welcome. Some of us struggle with accepting hospitality from members who seem different from us in all of the ways that society deems important. “I constantly disqualified myself from NA,” one member wrote. “I got clean young, didn’t use certain drugs, and I am transgender. My disease tells me that I don’t belong, that I somehow deserved to stay separate and alone.” Before we set aside our differences—as practicing anonymity would suggest—it may be helpful to recognize that identification may be a little more difficult to come by if we don’t yet see other members like ourselves in meetings.Established NA members do well to emphasize our common disease. Regardless of the specifics in our experience, using brought us all to isolation, shame, and degradation.Identifying on an emotional level is often a good place to start. Our common path to a better life is summed up by the NA message: “An addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live.” The disease does not discriminate. NA must not either.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Recovery is precious, so I will strive to make it more accessible by emphasizing our similarities and taking no addict for granted. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 28, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 28As we understand"We examined our lives and discovered who we really are. To be truly humble is to accept and honestly try to be ourselves."Basic Text, p.35––––=––––As using addicts, the demands of our disease determined our personality. We could be whoever or whatever we needed to be in order to get our "fix". We were survival machines, adapting easily to every circumstance of the using life.Once we began our recovery, we entered a new and different life. Many of us had no idea what behavior was appropriate for us in any given situation. Some of us didn't know how to talk to people, how to dress, or how to behave in public. We couldn't be ourselves because we didn't know who we were anymore.The Twelve Steps give us a simple method for finding out who we really are. We uncover our assets and our defects, the things we like about ourselves and the things we're not so thrilled about. Through the healing power of the Twelve Steps, we begin to understand that we are individuals, created to be who we are by the Higher Power of our understanding. The real healing begins when we understand that if our Higher Power created us this way, it must be okay to be who we really are.––––=––––Just for today:By working the steps I can experience the freedom to be myself, the person my Higher Power intended me to be. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 27, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 27Showing Up with Integrity"Integrity is the state of being fully integrated: Our actions, our thinking, our feelings, our ideals, and our values all match up."—Living Clean, Chapter 3, “Spirituality Is Practical”––––=––––Most of us think of having integrity as being honest and reliable, as keeping our word. While that’s certainly true, integrity has a deeper and more nuanced meaning we don’t always consider: being whole, being wholly ourselves, being our whole selves at any given moment, no matter whose presence we’re in.As active addicts, we often demonstrated a lack of integrity. We weren’t dependable, trustworthy, or responsible, and we weren’t whole. We omitted parts of the truth and parts of ourselves. “I was like a three-legged table,” a member joked. “Yeah, I could stand, but don’t try leaning on me.”We compartmentalized our existence: We behaved in certain ways with some but not with others, and we led double—sometimes multiple—lives. These ways of being can follow us into recovery. How we act and appear on the outside doesn’t always match who we really are—or strive to be—on the inside. A member put it like this: “Today, I know I’m out of alignment with my values when my emotions reflect my defects—like fear and judgment— and I act on them. Instead, I try to show up as honestly and entirely ‘me’ as possible. That includes the ‘ideal me’ I want to be in relationships and interactions.”It’s unlikely our feelings will “match up” with our ideals and values all the time. This friction can be productive; we learn to take actions of love even when we don’t necessarily feel the love. For instance, we can treat a member we don’t like with kindness and respect. We can serve right alongside someone even if we sometimes fantasize about pushing them into a swamp full of alligators. Other times, our feelings are less reactive; they match our conscience rather than our defects. In those cases, it may be necessary and right to address someone’s behavior. Integrity guides our decisions and how we express ourselves in those moments. It allows us to risk others’ disappointment and anger. That’s being true to ourselves. That’s honesty and reliability. That’s love.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I’ll practice integrity by reliably being all that I am, ensuring that my actions reflect what’s inside me. I’ll keep on this path of distinguishing my conscience from my reactions—and, of course, I’ll show up when I say I will.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 27, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 27Meeting the day's challenge". . . the decision to ask for God's help is our greatest source of strength and courage."Basic Text, p.26––––=––––A challenge is anything that dares us to succeed. Things new and unfamiliar serve as challenges, whether those things appear good or bad to us. We are challenged by obstacles and opposition from within ourselves and from without. New and difficult things, obstacles and opposition, all are a part of "life on life's terms." Living clean means learning to meet challenge.Many of us, consciously or unconsciously, took drugs to avoid meeting challenge.Many of us were equally afraid of failure and success. Each time we declined the day's challenge, we suffered a loss of self-esteem. Some of us used drugs to mask the shame we felt. Each time we did that, we became even less able to meet our challenges and more likely to use.By working the NA program, we've found the tools we need to successfully meet any challenge. We've come to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, a Power that cares for our will and our lives. We've asked that Power to remove our character defects, those things that made our lives unmanageable. We've taken action to improve our conscious contact with that Higher Power. Through the steps, we've been given the ability to stop using drugs and start living. Each day, we are faced with new challenges. And each day, through working our program of recovery, we are given the grace to meet those challenges.––––=––––Just for today:I will ask my Higher Power to help me squarely meet today's challenge. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 26, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 26Forgiveness, Acceptance, and Healing"Walking with the knowledge that someone has not forgiven us is hard, but through it we find levels of forgiveness and acceptance that we may not have known were possible."—Living Clean, Chapter 5, “Amends and Reconciliation”––––=––––Over time in NA, we learn that we are worthy of forgiveness. That discovery comes, in part, as a result of making our Step Nine amends. Part of our preparation for this process is to understand why we are doing it. To make meaningful and lasting change in our lives, we must make peace with the consequences of our actions and the harm we’ve caused.While being forgiven by those we’ve hurt is a blessing, finding self-acceptance cannot be conditional on another’s actions. We must reconcile with ourselves to heal from our past.Forgiving ourselves is not contingent on receiving forgiveness from those we’ve harmed.Reconciliation may not always be possible. Though we may believe we deserve to be heard and forgiven, some will understandably stonewall our efforts. What then? It’s pretty hard to gain the courage to undertake this process—but then we have to be humble enough to accept the reaction, even if it’s a flat-out rejection? That rejection may be excruciating for those of us whose self-esteem hinges entirely on being liked by others. We ask ourselves, “Am I even still worthy of forgiveness? How do I walk through this?”No one is obligated to forgive us. We are powerless over other people’s willingness or readiness. In a situation like this one, we have one option for healing: move forward. That may take time because rejection is painful. As hard as it is to accept, we have to find a way to live with that pain without inflicting it on others. We must try to forgive ourselves for the consequences of our actions.Not being forgiven is its own beast—and its own lesson in practicing spiritual principles. This experience might give us pause the next time we want to rebuff someone else’s amends.We may be quicker to forgive because we know what it’s like to experience that wall and how much effort it takes to live with that and let it go.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Today I will strive to accept my past and move on from it, though others may not. All I can do—today and every day—is to do better.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 26, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 26The Power in the group"Our understanding of a Higher Power is up to us.... We can call it the group, the program, or we can call it God."Basic Text, p.24––––=––––Many of us have a hard time with the idea of a Higher Power until we fully accept the depth of our own powerlessness over addiction. Once we do, most of us are at least willing to consider seeking the help of some Power greater than our disease. The first practical exposure many of us have to that kind of Power is in the NA group. Perhaps that's where we should start in developing our own understanding of God.One evidence of the Power in the group is the unconditional love shown when NA members help one another without expectation of reward. The group's collective experience in recovery is itself a Power greater than our own, for the group has practical knowledge of what works and what doesn't. And the fact that addicts keep coming to NA meetings, day after day, is a demonstration of the presence of a Higher Power, some attractive, caring force at work that helps addicts stay clean and grow.All these things are evidence of a Power that can be found in NA groups. When we look around with an open mind, each of us will be able to identify other signs of that Power. It doesn't matter if we call it God, a Higher Power, or anything else-just as long as we find a way to incorporate that Power into our daily lives.––––=––––Just for today:I will open my eyes and my mind to signs of a Power that exists in my NA group. I will call upon that Power to help me stay clean. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Closing out our “Spirituality in Recovery” series and the Voices of Recovery finale is the story of Craig—a story about identity, faith, and finally learning that recovery and spirituality are one and the same.Raised in a loving Jewish home, Craig grew up surrounded by tradition, but not necessarily a deep connection to a Higher Power. Even as a child, he felt different from everyone around him. His father, a survivor of Nazi Germany, taught him never to hide his faith—a lesson rooted in pain, resilience, and pride. But when Craig was still very young, his father passed away, leaving behind both a spiritual legacy and an emptiness Craig would spend years trying to fill.What began with nicotine eventually progressed to marijuana, pills, and cocaine. As his addiction deepened, so did his isolation. Family and friends no longer wanted to be around him, and he slowly became the person others were warned not to become. The farther his addiction progressed, the farther he drifted from both himself and his faith.Yet even then, Craig never truly believed he was an addict.Around that same time, Craig met the woman who would later become his wife. She met him while he was still using and saw him at some of his darkest moments. Their relationship was complicated, and they even separated a few times. After his sisters pushed him into rehab, he heard the message of recovery for the first time—but it still had not fully landed. Later, at a rehab for Jewish men, something deeper began to awaken in him. Alongside recovery, he started reconnecting with his faith and identity. After Craig returned home from rehab this first time, they found their way back to one another.While he had quit everything else, marijuana still held him captive. Behind closed doors, Craig lived in quiet misery—crying, buying, using, and crying again. Every day became the same painful cycle, and no matter how badly he wanted to stop, he could not do it alone.Finally, he made the decision to return to rehab. When he came home, his wife handed him a positive pregnancy test—and in that moment, everything changed. That became the true beginning of his recovery journey: abstinent from all drugs, one day at a time.For Craig, recovery and faith became inseparable. As he returned to Orthodox Judaism, he also threw himself into recovery. Less than a year clean, he became a father. Before two and a half years clean, he became a father again. He balanced meetings, diapers, sleepless nights, and caring for his growing family while staying committed to recovery. He often brought his baby into meetings, where fellow addicts would hold his child so he could hear the message.Craig’s recovery was not free from pain. Besides losing his father at such a young age, he also lost his mother before getting clean, his sister a year and a half into recovery, and spent nearly two years acting as a single father while caring for his sick wife after the birth of their second child. Through grief, fear, and exhaustion, Craig stayed clean—showing that it is possible to endure life’s hardest moments without picking up.Like recovery itself, Craig’s spiritual journey has not been perfect. His faith and program have both gone through seasons of strength, distance, struggle, and renewal. After spending ten years in the rooms, he drifted away for nearly another decade.But recently, through hardship, joblessness, and a longing for connection, Craig found his way back—not only to recovery, but to God. In returning to the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous, he rediscovered how deeply intertwined spirituality, faith, and recovery truly are.In the years following the attacks on Israel, Craig has found a renewed pride in being openly and visibly Jewish. Today, he wears his faith with humility and strength, no longer hiding any part of who he is.Today, Craig lives openly in both his faith and recovery, grateful for the connection to God that continues to transform his life one day at a time.

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 25, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 25Humility Grounds Us"The practice of humility helps us be honest about our circumstances. We learn to live and give within the limits of our lives."—Guiding Principles, Tradition Seven, “For Members”––––=––––In active addiction, we became masters of manipulation. We spun a web of lies so intricate that we began to believe our own nonsense. The admission that we were addicts may have been the first time we had been truly honest with ourselves in years. With this honesty comes an opportunity to take a look at our lives and where our active addiction led us.For many of us, being at our lowest low, having lost everything but our lives, and feeling humiliated by our behavior inspires a modicum of honesty and humility. Others of us identified our spiritual and emotional desperation before we destroyed our relationships or lost our material possessions. In either case, an honest assessment leads us to practice humility as we accept that we’re no better and no worse than anyone else in the room.As we stay clean, we get to know ourselves better through the process of working the Steps. Becoming familiar with our strengths and weaknesses in the Sixth Step gives us some perspective on what we have to offer the world and the Fellowship. And in Step Seven, we find new freedom in developing a humble and realistic view of ourselves and our resources.Life has a way of nudging us back to a state of humility as new experiences challenge us over time. We learn to stay clean through life’s losses—divorce, bankruptcy, death. And we learn to stay humble even as we pursue an education, meet success in our careers, or establish healthy romantic relationships. We do our best to stay grounded in our program by remaining humble.Practicing humility can help us learn how to monitor our emotional well-being and change course before we hit a breaking point. When we lose sight of our humility, we become more vulnerable to overextending ourselves, risking emotional or physical exhaustion. Over time, we learn our limits. Protecting pride and ego takes a backseat to defending healthy boundaries. We begin to learn how to give within our means.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Today I will maintain a realistic perspective on my circumstances and exercise humility and discernment when offering to contribute or serve.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 25, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 25"Good" and "bad" feelings"A lot happens in one day, both negative and positive. If we do not take time to appreciate both, perhaps we will miss something that will help us grow."IP No.8, "Just for Today"––––=––––Most of us seem to unconsciously judge what happens in our lives each day as good or bad, success or failure. We tend to feel happy about the "good" and angry, frustrated, or guilty about the "bad." Good and bad feelings, though, often have little to do with what's truly good or bad for us. We may learn more from our failures than our successes, especially if failure has come from taking a risk.Attaching value judgments to our emotional reactions ties us to our old ways of thinking. We can change the way we think about the incidents of everyday life, viewing them as opportunities for growth, not as good or bad. We can search for lessons rather than assigning value. When we do this, we learn something from each day. Our daily Tenth Step is an excellent tool for evaluating the day's events and learning from both success and failure.––––=––––Just for today:I am offered an opportunity to apply the principles of recovery so that I will learn and grow. When I learn from life's events, I succeed. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 24, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 24Intimacy as Conscious Contact and Connection"Intimacy is conscious contact with another human being. We connect. As we get close to others we see the divine in them, and we see it in ourselves as well."—Living Clean, Chapter 5, “Conscious Contact”––––=––––Few of us come to NA with mountains of success practicing intimacy. Often we hear our fellow addicts grumble, “I hate people.” Before getting clean, family life was often dysfunctional, to say the least. The deeper we were in our addiction, the shallower our friendships and romantic relationships became. Our drug use, ego, and denial were a trio of airtight barriers that prevented us from connecting with those closest to us. We lacked trust in others and avoided being vulnerable at all costs. The idea of truly being seen by another person was unbearable, even absurd.Upon getting clean, we may not initially be conscious of a desire for connection with our fellow addicts. We resist the idea of exposing our true selves, but intimacy isn’t just about sharing the details of our lives. It can be abandoning our old ideas about people and relationships, even letting go of our definition of what’s safe. It can be taking emotional risks when we don’t know the outcome. It can be saying what we want from a relationship—to the other person in it with us. It can be tolerating feedback from our loved ones and growing from it. It can be sitting in meetings with a group of recovering addicts and hearing each other’s gripes, pleas, desires, and strides. It can be witnessing what makes us human and worthy of love and connection, over and over again. Intimacy is the result of all this.Intimacy is nothing less than letting go of everything that stops us from being ourselves in front of another person. What’s divine in us is what’s genuine.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Today I will consciously seek opportunities where I can get closer to my true self with another human being I trust.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 24, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 24Risking vulnerability"As we grow, we learn to overcome the tendency to run and hide from ourselves and our feelings."Basic Text, p.81––––=––––Rather than risk vulnerability many of us have developed habits that keep others at a safe distance. These patterns of emotional isolation can give us the feeling we are hopelessly locked behind our masks. We used to take risks with our lives; now we can take risks with our feelings. Through sharing with other addicts, we learn that we are not unique; we do not make ourselves unduly vulnerable simply by letting others know who we are, for we are in good company. And by working the Twelve Steps of the NA program, we grow and change. We no longer want or need to hide our emerging selves. We are offered the opportunity to shed the emotional camouflage we developed to survive our active addiction.By opening ourselves to others, we risk becoming vulnerable, but that risk is well worth the rewards. With the help of our sponsor and other recovering addicts, we learn how to express our feelings honestly and openly. In turn, we become nourished and encouraged by the unconditional love of our companion. As we practice spiritual principles, we find strength and freedom, both in ourselves and in those around us.We are set free to be ourselves and to enjoy the company of our fellow addict.––––=––––Just for today:I will openly and honestly share with another recovering addict. I will risk becoming vulnerable and celebrate my self and my friendship with other NA members. I will grow. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 23, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 23Maturity Helps Us Face Reality"Maturity comes to us when we use spiritual principles rather than defects to deal with reality."—Living Clean, Chapter 3, “Awakening to Our Spirituality”––––=––––It took some pretty twisted survival skills to deny our active addiction. Some of us coped by living a life of make-believe. Such fantasy thinking has a nasty habit of following us into recovery. It reemerges when we’re unwilling to accept circumstances as they are or resist taking personal responsibility for our part of any problem.When we are clean and awake, resistance to the truth becomes painful. Through the process of working the Steps, we learn how to deal with day-to-day reality in a much less agonizing way. Instead of reaching into that bag of dirty tricks that got us through our using days, we begin to rely on spiritual principles to deal with life.Growing pains are inevitable when we uncover the contents of that old, decrepit toolkit.Even before we learn to take our own inventory, a sponsor or close friend may plainly point out some of our less desirable behavior patterns in the moment. One member shared, “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off!” Appreciating the people who hold us accountable is a mark of our emerging emotional maturity. These are the friends who help us grow up in recovery.We learn what makes us tick and what ticks us off. We come to know what defects call to us under which circumstances, and what spiritual principles we can practice instead. We develop a moral compass as we incorporate spiritual principles into our daily lives. Instead of responding to an upset boss or partner with defensiveness or anger, for example, we take a moment to consider the alternatives. When we respond thoughtfully, inviting spiritual principles—not impulse—to guide our behavior, we begin to feel like we are meeting reality like mature human beings. We are growing up.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Today I will apply the spiritual opposites of my defects, recognizing the benefits that maturity offers.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 23, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 23Amends and sponsors"We want to be free of our guilt, but we don't wish to do so at the expense of anyone else."Basic Text, p.39––––=––––Let's face it: Most of us left trails of destruction in our wakes and harmed anyone who got in our way. Some of the people we hurt most in our addiction were the people we loved most. In an effort to purge ourselves of the guilt we feel for what we've done, we may be tempted to share with our loved ones, in gruesome detail, things that are better left unsaid. Such disclosures could do much harm and may do little good.The Ninth Step is not about easing our guilty consciences; it's about taking responsibility for the wrongs we've done. In working our Eighth and Ninth Steps, we should seek the guidance of our sponsor and amend our wrongs in a manner that won't cause us to owe more amends. We are not just seeking freedom from remorse-we are seeking freedom from our defects. We never again want to inflict harm on our loved ones. One way to insure that we do not is by working the Ninth Step responsibly, checking our motives, and discussing with our sponsor the particular amends we plan to make before we make them.––––=––––Just for today:I wish to accept responsibility for my actions before making any amends, I will talk with my sponsor. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 22, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 22The Generosity in Being Vulnerable"Recovery is a gift, given freely, passed from hand to hand and heart to heart."—Guiding Principles, Tradition Eight, Opening Reflection––––=––––While it can be easy to think of our Traditions as nothing more than rules or guidelines to keep us in check, the truth is that they describe the way our Fellowship is able to enjoy tremendous freedom. The NA approach allows us to carry our message in whatever way suits us best; no degrees or specialized training necessary—simply our personal experience shared in our own way. One speaker laughed about our Traditions: “I heard ‘nonprofessional’ and ‘ought never be organized,’ and I knew I was in the right place! Then I had the experience of sharing a total mess, crying and cussing and crazy, and people came up afterward and told me that they got a lot out of what I shared.”Sharing who we are and where we are—no fronts, no filters—is an act of generosity.Especially for secretive addicts like us, giving other people a chance to glance behind the curtain and see what’s really going on can be a precious gift. We are able to do so much for other addicts when we get honest this way. When we tell on ourselves, we let other members see they’re not alone in what they’re going through. “They told me I can’t save my face and my ass at the same time,” one addict wrote. “I realized later that if I try to save face while I help an addict, I won’t do a very good job doing either.”We never really know which of our words or actions will break through and reach the addict who is suffering. It could be that one kind gesture, a hug, a particular experience shared, or all of them taken together. NA isn’t treatment or therapy or any other type of place where professionals can offer a diagnosis and plan. Instead, we share freely the way other addicts shared with us, and we connect with others on a heart-to-heart level.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Getting vulnerable when I share opens my heart to other addicts. I will freely give what was given to me: the gift of recovery.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 22, read by CraigDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 22Symptoms of a spiritual awakening"The steps lead to an awakening of a spiritual nature. This awakening is evidenced by changes in our lives."Basic Text, p.48––––=––––We know how to recognize the disease of addiction. Its symptoms are indisputable.Besides an uncontrollable appetite for drugs, those suffering exhibit self-centered, self-seeking behavior. When our addiction was at its peak of activity, we were obviously in a great deal of pain. We relentlessly judged ourselves and others, and spent most of our time worrying or trying to control outcomes.Just as the disease of addiction is evidenced by definite symptoms, so is a spiritual awakening made manifest by certain obvious signs in a recovering addict. We may observe a tendency to think and act spontaneously; a loss of interest in judging or interpreting the actions of anyone else, an unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment, and frequent attacks of smiling.If we see someone exhibiting symptoms of a spiritual awakening, we should be aware that such awakenings are contagious. Our best course of action is to get close to these people. As we begin having frequent, overwhelming episodes of gratitude, an increased receptiveness to the love extended by our fellow members, and an uncontrollable urge to return this love, we'll realize that we, too, have had a spiritual awakening.––––=––––Just for today:My strongest desire is to have a spiritual awakening. I will watch for its symptoms and rejoice when I discover them. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 21, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 21Facing Feelings with Optimism"When we realize we’ve survived every emotion we ever had, we start to believe that we are going to be alright even when we don’t feel alright."—Living Clean, Chapter 7, “Living Our Principles”––––=––––Feelings get a bad rap, so it’s no wonder many of us tried to avoid them. At best, they seemed complicated and uncomfortable. At worst, they posed a threat to us, since appearing vulnerable might be dangerous. By the time we find recovery, we may be accustomed to being shut down emotionally. Our hardened exteriors were an asset in active addiction, protecting us like armor. But, like so many of those old survival skills, we find being emotionally unavailable hinders our recovery. We need a different approach.Having little to no experience with emotional well-being, many of us tried to select which feelings we would feel. Unsurprisingly, we welcomed feelings that brought us pleasure: love, connection, joy, satisfaction—bring it on! On the other end of the spectrum, we did our best to stuff or avoid anger, heartache, or dread. Sadly, we recognized that this familiar pattern of seeking pleasure and avoiding reality—retooled without the cushion of drugs— was not an effective path to emotional health.Try as we might to avoid it, we all face adversity eventually, and the emotions that accompany it flood in. When we first experience despair without drugs, we may feel like we’re going to die. “Everything is horrible!!” we tell our sponsor dramatically. Though we’d been fishing for a cosigner, we settled for some empathy. We’re offered assurances that our troubles are neither inescapable nor permanent.“I think of my feelings as works in progress,” our sponsor explains. “I won’t deny my emotional response these days because I know it’s just a first draft, not ready to be framed and hung on a wall. My feelings can evolve with some time and distance, just as I do. The hope I found in NA gave me the courage to test out this theory. My optimism is rooted in experience. I have faith that better times will come.”––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I will approach my emotional life with optimism today. My feelings—good or bad—are only temporary and subject to revision.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 21, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 21Keep coming back!"Meetings keep us in touch with where we've been, but more importantly with where we could go in our recovery."Basic Text, p.54––––=––––In many ways, addicts are different. When we came to Narcotics Anonymous we found others like ourselves, people who understood us and whom we could understand. No longer did we feel like aliens, strangers wherever we went. We were at home in NA meetings, among friends.We don't stop being addicts after we've been clean awhile. We still need to identify with other addicts. We continue coming to NA meetings to keep in touch with who we are, where we've come from, and where we're going. Every meeting reminds us that we can never use drugs successfully. Every meeting reminds us that we'll never be cured, but that by practicing the principles of the program we can recover. And every meeting offers us the experience and example of other addicts in ongoing recovery.At meetings, we see how different people work their program, and the results are apparent in their lives. If we want the lives we see others living, we can find out what they've done to get where they are. Narcotics Anonymous meetings offer us identification with where we've been and where we can go-identification we can't do without and can't get anywhere else. That keeps us coming back.––––=––––Just for today:I will attend an NA meeting to remind myself of who I am, where I've come from, and where I can go in my recovery.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 20, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 20Coming out of isolation."We find ourselves doing and enjoying things that we never thought we would be doing."Basic Text, p.98––––=––––Active addiction kept us isolated for many reasons. In the beginning, we avoided family and friends so they wouldn't find out we were using. Some of us avoided all nonaddicts, fearing moral backlash and legal repercussions. We belittled people who had "normal" lives with families and hobbies; we called them "uncool," believing we could never enjoy the simple pleasures of life. Eventually, we even avoided other addicts because we didn't want to share our drugs. Our lives narrowed, and our concerns were confined to the daily maintenance of our disease.Today, our lives are much fuller. We enjoy activities with other recovering addicts.We have time for our families. And we've discovered many other pursuits that give us pleasure. What a change from the past! We can live life just as fully as the "normal" people we once scorned.Enjoyment has returned to our lives, a gift of recovery.––––=––––Just for today:I can find pleasure in the simple routines of daily living. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 20, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 20The Rewards of Responsibility"We don’t always want to work our program, but we know the rewards we get when we take responsibility for our recovery—and the consequences when we do not."—Living Clean, Chapter 1, “Keys to Freedom”––––=––––Early recovery—especially our first go at it—can seem almost magical. For many addicts, things get so much better so quickly when we first find NA. We put some days together clean. We start feeling physically better. It’s easier to pay the rent because we don’t have a habit, so we gain a little stability. Those NA folks are really encouraging and—what?—is that hope I feel?Soon, the minor miracles of early recovery—like paying bills, eating actual meals, or having regular bowel movements—lose some of their charm. It dawns on us that just not using is not enough. Despite having a cool sponsor and some friends who are clean, NA activities, and a roof over our heads, we still have that gnawing feeling that something is missing.While surrounding ourselves with good people is important, recovery is not contagious—we won’t catch it simply by hanging around. This is an important realization, but it’s what we do with it that matters. Ignore it and know that using may start to appeal to us. Get busy and reap more of the rewards of recovery. Sooner or later—and at multiple points in our journey—each of us faces these alternatives: stay clean but remain miserable and set ourselves up for possible relapse or take responsibility for our recovery.And so we engage in what’s before us: the work of recovery. It’s a twelve-step program; why not work all twelve? The rewards are many, and the most valuable among them intangible. In recovery, we become self-aware and—unlike when we were in the grips of the disease—we have the freedom to choose what to do with what we learn about ourselves.The road to spiritual wealth opens up when we accept responsibility for our recovery and all it entails.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I will check in with my feelings and confide in a friend today. I will apply the spiritual principle of responsibility by identifying what’s happening with me and being open to change.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 19, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 19A growth Inventory"We review our past performance and our present behavior to see what we want to keep and what we want to discard."Basic Text, p. 29––––=––––As each day winds to a close, many of us reflect on the past twenty-four hours and consider how we can live differently in the future. It's easy for our thoughts to remain trapped in the mundane: change the oil in the car, keep the living room clean, or empty the litter box. Sometimes it takes a special effort to jog our thinking out of the daily rut and onto a higher track.One simple question can put us on the high road: What do we think our Higher Power wants for us tomorrow? Maybe we need to improve our flagging conscious contact with the God of our understanding. Perhaps we've been uncomfortable in our job or our relationship, holding on only out of fear. We might be hiding some troubling defect of character, afraid to share it with our sponsor. The question is, in what parts of our lives do we really want to grow?As each day ends, we find it beneficial to take some moments to spend time with our Higher Power. We can begin to reflect on what will benefit our program of spiritual growth most in the coming day. We think about the areas in which we have grown recently, and target areas that still require work. What more fitting way to end the day?––––=––––Just for today:I will set aside some time at the end of the day to commune with my Higher Power. I will review the past day, meditating on what stands between me and my Higher Power's will for my life. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 19, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 19Selflessness, Self-Care, and Our Spiritual Condition"The principles we learn in the steps help us let go of our selfishness and lovingly serve the needs of others."—It Works, Tradition One––––=––––In hindsight, many of us find that self-centeredness shaped our thinking and behavior. We realize how much energy we spent protecting our fragile egos, imagining what others thought about us, or carefully curating our image on social media. Privately, we were often negative, selfish, and entitled, as we neglected the work of doing our best with what we had. The Steps have a way of setting us on a more productive course in life. We see who we’ve been, come to understand who we are, and clear out what interferes with taking a more positive, selfless, and grateful approach to life.Whether we’re new or have been around a while, some of us take up seemingly selfless activities like ducks to water. But, like anything that feels good, we can take selflessness to unhealthy extremes. We do love too much of a good thing, after all, and—bonus!—we can avoid examining ourselves by becoming immersed in helping others. Many of us learn the hard way that unrestrained generosity can harm both the giver and the recipient. As the old saying goes, “You can’t draw water from an empty well.” The Steps help us build a more realistic self-concept and a life we don’t want to run from.“To practice selflessness requires that I first have a sense of self,” in the words of one member. “I tell my sponsees, ‘You first, right after me!’” We take responsibility for our own well-being and strive for harmony as we contribute to our common welfare. The principles of the Steps help us establish healthy boundaries and strive for balance. For many of us, the idea of loving and serving others selflessly adds a new dimension to our spiritual self-care routine. We find ways to recharge and gather fresh inspiration so we can selflessly contribute to NA unity.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I will care for my spiritual condition so that I can selflessly love and serve and contribute to NA unity. The Steps are the key to my outlook and well-being, although a bubble bath and some dark chocolate won’t hurt either!––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Continuing our “Spirituality in Recovery” finale series, we share the story of Lauren—a journey back to God’s care after years of self-will run wild.Raised in a Catholic household, Lauren followed the traditions that were expected of her, but never truly felt connected to God or the church. After her confirmation at fourteen, she stopped attending services altogether. Around the same time, relentless bullying over her weight left deep emotional wounds that would shape the course of her life. In an attempt to gain control, she developed an eating disorder that quickly progressed and consumed her.When she discovered drugs, she found the relief and escape she had been searching for. Soon after came her first serious relationship—one deeply intertwined with addiction. The chaos of that relationship intensified her using and pulled her further away from herself, to the point where simply finishing high school became a struggle.Despite everything, Lauren somehow made it into college. But within months, the progression of her eating disorder and the unmanageability of her life brought her back home. She began working and was introduced to opiates, which would ultimately become her drug of choice. While attending community college, her academic record became a pattern of withdrawals and incompletes, reflecting the growing chaos beneath the surface.Everything began to shift when she met a man who did not use drugs. For the first time, she saw the possibility of a different life. Encouraged by his support, Lauren returned to school and eventually earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees—all while convincing herself she could still control her occasional using. She married that man, built a family with him, and had two children.But after her last pregnancy, a visit to the dentist reopened the door she had never truly closed. She sought opiates under the guise of treating pain, though deep down she already knew what she wanted. During that time, obtaining large quantities of prescription drugs was alarmingly easy, and her addiction quickly spiraled beyond control. Lauren became so skilled at hiding her disease that when she finally admitted the truth, her husband had no idea she had been using at all.Eventually, Lauren surrendered to her addiction and entered recovery—and she has never looked back since.But recovery did not mean life suddenly became easy. After more than a decade clean, Lauren found herself on another painful journey driven by self-will, fear, and emotional exhaustion. An undiagnosed mental illness, combined with the struggle to find proper medication, brought her to her knees once again.This time, however, she did not face it alone.By leaning fully into her program, her sponsor, her support network, and her Higher Power, Lauren found a new level of surrender and trust. Through some of the darkest moments of her recovery—even with 15 years clean—she discovered what it truly means to rely on God instead of herself. Today, her relationship with God is no longer based on obligation or routine, but on daily connection, faith, and trust.Lauren’s story is a powerful reminder that recovery is not just about putting down the drugs—it is about learning how to surrender, how to trust, and how to live life on life’s terms with grace, honesty, and faith in a power greater than herself.

Just for Today meditation for May 18, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 18Friends and amends-keeping It simple"We made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others."Step Nine––––=––––In every relationship, we don't always handle things the way we would have hoped.But friendships don't have to end when we make mistakes; instead, we can make amends. If we are sincerely willing to accept the responsibilities involved in friendship and make the amends we owe, those friendships can become stronger and richer than ever.Making amends is simple. We approach the person we have harmed and say, "I was wrong." Sometimes we avoid getting to the point, evading an admission of our own part in the affair. But that frustrates the intent of the Ninth Step. To make effective amends, we have to keep it simple: we admit our part, and leave it at that.There will be times when our friends won't accept our amends. Perhaps they need time to process what has happened. If that is the case, we must give them that time. After all, we were the ones in the wrong, not them. We have done our part; the rest is out of our hands.––––=––––Just for today:I want to be a responsible friend. I will strive to keep it simple when making amends. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 18, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 18Connecting to Our Conscience"We learn to listen to our conscience—that still, small voice within that tells us if we’re heading in the right direction."—Living Clean, Chapter 3, “Spirituality Is Practical”––––=––––Some of us might argue that the solutions to our problems, the answers to our moment-to- moment decisions and our big life choices, have always been within our reach. We just haven’t been listening to our conscience. We’ve been unable to hear it because of the competing, confusing cacophony of noise in our heads, a squeaky hamster wheel of thoughts that we can’t get off of. Others of us feel as if we never had a conscience and that it’s something we develop only once we become abstinent and start to work a program. We come to the opinion that our disease speaks to us—in our own voice, no less!—and is the sole influence for our bad decision making. Conversely, our conscience, as an expression of our Higher Power, is the source of positive influence.Whatever our opinions are about the origin story of our conscience, we can probably all agree that we can do a lot to cultivate our sensitivity to the voice of our higher self. We get clean and become humble enough to ask for help. We listen to each other’s experiences of recovery. The work we do on ourselves through the Steps and for others through service awakens us enough to experience our conscience. Many of us would say our conscience has become clearer, more distinct, and more dependable as we’ve grown in recovery. It becomes easier to access because we’re able to turn down the static brought on by its evil twin, our disease. We learn to quiet our minds and, through prayer and meditation, we gain a lot of practice in not just being able to hear it but in listening to what it has to say.“My conscience is my inner guide,” wrote a member. “It’s a driving force that gives me what I need to make an honest decision. I still can’t control outcomes just because I’m choosing wisely, but I come to my decisions with integrity.”––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I will practice staying conscious of my conscience. It’s there for me when I listen, helping me to stay connected to living this new way of life.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 17, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 17"Defects""We were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character."Step Six––––=––––After taking the Fifth Step, many of us spend some time considering "the exact nature of our wrongs" and the part they'd played in making us who we were. What would our lives be like without, say, our arrogance?Sure, arrogance had kept us apart from our fellows, preventing us from enjoying and learning from them. But arrogance had also served us well, propping up our ego in the face of critically low self-esteem. What advantage would be gained if our arrogance were removed, and what support would we be left with?With arrogance gone, we would be one step closer to being restored to our proper place among others. We would become capable of appreciating their company and their wisdom and their challenges as their equals. Our support and guidance would come, if we chose, from the care offered us by our Higher Power; "low self-esteem" would cease to be an issue.One by one, we examined our character defects this way, and found them all defective, after all, that's why they're called defects. And were we entirely ready to have God remove all of them? Yes.––––=––––Just for today:I will thoroughly consider all my defects of character to discover whether I am ready to have the God of my understanding remove them. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 17, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 17Love for Unity’s Sake"Unity depends on our willingness to keep coming from love, even when that seems like the hardest thing to do."—Guiding Principles, Tradition Two, “Spiritual Principles”––––=––––Why is coming from love so difficult sometimes?Practicing the principle of unity in all of our affairs—and coming from a place of love while doing it—so often seems to require superhuman powers.Sometimes coming from love is hard because a friend has truly wronged us or hurt someone else we love. Or maybe it’s the member who stole money from the group or the one who gossips constantly. Or a newcomer from a treatment program uses language from another fellowship. Or, at dinner after the meeting, that guy is chewing with his mouth open. Again.At other times, coming from love is a challenge because we know we are right! Yet our group’s conscience runs counter to this indisputable fact. “There’s no way in hell that our collective Higher Power is being expressed through that ridiculous decision!” We want to throw a chair across the room or break down in tears of frustration.Clearly, coming from love may not be our first reaction to most any distraction. The good news is that we’re teachable. We can learn to empathize with others, to trust group conscience, and to let go of our desires to control everyone and everything. The more we’re able to absorb this lesson and practice unconditional love, the more relief we experience from our anger and self-righteousness.Tradition Two reminds us that the group’s conscience is expressed through a loving Higher Power. To support this idea, we’ve heard members say, “We are acting out of either love or fear.” Maybe it’s not always quite that simple, but as we grow, we come to understand how critical unity is to our own recovery, and we become willing to examine whether a chosen action squares with spiritual principles.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Even at an emotional breaking point, it is possible to ask myself, “Am I coming from a place of love?” Today I will take a moment to breathe before opening my mouth, clicking send, or throwing a chair.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 16, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 16Our Higher Power's will"God's will for us becomes our own true will for ourselves."Basic Text, p. 46––––=––––The Twelve Steps are a path to spiritual awakening. This awakening takes the form of a developing relationship with a loving Higher Power. Each succeeding step strengthens that relationship. As we continue to work the steps, the relationship grows, becoming ever more important in our lives.In the course of working the steps, we make a personal decision to allow a loving Higher Power to direct us. That guidance is always available; we need only the patience to seek it. Often, that guidance manifests itself in the inner wisdom we call our conscience.When we open our hearts wide enough to sense our Higher Power's guidance, we feel a calm serenity. This peace is the beacon that guides us through our troubled feelings, providing clear direction when our minds are busy and confused. When we seek and follow God's will in our lives, we find the contentment and joy that often elude us when we strike out on our own. Fear or doubt may plague us when we attempt to carry out our Higher Power's will, but we've learned to trust the moment of clarity. Our greatest happiness lies in following the will of our loving God.––––=––––Just for today:I will seek to strengthen my relationship with my Higher Power. I know from experience that knowledge of my Higher Power's will provides a sense of clarity, direction, and peace. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 16, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 16The Freedom to Let Go"We are free to participate, create, care and share, surprise ourselves, take risks, be vulnerable, and stand on our own two feet."—Living Clean, Chapter 1, “Keys to Freedom”––––=––––When we stop using, we eliminate the most obvious symptom of the disease and the source of many of our problems. Abstinence alone, however, is seldom enough to straighten out our thinking. Even after the drugs are gone, our outlook, priorities, and personalities remain distorted. If we want to be free from all aspects of the disease, it will take some work.“My self-centeredness had me tied up in knots,” one member recalled. “I was angry and judgmental, greedy for attention and material things, dishonest with others and myself. Just not using was just not enough. It took time and change for me to get free from my self- imposed prison.”We get relief along the way and glimpse what it’s like to be unburdened from self-centered fear. Stepwork loosens the grip that worry and shame once had on us, freeing us to live in today. We find freedom in having friends we can count on and confide in, in belly laughs that aren’t chemically induced, in the depth of our empathy for others’ struggles. We stay aware of our spiritual condition, not settling for freedom’s cheap substitute: irresponsibility.Humility liberates us to be a little more forgiving of others and ourselves, recognizing that we’re all works in progress. We’re grateful for our new capacity to stay in the present and for the respite we get from the disease when we tend to our spiritual wellness. We face life’s many choices knowing that, no matter what, we’ll be okay.Freedom is a state of mind, not a state of being. The NA program helps us discover and discard limiting beliefs and patterns that keep us stuck, regardless of our living conditions.“Each day offers a fresh start and another opportunity to cast off my mental, emotional, and spiritual shackles,” wrote one member from the confines of a prison. “If I want to fly, I have to let go of the baggage that’s weighing me down.” That’s apt advice for all of us.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I will release something that’s kept me bound. I’ll let go of it daily if that’s what it takes to live free.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 15, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 15Fear of the Fourth Step"As we approach this step, most of us are afraid that there is a monster inside of us that, if released, will destroy us."Basic Text, p. 27––––=––––Most of us are terrified to look at ourselves, to probe our insides. We're afraid that if we examine our actions and motives, we'll find a bottomless black pit of selfishness and hatred. But as we take the Fourth Step, we'll find that those fears were unwarranted. We're human, just like everyone else-no more, no less.We all have personality traits that we're not especially proud of. On a bad day, we may think that our faults are worse than anyone else's. We'll have moments of self- doubt. We'll question our motives. We may even question our very existence. But if we could read the minds of our fellow members, we'd find the same struggles. We're no better or worse than anyone else.We can only change what we acknowledge and understand. Rather than continuing to fear what's buried inside us, we can bring it out into the open. We'll no longer be frightened, and our recovery will flourish in the full light of self-awareness.––––=––––Just for today:I fear what I don't know. I will expose my fears and allow them to vanish. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 15, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 15We Can Rediscover Hope at Any Time"When we see a member experience a real breakthrough with 20, or 30, or more years clean, we can see that, truly, recovery never stops."—Living Clean, Chapter 7, “Love”––––=––––As a twelve-step program, stairs are an easy go-to metaphor we often use to describe the recovery process. We climb up out of the darkness and despair of active addiction into the light of recovery. Some members say that the farther we go up the staircase, the more we have to lose should we go tumbling back down again. Living Clean describes recovery like a spiral staircase: “Again and again we come to the same view, only each time we are seeing it from a different perspective.” One member shared with a laugh, “My staircase feels more like one of those trippy optical illusion paintings where the stairs circle back on each other and the laws of physics don’t apply.”The longer we stay clean, the more life we experience. And when we’re actively working our program, we experience life deeply and continue to encounter more truth about ourselves all the time. Finding a new way to live takes on a different meaning when we stay clean for decades. We discover ourselves, reinvent ourselves, lose ourselves, find ourselves, discover ourselves—again and again and again. The staircase circles back on itself.When we stay clean through it all and stay active in NA, much of our process is visible to those around us. It can be messy. We may grow in ways that cause us to drift apart from some friends in recovery. We may form new connections with other members we never thought we would get close to. We might have moments where we feel silly or slow for having a realization about ourselves so far down the path, only to have our friends respond, “Oh, yeah—we’ve known that about you for a long time.”Few of us end up having the lives that we would have expected to have—or even being the people we would have expected to be—when we first got clean. Our fellow members love us through it all. No matter how far along we are, when we share our new discoveries, we share our hope.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:My journey may not look like what I expected—or what I think others expected. As my horizons broaden, I will relish each discovery and freely share what I have learned so others can see how my journey continues.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 14, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 14Oops!"Insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results."Basic Text, p. 23––––=––––Mistakes! We all know how it feels to make them. Many of us feel that our entire lives have been a mistake. We often regard our mistakes with shame or guilt-at the very least, with frustration and impatience. We tend to see mistakes as evidence that we are still sick, crazy, stupid, or too damaged to recover.In truth, mistakes are a very vital and important part of being human. For particularly stubborn people (such as addicts), mistakes are often our best teachers.There is no shame in making mistakes. In fact, making new mistakes often shows our willingness to take risks and grow.It's helpful, though, if we learn from our mistakes; repeating the same ones may be a sign that we're stuck. And expecting different results from the same old mistakes- well, that's what we call "insanity!" It just doesn't work.––––=––––Just for today:Mistakes aren't tragedies. But please, Higher Power, help me learn from them! ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 14, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 14Autonomy and the Ties That Bind"Autonomy offers us the freedom to try new things, and we demonstrate courage when we make new efforts to better carry our message."—Guiding Principles, Tradition Four, “For Groups”––––=––––When Tradition Four says that “each group should be autonomous,” it opens the gate for creative expressions of our primary purpose. What comes next––“except in matters affecting other groups or NA as a whole”––defines the path beyond that gate. The other eleven Traditions and our spiritual principles guide us along that path. They offer direction to ensure the best possible conditions for our journey and mark potential trouble to keep us from wandering off a cliff.“We don’t just do as we please. We do what’s right,” as one member put it. “At our business meetings, my home group considers two questions: ‘How do our actions carry the message?’ and ‘What else can we do to improve the atmosphere of recovery?’” Keeping our primary purpose foremost in mind has a clarifying effect. It ensures that each innovation is motivated by our desire to carry the message more effectively.Changes in society, in the neighborhood, or in the law can impact our meetings and often call us to innovate. We do our best to let go of that “this is the way we’ve always done it” mindset, which can undermine the courage we need to exercise group autonomy. It may be helpful to distinguish between the capital “T” Traditions that guide all our efforts in NA and the small “t” traditions—local customs or norms—that sometimes feel as important.Longtime members assure us that we won’t break this thing by thinking a bit outside the box. We’re reminded to strive for unity, not uniformity, and to evaluate proposed changes with our hearts open and the guidance of all Twelve Traditions in mind. We can practice our autonomy and pay attention to the ties that bind. When we do, we find that—as promised—all will be well.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I will appreciate both the freedom that group autonomy offers and the continuity that our guiding principles provide.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 13, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 13Onward on the journey"The progression of recovery is a continuous uphill journey."Basic Text, p. 79––––=––––The longer we stay clean, the steeper and narrower our path seems to become. But God doesn't give us more than we can handle. No matter how difficult the road becomes, no matter how narrow, how winding the turns, there is hope. That hope lies in our spiritual progression.If we keep showing up at meetings and staying clean, life gets... well, different. The continual search for answers to life's ups and downs can lead us to question all aspects of our lives. Life isn't always pleasant. This is when we must turn to our Higher Power with even more faith. Sometimes all we can do is hold on tight, believing that things will get better.In time, our faith will produce understanding. We will begin to see the "bigger picture" of our lives. As our relationship with our Higher Power unfolds and deepens, acceptance becomes almost second nature. No matter what happens as we walk through recovery, we rely on our faith in a loving Higher Power and continue onward.––––=––––Just for today:I accept that I don't have all the answers to life's questions. Nonetheless, I will have faith in the God of my understanding and continue on the journey of recovery. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 13, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 13Flexibility and Relationships"The flexibility that relationships require comes more easily to us when we are practicing principles in our lives."—Living Clean, Chapter 5, “Romantic Relationships,” ‘The Courage to Trust’––––=––––Most of us are not wired for flexibility. Letting go of control just isn’t in our nature. We struggle with rigid expectations of how people should behave, so we fight or flee when things don’t go our way. Others of us live with minimal boundaries; we put up with anything to avoid conflict, pain, and rejection.Thankfully, we have a program based on spiritual principles and relationships with NA members to help teach us how to live by them. By being real with each other in NA, we support each other in becoming less rigid. We learn to handle the truth. Working with a sponsor helps us to trust and to ask for what we need. Serving in a home group and beyond provides us with opportunities to compromise, speak up for ourselves, and respect boundaries. We become more flexible as we apply other principles, too. Our emotional muscles get more limber with open-mindedness, willingness, honesty, empathy— sometimes tolerance if that’s all we’ve got.Working the Steps and practicing principles helps us to let go of the illusion of control. Our lives improve as we figure out who we are and who we’re not. We come to understand the disease and trust our Higher Power. We allow people to be who they are because we’re learning to be okay with ourselves. Getting to know someone on a deeper level is easier when we know ourselves. As we let go of self-centered patterns of gratification, being cooperative and accommodating allows us to be equal partners in our relationships. Many of us once lived by a policy of “my way or the highway.” By practicing the principles in our program, we gain the flexibility to be able to say, “Your way? Sure. Let’s try it out.”––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Relating well with others involves some give-and-take. I will draw on my NA experience to practice flexibility in all of my relationships.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 12, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 12Living with spiritual experience"For meditation to be of value, the results must show in our daily lives."Basic Text, p 45-46––––=––––In working our program, we are given many indirect indications of a Higher Power's presence in our lives: the clean feeling that comes to so many of us in taking our Fifth Step; the sense that we are finally on the right track when we make amends; the satisfaction we get from helping another addict. Meditation, however, occasionally brings us extraordinary indications of God's presence in our lives. These experiences do not mean we have become perfect or that we are "cured." They are tastes given us of the source of our recovery itself, reminding us of the true nature of the thing we are pursuing in Narcotics Anonymous and encouraging us to continue walking our spiritual path.Such experiences demonstrate, in no uncertain terms, that we have tapped a Power far greater than our own. But how do we incorporate that extraordinary Power into our ordinary lives? Our NA friends, our sponsor, and others in our communities may be more seasoned in spiritual matters than we are. If we ask, they can help us fit our spiritual experiences into the natural pattern of recovery and spiritual growth.––––=––––Just for today:I will seek whatever answers I may need to understand my spiritual experiences and incorporate them into my daily life. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 12, read by LaurenDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 12Surrender to What?"Surrender . . . is what happens after we’ve accepted the First Step as something that is true for us and have accepted that recovery is the solution."—NA Step Working Guides, Step One, “Surrender”––––=––––Our first introduction to the Steps often stirs up a powerful rebelliousness. “All my life I’ve felt disempowered. Now you’re telling me that I’m powerless and that I have to surrender?Every day?” many of us ask.While NA is truly a program of action, we also strive to understand the ideas, concepts, and spiritual principles that underpin this new way of life. Before we got clean, surrender to most of us meant the inconceivable: showing weakness. In many of the neighborhoods we came up in, surrendering would threaten our very survival. For others, the thought of losing or being wrong—and, worst of all, admitting it!—defied the very core of our being. We’d rather go down fighting than accept defeat, especially if others would know about it.Once we better understand the First Step and the concept of surrender, we realize that we’ve already admitted defeat when we come through the door of an NA meeting. “No one gets here by accident,” our sponsor says.Okay, we now understand that we’ve surrendered our grip on denial. We get that our addiction has worn us down, and we are powerless over it. No matter how we fought, we couldn’t make using work. And, yes, we’ve even surrendered to the idea that surrender is a “process” that we must sustain by working Steps, going to meetings, service, all that.“But what am I surrendering to?” we ask, thinking we are pretty smart.“You’re already doing it,” our sponsor says. “You’re surrendering to recovery as the solution. If you wanna fight for something, fight for that.”Point, sponsor.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I’m going to take a moment to find where in my life I am still resisting recovery as the solution to my problems. I’m still a fighter, but today my fight is for recovery.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 11, read by MoeDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 11Honest Self-Appraisal in the Steps"The steps help us to increase our ability to be honest with ourselves and others."—Living Clean, Chapter 1, “Growing Pains”––––=––––To say that honesty wasn’t a top priority when we were using may be an understatement.We gain a new awareness of honesty’s value once we clean up. With a clear head and a restored conscience, we find that dishonesty comes at a price. Regret is no joke, so we try to avoid it. Practicing honesty with ourselves can be a little more complicated. Self- deception creates some major blind spots that have a nasty habit of reemerging.Fortunately, our ability to be honest with ourselves deepens as we work the Twelve Steps.We admit our powerlessness and begin to reckon with our unmanageability. We come to recognize that we’re, frankly, screwed on our own and decide to accept some help. Taking action that’s aligned with that decision begins with an honest evaluation of how we’ve lived our lives so far. Sometimes we get as many insights in sharing our inventories as we do in writing them. We go on to dig a bit deeper, examining how aspects of our character had become disproportionate to their intended purpose. We turn this bag of dirty tricks over to a Higher Power—and over and over and over again as we strive to be better people with help from that Power, whatever we conceive that to be. Taking another look at the harm we caused, we make an earnest effort to right our past wrongs.Continuing on this path takes daily commitment and, honestly, we all slack off from time to time. Our experience with the Steps means we’re quicker to notice when old patterns of thinking and behavior creep back up on us. Oh, I’m doing that again. We may find that we’ve shut down emotionally, become disconnected from our spiritual lives, resumed a hurtful interior monologue, or taken up some other outmoded approach to life. We put in the work to restore wholehearted honesty to our lives and in our relationships, including those with ourselves and with a Higher Power. We tune in to reality, to the truth, to our higher selves. And we help others to do the same—to live and to thrive through the daily application of spiritual principles.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I will engage in some honest self-assessment today. I will shore up my foundation and restore my zest for learning how to live.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 11, read by MoeDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 11Balancing the scales"A lot of our chief concerns and major difficulties come from our inexperience with living without drugs. Often when we ask an old timer what to do, we are amazed at the simplicity of the answer."Basic Text, pp. 41-42––––=––––Finding balance in recovery is quite a bit like sitting down with a set of scales and a pile of sand. The goal is to have an equal amount of sand on each side of the scales, achieving a balance of weight.We do the same thing in recovery. We sit down with the foundation of our clean time and the Twelve Steps, then attempt to add employment, household responsibilities, friends, sponsees, relationships, meetings, and service in equal weights so that the scales balance. Our first try may throw our personal scales out of kilter. We may find that, because of our over-involvement in service, we have upset our employer or our family. But when we try to correct this problem by resigning from NA service altogether, the other side of the scales go out of balance.We can ask for help from members who have stabilized their scales. These people are easy to recognize. They appear serene, composed, and self-assured. They'll smile in recognition at our dilemma and share how they slowed down, added only a few grains of sand at a time to either side of the scales, and were rewarded with balance in recovery.––––=––––Just for today:I seek balance in my life. Today, I will ask others to share their experience in finding that balance.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 10, read by MoeDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 10Perseverance Helps Us Stay"We may tire mentally in repeating our new ideas and tire physically in our new activities, yet we know that if we fail to repeat them we will surely take up our old practices."—Basic Text, Chapter 7: Recovery and Relapse––––=––––Many of us can say: “Relapse is a part of my story.”From our own experience and from listening to each other share, we know the possibility that we might not stay clean is very real. What causes an addict in recovery to choose to get high again? It can be anything, really, but an unaware “I got this” can be especially dangerous. We tire of hearing the message, sharing the message, and, frankly, each other.The sun goes down and comes back up on what seems like the same day. We become increasingly cranky and unfulfilled. Having become disillusioned with life clean but without recovery, maybe we even quit going to meetings. Eventually, we reach outside of ourselves to fix our insides and use again. When we come back to the rooms, we tell our story of complacency and sitting on that stepwork.While there are endless versions of the relapse story, we all have heard the ones that don’t have happy Narcotics Anonymous endings. Not everybody makes it back to NA and has the opportunity for another go at recovery. Knowing we could die out there—or not die but bring ruin to our livelihood and relationships—doesn’t keep us clean. So . . . what does?We know the answer to the question. It’s pushing through with the basics of Steps, service, sponsor, and Higher Power. It’s breathing life into our recovery in whatever ways we can.Start a new meeting? Take on another sponsee? Read the daily “SPAD” entry? It’s doing what we all have done in the past, again, just for today. It’s carrying the message to a newcomer to remind ourselves of where we came from and what was so freely given to us.It’s not picking up, even when we want to. It’s staying, even when we don’t want to.Perseverance can be an antidote to complacency. We want to live, so we have to keep on living.We don’t need a new relapse story, or one at all. It’s preventable, not inevitable.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:Today I will honor the rewards of recovery that I’ve worked hard for by persevering in what I know works: the program of NA. I want to stay—and keep what I have so I can give it to others.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 10, read by MoeDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 10Becoming entirely ready"We... get a good look at what these defects are doing to our lives. We begin to long for freedom from these defects."Basic Text, p. 33––––=––––Becoming entirely ready to have our defects of character removed can be a long process, often taking place over the course of a lifetime. Our state of readiness grows in direct proportion to our awareness of these defects and the destruction they cause.We may have trouble seeing the devastation our defects are inflicting on our lives and the lives of those around us. If this is the case, we would do well to ask our Higher Power to reveal those flaws which stand in the way of our progress.As we let go of our shortcomings and find their influence waning, we'll notice that a loving God replaces those defects with quality attributes. Where we were fearful, we find courage. Where we were selfish, we find generosity. Our delusions about ourselves will disappear to be replaced by self-honesty and self-acceptance.Yes, becoming entirely ready means we will change. Each new level of readiness brings new gifts. Our basic nature changes, and we soon find our readiness is no longer sparked only by pain but by a desire to grow spiritually.––––=––––Just for today:I will increase my state of readiness by becoming more aware of my shortcomings. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 9, read by MoeDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 9Love and Step Twelve"When we are practicing Step Twelve to the best of our ability, love becomes central to all that we do—there is no more powerful antidote to the despair and self-destruction of addiction."—Living Clean, Chapter 7, “Love”––––=––––Love in Narcotics Anonymous is the Twelfth Step in action. We felt the power of love when we entered our first meeting and were welcomed, no matter what we looked like, where we came from, how we smelled, or who we came with. We found open arms and true acceptance—perhaps for the first time in our lives. The hugs, genuine care and concern, and offers of support extended to us provide a powerful model of love in action.In the beginning, allowing ourselves to receive this love takes some effort. Eventually, we get to give it away. That sounds simple, but it’s not always easy. Through service, we learn to love even those members we don’t really like. Sometimes we’re surprised by what can happen when we focus on the primary purpose and choose principled actions.One H&I subcommittee member recalled serving on a panel with his least-favorite person in the rooms. “We set our differences aside and focused on our primary purpose,” the member shared. “We’re never going to be best friends, but I could see his heart was in the right place. We both loved NA and wanted to help the addict who still suffers.”As NA members, we understand that sharing the message is an act of love. We share and we care to sustain our own recovery and to help the sick and suffering addict. It’s what saves us all from the desperate and self-destructive lives we’ve known. After being in NA for some time, we also appreciate the love extended to those who’ve been here for a while, who need love just as surely as they did on their first day clean. While love alone may not help us overcome all our problems, it sure does provide a great springboard toward the solution.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I will put love into action by carrying the NA message today.––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 9, read by MoeDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 9Write about it!"We sit down with a notebook, ask for guidance, pick up our pen, and start writing."Basic Text, p. 29––––=––––When we're confused or in pain, our sponsor sometimes tells us to "write about it." Though we may groan as we drag out the notebook, we know that it will help. By laying it all out on paper, we give ourselves the chance to sort through what's bothering us. We know we can get to the bottom of our confusion and find out what's really causing our pain when we put the pen to the paper.Writing can be rewarding, especially when working through the steps. Many members maintain a daily journal. Simply thinking about the steps, pondering their meaning, and analyzing their effect is not sufficient for most of us. There's something about the physical action of writing that helps to fix the principles of recovery in our minds and hearts.The rewards we find through the simple action of writing are many. Clarity of thought, keys to locked places inside of us, and the voice of conscience are but a few. Writing helps us be more honest with ourselves. We sit down, quiet our thoughts, and listen to our hearts. What we hear in the stillness are the truths that we put down on paper.––––=––––Just for today:One of the ways I can search for truth in recovery is to write. I will write about my recovery today. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for May 8, read by MoeDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 8Tolerance and Toxic Relationships"Another member found that amends meant not tolerating abuse anymore, and felt she finally had permission to step away from a destructive household."—Living Clean, Chapter Five, “Family”––––=––––Preparing to make meaningful amends includes plenty of heavy lifting in Steps One through Eight. These Steps give us a new perspective on our place in the world, a better understanding of ourselves, and a conscious contact with a Higher Power. We gain courage and self-respect along the way; these will be vital assets for us as we make our amends. A sponsor’s guidance and the experience of other members shape our approach. With their input, we decide what our direct amends will look like in each situation and how we can avoid “injuring them or others”—including ourselves. The same network of friends and mentors reminds us to put our name on that list.Family dynamics and a lifetime of baggage can complicate some of our amends. Our support group reminds us that holding ourselves to account does not mean tolerating mistreatment. In some cases, we can protect ourselves from harm by setting limits; healthy boundaries make for healthy—or at least healthier—relationships. In other relationships, the toxicity continues to be intolerable, and the amends process often reveals a need for greater distance. We can stop giving headspace to those who disregard our needs and forgive ourselves for tolerating what was never okay. As part of our amends to ourselves, many of us reevaluate how we use our time and energy.Making our way through a list of amends brings clarity. Protecting ourselves by setting limits of what we will and won’t tolerate is often part of the amends we make to ourselves. We take responsibility for our own beliefs, feelings, and actions. Not every relationship can or should be rebuilt, but the one with ourselves is definitely worth the effort.––––=––––Spiritual Principle:I can forgive myself for tolerating mistreatment in the past and make amends to myself by rethinking my approach to one of my most challenging relationships. What limits might I need to introduce or reinforce?––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for May 8, read by MoeDonations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:[email protected] 8Teachable"We have learned that it is okay to not know all the answers, for then we are teachable and can learn to live our new life successfully."Basic Text, p. 93––––=––––In a way, addiction is a great teacher. And if addiction teaches us nothing else, it will teach us humility. We hear it said that it took our very best thinking to get to NA.Now that we're here, we're here to learn.The NA Fellowship is a wonderful learning environment for the recovering addict. We aren't made to feel stupid at meetings. Instead, we find others who've been exactly where we've been and who've found a way out. All we have to do is admit that we don't have all the answers, then listen as others share what's worked for them.As recovering addicts and as human beings, we have much to learn. Other addicts- and other humans-have much to teach us about what works and what doesn't. As long as we remain teachable, we can take advantage of the experience of others.––––=––––Just for today:I will admit that I don't have all the answers. I will look and listen to the experience of others for the answers I need. ––––=––––© NA World ServicesThis podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom