Work, work, work with Step 12

Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and practice these principles in all our affairs. 

Honey Bee, worker bee

Koan:  Dongshan was sweeping one day when someone said to him, “Work, work, work  - - all you do is work.”

            Dongshan replied, “I do it for another.”

            “Why don’t you get that other to do it for himself?”

            “Because he has no hands.”

Work, work, work - - we use this word a lot in AA.  “PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics,” (P. 89) thus begins the chapter Working With Others and Step 12. Funny, I just noticed the letters w-o-r-k are used 12 times in this chapter. Could Bill W. have done this on purpose?

So that’s what we do in Step 12 - - we do it for another. The suffering alcoholic “will be curious to learn why his own convictions have not worked and why yours seem to work so well.” P.93

“…any life run on self-will can hardly be a success.” P.60 And also, “RARELY HAVE we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.” P 58

“Why don’t you get that other to do it for himself?” We could change this to, “Why don’t you get this alcoholic to do it for himself?” What? Like work the Steps by himself? This alcoholic is also not equipped, because he has not learned the AA principles.

“Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps” - - I would venture to say there are wisdom gates with every step along the way … whatever you call them, realizations, enlightenments, awakenings, they are all pointing in the same direction, and that’s “to be of maximum service to God and the people about us.” P 77

Service to others takes many forms. Sometimes we don’t even realize our service until someone comes up and tells us.  I like to sit in the same chair at every meeting I attend…a view seat.  On several occasions, people have come up to me and thanked me for this…that when they come into the meeting and see me sitting in the same place, it brings them a sense of continuity and support…all is well…

For most of the year, I bring a small bouquet of flowers to every meeting, except for a few months in the winter when cold and rains put a damper (pun intended) on blooming.  The water bottle “vase” is plopped down next to the secretary to give away later, sometimes to the speaker but preferably to a newcomer.  Thank  you for the flowers, they will tell me, they lasted a week, a reminder of this meeting. Our service work can be subtle.

Responsibility Statement: "I am Responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible." 

We could call this our AA Bodhisattva Vow.

Bill K.

  

December Koan and Step 12

 December 1, 2022 -  Step 12 Koan

 

Step 12: Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and practice these principles in all our affairs.  

 

Koan:  Dongshan was sweeping one day when someone said to him, “Work, work, work  - - all you do is work.”

            Dongshan replied, “I do it for another.”

            “Why don’t you get that other to do it for himself?”

            “Because he has no hands.”

Bill K.

 

When the bridge is broken? Step 11

Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.  

Koan: It helps you cross the river when the bridge is broken. It’s your companion as you return to the village on a moonless night.

Misc. Koans page 168 Joan Sutherland’s Book, Acequias

Crossing a river, getting to the other side - - these phrases are used a lot in spiritual matters. After our Remembrance Sutra we sing: 

Cross on over

Cross that river

Set us free

Getting to the other side seems to be a good thing on many levels, but what’s this river we wish to cross? Or maybe a better question, what do we want to avoid that resides in the river? The list is long. It could be the river of pain, of loss, of despair, of anxiety, of death, of anger, of resentment, of selfishness, of self-esteem, and on and on…

Another obstacle that pops up every-so-often is the river of reluctance -- a reluctance to have to do something or be somewhere. Have you ever told yourself, “I don’t want to participate in that event next week. Once it’s over though, then everything will be OK.”   Back when I was drinking, I had a lot of wishing I was on the other side of whatever I didn’t want to do; angst that immediately sweeps me out of the present moment.  Drinking would surely blow up any bridge to relief. 

Do I really know what going to happen? No.

Will this be the end of the world? No.

Has anything like this happened to me before? Yes.

Did things play out OK then? Yes.

And I survived to live another day? Yes.

Then what’s the problem? It’s my alcoholic mind.

Then what’s the solution? Practicing Step 11.

There’s another bridge that may be broken, or too crowded, or forgotten, or lost, or even when my mind is closed; it’s the bridge between my higher power and me. Again, Step 11 to the rescue!

Experience has shown me that in general ways, I can make some contingency plans for the worst possibilities and have some expectations of better things happening, when I bring in my prayer and meditation practice.

I walk every day, 25 to 30 miles a week, in order to maintain physical fitness.  This regular exercising is good for my muscles, breathing, circulation, heart, and all.  By the time I reach the sidewalk, I begin my morning prayers. I set aside time for meditation every day. Step 11 is the way I maintain my spiritual fitness. It’s always available to me.

When I pray for others who are going through troubling times, it’s a simple prayer - - “May this other person feel the caring love of their higher power.” That covers it really, because I know what it’s like to feel and experience my higher power, as a companion of the Way who’s with me everywhere, all the time, it’s easy for me to strike up a conversation. The more conversations I have, the closer we become. My daily conscious contact and trust in the Universe, via prayer and meditation, helps guide me across any river I encounter or when things are dark.

Bill K.

November 2022, 12 & Zen

 

November Greetings,

Oops...it seems that a couple of World Series games distracted me. Here is what we'll be sitting with:

Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.  

Koan: It helps you cross the river when the bridge is broken. It’s your companion as you return to the village on a moonless night.

Misc. Koans page 168 Joan Sutherland’s Book, Acequias

Bill K.

 

Step 10, for the benefit of all

 

 Step 10:  Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

 KOAN:  Blue Cliff Case 27: Yunmen’s Manifestation

A monk asked Yunmen, “When the tree withers and the leaves fall, what’s happening?”

Yunmen replied, “the golden wind is revealing itself.” [“autumn is manifesting itself”] 1

The golden wind is the reference to autumn in the old Chinese culture. It’s a sweet time really—this time of letting go, of returning, of waiting for the new to emerge. There’s a quality of being between times when the old is still visible and the new has not yet formed. There is a golden quality to this time—an intimacy.

---

1 Golden Wind is the name of the deity of autumn.

 

 

I love autumn, the season where things fall away and there’s plenty to look forward to…of change and transition…where there seems to be more time to slow down, to step back and reflect about the year and where it’s brought me today, and celebrating the fruits of my labor. So here we have Step 10, and October is the tenth month where we can fall away with Yunmen.

 

In a way, Step 10 is a recapitulation of Steps 1-9; and for it to work in our lives needs to be practiced daily. “When we retire at night, we constructively review are day.” [BB Page 86] Where have my thoughts, words and actions caused pain to others? “On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead.” [BB Page 86] Recognizing yesterday’s shortcomings, how can I lead a less selfish life today? How can I best adjust my character today, cleaning up my side of the street, so as to be of maximum service to others?

 

Issa (1763-1828) writes: 

 

this world of dew

is nothing but a world of dew

and yet…

and yet…

 

In this golden time of shedding leaves, where they’ve lost their usefulness and are no longer needed by the tree, they still have relevance and benefit. Floating down to earth, the leaves are eaten, deteriorate into the forest floor and become soil builders for the next generation. 

 

In reviewing my day, making note of any wrongdoings, making things right with others and planning how I’ll engage the upcoming day I’m preparing my attitude…my frame of mind toward greater good. 

 

this world of Step 10

is nothing but a world of Step 10

and yet …

and yet …

 

And yet … we continue to engage in Step 10 every day in order to reveal when we’ve been wrong, promptly admit it, and take appropriate action for the benefit of all.

 

Which brings me to a conversation I had with my friend Bob C., where he sent me the ACA (Adult Children of Alcoholics) version of Step 10, and here it is, integrated it into AA’s version:

 

Step 10: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it, with love and approval of ourselves.

 

In working Step 10, my shortcomings begin falling away. I’m tired of driving on my pot-holed-obstacle-laden side of the road. After all, “our troubles we think are basically of our own making.” Now, going forward, I’m ready for my new life and smoother going.  My next destination?  I can see Steps 11 and 12 on the horizon. What a golden wind blessing!

 

Indeed, we do this for the benefit of all.

 

Bill K.

 

Step 10 Revealing Ourselves

A new month, a new koan...This is what we're sitting with in October.

Bill

Step 10:  Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

 

KOAN:  Blue Cliff Case 27: Yunmen’s Manifestation

A monk asked Yunmen, “When the tree withers and the leaves fall, what’s happening?”

Yunmen replied, “the golden wind is revealing itself.” [“autumn is manifesting itself”] 1

The golden wind is the reference to autumn in the old Chinese culture. It’s a sweet time really—this time of letting go, of returning, of waiting for the new to emerge. There’s a quality of being between times when the old is still visible and the new has not yet formed. There is a golden quality to this time—an intimacy.

---

1 Golden Wind is the name of the deity of autumn.

Steps 8 and 9 - - From our sickness comes medicine

Step 8:  Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

Step 9:  Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. 

 

Koan: Yun Men, teaching the community, said, “Sickness and medicine correspond* to each other: the whole world is medicine, who are you?”

*Correspond or subdue or heal …

From the Grapevine Daily Quote

I once read where the HH Dalai Lama told a story about a man who was robbing gas stations at the rate of seven stations a week – one each day.  The robber was starting to feel remorse over his actions and decided that from now on, he would only rob six stations a week. By his actions, the robber was making the world a little better.  Yes, he was still causing grief in other people’s lives six days a week but on one day he wasn’t. We say progress rather than perfection, yes? Who is this robber? By discovering an antidote, he looks to be on the path of recovery.

A month or so ago it seemed that some animosity toward Zoom attendees crept into a meeting. A friend sent me this message: “Have to admit I did not feel welcome today. The first thing the secretary said to us on Zoom was that we should come to the meeting and join the group. (We did join—on Zoom.) Then when the guy who read the steps balked at reading at the microphone she quipped “Well YOU voted for Zoom!”  Ouch.” [but she ended with] “Acceptance is where peace of mind lies and I’ll opt for that.” In her moment of pain, she experienced sickness and medicine corresponding to each other by choosing acceptance over resentments.

In my humble opinion, the 12 Steps are the best antidote to alcoholism available. Consider each Step as a booster shot, a medicine of incredible effectiveness, building upon all the prior Steps.  Steps 8 and 9 are relying upon the spiritual antibodies we’ve accumulated by doing Steps one through six.

By looking over my 4th Step, I pretty much have the list of names for Step 8. It seemed intimidating, a bitter pill to take. In his own way, my sponsor assured me that this will lead to healing and freedom. Then, embarking onto Step 9, relief came early. With each checking off of names on my list, I knew that bitter pill was working. In Steps 8 and 9, I’m clearing away the wreckage of my path, and more medicine against the first drink.

When I fall short and say something that’s hurtful, I’m hurting others and myself. At the same time, it can be medicine to others when they realize my behavior is not something they wish to imitate. “Thank you for showing me how to be a jerk,” may pass through their mind.

Who am I? Ha!…I hope I’m not the aforementioned jerk. 

To sum things up, I think the best example of this koan manifesting itself in the Big Book comes from: “No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.” Page 84

Bill K.