The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
I learned that one long ago in the program and often times it has nothing to do with what I want or can do for myself. HP told me that what I chose to do with mylife is my choice and how I chose to do it was what HP was concerned about. HP's will? To love and be loved no matter what job you take on.
When I think of HP's will I think of people like Mother Teresa. That would be optimum, but Mother Teresa I'm not (that's an understatement).
I'm not one to believe that our path is pre-set, nor written in stone. I think that in itself is what gives people angst. They wonder which is the right choice/path..when there is none. If our lives were predestined we wouldn't have choices at all.
I believe HP wants us to know joy and love..and be the change we want to see in the world. Simple as that.
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If we think that miracles are normal, we will expect them. And expecting a miracle is the surest way to get one.
I think you just know it becuase it feels right, even if it's costing you, you know it's the thing you must do to have peace in your head and heart. I think sometimes that I have evidence that I'm doing or am where my HP wills me to be becuase happenstance can't explain half of the weird stuff that goes on in my life. HOw many times a day do I meet someone who has a question and it turns out I am the person with the answer? Or how many times do I get onto an elevator to find a lonely old lady is there, needing someone to talk to. I'm not Mother Teresa either... none of us here are saints, are we? I'm not, that's for sure. But if I leave myself open ended, and let the chips fall where they may, I find that the lay of the land is a lot better off than if I tried to moneky with it, and therefore my own situation is improved by not doing a thing but allowing possibilities. I don't know if this helps any. but I can feel it... I can feel sometimes as the hairs standing on end on my arms... I can feel it when I meet someone who oddly enough mentions prayer, or says "one step at a time", or spontaneously starts sharing their past as an enabler or as an addict. And it happens to me all the time! I think we just know it because after a while, it finds you.
That is a fantastic question... and my only ESH would be my very personal opinions about it. I pray and meditate to get in touch with the true desires of my heart. I think that inspiration comes from my HP.
When I stray from that... I can feel it. I do feel it, because I am a hard headed human with my own free will. I get lost all the time. Thankfully, our HP seems to have a sense of humor and takes pity on me. I get to start over from where ever I am and follow that desire again. Get back on the path so to speak.
I have had moments that appeared to be blaring, flashing lights to go here, or put that down... but most of my life is more subtle than that.
I agree with others that if I try to force a yes/no or which answer to my prayers... that has more to do with my inpatience, and is almost never pointing me the right way.
Thank you for the great question... it was good for me to spend some time thinking about that today!
Take care of you!
- ron
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"Good judgement comes from experience... experience comes from bad judgement" - unknown
How do you know what is your HP's plan and will for you when prayer and meditation does not provide answers?
Dear Mythought
That is a great question? Many times I have prayed and prayed and felt like I got the voice mail and not my HP!
With a few years recovery under my belt, I realized that I was "praying amiss"! So, now, when I communicate with my HP, after I do my step 10 inventory, I tell my HP my "conditions" or "feelings" Not giving him/her a "laundry list" of demands or "I want this-that"
I just tell my HP, for instance, I have been alone a few years now so my prayer is "Dear HP, I feel lonely, and IF it is in your plan for me to find another partner, I give thanks for what ever loving companionship you send my way"
Its like Norman Vincent Peale used to write, what we say and visualize are powerful and its OK to visualize good health and decent wealth enough to meet our needs and healthy love and companionship and also healthy self expression-
I just thank my HP for what I do have and I also give thanks for the good plan he is manifesting in my life now
I get back spasms quite a bit! The last attack, I just embraced the pain and "thanked" HP for laying hands on me and healing me! I followed up with visualizations of my relaxing and the muscles releasing and I fell asleep! Next morning, I was a bit sore, but I was ok!
I think if I give my HP my "conditions" or my "feelings" and then give thanks for prayer heard and answered to my best interest, it seems to work better! I know I cannot make demands of the Creator! I can claim my good, but I leave it real generic unless it is something like when I had pulled my back out!
What a great question! I hope my thoughts shed some light on it! I am still learning about how to pray and how to listen to HP as well!
Neshema
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Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
When faced with several choices, the answer is not clear sometimes. Ultimately, I have to do the footwork but "can't even see my feet" to walk. I need a flash light to see where I am going!
