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jimhere · 08-10-2009, 08:54 AM

I have been thinking a lot about this subject lately. I have found that you can't live the spiritual life in a hurry because always hurrying to get somewhere else other than where you are at is not living in the now. So I am simplifying my life even more and cutting out unnecessary activities and commitments. Slowing down.

This goes right along with watching, pausing, and turning. In fact slowing down is a spiritual discipline because it takes effort and attention. I refuse to live my life in a frantic, hectic, everywhere at once, all over the place manner.

I am facilitating a Big Book workshop and we are in 10 & 11. There are a couple of women participating in this workshop, both with long-term sobriety, both "good AA'ers," but they are both chronically basket cases. Always late, or roaring intro the parking lot just under the wire, constant crises going on, lives full of busy-ness, full of commitments to carreers, family, AA, etc. I kind of called them on it yesterday. I told them that where many of us fall short is in the disciplines of 10 & 11, that in my own experience, the practices in these steps are the basis for effective and happy living, that practicing meditation, self-examination, slowing down and watching, pausing, asking, and turning makes me more effective at living. And living is serving and serving is living.

Try it, you might be surprised
Jim.

08-10-2009, 08:54 AM	#2 (permalink)
jimhere Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 2,392	I have been thinking a lot about this subject lately. I have found that you can't live the spiritual life in a hurry because always hurrying to get somewhere else other than where you are at is not living in the now. So I am simplifying my life even more and cutting out unnecessary activities and commitments. Slowing down. This goes right along with watching, pausing, and turning. In fact slowing down is a spiritual discipline because it takes effort and attention. I refuse to live my life in a frantic, hectic, everywhere at once, all over the place manner. I am facilitating a Big Book workshop and we are in 10 & 11. There are a couple of women participating in this workshop, both with long-term sobriety, both "good AA'ers," but they are both chronically basket cases. Always late, or roaring intro the parking lot just under the wire, constant crises going on, lives full of busy-ness, full of commitments to carreers, family, AA, etc. I kind of called them on it yesterday. I told them that where many of us fall short is in the disciplines of 10 & 11, that in my own experience, the practices in these steps are the basis for effective and happy living, that practicing meditation, self-examination, slowing down and watching, pausing, asking, and turning makes me more effective at living. And living is serving and serving is living. Try it, you might be surprised Jim.