Alcoholics Anonymous | June 1 | DonInLondon | Step 6 "Let Go"
Channel: Don DonInLondon
Date: 2011-06-01

June 1 2012 | AA 12 Steps In Action | Step 6 Spiritual Willingness Alcoholics Anonymous [ Full daily blog link: http://donoddylondon.blogspot.com/ ]  Today's AA daily reflection: "a changed outlook from selfish to selfless..." I guess the attitude of "what's in it for me!" Becomes softened through time if this is our nature to a place where we take account not only self-interest, the interests of everyone we have an impact upon. And this outlook develops and progresses if this is our inclination...

Alcohol takes away our inhibitions when taken in moderation? It seemed to give as a new freedom and in the vernacular "Dutch courage" to free ourselves in some way. My experience today is freedom to be me, to try find truth and honesty and be willing to live life as it is, reality and not fantasy. Whatever I dreamt for in the past, today life is beyond those wildest dreams and fantasies. I am eight years sober today. I live where you live, hopefully for us all in the moment of now...

June: and daily reflections focus on step six, removal of defects... Defects of character or as I see them personality traits at extremes and unworkable on a day-to-day basis. We cannot live at extremes of fear, putting on a brave face and ego covering up shame and guilt and lies. Unsustainable traits! The same is true when it comes to step seven shortcomings: extremes of courage, faith and confidence which has no foundation in reality. And this is not to exclude God. I am minded that Gandhi expressed what I can understand , "God is truth and God is love..."

In step six, personality traits which create extremes of fear, brave facing and ego need to be addressed and considered on a daily basis. In the 12 and 12 in step 12 in the summary of the steps it says "contingent on the day we ask the help. However and whoever we ask the help when it comes to extreme feelings and traits is worthwhile. Asking for help makes us stop and consider what we can and cannot do in the moment of now and just in this one day where everything happens...

In step seven, short on courage faith and confidence, or extreme belief without foundation, which makes courage faith and confidence almost if not equal when it comes to defects of character. Based on truth and love and the next best step, we are probably brought back into balance where natural instincts which are part of the human condition work in the moment...

Enough fear when the situation is fearful, a brave face when dealing with hardship and helping others might be appropriate? And sometimes ego simply informs us and others that something is wrong because we are reacting. Step six and extremes are most often a reaction to an unpalatable reality...

Enough courage so we can make changes, enough faith to be persistent on following the right path and enough confidence through experience and asking for help as we go. Step seven is not blind courage, blind faith and blind confidence... Step seven is the natural progress we make as humans living life in the moment and being open honest and willing. Step seven like step six is about truth, love and wisdom we learn and live in the moment of now, our spiritual life...

AA Official Online Site: Daily Reflections http://www.aa.org/lang/en/aareflections.cfm
AA Official Online Site: Big Book And Twelve And Twelve http://www.aa.org/lang/en/subpage.cfm?page=359

Step 6. "Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character"
At this point, it would be a good idea to look again at our sharing in step five, where we define character and list a number of our defects. Completing step 5, we have compiled a list of the character defects. Step six is concerned with our spiritual willingness to have these defects of character removed, contingent on each day we meditate and pray in good conscience, and or to God as we understand for ourselves. Seven billion humans, seven billion outlooks and defintions about God every day... yours is as good as it gets today...
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Step 6 "Spiritual Willingness" Reading Video Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M32D2S_A-g
June Video Reading Chapter Six Into Action Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agVuLKhdqk8

I do not speak for Alcoholics Anonymous I speak for myself. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of unique and authentic people who speak for themselves where they will to share experience, strength and hope about recovery on a daily basis. Anonymity affords sanctuary to find how to live sober and be open, honest and willing to learn life day by day. For me "truth," "love" and "wisdom" offer the best spiritual experience by living reality today. Into the fabric of recovery from alcoholism are woven the Twelve Steps and the Twelve Traditions, steps to be open, honest and willing to learn, traditions to live unity, service and recovery.
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Spiritual principles ~ Forgiveness Acceptance Surrender Faith Open-mindedness Honesty Willingness Moral-inventory Amends Humility Persistence Spiritual-growth Service