Third Legacy Report for May
Working a 3 legacy program.
“So the solution to our alcoholism is found in the Three Legacies (Recovery, Unity and Service) passed down to us by our co-founders, Dr. Bob, Bill W. and the first pioneers of AA. Each legacy has twelve guiding spiritual principles. A total of 36 guiding principles. Each of spiritual principles are contained in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (Recovery, Unity, Service), the Twelve and Twelve (Recovery and Unity), and the General Service Manual (Service).”
Is working a single legacy recovery really recovery? AA has been given three legacies, 36 principles to lead a life of recovery in a fit spiritual condition. When we only work one leg.. or maybe even 2 legs we are not living in a program of recovery as given to us.
Starting with our home group. Do you participate in your home group or do you just come to the meeting? If you are just there to be at a meeting, then is it really a homegroup to you? Participation is what makes it a homegroup. Being active with your GSR, expressing your thoughts, listening to them bringing back the news, engaged in the conversation as a whole. Do you work in a position of service with your homegroup? Do you strive to help carry the message with your homegroup? These are all part of working the three legs of a triangle, living in a 3 legacy recovery. If you are not participating in the business meeting then in fact your absence is still a vote, but is it really a vote you want to cast? If you are not there, are you really part of the group's spiritual connection?
If you do not have a homegroup that works the 3 legacies, does not have a GSR, does not strive to carry the message outside the meeting, the question then is, is it really a homegroup or just a meeting you attend, and how then can you work a full program of recovery?
Is your Sponsor working with you to guide you through traditions and Concepts? When we ask some one to sponcer us in program, we are asking them to guide us through the program to reach a fit spiritual connection, through the steps... but should this end only in one legacy? Is there note so much more to learn and grow with? As A sponsor, do you encompass all the legacies with your sponsee? A full and active life in recovery starts with a good sponsor.
Beyond our homegroup, working a full program of the 3 legs of the triangle, are you using all 36 principals in your daily life? We must carry all this in our daily affairs in all ways. Living with only the steps means we are short changing ourselves. While the steps bring us to a place of a fit spiritual condition that relieves us of the obsession, this is only temporary unless we act and learn to encompass this is our daily life, and furthermore, AA is not just about relief from the obsession it is a new way of life. That new way of life is brought to us fully when we are able and willing to learn to use not just the steps, but all the legacies in our interactions , with family, community and all those we engage with in our daily affairs.
Our solution to alcoholism is found in the three legacies. By saying alcoholism, it means more than just the allergy… but the life that was led before we came to the rooms of AA. The 3 legacies are a solution that changes our life, grants us the ability to have a new life that is connected to a higher power and enables us to live full happy lives.
Recovery, to relive the obsession.
Unity, to come together with all people
Service, to be useful to others.
These principals start with working with your homegroup in all its affairs, to gain knowledge and ability with the legacies. With your sponsor who should be teaching you about them, guiding a path for you though them. Then taking that knowledge and ability into your daily affairs.
IF your sponsor is not working with you..
IF your homegroup does not, encourage them..
Then ask yourself.. are you really able and working all three legs of the triangle? or are you just getting by working a single legacy recovery and missing the best parts of what this program can bring you.
Thank you
In love and service
Gary E Dist. 46 3rd legacy chair.
Hello,
Also, It was discussed at previous Dist. meeting, North of 12th will be hosting a speaker meeting that brings in a member in General Service on the 5th Sunday when a month has them.
May H, our wonderful CPC chair has accepted to be our first speaker. I have a flier attached. It would be great if we could get this posted to the website. This is an open invite to all members.
Thank you.
In Love and Service,
Gary E
Also, It was discussed at previous Dist. meeting, North of 12th will be hosting a speaker meeting that brings in a member in General Service on the 5th Sunday when a month has them.
May H, our wonderful CPC chair has accepted to be our first speaker. I have a flier attached. It would be great if we could get this posted to the website. This is an open invite to all members.
Thank you.
In Love and Service,
Gary E
Third Legacy Report April
Become Spiritual Leaders.
We need to ask ourselves when we make ourselves available, is this something I am passionate about? Is this something I can do with passion? Is this something I can grow and bring new ideas to?
In my journey through General service, I ask myself before I make myself available, is this something that I am passionate about. Is this something that I feel I can do and bring something to? Or am I just putting my hand up because no one else has…? I for one, in general service, have areas I have no interest in, as such I would not make myself available for. I have no passion for the treasurer. Not that I don't feel it's important, it absolutely is.. I just don't have passion or interest in it. I have no passion for the grapevine.. I almost never read it. That does not take away the absolute importance of it, it just means it is not a big part of my sobriety.
With that in mind, should I step up to fill roles in those, I would not be the best member to fill those roles, I would not be a good leader in those roles. Concept 9 tells us we need to put forth the best among us to fill those roles and that responsibility lies not only with the groups, but within ourselves as well.
Service should be about what we can do to keep AA alive for the still suffering. When we decided to be a part of general service it has to be because we want to ensure that the doors and meeting will be here with the new member walks through the door. It can not be because we feel we need it to keep us sober. General service is not a replacement for a fit spiritual connection, it is not a path of sobriety, rather it is an action of our 12th step that helps ensure the message can be carried.
Mindfulness needs to be looked at, and ask ourselves, is our choice to be in general service stem from our desire to ensure the message is carried or from our ego and self centeredness? Service does not keep me sober, my higher power keeps me sober. Then further we must be mindful that we do not ever let our roles in general service begin to replace our spiritual path or become our higher power. We do, though; want to become a spiritual leader that empowers others. We want to strive to show how general service can and does enhance our recovery, but not be the means of our recovery. To be a spiritual leader that leads by example and guides others, to empower others and show that every member matters and make sure that the doors are open to the newcomer has a place to go and the message is always carried. It is up to us to keep it alive, it's up to us to keep the best people to fill the rolls, it's up to us to keep the message alive and the hand of AA able to reach out to any one anywhere.
We all need to be a spiritual leader to the best of our capacity. Lead with compassion, love and openness. Fortunately, there are so many options of service, means of service and types of service. There is something for everyone, and we all need to be a part of service, but in the capacity that suits us, in the means and ways that we can do it best.
If not now.. then when?
If not me, then who?
Gary
Third Legacy Chair
[email protected]
We need to ask ourselves when we make ourselves available, is this something I am passionate about? Is this something I can do with passion? Is this something I can grow and bring new ideas to?
In my journey through General service, I ask myself before I make myself available, is this something that I am passionate about. Is this something that I feel I can do and bring something to? Or am I just putting my hand up because no one else has…? I for one, in general service, have areas I have no interest in, as such I would not make myself available for. I have no passion for the treasurer. Not that I don't feel it's important, it absolutely is.. I just don't have passion or interest in it. I have no passion for the grapevine.. I almost never read it. That does not take away the absolute importance of it, it just means it is not a big part of my sobriety.
With that in mind, should I step up to fill roles in those, I would not be the best member to fill those roles, I would not be a good leader in those roles. Concept 9 tells us we need to put forth the best among us to fill those roles and that responsibility lies not only with the groups, but within ourselves as well.
Service should be about what we can do to keep AA alive for the still suffering. When we decided to be a part of general service it has to be because we want to ensure that the doors and meeting will be here with the new member walks through the door. It can not be because we feel we need it to keep us sober. General service is not a replacement for a fit spiritual connection, it is not a path of sobriety, rather it is an action of our 12th step that helps ensure the message can be carried.
Mindfulness needs to be looked at, and ask ourselves, is our choice to be in general service stem from our desire to ensure the message is carried or from our ego and self centeredness? Service does not keep me sober, my higher power keeps me sober. Then further we must be mindful that we do not ever let our roles in general service begin to replace our spiritual path or become our higher power. We do, though; want to become a spiritual leader that empowers others. We want to strive to show how general service can and does enhance our recovery, but not be the means of our recovery. To be a spiritual leader that leads by example and guides others, to empower others and show that every member matters and make sure that the doors are open to the newcomer has a place to go and the message is always carried. It is up to us to keep it alive, it's up to us to keep the best people to fill the rolls, it's up to us to keep the message alive and the hand of AA able to reach out to any one anywhere.
We all need to be a spiritual leader to the best of our capacity. Lead with compassion, love and openness. Fortunately, there are so many options of service, means of service and types of service. There is something for everyone, and we all need to be a part of service, but in the capacity that suits us, in the means and ways that we can do it best.
If not now.. then when?
If not me, then who?
Gary
Third Legacy Chair
[email protected]
Third Legacy Report March
I have been doing concepts study with Past delgate Andy A.
I spoke about 3rd legacy Feb 13 at the Fidalgo group speaker meeting. 45 min speaker spot where I covered third legacy, service and the importance of service. The speaker part was recorded and will be available for those who want to hear it.
Working on plans for workshops coming up.
That is all for now.
Thank you
In service
Gary E.