Newcomers Me Changing Me “I’ve prayed healing prayers for people who are ill, and I’ve prayed for guidance in being able to grocery shop without buying the wrong items. My weight loss results from actions I am willing to take, not from asking God to remove my fat or help me lose weight” (Voices of Recovery, p. 318). I can’t pray for weight loss … Read More
Traditions Remarkable Unity We all have heard the ancient saying that a house divided cannot stand. I see this happening throughout the world today; division seems to be a preferred way of life, though it seldom brings desired results. In OA, we seek unity. Unity does not mean conformity. Through practicing the concept of unity, I have learned patience and openness; differences among … Read More
Traditions Only Through OA After learning about humility, I became able to share more of my personal self with a group. This was a very different experience for me. Growing up, I’d been taught that outward appearances were the most important thing, and any problems I had should stay at home. Through recovery, I learned about sharing with others at a more intimate level, … Read More
Service Quick Calling When I used to exercise compulsively, I had a saying I would use to keep hydrated: “When you think, drink.” Now that I am abstinent, I no longer exercise compulsively. But I use a similar method to make outreach calls. Whenever my intuition (also known as my HP’s will) tells me I should really make a call, I immediately grab … Read More
Traditions Building Balance For me, the beauty of unity is realizing I’m not alone in this disease of compulsive eating. I never knew that others had the same beast inside, compelling them to eat everything in sight—I felt like a freak because of it, a freak inside and out, my heavy body an outward manifestation of the obsession within. Just knowing I’m not … Read More
Abstinence Other People’s Programs I entered OA in the fall of 2008, miserable, steeped in my addiction, and knowing there was nothing I could do about it. At my first meeting, I was convinced OA was not going to work, but I was wrong about that. It did work, and I have been abstinent since 2010. As a consequence of my abstinence, my body … Read More
Spirituality Accepting All Bill W., co-founder of AA, said, “We are people who normally would not mix. But there exists among us a fellowship, a friendliness, and an understanding which is indescribably wonderful” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., p. 17). When I first came to OA, at 5 feet tall (152 cm) and 206 pounds (93 kg), I was 80 pounds (36 kg) overweight. … Read More
Diversity Knit Together I recently finished knitting a hat for my sponsor. It’s a “dancing ladies hat,” an old Norwegian pattern with ladies kicking up their heels as they make a circle. They make me think of our meetings, learning the Steps, and finding joy in OA unity. Knitting is my meditation. I do a bit every day, and things get finished. During this … Read More
Traditions Course to Consensus We may be a group of abstinent and recovering compulsive overeaters, but our individual defects seem to be quick to surface when important decisions need to be made, especially decisions that affect our group and meeting format. Thank goodness we have the Traditions to guide us. “Our common welfare should come first,” but Tradition One is hard to follow sometimes … Read More
How OA Changed My Life All the Difference I have been in program for nine months. I was given the gift of abstinence on the day I set foot in my first meeting, October 15, 2015, but this is probably because I waited so long (years) to obey the prompt to actually go to a meeting. I knew no one in OA, but from the name, I knew … Read More