Voices of Recovery

Just for Today meditation for August 7, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 7 The gratitude list "We focus on anything that isn't going our way and ignore all the beauty in our lives." Basic Text, p.77 ––––=–––– It's easy to be grateful when everything runs smoothly. If we get a raise at work, we're grat...

Spiritual Principle a Day for August 6, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 6 Spiritual Discipline Builds Good Character "What matters most are the actions we take. Consistent application of the tools of recovery changes us." —Living Clean, Chapter 7, “Awakenings” ––––=–––– “My parents sacrificed to send me away to...

Just for Today meditation for August 6, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 6 The joy within "Since the beginning of our recovery, we have found that joy doesn't come from material things but from within ourselves." Basic Text, p.103 ––––=–––– Some of us came to Narcotics Anonymous impoverished by our disease. E...

In this special episode of Voices of Recovery, we open our August series, “Our Predecessors,” with the story of Bryan B.—a man whose early days in NA helped build the foundation for countless others, and whose return to recovery after decades away is a testament to the power of hope and new beginnings. A native New Yorker, Bryan’s early life was marked by achievement and turmoil: a gifted athlete...

Spiritual Principle a Day for August 5, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 5 Finding Purpose in One Another "Helping others is perhaps the highest aspiration of the human heart and something we have been entrusted with as a result of a Higher Power working in our lives." —It Works, Step Twelve ––––=–––– Many of us...

Just for Today meditation for August 5, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 5 The shape of our thoughts "By shaping our thoughts with spiritual ideals, we are freed to become who we want to be" Basic Text, p.101 ––––=–––– Addiction shaped our thoughts in its own way. Whatever their shape may once have been, they bec...

Spiritual Principle a Day for August 4, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 4 Open-Mindedness and Spirituality "A new idea cannot be grafted onto a closed mind." —Basic Text, Chapter 9: Just for Today—Living the Program ––––=–––– “Approaching Step Two with an open mind was a real challenge for me,” a member shared....

Spiritual Principle a Day for August 3, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 3 Unity in Our Shared Purpose "Our ability to survive as a fellowship and to reach others depends on our unity." —It Works, Tradition One, “Applying Spiritual Principles” ––––=–––– We bring all our old beliefs with us when we come to NA. Bei...

Just for Today meditation for August 3, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 3 Trusting people "Many of us would have had nowhere else to go if we could not have trusted NA groups and members." Basic Text, p.81 ––––=–––– Trusting people is a risk. Human beings are notoriously forgetful, unreliable, and imperfect. Mos...

Spiritual Principle a Day for August 2, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 2 With Independence Comes Responsibility "Learning to make decisions for ourselves also means accepting responsibility for those decisions." —Living Clean, Chapter 6, “Finding Our Place in the World” ––––=–––– We aren’t alone, and we can’t r...

Just for Today meditation for August 2, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 2 Practicing honesty "When we feel trapped or pressured, it takes great spiritual and emotional strength to be honest." Basic Text, p.81 ––––=–––– Many of us try to wiggle out of a difficult spot by being dishonest, only to have to humble ourselves la...

Spiritual Principle a Day for August 1, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 1 The Power of Creative Action "Creative action keeps us moving forward." —Guiding Principles, All Will Be Well ––––=–––– One way for us to examine the power of creative action is to take a clear look at its spiritual polar opposite: destruc...

Just for Today meditation for August 1, read by Bryan B. Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com August 1 "Our addiction enslaved us. We were prisoners of our own mind and were "condemned by our own guilt."" Basic Text, p.7 ––––=–––– Guilt is one of the most commonly encountered stumbling blocks in recovery. One of the more notorious forms of guilt is t...

Just for Today meditation for July 31, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 31 Freedom from active addiction "Narcotics Anonymous offers only one promise and that is freedom from active addiction, the solution that eluded us for so long." Basic Text, p.102 ––––=–––– NA offers no promises other than freedom from active...

Spiritual Principle a Day for July 31, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 31 Simplicity Is Key! "Clarity and simplicity are keys to our message. . . . Narcotics Anonymous, all by itself, is enough. We promise freedom from active addiction." —Guiding Principles, Tradition Ten, Opening Essay ––––=–––– Tradition Ten is...

Just for Today meditation for July 30, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 30 Regular inventory "Continuing to take a personal inventory means that we form a habit of looking at ourselves, our actions, attitudes, and relationships on a regular basis." Basic Text, p.41 ––––=–––– Taking a regular inventory is a key element in ou...

Spiritual Principle a Day for July 30, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 30 Open Mind, Open Heart, Open Spirit "Open-mindedness leads us to the very insights that have eluded us during our lives." —Basic Text, Chapter 9: Just for Today—Living the Program ––––=–––– When many of us arrive in NA, we fancy ourselves as...

Just for Today meditation for July 29, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 29 Expectations "As we realize our need to be forgiven, we tend to be more forgiving." Basic Text, p.38 ––––=–––– Our behavior toward other people in our life is a mirror of our behavior toward ourselves. When we demand perfection of ourselves, we come...

Spiritual Principle a Day for July 29, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 29 Being Prudent with Our Obligations ". . . we learn to take on obligations thoughtfully to ensure that we can follow through on what we’ve promised." —Living Clean, Chapter 6, “Money” ––––=–––– Looking back at our active addiction, most of u...

Just for Today meditation for July 28, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 28 Secrets and intimacy "We feared that if we ever revealed ourselves as we were, we would surely be rejected." Basic Text, p.31 ––––=–––– Raving relationships without barriers, ones in which we can be entirely open with our feelings, is something many...

Spiritual Principle a Day for July 28, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 28 Inviting Generosity "When we allow another person to step up and help us, we give them a chance to express their own love and generosity." —Living Clean, Chapter 7, “Being of Service” ––––=–––– Railroading newcomers into service is an age-old traditi...

In this special episode of Voices of Recovery, we conclude our July “Incarceration in Recovery” series with the unforgettable story of Mikey Cat—a man whose life moved from darkness and despair to hope, freedom, and purpose. Born in New York and raised on Long Island, Mikey was adopted into a loving Sicilian family after his teenage mother made the heart-wrenching decision to give up her children...

Just for Today meditation for July 27, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 27 We do recover "After coming to NA, we found ourselves among a very special group of people who have suffered like us and found recovery. In their experiences, freely shared, we found hope for ourselves. If the program worked for them, it would work f...

Spiritual Principle a Day for July 27, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 27 Our Step-One Surrender "Only in working the First Step do we truly come to realize that we are addicts, that we have hit bottom, and that we must surrender." —NA Step Working Guides, Step One, Opening Essay ––––=–––– We don’t all enter the...

Just for Today meditation for July 26, read by Mikey Cat Donations via PayPal and questions may be directed to: voicesofrecoverypod@gmail.com July 26 Unconditional surrender "Help for addicts begins only when we are able to admit complete defeat. This can be frightening, but it is the foundation on which we have built our lives." Basic Text, p.22 ––––=–––– Most of us have tried everything we can t...