My Four Awakenings

My Four Awakenings

My Four Awakenings

Just my experience…

I am grateful beyond measure that I have allowed myself to experience #teachablemoments in A.A. where I could continue to grow. My willingness to listen to those that have gone before me (and to THEIR experience) has certainly given me many awakenings on my journey.

While there have been many lessons learned, I was thinking the other day that there are four main things I have learned along the way:

1. When I first walked into A.A., I thought alcohol was my problem. #wrong

2. Somewhere along the line, I learned that alcohol wasn’t my problem. I was taught that my mental states (my thinking) were my problem. (Top of page 35, Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, “More About Alcoholism”)

3. I then learned that while I thought thinking was my problem, the only problem I ever really have (no matter what I think the problem may be) is separation from God (the solution to my problem). (Middle of page 45, Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, “We Agnostics”)

4. Once I started practicing the spiritual principles that underly the 12 Steps as a way of life, I didn’t want a drink any longer. More than that, I became happily whole (internal) and usefully whole (external). (Foreword to the “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions”)

Once I realized that these four things were intrinsically connected to the outcome of an amazing life, I sat down and created this graphic (if you’ve been drilling around this site, you know that imagery is very helpful to my recovery). Being able to see it in a visual helps me better learn it (and retain it).

I hope this has been helpful to you and would love to hear what your teachable moments have been along your journey. I’d love to share them in that portion of this site. Click here to share them with me.

In love and service,

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