THE EA CONNECTION: AUGUST 2019
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EA TOOLS FOR RECOVERY
Step 8: Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
Tradition 8: Emotions Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers
may employ special workers.
Slogan 8: Know yourself-be honest.
Promise 8: Our whole attitude and outlook upon life changes.
Just for Today 8: I will stop saying, “If I had time.” I never will find time for anything. If I want time, I
must take it.
Helpful Concept 8: The steps suggest a belief in a Power greater than ourselves. This can be human
love, a force for good, the group, nature, the universe, God, or any other entity a member chooses asa personal Higher Power.

FROM YOUR EA BOARD OF TRUSTEESThe new workbook, Welcoming the Spiritual Awakening Within Me, is now available on the EAI website
online store. This new workbook is a comprehensive guide through Twelve Steps into a life of thriving. Theworkbook explores vital recovery topics which have not been covered before in EA literature. Welcoming
the Spiritual Awakening Within Me is a wise guide for exploring issues such as:• Recognizing, exploring, & healing the effects of childhood trauma in our 4th step work
• Exploring all our family of origin roles and current roles we still play
• Healthy and unhealthy understandings of powerlessness• Stages of recovery: Stabilization, Understanding, and Thriving• Recovering from codependent and dysfunctional relationship patterns with the EA steps• Powerful ways to work Steps 6 -12 which help transform negative thinking• Emphasizing compassion and kindness in working of all of our EA steps
director@emotionsanonymous.org
editor@emotionsanonymous.org
groupdata@emotionsanonymous.org
orders@emotionsanonymous.org
shipping@emotionsanonymous.org

www.EmotionsAnonymous.org
Box 4245 St Paul, MN 55104
Phone 651-647-9712
Hours Mon—Thurs: 10 to 3:00 CST

Reflection For Today
I once overheard that the way you can tell a spiritual thing from something material is in sharing. When you
share something material, the more you share it, the smaller portion each person gets. On the other hand,when you share something spiritual, its value is simply multiplied by the number of persons with whom youshare. They may in turn share it, thus increasing it a thousand fold. The principles of this program are spiritual, and to persevere in "giving it away to keep it" sooner or later makes the promises come true of having a
new and better way of life...Today Book, January 21

Special Gifts and Memorials
Our thanks to the many folks who have designated a memorial, or acknowledged
the love and support they received from another.

RECOVERY USING THE TOOLS OF EAStep 8: Made a list of allpersons we had harmed,and became willing to
make amends to them all.
As I reflect on Step 8, I am
immediately aware of my instinct to“look outward.”
What I mean by this is that when I
think about those I need to makeamends to, I instinctively think
about others. Who have I hurt?
What are their names? When were
they in my life?
This is, of course, because I am
guided to do so by the EA writings—
and for good reason. I have hurt
many people and encouraging me toreflect on this, and make amends, isgood.
One thing stands out to me, though:it takes me a while to realize that I
rarely reflect on how I have hurt
myself. And worse, how I have hurt
my Higher Power.
In the 12 x 12 and in the Big Book,
the idea of hurting ourselves is only
mentioned once.
Hurting ourHigher Power is never mentioned. It
seems like this is important and I
need to think on how or why thatis...Chris
I was surprised when working myStep Eight that my name was at thetop of the list of people I'd harmed!
I've made amends to myself during
the many years I've been in theprogram.
Living in the U.S. as I do, the politicalscene triggers my emotions in anegative way. I respect the fact that
we do NOT discuss politics on ourLoop. I need to take the action that I
can and leave the rest.
My emotional recovery must be my#1 priority...Carol

With my sponsor, I just started towork Step 8 in a way I haven’t done
before: by looking at how I may
have harmed myself. And I’malready noticing some changes. I’m
more in touch with my feelings. Forquite a while now, I’ve enjoyed a lotof joy and serenity, but I also had afeeling that I’m not dealing with all
my emotions. That may be changing.
I went to a conference a week ago
and the trip was fraught withproblems. Plus, I get anxiety every
time I travel. Previously, I would
have “pushed through” and felt
some unnamed tension. Now, I wasactually feeling the emotions
associated with things. I got angry,weepy, anxious, disappointed. And
the awesome thing was that none ofit overwhelmed me. I didn’t act out;
I was just in touch with myself.
I feel more “real” and groundedright now. And I’m thinking thatNOT feeling my emotions may well
be one of the ways in which I
harmed myself over the years.
In the meantime, I have to deal withthe reality that when I’m more intouch with myself, things don’tnecessarily get simpler. Right now,
I’m dealing with anger. And I find
I’m no longer willing to just “pushthrough” it. But that’s a topic foranother post…Tobias

Promise 8: Our whole
attitude and outlook
upon life changes.
After working the EA program yearsand years, I’m aware of some littleand subtle changes regarding myattitudes, also I have become more
focused on every aspect of my life
• to manage with more wisdom,courage and personal power, therelationships in my life.

• to have fewer expectations witheverything/everyone• to feel more trust and faith whenthrough pain appears the lonelinesslike a wolf staring at me and scaringme!!
• to really feel God´s support, love,patience and help, so I can deal witheverything.
• to continually choose the limits
with the people I connect with• to identify my natural instincts,
feelings and emotions, with moreawareness, rhythm, conscience,
security and perspective• to feel letting go and letting God,surrender, as a part of my being• to experience the finitude ofeverything/everyone, with more
simplicity, faith and trust• to feel a deeper dimension of one
day at a time, in every moment, inevery circumstance
I keep on healing my deep instincts,
emotional habits, feelings, attitudes, and behaviors...Luiz
I am grateful that due to living the12 steps in my life daily, I have a way
better attitude and outlook on life.
The changes came about by doing
step work with a sponsor andpracticing all the good things Ilearned.
I have to stay vigilant, though, andnot let up on recovery practices thatare helpful to me and my emotional
well-being. When I am helped
emotionally, it is easier to get alongwith others. I am grateful for that as
it makes much easier living. Gratefulfor all I havelearned in these
12 step rooms
and will keep
coming back tolearn more…
ConnieDISCOVERING THE TOOLS OF EA
Remembering the Tools
Recently a member of the Loop (EAnon) asked the others to share which tools seemed to work best for them. With
their permission, I am sharing their responses. Mentioned many times throughout the shares were the Slogans andthe Serenity Prayer. Our thanks to Janice for asking the question that lead to these many thoughts.
To relieve stress and anxiety now:
• I ask God to remove my stress.
• I say the Serenity Prayer.
• I ask God to remove my fear and direct my attention to what He would have me bemindful of.
• I go somewhere peaceful, like a church or a park.
In the longer term, to relieve anxiety and my emotional illness:• I work the steps.
• I remember easy does it (self care, not being too busy, not putting too much pressure on myself).
• I take care of myself physically, spirituality and emotionally.
• And, try to remember I'm not the most important person in the world.
I try to remember:• To do the next right thing.
• To practice meditation and prayer.
• That connecting with people, anyone, even a cashier helps bring me out of self.
• By remembering the only way through it, is through it, and I can do it• To remind myself that nothing really bad in happening now.
• To breath deep and focus on serenity during the breath in, and letting go of the fear as you breath out .
• Make a gratitude list.
• Detach from the feeling.
• Accept that you feel crappy and keep using the tools.
Steps to take are:
• Turn my life and my will over to the care of my God.
• Remember things will resolve in my Higher Powers time, not mine.
• Knowing it t helps if I first acknowledge powerlessness, unmanageability and my HP's powerto restore me to sanity.
• Listen to music, get some exercise and talk to God.
• I make a mantra by combining Steps 3 and 11, and use it throughout the day.
• I call my sponsor or another group member.
• Go to a meeting.
• Share on EAnon.
• Knowing I can start my day over at anytime. (Image myself rolling over in bed and hitting the button to turn off myalarm clock Then saying to myself "All I have to do today is (insert whatever is the next right thing to do). Repeat it
one step at a time. Then I ask myself, “Am I ok for the next 5 minutes? And continue to ask every 5 minutes until it haspassed.
• I ask myself which Step I might have to pay more attention to. I can repeat the Slogans, study the JFT’s, remember
the Promises, or read some EA literature. But possibly remembering this too shall pass (if I let it), is the best tool of all.
For those of you not familiar with the Loop, also known as EAnon, it is open to all members and there is no cost.
To join, simply register here.

2019 - 2020 EA Board of TrusteesPlease feel free to contact members of the Board with questions or concerns.
Minutes of the Board of Trustees Meeting can be viewed here.
Scott J, MN 507-276-0323 sdjakel@gmail.com President
John W, MN 612-760-0313 johnwerner52@gmail.com Vice President
Colleen C, MN 651-245-5461 coyne2003@hotmail.com Secretary
Derita P, OH 216-624-3559 deritapippen@gmail.com Treasurer
Paul N, NJ 201-264-1807 paul@nobleequity.com Trustee

Steve B, CA 909-438-4938 stevebell_28@yahoo.com Trustee

THE TWELVE TRADITIONS
The 12 Traditions are the guidelines by which our group and our fellowship function.
They have proven over the years to be an effective way of holding the fellowship and individual groups together.
Tradition 8: Emotions Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional but our service centers may employ
special workers.
Our International Service Center employs a director, an accountant, a person who does the mailing and another who
manages the email communications, donor contributions and meeting information on the website. No one works morethan two days per week to run the office. The members of the fellowship all serve on a volunteer basis. The trustees
are reimbursed for their expenses for travel to St Paul, Minnesota, the location of the ISC, for our annual businessmeeting.
Our fellowship includes people from all walks of life, probably every profession represented, though they do not servein those respective roles. They are just people who came to Emotions Anonymous looking for a better way to live. And
we should remain forever nonprofessional as the Tradition states...Derita P

EA is not a “professional” program because it does not offer trained professionals like counselors or therapists. Instead, the EA fellowship gathers to listen, share, and provide mutual support. Although professionals may join the EA
fellowship, they do so for their own emotional recovery, not to provide their services. As our Helpful Concepts explain,
in EA “we are all equal.”
While EA’s fellowship meetings are non-professional, its worldwide efforts to further the message of recovery require
more time and effort than volunteers can provide. EA hires “special workers” to keep operations running smoothly
through coordination, communication, literature, and outreach…Steve BOne of the most important aspects to our program is the sharing that happens in the group setting between members
who have gone through similar experiences. There is a power in not only telling your story, but having it heard by otherpeople who feel similarly to you. It is what helps us through our journey to emotional wellness. In this spirit, we do notseek professionals at our meetings to help manage this experience. Many of us seek professional help with doctors
outside of the meetings, but the meetings are a separate and independently powerful part of our emotional healing...Paul N
Tradition 7 reminds us that although we need basic funding to keep the International Service Center staffed and running and pay basic group expenses, we do not take money from outside entities. You may have heard the saying, “Hewho pays the piper calls the tune.” This means that a person who is paying someone to do something may have toomuch say in deciding how it should be done. EA wants to avoid inviting this kind of outside influence into a fellowshipfocused so completely on recovery…Colleen C