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STEP ONE ~ INTRODUCTION
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the WTS fourth quarter online steps workshop.
I'm Dreena and I'm recovering from Compulsive Overeating.
I will also be leading the Step Study workshop for the next three
months. I am grateful for the opportunity to do this service because
by working the steps and living the spiritual principles they teach,
I have changed my inner life and thus changed my outer life.
Truly a blessing.
Here is a little about me and my journey in recovery.
I first came to OA 15 years ago. I slipped in my program
by drinking alcohol and quickly went into relapse. At that
time I realized that I also needed AA. Although I have never
slipped in AA or in NA (nicotine anonymous) I have had
a difficult time with achieving long term abstinence in OA.
Last year I found "The Recovery Group" and I decided to
do things differently. The first thing I did was get a sponsor..
and what was different about this was that I decided that I
would stay with this sponsor no matter what. I have had
a history of changing sponsors when a sponsor annoyed me
by saying something I didn't want to hear or worse....goodness
forbid....hurt my feelings....:o) So I made that my first all
important commitment.
Then I worked the steps. I had worked the steps before but
this time I decided to do it thoroughly from start to finish with
out taking a break (maybe a few years) in between. Another
commitment.
This year I finally understood that in essence my dis-ease
was a "spiritual malady." I came to understand with my heart
as well as my head that the disease is three-fold ....physical/
mental/spritual and that recovery from my dis-ease was contingent
upon the growth of my conscious contact with a power greater
than my self.
This year I have experienced emotional growth that I had only
dreamed of, that is, a peace of mind not contingent upon
any person, place or thing. My physical recovery continues
even as we speak. Spiritually, I can only describe it as a
change in perception that has been so "simply" profound that
it has given me a new way of seeing and being in the world.
I am not perfect by any stretch of the imagination but I can honestly
say this: "I am most certainly progressing." And it is all due to
my commitment to Working the Steps. These steps are without a
doubt the How To of a modern spiritual path toward a life that
is full to the brim with happiness, joyfulness and freedom.
I am very very pleased to be sharing this journey with you for the
next three months.
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At the end of each Step Essay there will be questions for you
to answer. You are most welcome and encouraged to share
your answers with the whole group. If there is something that
is too private that you want to say, you can share this part
with your sponsor.
Following this post, I will be sending out a list of folks who
are available as WTS Step Sponsors and will be there to
help you work through the steps.
Please do not try to work the steps without a sponsor.
As we go through the steps, feelings will probably surface
and you will need someone to talk to about them so that you
do not stop the process by getting caught in "stuck emotions"
that can easily be worked through with the help of those of us
who have been there before you.
This list is ONLY for the leader to send the Step work and for
participants to share their answers. If you read someone's
share and want to answer their post, please cut and paste
their address and delete the WTS address in your reply so
that your post goes to the person privately and not to the
whole group.
If you have any questions you want to ask me about anything
regarding the essay and questions please contact me privately
by cutting and pasting my email address as you are doing
for all other private postings. I am always available to
help you in any way I can.
If you have any questions regarding the list or tech
problems, you can contact the WTS
Coordinator, Lori at: lorihurst2000@hotmail.com
or you can contact me: dreenagoode@earthlink.net
Following is a schedule of dates that I will be sending
each of the Step Essay and Questions to you. Mark your
calendars.
10/1 - Step One
10/6 - Step Two
10/11 - Step Three
10/16 - Step 4 (part 1)
10/20 - Step 4 (part 2)
10/24 - Step 4 (part 3)
10/28 - Step 4 (part 4)
11/1 - Step 4 (part 5)
11/6 - Step 5
11/13 - Step 6
11/18 - Step 7
11/27 - Step 8
12/4 - Step 9
12/11 - Step 10
12/18 - Step 11
12/25 - Step 12
Much love and plenty of hugs,
Dreena
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