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Surrender meme Work the steps meme

letting go of self-will and ego

Posted: Sun, Oct 3, 2004 08:41:59 AM

this reading is the reminder i need to have every day. i have spent these last set of steps discovering and building the sense of self i so sorely lacked when i got clean. i often confuse the sense of self and self-will, thinking that i am being assertive and standing-up for myself when actually i am being agressive and manipulative. the difference was pointed out in the reading
"living in harmony with the world around me"
what an excellent test! of course in my crude manner i must reduce and simplify it to the "asshole" test. if i come across more than one "asshole" in the course of my daily activities the chances are very great (approaching certainty) that it is me who is living in self-will and not in harmony with the world around me.
am i very good about looking for this simple measure in the here and now? well i am better than i used to be. if i continue to stay clean, follow the simple suggestions of my sponsor, and stay connected witht he fellowship that gave me a new life, the chance approach certainty that i will continue to improve on applying the "asshole" test in real-time and not after the fact.
thank GOD i do not have to do this perfectly each day, just do my very best, because i would have given up a long time ago against the standard of perfection.
-- DT --

Another Look

This day in older entries

๐Ÿ’ฅ as i learn ๐Ÿ‘Œ
627 words ➥ Saturday, October 3, 2026 by donnot
๐ŸŽŒ well, i hope ๐ŸŽŒ
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๐Ÿ™„ addiction and ๐Ÿ™„
510 words ➥ Thursday, October 3, 2024 by donnot
๐Ÿณ surrendering ๐Ÿณ
530 words ➥ Tuesday, October 3, 2023 by donnot
๐Ÿ˜ˆ my ideas, ๐Ÿ˜‰
424 words ➥ Monday, October 3, 2022 by donnot
๐Ÿ˜ƒ my selfish desires ๐Ÿ˜‰
173 words ➥ Sunday, October 3, 2021 by donnot
๐Ÿ˜  living in harmony ๐Ÿ˜ฃ
227 words ➥ Saturday, October 3, 2020 by donnot
๐Ÿ˜Ž acting on ๐Ÿ˜Ž
484 words ➥ Thursday, October 3, 2019 by donnot
๐Ÿคฏ excluding myself ๐Ÿคซ
449 words ➥ Wednesday, October 3, 2018 by donnot
๐ŸŽ the fullness ๐Ÿ
672 words ➥ Tuesday, October 3, 2017 by donnot
โœ‹ freedom from ego โœŒ
566 words ➥ Monday, October 3, 2016 by donnot
โŠ— losing self will โŠ—
511 words ➥ Saturday, October 3, 2015 by donnot
ยค today, living on self-will can make my life ยค
488 words ➥ Friday, October 3, 2014 by donnot
ยง i find that i lead a richer, happier, and much fuller life ยง
357 words ➥ Sunday, October 3, 2010 by donnot
ฮฑ living in harmony ฮฉ
337 words ➥ Monday, October 3, 2005 by donnot

Tao Te Ching

☯ The Tao that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao ☯

The Tao Teh King, or The Tao and Its Characteristics
by Lao-Tse
Translated by James Legge

Book 1

1) There was something undefined and complete, coming into existence
before Heaven and Earth. How still it was and formless, standing alone,
and undergoing no change, reaching everywhere and in no danger (of
being exhausted)! It may be regarded as the Mother of all things.