“Manifest plainness,
Embrace simplicity,
Reduce selfishness,
Have few desires.”
Lao-tzu (604 BC – 531 BC) Chinese Taoist philosopher on cutting all ties
Author: Bodhi Baba
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The Key to Being Loving with No Strings Attached – Step 11
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How Personal Happiness can Fuel Spiritual Growth – Step 11
“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.”
– Denis Waitley (1933 – ) U.S. spiritual author
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Good Intentions Go Bad When the Tiny Lil Voice inside Raises Red Flags – Step 11
TAKE A BREATH AND FEEL YOUR INTENTIONS – “Every day, life presents us with new challenges.” “The importance of keeping in touch with our thoughts, attitudes, feelings, and behavior cannot be overemphasized.” (It Works, How & Why, p. 69)
“Before you agree to do anything that might add even the smallest amount of stress to your life, ask yourself: What is my truest intention? Give yourself time to let a yes resound within you. When it’s right, I guarantee that your entire body will feel it.”
– Oprah Winfrey (1954 – ) U.S. actor / Entertainment Executive
What have you learned from listening to your breath and body, lately?
Anna Nalick – Breathe (2am) (5:08)
The “Yes” Breathing Techniques (6:37)
The Salt Vendor and His Donkey –
There was a salt vendor in a village. He used to buy salt from a nearby town. He had a donkey to carry this salt load. There were many streams to be crossed to reach the town.
One day, the vendor was returning after his purchase.
The donkey was loaded with salt bags. While they were crossing a stream, accidentally the donkey slipped and fell into the stream. A lot of salt got dissolved in the water. When the donkey got up the load became very light.
From that day, whenever the vendor returned from town after salt purchase, the donkey began to tumble half-way across one stream or the other. The vendor became suspicious.
Once the vendor purchased bales of cotton and loaded his donkey with bales of cotton. The donkey felt the load to be unusually light. He thought “Today, I am going to tumble and this load is going to become much lighter”.
On their way home, as usual, the donkey tumbled and fell into a stream. But alas! When the donkey tried to get up, the load pulled the donkey down. The cotton had absorbed water and become heavier.
The vendor gave hard beatings to make the donkey get up and walk. From then on, the donkey never tumbled while crossing streams.
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The 8 Days Hanukkah begin: Where Love, Light & Peace Bring Us Together as One – Step 9
THE MIRACLE THAT SHINES LIGHT ALONG OUR HUMBLING PATH – “This is a very large order. It is a task which we may perform with increasing skill, but never really finish. Learning how to live in the greatest peace, partnership, and brotherhood with all men and women, of whatever description, is a moving and fascinating adventure.” (12 & 12, p. 77)
Today’s SFZ
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When Confrontation Comes, “Remember, You don’t Choose Love; Love Chooses You” – Step 8
“Remember that you don’t choose love; love chooses you. All you really can do is accept it for all its mystery when it comes to your life. Feel the way it fills you to overflowing then reach out and give it away.”– Kent Nerburn (1946 – ) U.S. spiritual authorToday’s full SFZ -
When do We Really Cause Harm … People, Places, & Things, Revisited – Step 8
HARM DOES NOT HAPPEN IN A VACUUM – ” … Step Eight isn’t simply a restatement of our inventory. We are now looking for the people, places, and institutions we harmed, not just the types of harm we inflicted. [We] didn’t just lie; we lied to someone. [We] didn’t just steal; we stole from various people.” (It Works, How & Why, p. 56 to cause harm)
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How Self-Acceptance Zero’s in on Our True Purpose in Life – Step 1
TO ACCEPT YOURSELF BEGIN IN THE HEART –
“Changing such self-
defeating attitudes is es-
sential to recovery … .” “We
are seeking genuine change,
not denial. And the first step in
changing our attitudes is be-
coming aware of them, a pro-
cess that rarely happens
overnight.” (How Al
Anon Works, p. 77) -
The One Special Gift that can Heal the Deepest Wound; Especially when the Cause was Our Own – Step 9
THE GREAT HEALER –
” … humility hadbrought strength outof weakness.” ” [And]pain had been the price ofadmission into a new life.” “…a measure of humility, whichwe soon discovered to be ahealer of pain. We began tofear painless, and desirehumility more than ev-er.” (12 & 12, p. 75) -
Be Prepared to Let the Spirit Soar Beyond Your Wildest Dreams – Step 9
AND REACH FOR THE STARS – “There is no model of the recovering addict. When the drugs go and the addict works the program, wonderful things happen. Lost dreams awaken and new possibilities arise. Our willingness to grow spiritually keeps us buoyant.” (The Basic Text, p.91)
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Why Humiliation and Weakness has Nothing to do with Our New Emboldened Humility – Step 7
AN ATTITUDE OF HUMILITY – “An attitude of humility is not the same as humiliation, nor is it a denial of our good qualities. On the contrary, an attitude of humility means that we have a realistic view of ourselves and our place in the world.” (It Works, How & Why, p. 49)