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More On The Absolutes

November 14th 2006 02:00

Page Three of the Phamphlet.

The Absolutes

"We walked into this large group of which we had heard so much, but had never attended. From the vestibule we saw a placard on the corner of the far wall which said 'Easy Does it.' We turned left to park our coat. We turned back and there on the other corner of the same wall was a twin placard which said, 'First Things First.' Then facing to the front of the room, high above the platform we was in the largest letters of all, 'But for the Grace of God.' Then as our eyes descended, there directly on the front of the podium was another with four words, 'Honesty, Unselfishness, Purity and Love.'

"In the next ten minutes as we sat unnoticed in the last row waiting for the meeting to start, many thoughts tumbled throufh a mind that was really startled by this first face to face meeting with the four Absolutes for a very long time.

"We started to grade ourselves fearlessly on our own progress toward these Absolutes through long years of sobriety. The score was a pitiful, lonely little score. We thought of a fine lead recently heard in which a patient humble brother had told his story and had mentioned his overwhelming sense of gratitude as an important ingredient of his fifteen years of sobriety.

"And in listing things for which he was so grateful, he mentioned how comfortable it was to be completely honest. Certainly he meant nothing prideful. He simply meant that he told his wife and friends the truth as best he could, had no fishy stories to reconcile, was honest Your text with money and material things, etc.

"This was a truly grateful, humble fellow. Certainly he did not resemble the man pictured in the cartoon, speaking to a large audience, pounding on the table and with a jutting chin proclaiming in a loud voice that he had more humility than anyone there and could prove it

"But just think of 'complete honesty.' Is it not the eternal search for truth which is endless, and in wich none achieve perfection?

"What do the four Absolutes mean to most of us? Words are tools. Like any other tools, they get rusty and corroded when not used. More importantly, we must familiarize ourselves with the tools, understand them, and ever improve our skill in their use. Else the end product, if any, is pathetically poor.

"We thought of a dear friend in the fellowship, prone like other alcoholics to move quickly from one hobby or interest to another, without really doing much with any of them. (Does that sound like someone you know?) Once this friend decided that working with his hands would solve some problems, quiet his nerves, perhaps help him to achieve serenity and balance. So he reviewed an impressive collection of tool catalogues with friends already addicted to the woodworking hoby.

"He bought a large expensive collection of tools, and a lot of equipment. He hired a carpenter to build a shop in his basement, install the equipment, and make custom-built racks to house the tools. But in the end not one shaving and not one tiny bit of saw-dust graced the floor. The idle tools serve just as well to keep our friend occupied while he doesn't go to meetings, do Twelfth Step work or engage in other happy activity in AA

"How many of you will be completely honest and admit that you have put the four Absolutes in the attic, a little rusty from non-use perhaps, but none the worse for wear? Give or take a little, how many of us who still maintain the workshop for the Absolutes, will admit that not too many shavings or much sawdust from our activity have ever graced its floor? Or even assuming that the activity has persisted, how many will admit that the end product did not win a prize for its quality?

"Such lack of quality can only mean lack of objectives or lack of all-out efford toward such objectives. We must recognize the Absolutes as guideposts to the finest and highest objectives to mortal man. But recognition is not enough. We must use the tools."

~~ Anon

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The Four Absolutes

November 14th 2006 01:19

I was being a little lazy and a lot sick by posting only when Spirit moved. Spirit has moved me back to where I should be. I'll go back to The Prophet, but first, let me share this with you.

This is a booklet/phamphlet once published by Alcohlics Anonymous. It's little known now; may you enjoy its wealth.

The Absolutes are: Honesty, Unselfishness, Love, Purity.

The Four Absolutes

Forward

"Spelled out as such, the Four Absolutes are not a formal part of our AA philosophhy of lfe. Since this is true, some may claim the Absolutes shoudl be ignored. This premise is approximately as sound as it would be to suggest that the Holy Bible should be scuttled.

"The Absolutes were borrowed from the Oxford Goup Movement back in the days when our society was in its humble beginning. In those days our founders and their early colleagues were earnestly seeking for any and all sources of help to define and formulate suggestions that might guide us in the pursuit of a useful, happy and signifigant sober life.

"Because the Absolutes are not specifically repeated in our Steps or Traditions, some of us are inclined to forget them. Yet in many old time groups where the solid spirit of our fellowship is so strongly exemplified, the Absolutes receive frequent mention. Indeed, you often find a set of old placards, carfelly preserved, which are trotteed out for prominent display each meeting night.

"There could be unanimity on the proposition that living our way life must include not only an awareness but a constant striving toward greater achievement in the qualities which the Absolutes represent. Many who have lost the precious gift of sobriety would ascribe it to carelessness in seeking these objectives. If you will revisit the Twelve Steps with care, you will find the Four Absolutes form a thread which is discermible [sic] in a sober life of quality, every step of a glorious journey"

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Freedom: The Strongest Chain

November 3rd 2006 22:07

And an orator said, "Speak to us of Freedom". And he answered:

"At the city gate and by your fireside I have seen you prostrate yourself and worship your own freecom, even as slaves humble themselves before a tyrant and praise him though he slays them. Ay, in the grove of the temple and in the shadow of the citadel I have seen the freest among you wear their freedom as a yoke and a handcuff. And my heart bled within me; for you can only be free when even the desire of seeking freedom becomes a harness to you, and when you cease to speak of freedom as a goal and a fulfillment.
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In The Sunlight, In The Wind

November 2nd 2006 02:00

And the weaver said, Speak to us of Clothes. And he answered:

"Your clothes coneal much of your beauty, yet they hide not the unbeautiful. And though you seek in garments the freedom of privacy you may find in them a harness and a chain. Would that you could meet the sun and the wind with more of your skin and less of your raiment, for the breath of life is in the sunlight and the hand of life is in the wind.
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With A Great Voice . . . . . . . . He Spoke Of Love

October 31st 2006 01:49

And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said:

"When love beckons to you, follow him, though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
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Giving And Receiving Of Pleasure

October 30th 2006 02:45

Then a hermit, who visited the city once a year, came forth and said, Speak to us of Pleasure. And he answered saying:

"Pleasure is a freedom song,

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Not Teaching, But Leading

October 29th 2006 03:48

Then said a teacher, 'Speak to us of Teaching'. And he said:

"No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of your knowledge. The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness. If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of his wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind. The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space, but he cannot give you his understanding. The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space, but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm nor the voice that echoes it. And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and measure, but he cannot conduct you thither. For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man. And even as each of you stands alone in God's knowledge, so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God and in his understanding of the earth."
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Life And Death Are One

October 27th 2006 06:09

Of Death, he spoke, "You would know the secret of death. But how shall you find it unless you seek it in the heart of life? The owl whose night-bound eyes are blind unto the day cannot unveil the mystery of light. If you would indeed behold the spirit of death, open your heart wide unto the body of life. For life and death are one, even as the river and the sea are one.

"In the depth of your hopes and desires lies your silent knowledge of the beyond; and like seeds dreaming beneath the snow your heart dreams of spring. Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity. Your fear of death is but the trembling of the shepherd when he stands before the king whose hand is to be laid upon him in honour. Is the shepherd not joyful beneath his trembling, that he shall wear the mark of the king? Yet is he not more mindful of his trembling?
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The Prophet:

October 26th 2006 03:13

And one of the elders of the city said, Speak to us of Good and Evil.

"Of the good in you I can speak, but not of the evil. For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst? Verily when good is hungry it seeks food even in dark caves, and when it thirsts it drinks even of dead waters.
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