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Long before I learned about the AA program, I had all of the answers. And they were all right! Not only that but I ALWAYS had to be right, even if very wrong. Soon after starting to work the AA program, I discovered that this attitude was making me a very unhappy person whenever I… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Know Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong

When either beginning to work the program or reviewing our program, life can seem to be more of a struggle. I find it best to start with Step 1 and go on through the steps in order. Step 1 says “We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and our lives had become unmanageable.” Common sense… Continue reading Spirituality and Step 1. How it is not just for newcomers but for any who want to know how to begin working their program of recovery

https://anchor.fm/james-b-boylan/episodes/2-21–Spirituality-and-Discussion-with-Manny-from-the-East-Side-of-Flint-e1e2c3i

When I was new to the AA Program, my thoughts were all over the place. I often wondered why I seemed to have more emotions than I had before. Whenever someone close, even only fairly close, was ill or made their transition, I became very emotional. Whereas before I didn’t get emotionally involved in hardly… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Make It Through A Long, Tough Day

Spirituality is part of my entire system – my physical body, my thoughts, my actions, my existence. I do not always heed its gentle urgings, though. I sometimes totally deny its existence. But it is there and everywhere just like the air we breathe. If a child ignores or fails to heed the urgings of… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Deal With Frustration

A few months ago, I celebrated the 45th anniversary of my last drink. In Earth years, this is a long time. In the Eternity of our Spiritual Life, this is a drop in the bucket. In my earth life, this is over half without a drink. What got me to this point? Embracing the AA… Continue reading Spirituality and Now what do I do?

When I first came into AA, I was quite lost when it came to prayer and/or meditation. Maybe even a little intimidated by hearing about prayer. I would usually pray saying “God, get me out of this…..(fill in the blanks)… and I will never do it again.” He would get me out of it and… Continue reading Spirituality and Learning How To Pray Affirmatively

Today, Reverend Stephanie Sorensen, of the Life Enrichment Center (LEC) in Flint Township, MI. lecflint.com She is a “New Thought” minister who has agreed to share some of her vast knowledge of Spirituality and Recovery with us. To listen to this discussion, go to https://anchor.fm/james-b-boylan Please let us know what you think. We can be… Continue reading Spirituality and Discussion With Reverend Stephanie Sorensen

Tomorrow the podcast with our special guest, Reverend Stephanie Sorensen, from the Flint Life Enrichment Center, https://lecflint.com/, will be published. Be sure to hear her and our other podcasts by going to https://anchor.fm/james-b-boylan

We talked briefly recently about the ripple effect and how it applies to our everyday thoughts and actions. Every particle in the Universe is in constant motion or vibration. Since all is in vibration, this causes a ripple effect. We learned this in high school science. Think of the smallest particle of all, the Atom,… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Understand The Ripple Effect

We have another amazing guest on our podcast tomorrow, Friday, February 3, 2022. Reverend Stephanie Sorensen, of the Flint, MI Life Enrichment Center, is a “New Thought” minister whose spiritual message is one that mirrors and enhances the messages forwarded by AA and other recovery groups. To reach our podcasts, go to https://anchor.fm//james-b-boylan

The AA Preamble that we hear before every meeting here ends with “Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.” This does not say that this is A purpose. It is OUR PRIMARY PURPOSE. I have seen too many people coming into the program who are instantly an expert… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Realize Our Primary Purpose As Recovering Alcoholics

Emmet Fox was the Spiritual Advisor for Bill W. and many of the earliest AA members. He was one of the earliest leaders of New Thought thinking. I rapidly took him, figuratively, from the grave and made him my Spiritual Advisor, too, through his writings, thoughts, and teachings. To this day, he never ceases to… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Use Your Thoughts To Vastly Improve Your Entire System

Recovery from a significant loss can be a very stressful undertaking. To understand this better, let’s see what is included in significant loss. This can be the loss of a close person to death, jail, Alzheimer’s, or prison. Or our own lack of mobility, impending death, losing relationships, fading eyesight. And, yes, the loss of… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Recover After Suffering Significant Loss

The Program of AA gives us a whole new awareness. It shows us exactly how to take advantage of the spirituality that is mentioned in the program. OK, how do I use my continuing growth of spiritual knowledge to my advantage? It all goes back to the first 3 steps of AA. Also, how much… Continue reading Spirituality And In What Way Has This New Awareness Worked To Improve Or Worsen My Life Or Am I Just As Confused Now As Ever

We have talked before about AA being a spiritual not a religious program. Also, that it is a very simple program for very complicated folks. We accept the Physical laws, such as Gravity, as real and factual. Spiritual laws are every bit as true and factual but probably new concepts to us. The Law of… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Understand The Law of Attraction

This is our first podcast episode featuring guests. Our first discussion guest is Father Jay Gantz, of the Flint, MI St Andrews Church. Flint is annually ranked at or near the top of the list of most impoverished cities with overwhelming criminal violence. St Andrews is in the most impoverished area of this city. He… Continue reading Podcast Discussion with Father Jay Gantz

What comes to mind when you first look at this topic? Webster defines poverty as: the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. It goes on to add: scarcity and dearth. Lack of money is the most common thought about poverty. But there is definitely more… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Positively Deal With Your Poverty

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. To utilize this step is to really feel Happy, Joyous, and Free! You have worked your way through 11 Steps of AA in the order suggested… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Productively Utilize Step 12

We are pleased to announce that our guest for our Podcast of January 31, 2022 is Father Jay Gantz, from the Flint, MI St. Andrews Church. Father Jay has been involved in working with people in recovery in large inner-city parishes and soup kitchens throughout the US. He has very successfully operated a soup kitchen… Continue reading Announcing Our Podcast Guest for January 31, 2022

Step 8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.  Step 9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. We are beginning to really feel much better now. So, we’re only as sick as… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Work The Amends Steps

When I came into AA, I was spiritually bankrupt. I did not know what Spirituality was. I had had no prior religious training or real experience. My only prayers were foxhole prayers. He would get me out of a situation and I would chump Him. Or He would not get me out of a situation… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Know It’s In The AA Program

“I’m sorry!” “I am sorry!” “I’m sorry, and I will never do that again!” When in the madness, how many times did you say this? And REALLY MEAN IT THIS TIME? It was usually said with attitude. Probably to the very same people that you are getting ready to make amends to now? How many… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Advance Your Attitude With The Amends Phase

Guests begin on our podcast on January 31, 2022. Our first guest will be Father Jay Gantz, from St. Andrews Church, Flint, MI. Father Jay has been in parishes in the inner cities of New York, Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit to name a few, and has been at St. Andrews for over 20 years. Flint has… Continue reading Podcast Update

Am I the only one who believed that Spirituality was only to be found when experiencing a monk like existence? That I could only enjoy life if I were depriving myself of simple pleasures? That I must suffer to reap the benefits? I was finally enlightened by my Spiritual Advisor, Reverend Stephanie Sorensen, to the… Continue reading How To Discover Spirituality In Everyday Life

It seems like when, in the madness, I always hurt the people who were the closest to me the most. Especially my family. It is best demonstrated by the old prayer “God, get me out of this situation and I will never do it again!” Or, by my saying “I will never do (fill in… Continue reading Spirituality and What can I do to make my family love me again?

In the Bible Book of St. Matthew 21: v22 it says “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Isn’t this a beautiful thought? This is the forerunner of “Fake it till you make it”. This is one of the best pieces of advice that I ever received from my original… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Know That Faith Works

Since coming into AA, I have heard the response a lot “I’m living the dream” said rather facetiously to the question “How are you doing?” This is said as if “life is still hard but, at least, I am hanging on.” I really wish that more would be able to take the snark out of… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Happily Live the Dream

Simplify don’t amplify! The AA Program is a very simple program for very complicated folks. I believe that this is even more true for people who have been in the program for longer lengths of time. When new, we see others who are Happy, Joyous, and Free and it is much simpler to copy what… Continue reading Spirituality and How To Simplify Your AA Program

We have exciting news! Our podcast is about to expand! I will soon be joined by guests in the podcasts. They will run the background  spectrum from Spirituality leaders to street people who will share their experiences, strengths, and hopes with us so that we can continue improving our own lives. The first episode with… Continue reading Soon we’ll have a new format for our podcasts