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.
They are not on pgs. 269-270 of the "From Survival to Recovery" Book (Rev. 2007) that I just bought. I found the Promises online and printed them out, and would love to know if they are in this book, just somewhere else?
They are actually on p. 267-268 from Survival to Recovery, although they are not "listed" as The Promises. Rather they are written in paragraph format, similar to The Promises of AA in the Big Book.
-- Edited by glad lee on Tuesday 5th of June 2012 02:59:31 PM
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The prayer isn't for Higher Power to change our lives, but rather to change us.
"If we willingly surrender ourselves to the spiritual discipline of The Twelve Steps and work the program, our lives will be transformed. Members work the program by being willing to attend meetings on a regular basis, reading Al-Anon/Alateen literature, getting a sponsor, working toward applying the 12 Steps of recovery to their lives and by becoming involved in Al-Anon Service work as they begin to recover.
1. We will become mature, responsible individuals with a great capacity for joy, fulfillment, and wonder. Though we may never be perfect, continued spiritual progress will reveal to us our enormous potential.
2. We will discover that we are both, worthy of love and loving. We will love others without losing ourselves, and will learn to accept love in return.
3. Our sight, once clouded and confused, will clear and we will be able to perceive reality and recognize truth.
4. Courage and fellowship will replace fear. We will be able to risk failure to develop new hidden talents.
5. Our lives, no matter how battered and degraded, will yield hope to share with others.
6. We will begin to feel and will come to know the vastness of our emotions, but will not be slaves to them.
7. Our secrets will no longer bind us in shame.
8. As we gain the ability to forgive our families, the world, and ourselves our choices will expand.
9. With dignity we will stand for ourselves, but not against our fellows.
10. Serenity and peace will have meaning for us, as we allow our lives and the lives of those we love to flow, day by day, with Gods ease, balance, and grace.
11. No longer terrified, we will discover we are free to delight in lifes paradox, mystery, and awe.
12. We will laugh more.
13. Fear will be replaced by faith, and gratitude will come naturally as we realize that our Higher Power is doing for us what we cannot do for ourselves.
Can we really grow to such proportions? Only if we accept life as a continuing process of maturation and evolution toward wholeness. Then we suddenly begin to notice these gifts appearing. We see them in those who walk beside us. Sometimes slowly or haltingly, occasionally in great bursts of brilliance, those who work The Steps change and grow toward light, toward health, and toward their Higher Power. Watching others, we realize this is also possible for us.
Will we ever arrive? Feel joyful all the time? Have no cruelty, tragedy, or injustice to face? Probably not, but we will acquire growing acceptance of our human fallibility, as well as greater love and tolerance for each other. Self-pity, resentment, martyrdom, rage, and depression will fade into memory. Community rather than loneliness will define our lives. We will know that we belong, we are welcome, we have something to contribute, and that is enough."
From the AFG book From Survival to Recovery
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The prayer isn't for Higher Power to change our lives, but rather to change us.
Awesome - thank you both. I would humbly request that the reference to the page numbers printed on the promises as listed on the web-site, be updated (and maybe also say that they are "paraphrased.") If either of you know to whom I can send this request, I'd be most appreciative.
Aloha OG...the very first promise from Al-Anon is actually written into the ending statement of our face to face meetings and it reads..."If you keep and open mind...you will find help." That is the first one I heard and the first one that came true for me though it took a lot of time to get the door to my mind open.
