Preparedness 2

“Grace will always favor the prepared mind.”

Richard Rohr: Breathing Under Water

Yes. You are correct. This is the second week of pondering the same statement by Richard Rohr. I continue to move with Step 6 from AA: “Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character”. The movement this week has been inspired from a couple different sources.

First, there has been the daily practice of the work of recovery. More specifically, this has involved an expansion of this practice, especially meditation. I continue to be amazed at my seemingly feeble efforts to pray and meditate. No, I’m not amazed at my efforts. Rather, I am amazed at God’s persistent response to my intent rather than my efforts. Yet I digress.

This reflects my frustrations expressed last week regarding the question of which is more important, my efforts or my intent? OR, God’s response. DUH! God’s responsiveness is always a source of amazing grace. Yet, my efforts, however weak or inadequate from my perspective, remain a necessary responsibility.

Often, I approach my responsibility as a necessary burden. Why? Week after week I share the growing examples of the amazing grace of my recovery, my sobriety, my blessed circle of support, and my sobriety, AND my sobriety. Why should the work of my sobriety seem like such a burden when the evidence of grace is so apparent? Purpose, marriage, family, friends….. I can fill volumes with the evidence of God’s love and grace. Yet I am burdened by my responsibilities of my transformation. If I were my God, I’d grab me by the throat and shake me senseless. Then I would try to open my eyes to the reality of love and grace. Pitiful! Sometimes I’m just plain pitiful.

Greg. STOP THIS CRAP!

STOP THIS CRAP.

Pause. Deep breath. Connect.

God accepts me as is. I need to continue to rest with this reality. (another heavy breath)

Second, there is the daily practice of my recovery. (Yes, I did repeat myself)

I spent this weekend in study of the practice of recovery. The emphasis was yoga, relaxation, and meditation. In other words, the emphasis was on the preparation of my mind. Most of what I heard and practiced was stuff I already know. YET, there was a freshness to it all. There was a rejuvenation of Spirit that filled the space of my soul.

Here is a brief summary:

The practice of centering and stillness allows me to enter within while leaving the external distractions in another place.

The practice of grounding stabilizes my body, mind and soul. I am offered a place of safety to be held in grace. It is a place to return should I lose my ground.

A steady posture offers me a place of security and confidence. From here, I can move beyond the self-imposed limits I impose on transformation.

Ease of posture offers me a sense of confidence. This expands the task to a sense of adventure with hope in the reality of my sobriety.

Awareness renews the openness to continue the journey of sobriety, and the opportunity to expand life beyond my humanity.

All of this is the preparation of the mind to celebrate the grace of humanity while entering into the Divinity within. Energy moves, renews, evolves, and…… I don’t know how to put to words the fullness of the experience.

I do know that there is an ongoing practice of preparing the mind. We do it with every meeting. We do it with every practice. We do it with every act of love, forgiveness and encouragement we give each other. We do this….. this stuff of sobriety. We need each other to keep doing this in our own individual ways.

The result is always the same, but new. We share gratitude. We share hope. We share serenity. We share courage. We share wisdom.

We share the time beside restful waters.

Thank you

Namaste’