August --- Potluck
Koan: “This is the stone,
drenched in rain, that points the way.”
If you recall, “Potluck” here means that instead of sitting
with one particular Step, this time we sat with all the Steps, all twelve of
them. We sat for 25 minutes.
It was a small but earnest group this past Friday, six of
us, who seemed to really enjoy this koan and what it brought up. As I suspected, several of the Steps came to
mind for us.
Examples:
Step 1 came to two of us – The first thing I thought of
was when, at a meeting, there is someone who is obviously drunk. “There’s a wet one over there.” Yes indeed.
I was a wet one once. I am the stone.
Who hasn’t been drenched in a sleeping bag? Miserable conditions, cold, soaking wet and
still hours away from dawn. And it’s
miserable to be drenched in our disease, drenched in selfishness, drenched in
all that had rained down on me because of my addictive actions.
And if we’re lucky,
our misery will point us to Step One.
One woman saw a
glistening granite wall, the glistening being her tears. “Much of my life has been full of tears. Step three came to her as never before. Her relationship with Step Three this evening
was profound, “Way deeper than I have experienced before,” she said. It’s about making a rock-solid decision! A decision that will give me a new life!
And Step 4… it’s
[rock]hard to look at all my character defects…[rock]hard to realize how I have
hurt others (and myself). But as these wash over me as I’m doing my 5th
Step, I can see that I am pointing in the right direction…what a relief!
“I am the stone,”
another said, “All my past, present and future lie in that stone. Stones just
lay there on the ground. They’re humble,
just being a stone.” She went onto say
how it is when looking at a dull, dry stone; then put water on it, brings out
all sorts of colors, showing the rock’s true colors and beauty…true self. My shortcomings arise out of this beauty,
too, and these revelations point the way as in Step Seven.
We have a drought
right now in California, one of the worst on record. We need rain!
The other day we had a smidgeon of dampness, not even rain; but it was
enough to moisten the streets. Just the
thought of this moisture and Step 12 brought this man gratitude. Gratitude is always nearby.
Bill K.This evening of Twelve and Zen, drenched in recovery, brought smiles to us as
we departed the building.
Bill K.
P.S. How was this koan for you? Don’t be shy…please tell me what Step came up
for you as it related to this koan.
