Welcome to step 6.
We're entirely ready to have God remove all of these defects of character.
This meditation discusses and suggests tools to help you prepare for step 6.
Let's begin.
Find a posture that is comfortable for you.
If you are sitting,
Your feet are flat on the floor.
It helps to be upright and find some balance,
Noticing if you are balanced right to left and front to back and just becoming very grounded in your seat.
You can imagine a drop line going from the top of your head down your back parallel to your spine so that you are sitting up straight but relaxed.
In this position,
Let your whole body relax and your face soften.
Let your upper eyelids rest very gently on your lower eyelids,
Your lips gently touching or apart and your jaw relaxed.
Feel your whole body be at ease,
With hands gently resting on your lap or thighs.
The palms may be facing up in a receptive position or the palms may be down in a more grounded stance.
Feel your stability,
Your muscles becoming heavy.
Breathing allows your body to teach your mind to be relaxed and open.
Bring your attention to your breath.
Take a deep breath through your nose,
Pause,
Gently release through your mouth.
Again,
Take a breath through your nose slowly,
Hold for a moment and exhale through your mouth.
Perhaps making a gentle sighing sound.
Continue that breathing pattern as you become relaxed and present.
Step 6 is very different from the earlier steps.
Steps 1,
2 and 3 centered on making decisions about the quality and direction of our lives.
Step 4 and 5 may be seen as the first of several action steps in which we complete the moral inventory and the admission suggested in those steps.
In some ways,
Step 6 is similar to the decision in Step 1.
We recognize we are powerless over alcohol and here in Step 6 we admit we are powerless over our character defects.
We cannot remove these defects by ourselves.
And as an action step,
According to Bill W.
,
Co-founder of AA,
Step 6 is the beginning of a lifelong job.
It is not a once and done,
One-off decision.
That is because of the nature of character defects.
They are negative patterns of behavior,
Usually deeper and more ingrained than habits.
These patterns repeat through our lives and block us from being truly happy and content.
Many of these patterns come about as ways to protect you from harm earlier in life.
These defects are even hard to identify since they may be experienced as normal or pleasurable,
But in fact they keep us from experiencing meaningful relationships with others and your world.
It is a lifelong job.
The defects show up as the conditions in your life change from hour to hour,
Day to day,
Year to year.
The spacious appearance of these defects may make it seem as if we have no conscious control over them.
Many of them feel as if they are compulsive in nature.
Willpower is not a factor in recovery until the compulsion to drink has been removed.
After the compulsion has been removed,
Then our willpower,
That is our free choice,
Can be used.
Our character defects can then be influenced by our willpower.
When we become aware of the presence of a defect,
Then we can choose to be entirely ready to give it up.
To help us in that choice,
What qualities do we need to make that less painful?
There are three qualities that help you in that choice.
These are humility,
Trust,
And willingness.
Humility is the lack of pride and the lack of arrogance,
Both of which are rooted in the ego and in self-centeredness.
Let's take another deep breath,
Hold,
And slowly release.
Once more,
Deep breath,
Hold,
Slowly release.
As we did in an earlier meditation,
We can use affirmations to focus on how we want to act in the future.
An affirmation is a short phrase or sentence that states a desired result and may be repeated multiple times each day.
Affirmations reduce negative self-talk and can also be used to enhance your experience of humility,
Trust,
And willingness.
I will say each affirmation once and then we'll say it together two times.
You may say it out loud or softly to yourself.
I breathe in humility.
I breathe out pride.
Together.
I breathe in humility.
I breathe out pride.
Again.
I breathe in humility.
I breathe out pride.
I breathe in humility.
I breathe out arrogance.
Together.
I breathe in humility.
I breathe out arrogance.
Again.
I breathe in humility.
I breathe out arrogance.
I release fear and choose trust.
Trust is a risk worth taking.
Together.
I release fear and choose trust.
Trust is a risk worth taking.
Again.
I release fear and choose trust.
Trust is a risk worth taking.
I trust that I will be okay when releasing my defects.
Trust is a risk worth taking.
Together.
I trust that I will be okay when releasing my defects.
Trust is a risk worth taking.
Again.
I trust that I will be okay when releasing my defects.
Trust is a risk worth taking.
I am willing to give up my defects and am willing to accept new healthier behaviors.
Together.
I am willing to give up my defects and am willing to accept new healthier behaviors.
Again.
I am willing to give up my defects and am willing to accept new healthier behaviors.
Affirmations can be very effective.
You may create your own affirmations,
Which I encourage you to do.
With time and practice,
Becoming entirely ready will become easier and easier.
As we close this meditation,
Slowly move your muscles.
Gently wiggle fingers and toes and roll your head from side to side.
Bring your attention back to the room,
To your breathing,
Back into the present moment.
I wish you many blessings along with humility,
Trust and willingness as you proceed one day at a time.
