
FOUNDER'S CORNER
Sharing
Dear Friends on the Journey ~
"I love sharing my story. It's endlessly healing."
. . . Ben Vereen
We are so blessed to have OA face-to-face and
online meetings and support groups. The word,
"share" is such a good one to describe what we
do at these meetings and in our support groups.
It's a much better word than "discussion."
When we discuss, we take a topic and thrash it
about and each person contributes their ideas
and suggestions and then another person does
the same thing and at the end of the discussion
many times we collectively find closure, solutions,
answers and resolutions.
In OA we SHARE rather than discuss. We have to
own something to share it. It has to be our feelings,
our hopes, our dreams, our disappointments, our
shame, our frustrations, our happiness, our sadness.
It is in the sharing that we reap the dividends and
not the responses ... not the advice. And it is in
the listening to others share their own experiences,
their strength and their hope that we find the bits
and pieces that relate to our lives.
In the Recovery Group loops and meetings, we
have beautiful and healing shares. Part of the
reason for this is that most of us who have been
in OA or other 12 Step Groups for a long time
have learned to share in a way that will do
us and others the most good. We share alone ...
it is not a discussion. We first tell our friends
in the fellowship "how it was." It could be
yesterday, in childhood or when we were at the
bottom of our illness. We then share "what
happened" when we applied program. Finally,
we share "how it is now." While we may have
begun with a negative, we end with a positive.
How it was ...
What happened ...
How it is now.
And these three things equal hope.
And that hope is "endlessly healing" and spreads
to everyone listening ... because it is shared.
@-}-}-}------
Love in recovery,
Mari
~ "Pain Is Inevitable. Suffering Is Optional." ~
(... a Zen Aphorism)
I have often heard this quote in the past, and didn't
really know what it meant. It seemed to me that pain
and suffering went hand in hand. In my idealized way
of thinking, happiness meant not having the pain or
the suffering. Happy people didn't feel pain, did
they? I am starting to understand that it is normal to
feel a wide range of feelings, including pain. What is
not normal is to stay in the suffering, as I have done
so many times throughout my life.
I have been feeling pain recently...I am leaving
Israel, the place where I have created and built a
life in the past eight months. I am sad to leave the
wonderful friends I've made, I'm sad to leave my
grandfather, and I am sad to leave this country. Yet,
it is time to go. My heart hurts at the thought of
leaving, but you know what? It is refreshing to
feel this pain and to know that I can feel this pain
without letting it take over my life. Just because I
am feeling pain does not mean that I must suffer.
Suffering comes in many forms. I used to suffer when
I'd pick up food instead of feel the feelings. Even
after being abstinent for a while, I would suffer
by going into my bed when I didn't want to feel, or
running away in other ways. Today, I am feeling the
pain and still showing up for life, doing what I need
to do to take care of myself and my responsibilities.
The suffering is truly optional. I don't beat
myself up for what I am feeling. I feel it and then I
do the next right thing. I am starting to understand
that pain and suffering do not necessarily go hand in
hand.
With love in recovery,
Alina
~ TRG ADM ~ The Administrative Hub ~
FROM THE ADMINISTRATION TEAM (TRGADM)
Did you first become aware of TRG when you were
looking for an online OA meeting? Or perhaps a
friend forwarded one of the TRG meditations and
you subscribed yourself?
I'd like to introduce you to the web pages of TRG.
You can start by going to this address:
http://www.therecoverygroup.org/.
On that page, there are options to join the Newcomer
Meetings, watch a video put together by one of our
trusted servants, explore the three divisions of TRG,
and much more. If you click on any of the buttons, there are still
more pages to explore:
- If you click on Twelve Step Programs and Writings,
then scroll down to WTS -- Working the Steps, you can read and work
the past step studies from 1996.
- Here's a list of the special writings to be found
under "Twelve Step Programs and Writings"
- Odyssey
- 30 Questions
- The Promises
- Inspirations
- The Serenity Prayer
- Recovery Meditations
- Reflections of Recovery
- Danny's Letters to God
- Ten Ways To Love Ourselves
- 90 Meetings in 90 Days
- Reflections of the Twelve Steps
- Serendipity ~ The Recovery Newsletter
- View From My Journey
Just today there have been 104 visitors to the first
page, and 73 of them are first-timers.
Were any of them you?
Dodee, Nancy and Audrey,
Adminstrators of The Recovery Group
http://www.TheRecoveryGroup.org
Contact:
TRGAdm@TheRecoveryGroup.org
~ ODAT LOOPS DIVISION ~
The ODAT groups are special focus groups.
All of their members are compulsive
overeaters and each member also shares a
secondary common focus as represented by
their chosen loop. The purpose of the ODAT
groups are for the members to discuss their
struggles with compulsive overeating; and
also to discuss how their special focus
affects them as well as their recovery
journey.
We have groups that feature people of
specific age groups (teens and Silver);
some that feature those with the same
faith (Pagan, Latter Day Saints, Jewish
and Christian); and we also have groups
for those who also have other addictions
(Drug Abuse, SexandLoveAddiction; AA,
Spending)
We invite you to check out our ODAT page
and see for yourself the varied selection
of groups. We welcome your experience,
strength and hope.
Thanks for letting us give service,
Donna
ODAT Division Chairperson
Email:
ODATAdm@lists.therecoverygroup.org
Web page: www.theRecoveryGroup.org/odat/index.html

~ RECOVERY LOOPS DIVISION ~
The Recovery Loops Division is made up of TRG's
Twelve-step general sharing support groups. Our
common mission is to provide a safe and supportive
space for anyone who wants to recover from the disease
no double space of compulsive eating to share their
experience, strength, and hope with others. In addition,
some of these loops also have a special focus. The loops
that make up this Division are: Anorexia and Bulimia,
The Big Book, 200 Plus, Journey to Recovery, Meditations,
OA Friends, OA Newcomers, OA Recovery, Relapse, Sponsor-
Sponsee- Talk, Working the Steps (WTS), and WTS Weekly.
As you know, the WTS loop started a new in-depth study of
the 12 Steps on October 1. This is a wonderful way to
become more familiar with the 12 Steps of OA.
If you are interested in doing service with the Recovery Group you can
sign up by sending a blank email to:
TrustedServantPool-subscriberequest@lists.therecoverygroup.org.
Respectfully submitted,
CherylS, Chair
The Recovery Group Loops Division
www.therecoverygroup.org
Recovery Group Loops Division Chair
More details about these support groups can be found at:
www.theRecoveryGroup.org/trg.html
Contact: recoveryloopsadm@yahoo.com
~ DISCOVERY LOOPS DIVISION ~
News from Discovery Division
Do you know a child with an eating
disorder or eating issue? Would they like a
safe place to talk? They can find that on
our Kids and Discovery web site. Kids and
Discovery is a place for kids to talk about
life, family, problems, joy, and hope as
well as eating disorders.
To visit the site, go to
http://www.the
recoverygroup.org/discovery/kids/index.
html.
Joining is easy. All they do is send a
blank email to:
KidsAndDiscovery-subscribe-request@
lists.therecoverygroup.org
Also at this website are many useful links
to explore. So, if you have a young
relative, friend, or neighbor you think
might be interested, please give them
information on checking in Kids and
Discovery.
In loving service,
Athena
Discovery Loops Division Chair
Contact:
Web page: www.TheRecoveryGroup.org/discovery/index.html
Email:
DiscoveryAdm@yahoo.com
or DiscoveryAdm@lists.TheRecoveryGroup.org
~ TRG PROGRAMS & SPECIAL SERVICES DIVISION ~
Programs & Special Services Division is an expanding
wing of The Recovery Group and contains a diverse
number of TRG programs and projects. These include
TRG Sponsor Program, TRG Telephone Angels,
Serendipity, Serenity, TRG Topics Team, Recovery
Meditations, Recovery Meditations Book Project,
Recovery Message Board, Recovery Photo Album, Recovery
12 Step Anniversaries, Recovery Talk Room on Main
Website, Recovery Guestbooks and Counters, Recovery
Bravenet Features, Outreach Programs with other Online
Groups, and the Writer's Series.
We are currently looking for creative energetic people
to administor a number of our programs. We also are
currently looking for new submissions for Recovery
Meditations for our upcoming year and for writers to
help with the TRG Topic Team. If you interested in
giving service in these areas - or are interested in
ANY of our programs, please email me.
Love in Recovery,
Rob R
TRG Programs And Services Division Chair
The Recovery Group
(tarryrob@yahoo.ca)
~ TRG SPONSOR PROGRAM ~
We are approaching the season in the USA where we are
reminded of the gift of gratitude, and our program of
recovery reminds us to live in gratitude each and
every day. The AABB reminds us of the gift of
fellowship which we can count among our blessings!!
"Life will take on new meaning. To watch people
recover, to see them help others, to watch
loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up
about you, to have a host of friends - this is an
experience you must not miss. We know you will
not want to miss it. Frequent contact with
newcomers and with each other is the bright
spot of our lives." AABB P. 89
We have so many opportunities to share with
others in recovery, for example: meetings,
loop sharing, newsletters, and sponsoring.
A sponsor is a person in recovery who is willing
to share their own recovery with another member
on a personal basis. If you have not yet had
this wonderful experience, why not begin today?
For information on becoming a TRG sponsor,
please write to:
Sponsors@therecoverygroup.org.
Patt and Cate
TRG Sponsor Coordinators
www.TheRecoveryGroup.org/sponsors.html
Contact:
Sponsors@TheRecoveryGroup.org
~ THE RECOVERY TELEPHONE ANGELS ~
(\0/) (\0/) (\0/)
/ \ / \ / \
Dear Friend in Recovery,
Here is a formula that used to be my life:
Isolation + limited meetings [infrequent
access to] = limited recovery
Now take this equation and rework it by adding
yourself, your time, your experience,
and the use of your phone number to our TRG
Members (only) via our RECOVERY TELEPHONE
ANGELS DIRECTORY listings! What do YOU
equal in the sum total of things? A HEALTHIER
RECOVERY!
Give some serious thought to becoming a
Telephone Angel today. You help someone
else as well as yourself. It feels great to give
service!
If you are interested in becoming a Telephone
Angel, please send the following information:
- Your name
- Email address
- What State you live in (this way people
can find someone closer to them)
- Your phone number ~ area code and
number
- Your time zone (like Eastern Standard)
- Best times to call?
- Should folks leave a message or not?
- And, any other info you want callers to know
MAIL THIS INFO TO --->
Telephoneangels@yahoo.com
Thanks in advance for considering giving service.
In service,
January K., Coordinator
The Recovery Telephone Angels Directory
The Recovery Telephone Angels Program
Telephoneangels@yahoo.com.
~ THE RECOVERY GROUP TRUSTED SERVANTS ~
Dear Family:
Being a Trusted Servant on the World Wide Web
isn't always easy. After all we are human and need
real human contact to know if we are reaching anyone
and actually making a difference.
Service work isn't supposed to be easy... that it is -
is a bonus. Service is generously giving away
what was so freely given to us.
TRG will always need service people, whether
as loop coordinators, meeting leaders, sponsors,
editors, greeters, division chairs, or any other
number of people we need to make this work.
One of the things I can promise is that being in
servicegives us a wonderful sense of worth. I know
that I began to develop my self esteem when I started
being of service. There is something just short of a
miracle that occurs when we begin to have a positive
impact on another person's life through our service
work.
If you are interested in being of service
please do not hesitate to contact me at
TRGTrustedservants@yahoo.com,
or by sending a blank email to:
TrustedServantPool-subscriberequest@lists.therecoverygroup.org.
Yours in loving service,
Danielle
TRG Trusted Servants Coordinator
TRGTrustedservants@yahoo.com
~ NEWCOMER'S CORNER ~
Newcomers meetings are Monday and Tuesday 8 pm EST &
Thursday 10 pm EST
~ MEET RAINBOWGRL ~
There's a new face in the recovery room. Her name
is RainbowGrl. Though RainbowGrl has only been
attending meetings for the last few weeks, she has
already stepped up to the plate and ran her first
meeting in the recovery room. Kudos to you,
RainbowGrl!
RainbowGrl first heard about OA through a life-long
family friend, and came into the program...
"... hoping to build on my self-esteem and find
support for my arduous climb through the 12 steps."
"...It would be great if I could find a sponsor that
matches well with my experience and issues."
"I am a chronic binger, and the binges got worse when I
(former bulimic) stopped purging."
Like many people who come to OA, RainbowGrl is a
victim of abuse.
How did you feel about your first meeting?
"A bit nervous, but once it was over I felt a
wonderful sense of relief. I was relieved to discover
how much I had in common with the TRG OA community.
It was great to feel like I had somewhere I could be
100% honest. Not too amazing, since I have experience
in other recovery groups, but it is wonderful."
RainbowGrl, is there anything that you would like to
say about the program?
"If I could have spent all my time in therapy in the
12 step program instead... I would definitely go back
and do it over that way. It has been MUCH more
helpful and therapeutic than any paid therapy I ever
received. I could never find the empathy I needed. I
don't have that problem here.
Aside from the 12 steps, RainbowGrl has a lot of
interests.
"I love gardening, flower arranging, walking my dog on
the beach, and sometimes I write poetry. I also study
foreign cultures, and am especially fond of Japanese
art and Shinto." Sometimes I "get to make a trip
into a large city to 'go museuming' with my hubby, who
also loves this activity."
Thank you so much, RainbowGrl, for sharing your
experience with us, and offering to lead when needed.
You are an inspiration.
Love in recovery,
Marilyn (TRGMarils)
Newcomer's Meeting Leader
Email:
mtgadm@lists.therecoverygroup.org

~ FROM THE TWELVE-STEP LITERATURE ~

~~ FROM THE BIG BOOK ~~
"Our hope is that when this chip of a book is
launched on the world tide of alcoholism,
defeated drinkers/overeaters, will seize upon it,
to follow its suggestions. Many, we are sure,
will rise to their feet and march on. They will
approach still other sick ones and fellowships of
Alcoholics Anonymous/Overeaters Anon may spring up
in each city and hamlet, havens for those who
must find a way out."
c. 2001, Alcoholics Anonymous, page 153
MY SHARE...
When this wonderful book was first printed, many
were praying for its teachings to go onward and
upward and gradually helping all those who were
still suffering.
I was led to this group, OA, about 3 1/2 years ago
now. I am a completely different person and can
truthfully say that it has changed my whole life.
As thousands of thoughtful members have done, I have
tried to follow thru with giving service, the 12th
Step, to The Big Book Loop and help all newcomers who
enter our doors.
It is my pleasure and duty to pass on what I have
learned here and help all those who are still in need.
Many blessings on your Path To Recovery and Happiness
Much Love in Recovery,
Myrlene (Big Book and Recovery Co-coordinator)
~ A COMMUNITY OF VOICES ~
A good many years ago I heard the first three steps of
AA described as, "I can't, God can, I'll let Him!" In
the years that followed, both in and out of Program,
I've been repeatedly amazed at how many ways there are
for those second and third steps to play out... but
one thing never changes - it's always about
communication between an Higher Power and the
surrendered, recovering individual.
Because of our differing belief systems, HP speaks to
us in different ways. However, regardless of the
primary way, I've noticed over the years that HP also
uses a variety of other means to get under our
defenses and get the message across... while we are
not looking, so to speak. Sunsets and sunrises speak
to our souls of the everlasting light of recovery that
is available to us, of one day at a time, of keeping
things simple, of seeing the light in each other
and each circumstance.
Animals, who give love so freely, remind us that we
are loved by HP in a way that is even more exuberant
and unconditional. Nature reminds us that we are
strong and resilient regardless of what "reality"
looks like as it rises repeatedly from seasonal
flux and environmental battering. Out of the mouths
of our children and friends, and enemies, proceed
pearls that can be woven into a garment of wisdom and
recovery.
I have looked at the AA/OA community as a very
efficient vehicle to disseminate all this wonderful
communication, sort of like an HP magnifier!! My road
of 16 years of relapse began with a separation
from the OA fellowship and my return began with an
invitation to join another 12 step group. Could it be
that like the coal that dies on the hearth, we need
the fire of each other to remain in the heat of
our recovery?
Joy and light,
Helen