Just for Today meditation for November 5, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 5
God's guidance
"Our Higher power is accessible to us at all times. We receive guidance when we ask for knowledge of God's will for us."
Basic Text p. 92
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It's not always easy to make the right decision. This is especially true for addicts learning to live by spiritual principles for the first time. In addiction, we developed self-destructive, anti-social impulses. When conflict arose, we took our cues from those negative impulses. Our disease didn't prepare us to make sound decisions.
Today, to find the direction we need, we ask our Higher Power. We stop; we pray; and, quietly, we listen within for guidance. We've come to believe that we can rely on a Power greater than ourselves. That Power is accessible to us whenever we need it. All we need do is pray for knowledge of our God's will for us and the power to carry it out.
Each time we do this, each time we find direction amidst our confusion, our faith grows. The more we rely on our Higher Power, the easier it becomes to ask for direction. We've found the Power we were lacking in our addiction, a Power that available to us at all times. To find the direction we need to live fully and grow spiritually, all we have to do is maintain contact with the God of our understanding.
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Just for today:
My Higher Power is a source of spiritual guidance within me that I can always draw upon. When I lack direction today, I will ask for knowledge of my Higher Power's will.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Kicking off our November series, “Dual Diagnosis: Mental Health in Recovery,” is the story of Francisco—a man who lived in the chaos of addiction and mental illness, and who found his way back from the edge of suicide through grace, surrender, and the healing power of recovery.
From childhood, Francisco lived in two worlds—the one around him and the one he created in his imagination to escape from pain. Born with an active mind and a restless spirit, he was diagnosed with ADHD at a young age, placed in therapy, and medicated to make him “manageable.” While his peers went to football games and school dances, he spent his Friday nights in therapy, learning early what it meant to feel different. That isolation slowly carved a distance between him and his family—a quiet ache that would follow him for years.
He began using as a child, experimenting with whatever he could find in his father’s garage, searching for relief he couldn’t name. By the time he reached high school, his drug use and behavioral problems led to his expulsion from private school. In public school, things only worsened. He stopped caring, sleeping through his SATs, and letting the dreams his family had for him slip away. Yet Francisco became a master at masking—wearing a smile to hide the pain, the lies, and the growing darkness inside.
His first true consequence came in the form of a DUI. Watching the disappointment on his family’s faces as they picked him up from jail planted a seed of shame that would one day turn into surrender. But for years, he continued using—functioning enough to get by, but dying inside. He married a codependent partner who didn’t see the depth of his illness until his life began to fall apart. Rent went unpaid, lies unraveled, and Francisco was trapped in a cycle of survival—chasing his next fix while losing himself piece by piece.
Then came the day he planned to end his life. But just as he was about to follow through, grace intervened—a former therapist called him out of the blue to check in. That unexpected voice of concern interrupted his plan and set into motion a new beginning. He entered a treatment facility, where he was introduced to recovery meetings inside the hospital. There, he heard the message of hope—that if he went to a meeting the day he was released, he might have a chance at life.
And that’s exactly what he did. Francisco went to a meeting—and never looked back.
In treatment, he found the balance he had been seeking all his life. The right medication helped him stabilize, but it was the program that helped him heal. Step by step, he began to rebuild himself—learning to show up, to be honest, to connect. His recovery taught him how to be a dependable son, friend, and worker—someone who could finally face reality without needing to escape it.
Today, Francisco lives clean, centered, and free. He no longer hides in his imagination or uses substances to escape reality. Instead, he walks in the light of truth, one day at a time.
Francisco reminds us that when life brings us to the edge, grace meets us there—a Higher Power ready to pull us back, lift the mask from our pain, and guide us toward a new beginning written in truth, light, and recovery.
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 5, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 5
Caring and Listening
"Even with many years clean, separating and reconciling what’s in our heart and what’s in our head doesn’t come automatically. We need another set of eyes; we need a caring, attentive listener to help us sort things out."
—Living Clean, Chapter 5, “Romantic Relationships”
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Our relationships with other addicts in NA can teach us a lot about how to practice care in the way we relate to the people in our lives. Most of us have distorted ideas about exercising love, kindness, or concern for others when we get here. No matter what habits or hang-ups we come in with, recovery improves our ability to give and receive care.
Having a sponsor teaches us about letting others care for us. When we find a sponsor who’s right for us, we soon get the chance to experience the genuineness and generosity described in the quotation above. Sponsors are often able to balance compassion with honesty as they help us to reconcile what’s in our head with what’s in our heart. We get to know what it feels like not to be in control of how another person demonstrates their care for us, which can be surprisingly freeing. Accepting help others offer, each in their own way, is a practice we can bring to all of our relationships.
Similarly, showing our concern for newcomers or sponsees teaches us how to practice care as a spiritual principle. Deep down, we know we truly want others to feel the hope and experience the freedom we’ve received in NA. Our care for newer members helps us listen deeply and then share our relevant experience. We learn to do our part and leave the results to a power greater than ourselves. Instead of filling every conversation break with our opinions, we practice our skills as caring, attentive listeners.
These lessons profoundly enhance our ability to develop and sustain loving relationships.
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Spiritual Principle:
We allow people to be there for us, and we’re there right back. Giving and receiving care is a skill I can constantly improve upon. I will practice being a caring and attentive listener in my relationships.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 4, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 4
Exchanging love
"...we give love because it was given so freely to us. New frontiers are open to us as we learn how to love. Love can be the flow of life energy from one person to another"
Basic Text pp. 100-101
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Love given, and love received, is the essence of life itself. It is the universal common denominator, connecting us to those around us. Addiction deprived us of that connection, locking us within ourselves.
The love we find in the NA program reopens the world to us. It unlocks the cage of addiction which once imprisoned us. By receiving love from other NA members, we find out-perhaps for the first time-what love is and what it can do. We hear fellow members talk about the sharing of love, and we sense the substance it lends to their lives.
We begin to suspect that, if giving and receiving love means so much to others, maybe it can give meaning to our lives, too. We sense that we are on the verge of a great discovery, yet we also sense that we won't fully understand the meaning of love unless we give ours away. We try it, and discover the missing connection between ourselves and the world.
Today, we realize that what they said was true: "We keep what we have only by giving it away."
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Just for today:
Life is a new frontier for me, and the vehicle I will use to explore it is love. I will give freely the love I have received.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 4, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 4
Intimacy Is Complicated but Worth It
"For those of us who used sex as a way to move through the world, it may take quite some time to figure out the difference between being sexual and being intimate."
—Living Clean, Chapter 4, “Sex”
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“Wait, so . . . sex and intimacy are not the same thing?” This is news to many of us.
What isn’t news is the complex and often contradictory relationship at play when it comes to our sexual behavior, our addiction, and our capacity for intimacy. For many of us, sex has been a useful tool, a bargaining chip. We’ve used it as a shield to deflect intimacy rather than experience it.
Sex can be so intricately entwined with our use of substances that we may need to learn how to have sex without using. Will we be able to perform? Will we even enjoy it? How can we fulfill our sexual desires without taking advantage of others or putting ourselves at risk for the same?
Learning how to have sex clean is one thing. Being intimate with others in a nonsexual context is another. True intimacy requires mutual honesty and willingness from all involved partiesquite literally, baring our souls instead of baring our bodies.
How on earth do we approach this? It’s overwhelming, and who says we even want intimacy, anyway? Is that a requirement for staying clean?
We approach this jumbled human mess with patience for ourselves, no matter how long we have clean. We approach it with some resolve to understand and communicate our desires and our truths. And, if possible, we approach it with the understanding that our relationship to sex and intimacy will continue to evolve as we mature in our recovery—and grow older.
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Spiritual Principle:
Intimacy is complicated, and I can’t possibly figure it out today. Instead, I will focus on getting to know myself and being considerate of others. I’ll aim to practice spiritual principles in my sexual affairs, too.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 3, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 3
Service Brings Out the Best in Us
"Just as making amends teaches us to be more forgiving, selfless service brings generosity, compassion, and awareness of purpose."
—Guiding Principles, Tradition Two, “Word by Word”
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Service gives us practice at interacting with others and becomes the basis of mutual support and connection. Whether we show up early to make coffee, take a panel into a mental health facility, or contribute our experience to a new literature project—each act of service offers lessons we can carry into our daily lives.
Some sponsors have a way of tricking us into service. We tag along to fill literature orders and the next thing we know, we’re committee members. We become more generous with our time and energy because we find some satisfaction in helping out. Plus, the company’s good and it doesn’t cost a thing. Our generosity extends to the rest of our relationships as well—going the extra mile to help friends, family, and, at times, even strangers. We feel ourselves changing as we become more bighearted and less self-obsessed.
We show up early to open the meeting facility, knowing we may be the first person a newcomer encounters. One member shared, “I know that the seats I’m setting up in my home group are the same seats that were set up for me before I got here.” We remember how we felt when we set foot in our first meeting: anxious, guarded, and just a little hopeful. We see ourselves in these potential new members. Our hearts swell with compassion as we welcome them.
Service gives us a sense of purpose. Each time we say yes to a service opportunity, we connect with and contribute to something greater than ourselves. Acts of service to the Fellowship deepen our devotion to Narcotics Anonymous. We are thoughtful and caring individuals—qualities we discovered and honed in NA service. We have built a life worth staying clean for.
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Spiritual Principle:
I will nurture my humanity by serving Narcotics Anonymous, my family, my friends, and my community.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 3, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 3
No matter what
"We eventually have to stand on our own feet and face life on its own terms, so why not from the start."
Basic Text p.85
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Some of us feel that we should protect newcomers by telling them that, while everything used to be horrible, now we're in recovery it's all wonderful. We feel that we might scare someone away if we speak of pain or difficulties, broken marriages, being robbed, and the like. In a sincere and well-intentioned desire to carry the message, we tend to talk glowingly only about what's going well in our lives.
But most newcomers already suspect the truth, even if they've only been clean for a few days. Chances are that the "life on life's terms" the average newcomer is experiencing is quite a bit more stressful than what the average oldtimer deals with each day. If we do manage to convince a newcomer that everything becomes rosy in recovery, we had better make sure we are there to support that newcomer when something goes wrong in his or her life.
Perhaps we simply need to share realistically about how we use the resources of Narcotics Anonymous to accept "life on life's terms," whatever those terms may be on any given day. Recovery, and life itself, contains equal parts of pain and joy. It is important to share both so the newcomer can know that we stay clean no matter what.
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Just for today:
I will be honest with the newcomers I share with and let them know that, no matter what life brings, we never have to use drugs again.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 2, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 2
Being Vigilant in the Here and Now
"We must be willing to do whatever is necessary to recover."
—Basic Text, Chapter 9: Just for TodayLiving the Program
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“I always remind myself: Yesterday’s recovery won’t keep me clean today,” a self-described chronic relapser shared as they celebrated a major milestone. “Vigilance—right here, right now—has been key for me,” they explained. “I learned the hard way that the real work of recovery is that I have to be willing to do whatever’s necessary. And I need to take time to be still and figure out what that is at any given moment.”
As spiritual principles go, vigilance is kind of a rock star. It’s thick with meaning, pairing watchfulness with deliberate action. We start our practice of vigilance simply by paying attention. We level up from basic abstinence to a meaningful recovery when we choose to be active in our program, self-reflective, and flexible, fine-tuning our approach as our personal program evolves.
In the beginning, going to lots of meetings and not taking anything between them has the desired effect; a clear head and a bit of hope make for a great start. It’s enough to keep us coming back. Listening to other members’ stories makes us want more. A member shared, “If I want more out of my program, I’ve got to put more in.” Inspired, we get a sponsor, cultivate a relationship with a Higher Power, and make steady progress through the Steps.
As a result, we get more and more comfortable in our own skin.
Vigilance helps us to settle into our new way of life, applying what we’ve learned about spiritual principles in our daily affairs. We make time to reflect and fine-tune our approach as we move through life clean. As we remain watchful, we may notice that our emotional life, our thinking, our physical selves, or spiritual condition will still get out of whack from time to time. That’s because we’re human and because things change. But life’s lessons have revealed a process for navigating through our difficulties, regaining focus, and reconnecting with ourselves, those who care about us, and a Higher Power.
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Spiritual Principle:
I am an addict every day, but today I choose to be a recovering addict. I’m willing to do what’s necessary to care for my spiritual condition and stay watchful over my program.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for November 2, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 2
Living with unresolved problems
"It makes a difference to have friends who care if we hurt."
Basic Text p.54
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For most of our problems, the solution is simple. We call our sponsor, pray, work the steps, or go to a meeting. But what about those situations where the burden is ongoing and there's no end in sight?
Most of us know what it's like to live with a painful situation-a problem that just isn't going to disappear. For some of us, the problem is an incurable, life-threatening illness. Some of us have incorrigible children. Some of us find that our earnings simply don't cover our living expenses. Some of us care for a chronically ill friend or family member.
Those of us who have ever had to live with an unresolved problem know the relief that comes from just talking about our problem with our recovering friends. We may get some comic relief. Our friends may commiserate or cry in sympathy. Whatever they do, they ease our burden. They may not be able to solve our problem for us or take away our painful feelings, but just knowing that we are loved and cared about makes our problems bearable. We never have to be alone with our pain again.
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Just for today:
Those problems I can't resolve can be made bearable by talking to a friend. Today, I will call someone who cares.
Just for Today meditation for November 1, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 1
Awakening
"God helps us as we help each other."
Basic Text p.51
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Our addiction caused us to think almost exclusively of ourselves. Even our prayers-if we prayed at all-were self-centered. We asked God to fix things for us or get us out of trouble. Why? Because we didn't want to live with the problems we'd created for ourselves. We were insecure. We thought life was about getting, and we always wanted more.
And in recovery we get more-more than just not using. The spiritual awakening we experience in working the Twelve Steps reveals to us a life we never dreamed possible. We no longer need to worry about whether there will be "enough," for we come to rely on a loving Higher Power who meets all our daily needs. Relieved of our incessant insecurity, we no longer see the world as a place in which to compete with others for the fulfillment of our desires. Instead, we see the world as a place in which to live out the love our Higher Power has shown us. Our prayers are not for instant gratification; they are for help in helping each other.
Recovery awakens us from the nightmare of self-centeredness, strife, and insecurity that lies at the core of our disease. We wake up to a new reality. All that is worth having can be kept only by giving it away.
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Just for today:
My God helps me as I help others. Today, I will seek help in giving away the love my Higher Power has given me, knowing that is the way to keep it.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for November 1, read by Francisco
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
November 1
Acceptance Takes Practice
"Acceptance is not an all-or-nothing event, and it doesn’t necessarily happen all at once."
—Living Clean, Chapter 1, “Growing Pains”
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We talk about “practicing spiritual principles” because they take practice. That’s certainly true of acceptance. At times, the only thing we fully accept is the fact that we’re addicts. On those days, that’s good enough. We practice acceptance by not picking up. And if we don’t pick up, we won’t use.
As we grow in recovery, we start to recognize where our acceptance falls short. Sometimes we might acknowledge a problem, but not fully accept its implications, especially when a solution requires us to take responsibility and make an effort. For example, we might sense relationship trouble, but may or may not adjust how much time we spend with a partner.
Some of us can’t accept, or even recognize, that we’ve been dishonest until we do a Tenth Step; the disease calls us to stop writing.
Our ability to practice acceptance sometimes wavers depending on who else is involved. We may be able to accept relapse from others, but not when it’s a family member. Maybe we can accept the blunders of newcomers but not those mistakes made by oldtimers.
We celebrate the progress we make, no matter how small: “Today I told my boss why I was really late; that was a first!” Or big: “The loss of my beloved dog opened the floodgates, allowing me to revisit the grief of other losses and come to new levels of acceptance.”
As we recover just a little more each day, practicing acceptance pays off. We experience rare and remarkable epiphanies with acceptance and recognize the path it took to get there. We can hear other members’ struggles with acceptance and think, Yep, they’re right where they’re supposed to be.
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Spiritual Principle:
Today I’ll look at the conditions I place on acceptance and try to practice this principle more fully.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for October 31, read by Sophie X.
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
October 31
Our relationship with a Higher Power
"Ongoing recovery is dependent on our relationship with a loving God who cares for us and will do for us what we find impossible to do for ourselves."
Basic Text, p.96
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Working the Twelve Steps of Narcotics Anonymous gives us a fresh start in life and some guidance for living in the world. But the steps are more than a fresh start.
When we do our best to work the steps, we develop a relationship with our personal Higher Power.
In the Third Step, we decide to allow a loving God to influence our lives. Much of the courage, trust, and willingness we need to continue through the succeeding steps comes from this decision. In the Seventh Step, we go even further by asking this Higher Power to change our lives. The Eleventh Step is a way for us to improve the relationship.
Recovery is a process of growth and change in which our lives are renewed. The Twelve Steps are the roadmap, the specific directions we take in order to continue in recovery. But the support we need to proceed with each step comes from our faith in a Higher Power, the belief that all will be well. Faith gives us courage to act. Each step we work is supported by our relationship with a loving God.
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Just for today:
I will remember that the source of my courage and willingness is my relationship with my Higher Power.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for October 31, read by Colleen
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
October 31
Interdependence and the Spirit of Unity
"When one addict helps another, NA is there. NA isn’t one addict or the other; it’s the helping, the sharing, the spirit of unity, the feeling of hope shared between us."
—Guiding Principles, Tradition Nine, Opening Reflection
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Tradition Nine begins with “NA, as such, ought never be organized.” While it’s true there are aspects of delivering the NA message that do require organization, what can never be organized is the spirit of our Fellowship. The active energy of that spirit, the flow between and among individual addicts and groups and service bodies—the “as such” part of NA—is our interdependence. We can’t organize the magic that happens when one addict supports another.
We tell our stories of how we got here, despite the odds, despite our prejudgments, despite fear. Doing so helps us and it helps others. Same with sharing our experience of how we got through illness or grief—and how we had dreams, set goals, and then achieved them—or how we didn’t get what we’d worked for and hoped for and survived that pain, too. Flawed and human, we mutually depend on each other; we’re interdependent.
We can’t ever predict when an idea that one group has will reverberate to another corner of the world where it’s picked up and used by another. We don’t have NA bosses, handing down edicts from on high; instead, our service bodies are created in response to issues that emerge. And the solutions to our problems are gleaned from the hard-won experiences and brand-new ideas of recovering NA members. We can’t govern our way into unity or cooperation or participation. Or love. Instead, everyone pitches in however they’re willing.
We’re a growing, evolving movement. When we band together, we are a power greater than the disease of addiction. Interdependence is our collective restoration to sanity.
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Spiritual Principle:
I will practice interdependence by relying on others and allowing them to rely on me. NA, as such, only becomes stronger with our collective empathy, our creativity, our hope, our unity. Today I will participate in all that.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for October 30, read by Sophie X.
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
October 30
Courage
"Our newly found faith serves as a firm foundation for courage in the future."
Basic Text, p.93
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Narcotics Anonymous is no place for the faint of heart! Facing life on life's terms without the use of drugs isn't always easy. Recovery requires more than hard work; it requires a liberal dose of courage.
What is courage, anyway? A quick look at a dictionary will tell us. We have courage when we face and deal with anything that we think of as difficult, dangerous, or painful, rather than withdrawing from it. Courage means being brave; having a purpose; having spirit. So what is courage, really? Courage is an attitude, one of perseverance.
That's what an addict in recovery really needs-perseverance. We make that commitment to stick with our program, to avoid using, no matter what happens. A courageous addict is one who doesn't use, one day at a time, no matter what. And what gives us courage? A relationship with a Higher Power gives us the strength and the courage to stay clean. We know that, so long as we are in our God's care, we will have the power we need to face life on its own terms.
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Just for today:
I have a Higher Power who cares for me, no matter what. Knowing that, I will strive to have an attitude of courage today. Just For Today Meditations for recovering addicts
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for October 30, read by Colleen
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
October 30
Contemplating the Gift of Grace
"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, “Meeting the day’s challenge,” May 27
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Life is beautiful—and we may experience immense joy and serenity and love and all that good stuff—but it ain’t easy. What addict will argue with that point? However, by getting and staying clean in NA, we develop the competence to deal with life on its own terms.
Those “terms” refer not only to immense life-changing events but also to daily challenges that arise in work, family, and relationships. Ideally, meeting those challenges involves acceptance of our limited power, the courage to act in spite of this, and surrendering to the result. We do this with the gift of grace.
For some of us, the challenge we experience with grace is its intangibility. We don’t really know what it is or where this gift is coming from. But maybe we don’t have to fully understand grace to receive it.
Many of us are reluctant to use “grace” in our everyday language about recovery. We may bristle at its religious undertones, given that it’s most often paired with “God,” as in “God’s grace.” What if we don’t conceive of our Higher Power as an almighty giver of gifts like grace or staying clean or life itself? Members who hold more traditional conceptions of a Higher Power may find it easier to accept the gift of grace. The rest of us may hesitate, especially if we feel ill equipped to define a gift we’re supposed to be getting and then complicate matters by obsessing about the source of this gift.
Perhaps we can look at NA itself as the source of the gift of grace because it teaches us to surrender, be humble, and act with integrity. In essence, the program shows us how to live in accordance with our values. We can achieve a state of grace by striving to do just that.
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Spiritual Principle:
Today I will put grace into action by approaching life’s challenges with integrity and being grateful for the opportunity to do so. Even if I don’t fully understand the gift of grace, I will accept it anyway.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for October 29, read by Colleen
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
October 29
Integrity through Personal Responsibility
"Everyone makes mistakes; promptly admitting when we are wrong shows integrity and responsibility for our actions."
—Living Clean, Chapter 6, “Work”
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Perception is a funny thing. Self-centeredness shapes the way we experience our lives, magnifying our own wants and minimizing our responsibility and accountability. It can be like walking through a carnival funhouse filled with distorted mirrors or echo chambers— our senses deceive us. We have a hard time perceiving reality for what it is, especially when it comes to responsibility for our lives and our actions. Checking our perspective with other addicts helps.
Working the program—especially the daily inventory of Step Ten—helps us make our way through the funhouse of personal responsibility. As we come to terms with our powerlessness and unmanageability, we blame others less for the wreckage of our past. We begin taking personal responsibility. As we take inventory and ask for help letting go of our defects and shortcomings, we lose the need to make excuses for current actions and choices. We take responsibility for making past wrongs right, and we make a practice of checking our perceptions regularly. We shift our senses away from the carnival distortions and get a better perspective on ourselves and our lives. The Steps help us get better and better at being the type of people we can be proud of being.
When we make a wrong turn on our way through the funhouse and find a dead end, it doesn’t do us much good to pretend we’re not lost. We ask for direction, and we backtrack if we have to. We make mistakes because we are human; we correct them because we have integrity.
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Spiritual Principle:
My disease distorts my view of myself and the world around me. I will use regular inventory to adjust my skewed perceptions so that I can find my way out of the madhouse of addiction.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for October 29, read by Sophie X.
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
October 29
Living in the now
"Living just for today relieves the burden of the past and the fear of the future."
Basic Text, pp. 90-91
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Thoughts of how bad it was-or could be-can consume our hopes for recovery.
Fantasies of how wonderful it was-or could be-can divert us from taking action in the real world. That's why, in Narcotics Anonymous, we talk about living and recovering "just for today." In NA, we know that we can change. We've come to believe that our Higher Power can restore the soundness of our minds and hearts. The wreckage of our past can be dealt with through the steps. By maintaining our recovery, just for today, we can avoid creating problems in the future.
Life in recovery is no fantasy. Daydreams of how great using was or how we can use successfully in the future, delusions of how great things could be, overblown expectations that set us up for disappointment and relapse-all are stripped of their power by the program. We seek God's will, not our own. We seek to serve others, not ourselves. Our self-centeredness and the importance of how great things could or should be for us disappears. In the light of recovery, we perceive the difference between fantasy and reality.
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Just for today:
I am grateful for the principles of recovery and the new reality they've given me. Just For Today Meditations for recovering addicts
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Just for Today meditation for October 28, read by Sophie X.
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
October 28
Attitudes
"We can also use the steps to improve our attitudes."
Basic Text, p.53
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Ever have a day when everything seems to be working against you? Do you go through periods when you are so busy taking people's inventories you can barely stand yourself? What about when you find yourself snapping at your co-worker or loved one for no reason? When we find ourselves in this bleak frame of mind, we need to take action.
At any point in the day, we can set aside a few moments and take a "spot inventory". We examine how we are reacting to outside situations and other people.
When we do, we may find that we are suffering from a plain old "bad attitude". A negative outlook can hurt our relationship with our Higher Power and the people in our lives. When we are honest with ourselves, we frequently find that the problem lies with us and our attitude.
We have no control over the challenges life gives us. What we can control is how we react to those challenges. At any point in time, we can change our attitude. The only thing that really changes in Narcotics Anonymous is us. The Twelve Steps give us the tools to move out of the problem and into the solution.
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Just for today:
Throughout the day, I will check my attitude. I will apply the steps to improve it. Just For Today Meditations for recovering addicts
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for October 28, read by Colleen
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
October 28
Freedom, Wherever We Are
"The ability to grow spiritually enables us to find freedom, even within the walls of a cell. Our greatest freedom is not outside ourselves but within."
—Guiding Principles, Tradition Five, Opening Essay
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Many addicts first hear our message of hope while incarcerated, often thanks to the hard work of our H&I trusted servants. One member shared, “When I got out, I heard someone share about a ‘self-made prison,’ and I was mad at first. They didn’t know what it was like to be on the inside. But the more I came to meetings and heard addicts share about the disease, I realized that we had more in common than I thought. Just being out didn’t mean I was free . . . yet.”
Freedom comes in many forms. The ability to come and go freely as we wish, a right denied when or if we are incarcerated, is just one of those forms. We can experience mental, emotional, and spiritual freedom wherever we go—or wherever we stay. One member wrote, “I thought freedom meant doing whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, as long as I stayed clean. But I felt trapped by my impulses. I found it impossible to say no to myself, even when my behavior had consequences. When I told my sponsor I wanted to stop _____ but didn’t know how, they told me to sit with the impulse and see if I could learn something from it. I sat with it and didn’t act on it, and I learned that I could survive the feeling. The feeling passed, and I felt light. I felt free.”
The most obvious freedom we gain in recovery is physical—we gain freedom from our compulsive use of drugs. That physical freedom, that changed behavior, has a corresponding inner component—the peace of mind that comes with no longer being trapped in obsession and self-centeredness. We are free to think of something other than where our next fix is coming from. We are free to feel something other than despair. We are free.
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Spiritual Principle:
Wherever I am, whatever is going on around me, I will seek inner freedom by letting thoughts and feelings come and go without disturbing my peace, without throwing me off balance.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom
Spiritual Principle a Day for October 27, read by Colleen
Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:
voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com
October 27
Accepting All of Me
"We make peace with ourselves—with all we have gained, and lost, and learned, and become."
—Living Clean, Chapter 1, “A Vision of Hope”
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WHO AM I?
As clichéd and psychobabbling as that question may seem, many of us will identify with having asked it—and having not known the answer. Or, more to the point, we didn’t want to know.
In active addiction, many of us could have answered the question like this: “Anyone you want me to be, baby.”
And right after getting clean, “Nobody!” might have been the most accurate response, considering the shame we were feeling and how invisible we wanted to be in meetings.
Denial had kept us from accepting the truth of our actions and their impact on ourselves and the people who love us. Many of us paid the price for this lack of self-awareness with the loss of relationships, careers, assets, even our freedom.
The recovery process allows us to start contemplating our true identities, and it takes all the honesty we can conjure up, along with a healthy dose of courage and humility. We learn to accept that we’ve caused pain and injury, have done damage to ourselves and others while on our destructive paths. We also learn to accept that we aren’t the sum total of those actions.
Recovery affords us the opportunity to use the hardships we’ve endured to help others. We divulge our deep personal struggles—those from our past and those that will inevitably arise while clean—in order to deepen our relationships with other addicts. In doing so, we show our fellow addicts that we can stay clean—no matter what.
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Spiritual Principle:
Today I strive to accept who I am, what it took to get here, and where I am now. My past does not own me. Instead, I will use it as a tool to help others.
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© NA World Services
This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom