Spiritual Principle a Day for July 6, read by Gigi

Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:

voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com

July 6

Moving Forward with Passion

"Passion is a lot like desperation: It is a motivating, energizing force that can propel us forward."

—Living Clean, Chapter 1, “Desperation to Passion”

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The gift of desperation doesn’t look the same for all of us. One member quipped, “You can get off at any floor on the way down to hell.” All of us were propelled into NA by despair, pain, and fear. And—over time—we’re able to harness that energy to transform it into enough passion and excitement—even joy—to help us stay clean another day, grow spiritually, and live creatively and with purpose.

Living Clean reminds us: “Making the shift from desperation to passion is a First Step issue.” In desperation, we surrender to being powerless over our addiction, and ultimately surrender to the first steps on our path of a new life and to the purpose of carrying the NA message. The member continued, “After my initial surrender, the changes I saw in myself fueled my passion for recovery! I was energized by the potential of what could come next.” Like that initial surrender, this desperation-to-passion shift isn’t a one-time deal. Despair still happens in recovery. But we can allow it to motivate us, driving us to make needed changes to our program and reigniting our passion to persevere with purpose.

Passion, like desperation, doesn’t manifest in the same ways for all of us. Our personalities absolutely play a part in how our passion is revealed—and our mood also affects how we experience it. What is burning, purposeful, and creative passion on one day—excitement for sponsorship, motivation to serve, strongly held conviction—may look more like quiet fidelity to our program or begrudging perseverance on another. Although the fires may burn differently, they all propel us forward. Our passions don’t always remain fixed, either. We may revisit ones long forgotten and discover new ones. We’re free to passionately pursue the things that bring us joy and nurture our spirits—both in the rooms of NA and out in the world.

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Spiritual Principle:

Passion isn’t just a feeling. It’s an energy I’ll use today to move forward in my program, in my relationships, in my purpose.

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© NA World Services

This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for July 6, read by Gigi

Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:

voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com

July 6

I'm sorry

"The main thing [the Eighth Step] does for us is to help build awareness that, little by little, we are gaining new attitudes about ourselves and how we deal with other people."

Basic Text, p.38

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To say "I'm sorry" probably isn't such a foreign idea to most of us. In our active addiction, it may have been a very familiar phrase. We were always telling people how sorry we were, and were probably deeply surprised when someone, tired of our meaningless apologies, responded with, "You sure are. In fact, you're the sorriest excuse for..." That may have been our first clue that an "I'm sorry" didn't really make any difference to those we harmed, especially when we both knew that we'd just do the same thing again.

Many of us thought that making amends would be another "I'm sorry". However, the action we take in those steps is entirely different. Making amends means to make changes and, above all, to make the situation right. If we stole money, we don't just say, "I'm sorry. I'll never do it again now that I'm clean". We pay the money back. If we neglected or abused our families, we don't just apologize. We begin to treat them with respect.

Amending our behavior and the way we treat ourselves and others is the whole purpose of working the steps. We're no longer just "sorry", we're responsible.

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Just for today:

I accept responsibility for myself and my recovery. Today, I will amend some particular thing I'm sorry for. Just For Today Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts

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© NA World Services

This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for July 5, read by Gigi

Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:

voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com

July 5

Seeking Balance

"So many things compete for our attention, and as addicts we have a tendency to think in extremes: all or nothing, right or wrong. Finding the balance is an ongoing negotiation."

—Living Clean, Chapter 1, Opening Essay

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In recovery, when our lives get “bigger,” our already questionable attention span is pulled in many different directions. We have our NA life, and we balance it with work life, school life, home life, family life, sex life, and more. On top of that, we are now able to address the consequences of our using: improving our health, dealing with legal issues, making amends. And many of us are also pursuing other interests and goals that bring us joy. Through using the tools of the NA program, including prayer and meditation, we can maintain a manageable balance of all the above. We’re living by spiritual principles as much as humanly possible. We’re sincerely grateful more often than we aren’t.

What could possibly go wrong?

Sometimes it’s a truly life-altering event that will throw us off balance. Or maybe we make a mistake we can’t run from, or we don’t achieve something we’ve worked hard for and feel we deserve. Other times, if it’s only that we spill a glass of water, we’ll want to smash the glass and drown ourselves in the water.

Seeking balance—both in terms of our inner life and how we spend our time—is an ongoing negotiation. Reacting in extremes to our mistakes or to what we can’t control will wear us out and make us vulnerable to our disease. Just because we’re clean and doing well doesn’t mean that life will consistently get better and better without fail. We can be vigilant, but we can’t prepare for everything. If we have our program as a base and a constant in our lives, we will have spiritual principles, relationships, and a Higher Power to lean on when life inevitably shows up.

Life is unpredictable and can be chaotic. It’s the seeking of balance within the chaos that will help keep us clean and moving forward.

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Spiritual Principle:

I can commit to pursuing balance among all areas of my life. But it’s just as vital to my recovery that I accept life’s chaos—without adding to it.

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© NA World Services

This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for July 5, read by Gigi

Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:

voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com

July 5

Exploring spiritual options

"The nature of our belief will determine the manner of our prayers and meditation."

Basic Text, p.43

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How do we pray? For each NA member, this is a deeply personal matter. Many of us find that, over time, we develop a manner of prayer and meditation based on what we learn from others and what we are comfortable with.

Some of us arrive in NA with a closed mind toward a Power greater than ourselves. But when we sit down with our sponsor and discuss our difficulty, looking at the Second Step in depth, we are pleased to find that we can choose any concept of a Higher Power that appeals to us.

Just as our definition of a Power greater than ourselves differs from addict to addict, so does our manner of achieving a conscious contact". Some attend religious services; some chant; some sit quietly or talk with whatever is out there; some find a spiritual connection by communing with nature. The "right way" to pray and meditate is whatever way helps us improve our conscious contact with our own Higher Power.

Asking others how they found their spiritual guidance is always a good place to begin. Reading literature before we enter periods of meditation can also help us. Many have gone before us on this search. As we seek spiritual growth, we can greatly benefit from their experience.

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Just for today:

I will explore my options for improving my conscious contact with the God of my understanding. Just For Today Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts

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© NA World Services

This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

In this special episode, Voices of Recovery opens its July “Incarceration in Recovery” series with the extraordinary story of Gigi—a woman whose journey is a testament to the strength it takes to stay clean through life’s most difficult storms.

Gigi shares her experience growing up as a disabled child, how her deafness shaped her world and sense of self, and how challenges with self-esteem followed her into adulthood. Years of justifying her addiction through cancer treatments and multiple weight-loss surgeries only deepened her denial, until a heartbreaking tragedy involving her husband finally made her confront the truth.

The path to recovery was far from easy. The first fifty days, filled with "feelings" felt insurmountable. After a painful relapse, Gigi recommitted herself to recovery with unwavering determination. She found new purpose in selfless service, rising to become a respected and trusted servant on a 24/7 virtual platform of Narcotics Anonymous, giving back to the very community that supported her during her desperation during COVID times.

But Gigi’s strength would be tested again.

Her husband’s recent relapse and impending incarceration have turned her world upside down, threatening not just her emotional and spiritual wellbeing, but her financial independence and sense of security. She courageously discusses the ripple effects of incarceration—not only on the person inside, but on those left behind. Gigi opens up about the difficulty of sharing her struggles within her community, the fear of judgment, and the heavy burden she carries as a loved one facing such profound uncertainty.

Through it all, Gigi’s commitment to her recovery remains unshaken. She credits her continued clean time to the fellowship, her support network, and a willingness to surrender her fears and pain to a higher power. Her story is a powerful reminder that recovery is not just about starting over—it’s about finding the strength to stay the course, even when life throws its hardest challenges.

From laughter to tears, Gigi's powerful and passionate testimony fully demonstrates her personality and strength exhibited in times of trial and tribulation.

Join us for a deeply moving conversation about resilience, faith, and the hope that can be found on the other side of adversity. Gigi’s journey is one of perseverance and the unbreakable spirit that keeps her clean, one day at a time.

Spiritual Principle a Day for July 4, read by Gigi

Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:

voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com

July 4

Autonomy Balanced with Responsibility

"Autonomy encourages groups to become strong and lively but also reminds them that they are a vital part of a greater whole: the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous."

—It Works, Tradition Four

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We addicts can be pretty creative in how we deliver our simple message of recovery. We’re free to develop all kinds of meetings that focus on particular areas of recovery or literature, at any time of day. Autonomy gives us leeway to establish a meeting that addresses an unmet local need, has a unique format, or targets a particular group of addicts who may feel safer accessing and delivering our primary purpose together. The possibilities are endless as our Fellowship continues to evolve, strengthen, and reach an even wider geographic scope. How inspiring!

But let’s not forget the latter half of Tradition Four: “. . . except in matters affecting other groups or NA as a whole.” This warns of the pitfalls of using autonomy to divide us. Expressing complaints about important issues, such as finances, area guidelines, and Traditions “violations,” and then declining to be part of the solution is unproductive and creates disunity. Autonomy is not a mic drop. Instead, we can choose to examine our urge to raise an issue, asking ourselves if we want a solution or just want to make a statement.

Open-minded communication allows us to make reality-based decisions, unencumbered by personal opinions. Some members think service bodies have undue power over groups, and others may believe that all NA decisions must be made with group buy-in. We hear a lot about what they are doing. But WE are they. With autonomy comes responsibility: as seen on NA buttons and T-shirts, “Be the we!” In reality, we are accountable to each other, to NA as a whole, and to communicating our disagreements, as well as our message, with as much respect as we can muster.

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Spiritual Principle:

Freedom needs to be balanced with accountability and responsibility. I will respect our interconnectedness and play a role in creating a Fellowship that is united, loving, and diverse.

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© NA World Services

This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Just for Today meditation for July 4, read by Gigi

Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:

voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com

July 4

Conflict

"We learn that conflicts are a part of reality, and we learn new ways to resolve them instead of running from them."

Basic Text, p.87

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From time to time, we all experience conflicts. It may be that we just can't get along with that new co-worker. Maybe our friends are driving us crazy. Or perhaps our partner isn't living up to our expectations. Dealing with any conflict is difficult for recovering addicts.

When tempers rise, it is often a good idea to back away from the situation until cooler minds prevail. We can always return for further discussion when we have calmed down. We can't avoid troubling situations, but we can use time and distance to find perspective.

Conflict is a part of life. We can't go through our entire recovery without encountering disagreements and differences of opinion. Sometimes we can back away from these situations, taking time to reflect on them, but there always comes a time when conflict must be resolved. When that time comes, we take a deep breath, say a prayer, and apply the principles our program has given us: honesty, openness, responsibility, forgiveness, trust, and all the rest. We didn't get clean to keep running from life-and in recovery, we don't have to run anymore.

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Just for today:

The principles my program has given me are sufficient to guide me through any situation. I will strive to confront conflict in a healthy way. Just For Today Daily Meditations for Recovering Addicts

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© NA World Services

This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom

Spiritual Principle a Day for July 3, read by Gigi

Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to:

voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com

July 3

Empathy, Connection, and Identification

"Empathy is the ability to connect with others at the level of the heart and the spirit.""

—Living Clean, Chapter 5, “Friendship”

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Many of us have had the experience of hearing someone else tell our story. We love it when we recognize ourselves in the details of how another member went about “getting and using and finding ways and means to get more.” Relating to the specifics is far from typical, however, so how is it that we identify with others’ experience when, really, it’s not our own?

Identification doesn’t require that we come from the same place. After all, hitting “rock bottom” often has little to do with our circumstances. Our willingness to give recovery a try can emerge in wildly different contexts. One member shared, “By outward appearances, I had it all. And yet, I felt isolated and alone, filled with fear, resentment, and regret.” Another recalled, “The source of my desperation wasn’t living on the streets. It came from that hollow ache of hopelessness, shame, and sadness deep inside me.” Many of us will relate to both stories—and so many more—because they express the emotional state that precedes the gift of desperation.

We share a few telling particulars in our stories because it keeps us in touch with where we came from and what awaits us should we return to using. We revisit that desperation and touch base with our First Step. And that’s where we connect, too. Empathy has the power to bind us together regardless of our stories. One member shared, “The disease will tell me ‘you’re not like these people,’ but my spirit can’t help but connect when I focus on the feelings.”

As we stay clean and experience the Twelve Steps, our ability to connect with heart and spirit expands. Beyond the using stories that qualify us as drug addicts, we share a common path, a spiritual program in which we learn to practice living principle-centered lives. Recovery gives us access to the range of emotions we’ll need to respond to life’s ups and downs. When NA groups make it safe for intimate sharing, we can summon the courage to share our feelings—good, bad, and ugly—and make room for empathy to emerge.

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Spiritual Principle:

I will listen empathetically, connecting to others with my heart and my spirit. I will disclose more about my emotional life so that others might connect with me.

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© NA World Services

This podcast is not affiliated with Narcotics Anonymous, and is an independent production of the Works of Wisdom