Variations On A Theme

MON., JULY 15, 1991, 7:51 AM
STONIER HALL, RUTGERS

You are using your time well, and, if anything, you will be overprepared for this seminar this afternoon. Fret not about that, however, for you are learning more about this important Wellspring, and that is always worthwhile. Listen, o son, each of the facets you have identified can be a focus for a spiritual strength. There is no way of determining whether complete reliance on one is better than some balance of reliance. I’d say it is good to have some variety. In case one seems to fail, another or others may prevent the devastation that can come when a spiritual base wobbles or crumbles.

Naturally I favor a strong base in personal relationship with Me, the Holy Spirit of the Triune God. As you walk your daily life with your hand in Mine and hearing Me regularly you have a firm base for your life and for dealing with difficulties. This is the best way, but it is not the only way. It would be unfair to many of My human creations if there were only one way… and their nature did not set them on this one path easily.

You also have help from your own spirit, which guided you pretty well before I became this force in your life. Yes, you did have a strong conscience or spirit that was developing well… before I became your Guide, consciously. I do not want to take you over. I just want to help you grow and develop spiritually, and it is your willing spirit that grows.

Then there is help from others whom you love, trust, and to whom you are committed. Lenore is you best helper, as you are to her. This is not powerful for you, but it is for some. One of the elements of success in AA is the willingness to be helped by others in the group who have had similar life problems and are now ready and willing to help those new to the fellowship. And hence when the one helped then becomes a helper the power of this others, spiritual facet is evident.

You get help from nature, mainly your Farm, from music and even from your campus setting. You can also remember places in Hawaii and experiences in mountains and by bodies of water that have renewed your spirit. It is energizing to do a song well, and, especially, a presentation of songs and stories as you did here. Your Farm, with its special places, its animals, and its “enjoyable work” feeds your spirit quite well.

The Church is a part of your life, and your spirit is enriched by your active, willing participation and your giving. There have been other church settings in which you also have felt energy… as in this Reformed Church here, across the street… Old South Church in Boston… Central Union. You are not very good at reading Scripture for relationship with Me in the abstract, but for some this is very crucial.

Though you have spirit guides these are not known to you, and they are not obtrusive. Some people receive much spiritual help from guides, angels, or the spirits of former relatives or friends.

Finally, what is least important for you but quite so for some is just others, social. To be part of a group, large or small, even when the relations are just social can be food for spirit. To be part of this 600+ group of people can be exciting, and many will cherish the picture, even as they remember only a few, and these superficially. In a few weeks you shall participate in graduation, and this shall be a spiritual experience, even though it is just, objectively, a gathering of people.

The major point to make is that when spirit is well developed there is the best chance for comfortable abstinence, for comfortable, moderate drinking… and for success in coming out of a time of abusive drinking. Physiological factors make this easier or harder for some, but I say… and so can you… that this spiritual factor is of most importance.