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Dave and I were talking about service a few days ago when he made the point that the Three Legacies, Recovery, Unity and Service are not only essential for the health of AA as a whole but are essential aspects of individual recovery as well. If I've heard that before I wasn't listening because it was a new view of things for me. OK, this is probably pretty much what my sponsor has been trying to tell me for months but hey, I'm a slow learner.
First, let's remember that in the 10th Step Promises we are told that we will retain our new attitude toward alcohol "as long as we keep in fit spiritual condition." (BB p. 65). So how do we shape up spiritually? It turns out that all three sides of the recovery triangle are necessary.
The need for Recovery as embodied in the 12 Steps is easy to see. The steps, with their emphasis on surrender, humility, and action represent a clear, systematic expression of a spiritual path that has been seen over thousands of years in many cultures. No one is going to be spiritually healthy without acknowledging that they don't control reality, examining their lives and confessing and correcting their shortcomings, making amends for harm they have done, maintaining contact with their spiritual nature and practicing these principles in their daily lives.
The need for Unity as embodied in the 12 Principles is only a little harder to see. Humans live in groups. Becoming a contributing part of a healthy community is part of being a spiritually and mentally healthy person. Even Trappist and Carthusian monks form communities, albeit very quiet ones.
So, I guess the practical outcome of my recent chats with Dave will be a greater emphasis on Unity and especially Service. For starters, I think I'll ask some members of my home group to join me in some outgoing commitments.
First, let's remember that in the 10th Step Promises we are told that we will retain our new attitude toward alcohol "as long as we keep in fit spiritual condition." (BB p. 65). So how do we shape up spiritually? It turns out that all three sides of the recovery triangle are necessary.
The need for Recovery as embodied in the 12 Steps is easy to see. The steps, with their emphasis on surrender, humility, and action represent a clear, systematic expression of a spiritual path that has been seen over thousands of years in many cultures. No one is going to be spiritually healthy without acknowledging that they don't control reality, examining their lives and confessing and correcting their shortcomings, making amends for harm they have done, maintaining contact with their spiritual nature and practicing these principles in their daily lives.
The need for Unity as embodied in the 12 Principles is only a little harder to see. Humans live in groups. Becoming a contributing part of a healthy community is part of being a spiritually and mentally healthy person. Even Trappist and Carthusian monks form communities, albeit very quiet ones.
Finally, every spiritual tradition that I am aware of places great value on Service, which is the practice of love, charity, agape, loving-kindness, metta... -- there are lots of terms for it. We become spiritually and mentally healthy, fully functioning people when we reach out in love and serve others. That of course, is what the Twelfth Step and the 12 Concepts are all about.
As I write this it all seems very obvious but if I look at my practice I see that I focus disproportionately on my individual recovery. I don't tend to hang around after meetings to socialize and become more of a member of my AA community. A little primate grooming would do me good. Even worse, I can easily fall into the trap of seeing attendance at meetings as adequate Twelfth Step work. I do service work as an alternate GSR but, frankly, that doesn't occupy a lot of my time or attention.So, I guess the practical outcome of my recent chats with Dave will be a greater emphasis on Unity and especially Service. For starters, I think I'll ask some members of my home group to join me in some outgoing commitments.
This topic recently made me think of Dr. Bob's Last Talk which he made at the 1955 International Convention. What I have always liked about this talk was that here was a guy who was very sick and dying of cancer and he was unable to stand for any considerable length of time, yet he needed to somehow sum up his 15 years of experience and present it to the entire fellowship in as few word as possible. He was able to address personal recovery, unity and service all very succinctly in a few paragraphs.
ReplyDeleteI still feel it is the most simple, uncomplicated set of ideals for anyone wishing to learn how to live this program in their life. I have often used it as a filter to run my thoughts through. It's not always easy for me to see if I am living a less selfish life than I was yesterday, and this give me a point on the horizon to focus on when moving forward toward a more spiritual, and less self centered, life.
As I read through it I find it gives me guidelines on how to behave in meetings and the fellowship. It helps me remember what to concentrate on in my personal recovery and on when to help others and how far to go when doing so. It also reminds me of how important service is to maintaining my own recovery and for AA's future. Hidden between the lines is a great deal of the personal humility that Dr. Bob was known to have, which is another area I should look at in myself. And it helps me remember where I fit in this chain of AA and how large of a role it should play my life.
Dr. Bob's Last Talk
"There are two or three things that flashed into my mind on which it would be fitting to lay a little emphasis; one is the simplicity of our Program. Let's not louse it all up with Freudian complexes and things that are interesting to the scientific mind, but have very little to do with our actual AA work. Our 12 Steps, when simmered down to the last, resolve themselves into the words love and service. We understand what love is and we understand what service is. So let's bear those two things in mind."
"Let us also remember to guard that erring member - the tongue, and if we must use it, let's use it with kindness and consideration and tolerance."
"And one more thing; none of us would be here today if somebody hadn't taken time to explain things to us, to give us a little pat on the back, to take us to a meeting or two, to have done numerous little kind and thoughtful acts in our behalf. So let us never get the degree of smug complacency so that we're not willing to extend or attempt to, that help which has been so beneficial to us, to our less fortunate brothers."
"Thank you very much."