Welcome to the Central Coast Area of Narcotics Anonymous
Serving: Paso Robles, Cambria, Atascadero, San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, Lompoc
Just for today daily meditation
At some point in our recovery, we come to the awkward realization that the way we see ourselves is not necessarily the way others do. We are probably neither as bad, as good, as beautiful, or as ugly as we think we are--but we are too close to ourselves to really tell for sure. That's where our friends in the program come in, caring enough to share with us what they see when they look in our direction. They tell us the good things about ourselves we might not know--and they tell us the hard things, too, that we might not be able to see.
We may react defensively to such "help"--and, in some cases, justly so. However, even malicious remarks about our supposed shortcomings can shed light on aspects of our recovery that we cannot see ourselves. Wherever a useful insight comes from, for whatever reason it is offered, we cannot afford to discount it.
We don't need to wait for others to spontaneously offer their insight. When we spend time with our sponsor or other NA members we trust, we can make the first move and ask them to tell us what they see about particular areas of our lives to which we are blind. We want a broader vision of our life than just our own; we can have that vision by seeing ourselves through the eyes of others.
A Spiritual principle a day
Early in recovery, each of us grapples with some troublesome truths about our addiction and our lives. Coming to terms with our powerlessness marks a vital shift in our perspective, and we strive to accept this reality on a daily basis. Many of us do this consciously in prayer or while meditating. We read today's JFT. We write in our journal. We go to a meeting and say, "I am an addict." Or all we do is not use that day and go to sleep clean again. Commitment to these practices, however it looks to any of us, on whatever day, is steadfastness.
Reckoning with our powerlessness leads to our unearthing many other truths. We develop new values and beliefs as we complete and share our Steps, participate in our recovery, and stay open-minded. We come to understand who we were, who we currently are, and who we want to be. We strive to live in accordance with spiritual principles we pick up along the way. Steadfastness is our anchor when we're driven to act on a defect, harm ourselves, or lash out at others. We find that we're better able to tame our worst tendencies or to bounce back more quickly and make amends when we do falter.
We learn some difficult lessons, too, especially when our firmly held beliefs and values are challenged. Other people can be equally steadfast in adhering to NA principles in their own ways and may have beliefs we perceive as being in conflict with our own. Being steadfast doesn't mean we're inflexible. Rather, we attempt to find balance in those circumstances that call for a steadfast commitment to being reliable, practical, flexible, and compassionate--yes, all at the same time! We discover ways to coexist with others with whom we disagree and contend with life on its own terms, all while standing up for our beliefs.
WHAT IS THE NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS PROGRAM?
NA is a nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. We are recovering addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs. There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to stop using. We suggest that you keep an open mind and give yourself a break. Our program is a set of principles written so simply that we can follow them in our daily lives. The most important thing about them is that they work.
For more information on Narcotics Anonymous,
please go to the:
Narcotics Anonymous World Services Website,
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