Higher Power Spirituality HP on a Personal Level For twenty-three years, I had been active in OA but never could get lasting abstinence. So, I started focusing on the spiritual side of the Steps, immersing myself in gaining a closer relationship with my God and Higher Power. I didn’t want to just believe in a Higher Power; I wanted to know my HP on a personal level. The … Read More
Diversity Newcomers Core Connections I have been attending OA for about ten months. From a friend, I had some idea of what to expect coming into my first meeting. I have a tendency to deeply connect with the emotions of other people in any room. Sometimes this is a blessing, sometimes it’s a struggle. In that first OA meeting, I immediately felt the openness … Read More
Gratitude Recovery My True Value Freedom from compulsion and excess weight is the treasure that those of us plagued by food addiction covet most! What does this freedom look like? A wise man said, “It’s a sparkle in the eye that exemplifies it.” Another source says it’s the genuine, natural smile on one’s face that whispers acceptance of others—after all, a smile is the universal … Read More
Steps Traditions Simplicity and Beauty Before program, I dealt with work, family, and friendship challenges through power and manipulation. Tradition Two taught me another way. It suggests we serve and let HP govern. When faced with a difficulty in an OA group, Tradition Two gives me step-by-step instructions: (1) ask for guidance from HP; (2) discuss the issue carefully; (3) vote; (4) trust HP’s will. … Read More
Steps Soul Food Step Five is where we begin to learn how to love ourselves. Most of us know something is wrong in the way we’re living, but we have no idea how to address it. When we allow ourselves to get vulnerable with another human being in Step Five, we open a door that creates greater understanding of our personality and character—the … Read More
How OA Changed My Life Recovery Applying the Traditions This year I will celebrate my twenty-first anniversary with my large corporate employer, a miracle I can only attribute to the OA program and my Higher Power. I am grateful for this continuing gainful employment that has enabled me to provide financially for myself and my now-grown children. I am exceedingly mindful that this anniversary might not have come to … Read More
Anorexia & Bulimia Diversity Sticking with It When I joined OA twenty years ago, I wasn’t interested in physical recovery. I needed help with my out-of-control emotions and relationships, but I was too scared to start from scratch in any Twelve Step fellowship for emotions and relationships. I was anorexic, so I could go every week to OA meetings (instead of once a month to “open” meetings of … Read More
How OA Changed My Life Recovery Life Transformed OA not only changed my life but this recovery program also gave me a life worth living. Before I became abstinent from sugar, compulsive overeating, and compulsive food behaviors, I lived a life in food, using it constantly to manage and escape feelings and stress. I’d never want to go back to the way it was before I found OA, and … Read More
Higher Power Shift Change “Our path in OA transcends weight loss and a return to emotional health.” — Seeking the Spiritual Path A change of attitude toward a Higher Power and a few simple actions were vital in changing my life. Whether I liked it or not, it was having faith in a Power greater than myself and developing that spiritual relationship that saved … Read More
How OA Changed My Life Recovery Peaceful and Active I am 91 years old and enjoying a fairly active, peaceful life because of OA. I joined OA at the age of 51, after struggling with my weight since childhood. I’d always dieted but immediately regained the weight. I was a degreed registered nurse who knew a lot about food and diets, but that didn’t help. Since childhood, I had … Read More
