Acceptance Meditation From The Big Book Of Alcoholics Anon

This meditation invites you to embrace the vital concept of acceptance as a cornerstone of your recovery journey. Through mindful reflection, this practice encourages you to acknowledge and embrace your feelings, circumstances, and the past without judgment, fostering a sense of peace and resilience.

*While I fully support the teachings of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and the principles of the 12-step program, please note that these programs do not endorse my personal interpretations. The insights shared in this meditation are my own and should not be considered a substitute for professional or psychological advice. I do not represent AA or any official 12-step authority.

In this meditation, you will learn to cultivate acceptance in various aspects of your life, allowing for emotional healing and personal growth. Embrace this opportunity for self-reflection, aligning with the transformative principles of the 12-step program as you navigate your path to recovery.

Transcript

Acceptance.

I'm Amy Liz Harrison,

And this acceptance meditation is adapted from pages 417,

419,

And 420 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

As we come into this space today,

Please join me in three cleansing breaths.

Inhale.

Relax,

Release.

May I be at peace.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Relax,

Release.

May I be at peace.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Relax.

Release.

May I be at peace.

Exhale.

And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.

When I am disturbed,

It is because I find some person,

Place,

Thing,

Or situation,

Some fact of my life unacceptable to me.

And I can find no serenity until I accept that person,

Place,

Thing,

Or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.

Nothing,

Absolutely nothing happens in God's world by mistake.

Until I could accept my alcoholism,

I could not stay sober.

Unless I accept life completely on life's terms,

I cannot be happy.

I need to concentrate not so much on what needs to be changed in the world as on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes.

When I focus on what's good today,

I have a good day.

And when I focus on what's bad,

I have a bad day.

If I focus on a problem,

The problem increases.

If I focus on the answer,

The answer increases.

Perhaps the best thing of all for me is to remember that my serenity is inversely proportional to my expectations.

The higher my expectations of people,

Places,

And things,

The lower my serenity.

I can watch my serenity level rise when I discard my expectations by asking myself,

How important is it really?

How important is it compared to my serenity?

My emotional sobriety.

And when I place more value on my serenity and sobriety than on anything else,

I can maintain them at a higher level.

Acceptance is the key to my relationship with God today.

I never just sit and do nothing while waiting for him to tell me what to do.

Rather,

I do whatever is in front of me to be done.

And I leave the results up to him,

However it turns out.

That's God's will for me.

I must keep my magic,

Magnifying mind on my acceptance and off of my expectations.

For my serenity is directly proportional to my level of acceptance.

When I remember this,

I can see I've never had it so good.

And finally,

As we come back into the room,

Let's pause for a moment of gratitude.

Thank you.

And when you're ready,

Take one final deep breath.

Inhale.

Relax.

Release.

May I be at peace.

Exhale.

And slowly open your eyes.

Thank you for joining me.

Namaste.

Reviews

Page 417 is one of my daily rituals each morning. What a beautiful way to amplify my recovery! Thank you so much, will be adding this to my spiritual routine 🤩