Step12.com

[Dallas]

I often hear from AA's that one of the hardest things for them to do, is to incorporate prayer as consistent part of their daily living!

I understand! It's not always easy to remember to pray -- when things are going well!

However, I've found that prayer was one of the things that I did a lot of -- when things were going badly -- before things got so good.

The short answer? It takes discipline. It takes effort.

If it's a problem for you -- you might want to do as I did, and post a little note on the bathroom mirror, or somewhere else that you'll see it as a reminder. (Be careful about prayer while you're driving, though!).

If prayer is a difficulty that you are having a hard time to master, how is meditation going for you?

Step 11, is about improving our conscious contact with God, as we've come to understand Him/Her... through "prayer and meditation"... asking only for the knowledge of God's will for us and the power to carry it out.

Here is a simple meditation that I do, that works well for me.

I simply close my eyes and begin thinking about God.
As I'm doing this... I start focusing my attention on my breathing.
Taking notice of each breath as I breath in and breath out.

Then, I begin to think of God being inside the breath that I take. And, as I take the breath -- I think of breathing in God.

I find that if I do this for as little as one minute... I begin to feel a very relaxed and peaceful feeling that I'm able to carry with me throughout the day.

It also helps me to do this throughout the day. I can do it in a crowded room -- without closing my eyes... I just tune everything out by thinking about God, again, and start paying attention to my breathing... and repeating the process I described above.

It works wonders for me! And, I hope that by sharing it with you, it will be of interest or help for you, also.

Dallas B.

[angel143]

Ok...You really do have to STOP reading my mind!

I suppose if I would have come to the site first thing this morning I would have had my answer.

I have this really great friend, they meditate as well! This morning I sent an email asking how? Because the only type of meditation I have ever known is the kind in Yoga class.

See...I suppose I should always start my days here...then I would have had an answer to my question without having to ask it!

Thank you! I will try it. I am open to any ideas that get me closer to inner peace and happiness. I really do want to have God as a part of my life. Not just someone I pray to. But someone I have a relationship with.

I never grew up around religion. I honestly don't know anything about it. I need to try to figure out how to go about learning as much as I can about Him.

Thank you for the info on meditation. As always, you know just what to say.

Heather

[Dallas]

[Dallas]

BTW: Heather... I used you in my illustration because it's you I'm communicating with... so... don't get mad at me... and tell the others to slack off if fireballs of criticism start getting heaved my way!!!

I guess I'm just so care-free most of the time... that I don't realize how something I write or say can become a point of controversy for others... kind of like that one day that I posted in Relationships... and I got blased with Anonymous email!!!

Of course, I could have used Paul or Tim... but... that really feels wrong to me! (I'm not that way!).

What my illustration was referring to and an illustration of was "My relationship with God." ... just trying to bring it down to earthly terms so I could explain it.

Dallas

[angel143]

Dallas....

I really hope you arent getting fireballs of criticism! You didnt do anything wrong!

I know why you used the illustration that you used....and, um...im REALLY glad you didnt use Paul or Timmy...ya woulda lost me fer good on that one!

Your illustration actually did help explain your point. Sometimes for me...I need things broken down as simple as possible. I have brain fog often (actually I really do...but thats another story), so your explanation was great.

I appreciate the fact that you took the time to respond. I learn so much from you. You have a special soul. Thanks.

Heather

[Danni]

I meditate the way I learned in my Yoga class. It works for me.

Hugs to all.

Danni

[thanx_2hm]

My sponsor told me last week to start spending time with God first thing in the morning and I haven't done it yet. She said my wooded back yard is a perfect place to read my daily meditation(s) and pray.

I know I have got to stop procrastinating and just do it. I know my day will go much better if I would just take time out to spend with my HP, so why do I not do it?

Why do I pray when things are going bad, but when things are going good I don't need Him?

Thanx for letting me think out loud.

Julie

[Ranman99]

Beautiful thread! – “Always the battle of the Spiritual Warrior is with self. Funding a will through action, yet unattached to outcomes, remaining mindful that all you can really do is stay out of your own way and let the Will of Heaven flow through you – these are among the hallmarks of the Spiritual Warrior.”

[ROBERT]

That looked like a Dallasian slip to me

[ROBERT]

Hey Julie, --look at the 2nd part of step 1.

[MichalF]

Meditation is Achilles' hell in my recovery.
I use to practice yoga during drinking period and now It badlly associate for me.
I pray everyday but without proper concentration.
I remember when my wife had relapses in first years of recovery I was in pain and frightened. I carried out strange type of meditation.
I used to seat at night at my daugther' bed looking at angels' peaceful face and I prayed
It made me really strong.

[Dallas]

Thanks for sharing, Michal. I appreciate you. I can see how powerful that meditation that you used can be.

For a while, I gave up on trying to pray because my head kept telling me "you can't get focused and concentrate on this... it's phooey for you! Why waste my time trying something that I can never be any good at?"

Then, I realized "Well. I was never any good at staying sober... but, I didn't give up trying all together!"

And, I figured that "If sobriety and being a newcomer is the hardest thing I've ever done... that I didn't think I did right either... and didn't believe it would work for me... why give up on prayer?"

For me, the hardest time to pray is when my head just won't let me get into it. And, I learned in AA... when my head is trying to keep me from doing something that could be good for me... take the action instead of thinking about it. Now, when I experience those moments of "I just can't get into the prayer routine right now... " I do it anyway.

I loved your sharing about looking at your child and seeing an angel. I could almost see you doing it and it brought a wonderful feeling to me in my heart.

I don't have a child to look at, but I do have dogs... and sometimes, I look at them and realize that they, too, are the angels that God has placed in my life -- and it makes me feel something very unique, as if God loves me, and so do my dogs... "what a lucky guy I am to have them in my life!"

Best wishes to you, your wife and your angel!

Dallas

[knny913]

Hi Dallas,
This is the first of what I hope to be many responses to you.
I find, since my first Spiritual Awakening, that meditation was and would be as important to me as that 1st drink in the morning use to be to me. It is very easy for me to start my morning routine upon awakening, first with a short prayer of graditude, then with reading from the Big book, Daily reflections, 12 x 12, and or Grapevine. I walk my dog every morning, and while we are walking I pray then meditate, usually 30 - 40 minutes. I am a very busy person, especially since my life has changed with sobriety, I own and operate 2 businesses (40 miles away from each other) everyday. But when I started this program and complained to my sponsor that I just didn't have time to do all the things required of me, he just told me "you found plenty of time to drink, so you can find plenty of time to stay sober!" so I get up an hour to hour and a half earlier than I use to. My meditation consists of "talking" to my higher power, I (we) evaluate my day before, then we laugh (or sometimes shed a tear) at any and all the trials he, she or it, put me through that day, I look at them one at a time, did I do what and act as, my higher power would have wanted me to do in any and all my trials. Did I do anything to help another person or thing, alcoholic or non, What can I do better today, and how can I be of service to my Higher power. My meditation also includes a time of my just listening, sometimes a couple of minutes, some times longer, in silence, clearing my mind of everything possible, and just listening. This is a daily routine to me, I find that after this I can usually take on anything my HP throws at me throughout the day. As I stated before, my drinking started when I got up and ran all day and throughout my sleepless nights, so I have to meditate and pray to stay sober, and be useful to others.

[Dallas]

Thanks, knny913. And, welcome to the site!

While I was reading your message, I thought of how your routine for the day so precisely follows the instructions in the BB, for Steps 10 & 11. (Pages 83-88 ) . That's a great routine! When I, too, follow that routine, everyday just seems to get better and better!

Thanks again for your post. I look forward to reading more from you.

Dallas

[gunner48]

Good Morning

I too, had a hard time with meditation at first. I started a routine of closing my eyes and thinking of being in a place with all the people in my life and thinking if this was my last day what would I want to say to each of them. Would I bring love or would there be discontent. What would I need to accomplish to bring only love and understanding. On each I ask God for the power to forgive and then let each know how special they are to me. This has brought me to a place of calm, steady understanding and loving attitude with each of them. I have no time line for this for some days it is rapid and others are slow. I end this period with a prayer I have come to believe. God thank you for the oppuntiunties of this day. I now ask that you place before me only the things that you and I together can handle.
Great story I heard about a mans dog. He said his wish was to become as loving toward mankind as his dog was loving toward him. He said that no matter has nausty he had treated his dog it never quite loving him and being excited to see him again
I really enjoy reading about how others accomplish their medatition. Keep them coming.

Peace and Love Gunner