Service Tools & Concepts The Sounds of Program I put my hand in yours, . . . At a retreat years ago in Melbourne, Australia, participants began with a trust walk. (A trust walk is where half the group closes its eyes and the other half leads them around.) Then, the roles were reversed so the other group could lead around the room. But one OA member attending … Read More
Steps Traditions Unity’s Answer Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon OA unity. Nothing bonds relationships more comfortably than a common enemy. People are willing to put their differences, opinions, and beliefs aside when that common root helps everybody overcome. This is the heart that pumps the blood of OA. In the rooms, we all suffer from the same … Read More
Recovery Relationships Speaking My Feelings When I came into OA, I thought my life would be perfect if I could just lose some weight and keep it off. I thought food was my problem, but it turned out I was my problem. More specifically, my thinking was my problem: I thought if I could do the right thing and say the right thing and make … Read More
Relapse Twelfth Step Within Time for Twelfth Step Within In the “Kingdom of OA,” December 12 is officially Twelfth Step Within Day. We members of Region Eight’s Twelfth Step Within Committee address the twelfth day of every month as a day to reach out to still-suffering OA members, and on “twelve-twelve” (December 12), we double down. Everyone in OA acknowledges this official designation. According to my TSW Committee’s website, we … Read More
Atheists & Agnostics Higher Power Knock, Knock I went to my first OA meeting many years ago. I already knew someone, so it wasn’t too scary. I liked the meeting, having long ago figured out that food, for me, was an addiction just like alcohol or drugs. (That’s pretty common knowledge now but wasn’t in the 1980s.) How many times had I tried dieting in various forms—paid … Read More
Keep Coming Back Relapse OA is Ready When You Are It works if you work it. I’m writing because I’ve been listening and talking to OA members who have been around program for less time than me but have expressed disillusionment; I’ve heard concerns and criticisms about OA, the recovery of our members, and the effectiveness of the program. Comments have gone something like this: I don’t know if OA … Read More
Share It Shared Struggle When I received my April 2018 Lifeline magazine and opened it at random, I read the beautiful poem New Life Blooming. It struck me so much that I decided to bring it to my OA meeting that afternoon. I read it to the other members, and as we shared our thoughts about it, all of us realized we experienced some of … Read More
Keep Coming Back Relapse Renewed Humility, New Peace I am a returning member, back in OA after many relapses over the past fourteen years. Earlier this year, after almost a year of abstinent recovery and losing two thirds of the weight I need to lose for my health, I began experiencing painful and disturbing digestive symptoms. It took months for doctors to diagnose the trouble, and in the … Read More
Service Tools & Concepts For Others and For Me Service is a big part of my recovery. My disease is one of isolation, and selfishness is a character defect of mine. By giving service, I am forced to interact with others and become selfless. I do things for others without expecting anything in return. It’s a whole new concept for me, doing favors with no strings attached! I started … Read More
Telephone Tools & Concepts Interconnections When I first entered OA, I did not understand the interconnected web among the members. Someone gave me a daily readings book at my first meeting, but I never went back there. Years later, when I’d gained about 40 pounds (18 kg) and been warned I was pre-diabetic, I went to another meeting in a different city. I just listened … Read More