Wednesday 4pm - Technical Information
For the Secretary/Chair to read before leading a phone bridge meeting
As the Secretary/Chair for this meeting you will be given a “leader code” that will give you more features on the key pad than other members.
Here is some information that will help before dialing into the meeting once you have been given the leader code.
1. Dial the phone number and then use the regular pin number followed by the # sign that everyone else uses.
2. There will be a voice prompt after entering the regular pin # that says “IF YOU ARE THE MODERATOR PLEASE PRESS 1.”
3. Follow the prompt and Press 1. The word “moderator” and “leader” mean the same thing.
4. The voice prompt will again say “PLEASE ENTER THE MODERATOR PIN (Leader Code) number FOLLOWED BY THE # SIGN”.
5. You will join the phone meeting muted after entering the leader code and # sign. Press *1 to unmute yourself and then introduce yourself as the Secretary/Chair of the meeting. Press *0 for a menu of all features.
Probably one of the most important services you can give as the Secretary/Chair is to have the highest sound quality on the phone bridge system. This means without background noise and weak sound quality. “Sound” is all we have for the phone meeting to work.
Background noise can be taken as disrespectful or interruptive while members are speaking. As a trusted servant you can guide the meeting without background noise or interruptions to the best of your ability.
Along with your own skills; here are a few tips and a few pieces of information to help you:
1. Technically the phone bridge system is built for “only” one person to be unmuted at a time. This of course would include, You (the Secretary/Chair) as well as the Timekeeper to stay muted by using the *1 keys. The timekeeper only unmutes to say “time”. The Secretary/Chair unmutes a few seconds before the member is done sharing to welcome the next share. You can remind the timekeeper to please stay muted except to say “time”. (Only one line unmuted at a time).
2. As the Secretary/Chair (with the leader code) you are encouraged to use the *5 to clear the line to address the noise. This ensures that members will be able to speak so their share can be heard. Then the member can press the *1 keys to continue sharing without the previous background noise. We call this “Cycling Through”. (Most of the time people forget to mute and don’t know they are not muted). This can be done by saying “Excuse the interruption, I’m going to clear the line” and then press *5 keys. You then could say, “Whoever was sharing please press *1 and begin again,” or “Whoever would now like to share please press *1 to unmute yourself.”
3. Some meetings have multiple readers. The extra unmuted lines will cause the reading to be heard by some but not by other members.
Here are some suggestions.
1. Organize the readers so they know the order they will be reading.
2. Then tell the rest of the readers to mute until a few seconds before it is their turn to read.
3. After each member reads remind them to mute again.
4. (AS A Rule of Thumb), just because you can hear does not mean that other members can. These phones meetings have global coverage. Not all phones have equal sound. Only one line unmuted at a time will keep a clear worldwide phone line for everyone during the meeting.
These 4 technical points can promote safety, warmth and recovery similar to face to face meetings. This was written to assist you to know and understand the phone bridge technical features.
Thank you for taking the time to read these suggestions. If you need help, just ask. Congratulations on doing service and beginning the flow that opens our heart to what it already knows---that we all need each other.
Sincerely,
Your Web Coordinator
The Meeting Format Starts Now
(This is the part you read out loud)
FORMAT:
11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting
INTRODUCTION:
Hi, my name is ____________________, a grateful Al-Anon member and your secretary/chair for this meeting
1. This meeting will stop at the top of the hour for members to share their telephone numbers. Members can stay on the line until 25 minutes after for fellowship.
2. PHONE ETIQUETTE
a. Prior to joining the meeting, we ask members to temporarily disable their call waiting by dialing *70 before calling the number to the phone bridge (example *70-1-712-432-8733). If a member does not disable their call waiting, we may hear your conversation or beeping.
b. When you dial in, you will start the conference being muted.
c. Stay muted at all times unless you are sharing. You can un-mute by pressing your *1 keys. You will hear a voice saying “you are now un-muted”. Some phones do not have a long enough beep for the muting and un-muting to happen. You may have to press *1 several times for this function to work. When the voice comes on, you will know that the *1 keys have worked.
d. We ask members to use the *1 keys to mute even if they have a mute function on their individual phones. The *1 keys ensures the greatest sound strength for the entire phone line and provides the greatest service to all members of the phone bridge during the meeting.
e. Please do not use a speaker phone for sharing or we will all hear an echo. Some speaker phones will not mute even when pressing your *1 keys.
f. To hear a menu of all the features--such as volume control or member count--simply press * by itself.
READINGS: Secretary/Chair reads:
SUGGESTED AL-ANON WELCOME
We welcome you to this 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting of the Al-Anon Family Group and hope you will find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy.
We who live or have lived with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We, too, were lonely and frustrated, but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless and that it is possible for us to find contentment, and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives.
The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.
The Al-Anon program is based on the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous), which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives, along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus makes us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.
Anonymity is an important principle of the Al-Anon program. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member to member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon. (Al-Anon/Ala-teen Service Manual pg.24)
WE NOW NEED A VOLUNTEER TO READ:
a. Preamble to Al-Anon’s 12 Steps 2 pages before Jan.1st in all 3 meditation books
7th Tradition: Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Please send your contributions to World Service Office stating it’s from the Wednesday 4pm Meditation Meeting WSO ID 30536827 or donate at your face to face meetings.
Also at the close of the meeting, we will ask for Al-Anon sponsors and state the meeting schedule.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
Do we have any Al-Anon newcomers today, either newcomer to Al-Anon or to this phone bridge? Please give us your first name so we may greet you!
Do we have a volunteer on the line today that can stay after the phone meeting and greet newcomers and provide information on the phone etiquette or on Al-Anon?
Meeting Schedule will be read at the end of the meeting after the phone numbers are given out.
Business Meeting for this meeting will be held the first Wednesday of every month.
Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves. Hi, I am ______(Name)_____ from (_______State/Country/Planet___)
And now we will do the Serenity Prayer. Please press * 1 to un-mute. (Give a few seconds pause to let everyone un-mute)
I’m going to cycle us through and we will start the meeting (Secretary/Chair press *5 to clear the conference of noise)
This is an 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Individual’s Experiences Discussion Meeting. We will be doing just that. First, we will be reading on the 11th step. Secondly, we will explore different styles of guided Meditation, a different one each week. Thirdly, we will share on our experiences and the telling of our own techniques at working this step for the benefit of others. In following traditions, we will not mention specific religions or deities, so everyone can feel included to the beautiful spirit you share with us.
ANONYMITY STATEMENT: In Al-Anon, this is a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience and ours is derived from living with the effects of alcoholism. We ask those who are members of other anonymous programs not to break their anonymity and to try and identify with the Al-Anon approach for the family illness. Ours is a different experience and calls for a different interpretation.
Secretary/Chair says: Each week there is a different Reading and Guided Meditation.
Week 1 of each month this is read by volunteers.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 1 READING:
Paths to Recovery this week is on page 110, the 11th Step reading the first section approximately 4 pages from page 110 to the top of page 114.
VOLUNTEERS TO READ: Can we get 4 readers to volunteer?
Thank you. Let’s read in the order we volunteered with one person only un-muted at a time. The next person in line to read, please un-mute a paragraph before the person in front of you is done with their page of reading. When you are done reading please re-mute.
Thank you for all that read….
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 1
GUIDED MEDITATION (Secretary/Chair reads)
This week’s technique is here to give us a break in the usually fear based sorting out and tallying of our relationships and instead turn our attention to a joy that is always there. This practice will be shorter than 10 minutes. (Leader press *5 to mute the line)
The word inspire comes from the words associated with breathing. Let’s take a few deep breaths filling ourselves with clean air. Take huge deep breaths. . (Pause here, and let people take this breath and you yourself do the same. Remember this meeting is also for your health as well) on the exhale let’s release the sorting, the concerns, the worries, and the fear for this moment is worth our time… I have enough Time, I have enough Space, I have enough Love in my Heart, and I have enough Grace. The 11th step may be used as a refuge. It has been a view of many members that, we and the people around us benefit from the self care of practicing the 11th step. So let’s start again by taking 3 long deep cleansing breaths, and allowing exhaling to release stress like letting go of a tennis ball in your hand and letting it hit the floor. (Pause and let people relax without words) Take in with each breath clean pure love and light and like the ball, watch the stress roll off your fingers and bounce and then roll away as you exhale. As tension escapes out of your fingers, toes, shoulders and knees, you feel your spine loosen and calm spread to your heart and as your eyes brighten, your shoulders relax back and return to level.
So here is breath 2 ……… breathe in…very deeply give you and others life’s deep cleansing breath……… breathe out…..allowing the exhale to attach to any residue and be released outside.
Last one breathe in……………………………… exhale…..release the stress.
Let’s come back with this new room inside we have allowed. We can now feel the subtle where before we may have seen only the extremes. In other words, we are ready to improve our conscious contact. “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, Praying for God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.”
Now we start this week’s technique:
I want you to imagine the person closest to you in physical distance…. This could be your neighbor, the person driving in the car next to you, your spouse, the mail person, etc. Now I want you to imagine them laughing. Yes, laughing…totally joyful laughing. (Pause let them to think about this)
I want you to imagine them absolutely cracking up, out of control full of joy. Even if you have never seen this person laugh or they seem totally incapable of this…. Imagine it. It may take a few moments depending on your mood… but will all have great imaginations. But the difference, this is the PRODUCTIVE! Use of imagination. See them break-out in complete silliness.
Now take whoever would be associated with this person, their family, co-workers, other people driving their cars next to them… the whole group of 5 or 10 or even 40 people totally laughing till their eyes are tearing up. Addictive giggles out of control…. Just let the images come. (Pause)
Now take anyone close to your heart, family, friends and etc. And start the same process…. (Pause here again and let them pick new people, they have to sort out who they want to be close to them) See them laughing and whoever is with them or around them, totally in the best joy-laugh they have had in years. Hold them in that space.
One of the most important parts of this technique is to see and know that…. their laughter is their own… it has nothing to do with you. These Loved ones got it on their own from their own resourceful selves….it is all their doing…and they can’t stop giggling and smiling…. Let’s sit with this for a moment… (Pause a few moments to let the image of this sink in)
Now hold out your hands with the palms up….. and imagine catching all that joy like someone threw you back the tennis ball…..Take that tennis ball and bring it to your heart… hold it there. Take a few moments to fuel up to life’s humor……. that is just below the surface….a few moments to be with this wonderful releasing energy…. This is taking refuge in joy.
So now we are going to come back to the regular part of the meeting where we will open up for sharing with others either on the reading or on the meditation part or on how you work your 11th step and what experiences have brought you comfort and joy.
SPIRITUAL TIMEKEEPER: Can we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper? We will have 3 minute shares. We ask that our spiritual timekeeper stay muted at all times unless to say time and that our members acknowledge our spiritual timekeepers prompt by saying “Thank-you I heard you” or “I’ll wrap up.”
Would the spiritual timekeeper like to start the sharing?
SHARING: Who would like to begin their 3 minute share?
Thank you all that shared and read.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Does anyone want a telephone number of a member that shared? Please call out their name and after the closing we will get the phone numbers.
CLOSING: Suggested Al-Anon Closing (5 minutes before the top of the hour)
In closing, I would like to say that the opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest. The things you heard were spoken in confidence and should be treated as confidential.
Keep them within the walls of this room and the confines of your mind. A few special words to those of you who haven’t been with us long: Whatever your problems, there are those among us who have had them too. If you try to keep an open mind you will find help. You will come to realize that there is no situation too difficult to be bettered and no unhappiness too great to be lessened. We aren’t perfect. The welcome we give you may not show the warmth we have in our hearts for you. After a while, you’ll discover that though you may not like all of us, you’ll love us in a very special way, the same way we already love you.
Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else, but let there be no gossip or criticism of one another. Instead, let the understanding, love and peace of the program grow in you one day at a time. (Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
For all those who want to join us in the Al-Anon Declaration found on page roman numeral V in paths to recovery, please push *1 to mute yourselves
(Pause a moment for them to do this)
Let It Begin With Me
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,
Let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen
always be there, and---Let It Begin With Me.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
PHONE NUMBERS: Okay is ___________ on the line? (If someone called out a name)
MEETING SCHEDULE
All Eastern Time Zones, same phone and pin number as you dialed in for this meeting.
8am
Saturday and Sunday
9am
Weekdays (Monday -----
Friday)
11am
Sunday
Noon
Monday ----- Saturday
2pm Sunday
4pm
7 days a week
8pm
7 days a week
10pm
Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday
12 midnight Thursday
Meeting schedule and phone bridge information can be accessed on the web at www.alanonphonemeetings.org. Format changes, determined by the group conscience of each autonomous meeting, can be emailed to alanonphonemeetings@yahoo.com. As per group conscience, proposals for new meetings and format drafts ideas need to be brought to the Group Conscious Meeting on the 4th Saturday of every month at 1:30 EST
Secretary/Chair turns the meeting over to the member who is staying on the line to answer questions about the Al-Anon phone meetings or to explain the phone etiquette.
Thank you, have a great day.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting
INTRODUCTION:
Hi, my name is ____________________, a grateful Al-Anon member and your secretary/chair for this meeting
1. This meeting will stop at the top of the hour for members to share their telephone numbers. Members can stay on the line until 25 minutes after for fellowship.
2. PHONE ETIQUETTE
a. Prior to joining the meeting, we ask members to temporarily disable their call waiting by dialing *70 before calling the number to the phone bridge (example *70-1-712-432-8733). If a member does not disable their call waiting, we may hear your conversation or beeping.
b. When you dial in, you will start the conference being muted.
c. Stay muted at all times unless you are sharing. You can un-mute by pressing your *1 keys. You will hear a voice saying “you are now un-muted”. Some phones do not have a long enough beep for the muting and un-muting to happen. You may have to press *1 several times for this function to work. When the voice comes on, you will know that the *1 keys have worked.
d. We ask members to use the *1 keys to mute even if they have a mute function on their individual phones. The *1 keys ensures the greatest sound strength for the entire phone line and provides the greatest service to all members of the phone bridge during the meeting.
e. Please do not use a speaker phone for sharing or we will all hear an echo. Some speaker phones will not mute even when pressing your *1 keys.
f. To hear a menu of all the features--such as volume control or member count--simply press * by itself.
READINGS: Secretary/Chair reads:
SUGGESTED AL-ANON WELCOME
We welcome you to this 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting of the Al-Anon Family Group and hope you will find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy.
We who live or have lived with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We, too, were lonely and frustrated, but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless and that it is possible for us to find contentment, and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives.
The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.
The Al-Anon program is based on the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous), which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives, along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus makes us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.
Anonymity is an important principle of the Al-Anon program. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member to member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon. (Al-Anon/Ala-teen Service Manual pg.24)
WE NOW NEED A VOLUNTEER TO READ:
b. Preamble to Al-Anon’s 12 Steps 2 pages before Jan.1st in all 3 meditation books
7th Tradition: Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Please send your contributions to World Service Office stating it’s from the Wednesday 4pm Meditation Meeting WSO ID 30536827 or donate at your face to face meetings.
Also at the close of the meeting, we will ask for Al-Anon sponsors and state the meeting schedule.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
Do we have any Al-Anon newcomers today, either newcomer to Al-Anon or to this phone bridge? Please give us your first name so we may greet you!
Do we have a volunteer on the line today that can stay after the phone meeting and greet newcomers and provide information on the phone etiquette or on Al-Anon?
Meeting Schedule will be read at the end of the meeting after the phone numbers are given out.
Business Meeting for this meeting will be held the first Wednesday of every month.
Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves. Hi, I am ______(Name)_____ from (_______State/Country/Planet___)
And now we will do the Serenity Prayer. Please press * 1 to un-mute. (Give a few seconds pause to let everyone un-mute)
I’m going to cycle us through and we will start the meeting (Secretary/Chair press *5 to clear the conference of noise)
This is an 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Individual’s Experiences Discussion Meeting. We will be doing just that. First, we will be reading on the 11th step. Secondly, we will explore different styles of guided Meditation, a different one each week. Thirdly, we will share on our experiences and the telling of our own techniques at working this step for the benefit of others. In following traditions, we will not mention specific religions or deities, so everyone can feel included to the beautiful spirit you share with us.
ANONYMITY STATEMENT: In Al-Anon, this is a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience and ours is derived from living with the effects of alcoholism. We ask those who are members of other anonymous programs not to break their anonymity and to try and identify with the Al-Anon approach for the family illness. Ours is a different experience and calls for a different interpretation.
Secretary/Chair says: Each week there is a different Reading and Guided Meditation.
WEEK 2 of each month this is read by volunteers.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 2 READING: Paths to Recovery this week on page 114, the 11th step under “Members share their Experience, Strength and Hope”. It is approximately 3 and ½ pages from page 114 to the first 1/3 of page 117.
VOLUNTEERS TO READ: Can we get 4 readers to volunteer?
Thank you. Let’s read in the order we volunteered with one person only un-muted at a time. The next person in line to read, please un-mute a paragraph before the person in front of you is done with their page of reading. When you are done reading please re-mute.
Thank you for all that read….
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 2
Part 1 - GUIDED MEDITATION
(Secretary/Chair reads)
I’m going to mute the line so we have a quiet guide Meditation. (Leader press *5 to mute the line)
The word inspire comes from the words associated with breathing. Let’s take a few deep breaths filling ourselves with clean air. Take huge deep breaths. (Pause here, and let people take this breath and you yourself do the same. Remember this meeting is also for your health as well) On the exhale let’s release the sorting, the concerns, the worries, the fear… for this moment is worth our time… I have enough Time, I have enough Space, I have enough Love in my Heart, I have enough Grace. The 11th step may be used as a refuge. It has been a view of many members that, we and the people around us benefit from the self care of practicing the 11th step.
So let’s start again by taking 3 long deep cleansing breaths, and allowing exhaling to release stress like letting go of a tennis ball in your hand and letting it hit the floor. (Pause and let people relax without words) Take in with each breath clean pure love and light and like the ball, watch the stress roll off your fingers and bounce and then roll away as you exhale. As tension escapes out of your fingers, toes, shoulders and knees, you feel your spine loosen and calm spread to your heart and as your eyes brighten, your shoulders relax back and return to level.
So here is breath 2 ……… breathe in…very deeply give you and others life’s deep cleansing breath……… breathe out…..allowing the exhale to attach to any residue and be released outside.
Last one. . . breathe in……………………………… exhale…..release the stress.
Let’s come back with this new room inside we have allowed. We can now feel the subtle where before we may have seen only the extremes. In other words, we are ready to improve our conscious contact. “Sought through prayer and Meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, Praying for God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.”
This week’s technique is to create an energy shift by way of repeating a calming phrase. Doing when you are alone, it can be any phrase or slogan. Repeating a calming phrase can direct emotions positively. We are going to add a second dimension to our repeated calming phrase and that is the power of the group that is gathered here today. One definition of the power of a group is….. The results of the whole can be greater than the sum of the parts. We have observed in nature that two candles next to each other produce more light for a room compared to when separated. The same effect may show up as the light of individuals come together. This is an experiment that may provide a shift to let spirit or higher self show what always is and was here. For some members, this is not a new idea.
The Phrase will be using is our time tested Serenity Prayer….
“God, Grant me the Serenity to:
Accept the things I cannot Change
Courage to Change the Things I Can.
And Wisdom to Know the Difference.”
The exercise is we say the Serenity Prayer 12 times in a row. And then after a pause, we will do the same thing a second time… saying the “I” version of the Serenity Prayer 12 times in a row again.
Some of our voices will be in time with others and some will not. Please don’t worry about staying with the group. The intention of the words is the strength and the harmony that will be natural without you doing anything. In short we suggest, you keep your mind on your own sentence and an ear to the relaxing collective strength the group will provide. After 12 times I will push *5 and mute the line. So you don’t even have to keep count. I will do that for the group. You will know we have done twelve when you don’t hear the others voices. Then as we said, we will pause for a few moments and I will ask again for everyone to un-mute and we will go a second time.
So before we start, let’s imagine everyone on the line at this moment, people coming from all over the country… East coast, Midwest, Southeast, Southwest, Northwest, Pacific coast, over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans all joining right here right now. Now imagine all the family and friends each one of these members will effect having taken this time to work the 11th step. The effect of one person’s fresh outlook effects many in a day.
Ok here we go…
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 2
Part 2: 1st Set Guided Meditation
Secretary/Chair ANNOUNCES: We are going to start the Serenity Prayer 12 times.
Ok let’s begin. The Serenity Prayer in the “I” form.
I’ll give you a moment to press *1 to un-mute your phone. (Wait 30 seconds)
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg. 12)
(The Secretary/Chair keeps track of the 12 times as the Serenity prayer is said then mutes the line at the end by pressing * 5)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 2
Part 2: 2nd Set Guided Meditation
Secretary/Chair ANNOUNCES:
(Leader press *5 to mute the line)
Ok let’s begin again. The serenity prayer………..
I’ll give you a moment to press *1 to un-mute your phone. (Wait 30 seconds)
Ok here we go…The Serenity Prayer 12 times in a row………….
(The Secretary/Chair keeps track of the 12 times of the Serenity prayer as said then mutes the line at the end)
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg. 12)
(ENDING: Secretary/Chair presses *5 to mute the line to stop the repetitions of Serenity Prayers by the members after 12 times.)
So now we are going to come back to the regular part of the meeting where we will open up for sharing with others either on the reading or on the meditation part or on how you work your 11th step and what experiences have brought you comfort and joy.
SPIRITUAL TIMEKEEPER: Can we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper? We will have 3 minute shares. We ask that our spiritual timekeeper stay muted at all times unless to say time and that our members acknowledge our spiritual timekeepers prompt by saying “Thank-you I heard you” or “I’ll wrap up.”
Would the spiritual timekeeper like to start the sharing?
SHARING: Who would like to begin their 3 minute share?
Thank you all that shared and read.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Does anyone want a telephone number of a member that shared? Please call out their name and after the closing we will get the phone numbers.
CLOSING: Suggested Al-Anon Closing (5 minutes before the top of the hour)
In closing, I would like to say that the opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest. The things you heard were spoken in confidence and should be treated as confidential.
Keep them within the walls of this room and the confines of your mind. A few special words to those of you who haven’t been with us long: Whatever your problems, there are those among us who have had them too. If you try to keep an open mind you will find help. You will come to realize that there is no situation too difficult to be bettered and no unhappiness too great to be lessened. We aren’t perfect. The welcome we give you may not show the warmth we have in our hearts for you. After a while, you’ll discover that though you may not like all of us, you’ll love us in a very special way, the same way we already love you.
Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else, but let there be no gossip or criticism of one another. Instead, let the understanding, love and peace of the program grow in you one day at a time. (Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
For all those who want to join us in the Al-Anon Declaration found on page roman numeral V in paths to recovery, please push *1 to mute yourselves
(Pause a moment for them to do this)
Let It Begin With Me
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,
Let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen
always be there, and---Let It Begin With Me.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
PHONE NUMBERS: Okay is ___________ on the line? (If someone called out a name)
MEETING SCHEDULE
All Eastern Time Zones, same phone and pin number as you dialed in for this meeting.
8am
Saturday and Sunday
9am
Weekdays (Monday -----
Friday)
11am
Sunday
Noon
Monday ----- Saturday
2pm Sunday
4pm
7 days a week
8pm
7 days a week
10pm
Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday
12 midnight Thursday
Meeting schedule and phone bridge information can be accessed on the web at www.alanonphonemeetings.org. Format changes, determined by the group conscience of each autonomous meeting, can be emailed to alanonphonemeetings@yahoo.com. As per group conscience, proposals for new meetings and format drafts ideas need to be brought to the Group Conscious Meeting on the 4th Saturday of every month at 1:30 EST
Secretary/Chair turns the meeting over to the member who is staying on the line to answer questions about the Al-Anon phone meetings or to explain the phone etiquette.
Thank you, have a great day.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting
INTRODUCTION:
Hi, my name is ____________________, a grateful Al-Anon member and your secretary/chair for this meeting
1. This meeting will stop at the top of the hour for members to share their telephone numbers. Members can stay on the line until 25 minutes after for fellowship.
2. PHONE ETIQUETTE
a. Prior to joining the meeting, we ask members to temporarily disable their call waiting by dialing *70 before calling the number to the phone bridge (example *70-1-712-432-8733). If a member does not disable their call waiting, we may hear your conversation or beeping.
b. When you dial in, you will start the conference being muted.
c. Stay muted at all times unless you are sharing. You can un-mute by pressing your *1 keys. You will hear a voice saying “you are now un-muted”. Some phones do not have a long enough beep for the muting and un-muting to happen. You may have to press *1 several times for this function to work. When the voice comes on, you will know that the *1 keys have worked.
d. We ask members to use the *1 keys to mute even if they have a mute function on their individual phones. The *1 keys ensures the greatest sound strength for the entire phone line and provides the greatest service to all members of the phone bridge during the meeting.
e. Please do not use a speaker phone for sharing or we will all hear an echo. Some speaker phones will not mute even when pressing your *1 keys.
f. To hear a menu of all the features--such as volume control or member count--simply press * by itself
READINGS: Secretary/Chair reads:
SUGGESTED AL-ANON WELCOME
We welcome you to this 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting of the Al-Anon Family Group and hope you will find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy.
We who live or have lived with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We, too, were lonely and frustrated, but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless and that it is possible for us to find contentment, and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives.
The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.
The Al-Anon program is based on the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous), which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives, along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus makes us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.
Anonymity is an important principle of the Al-Anon program. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member to member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon. (Al-Anon/Ala-teen Service Manual pg.24)
WE NOW NEED A VOLUNTEER TO READ:
c. Preamble to Al-Anon’s 12 Steps 2 pages before Jan.1st in all 3 meditation books
7th Tradition: Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Please send your contributions to World Service Office stating it’s from the Wednesday 4pm Meditation Meeting WSO ID 30536827 or donate at your face to face meetings.
Also at the close of the meeting, we will ask for Al-Anon sponsors and state the meeting schedule.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
Do we have any Al-Anon newcomers today, either newcomer to Al-Anon or to this phone bridge? Please give us your first name so we may greet you!
Do we have a volunteer on the line today that can stay after the phone meeting and greet newcomers and provide information on the phone etiquette or on Al-Anon?
Meeting Schedule will be read at the end of the meeting after the phone numbers are given out.
Business Meeting for this meeting will be held the first Wednesday of every month.
Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves. Hi, I am ______(Name)_____ from (_______State/Country/Planet___)
And now we will do the Serenity Prayer. Please press * 1 to un-mute. (Give a few seconds pause to let everyone un-mute)
I’m going to cycle us through and we will start the meeting (Secretary/Chair press *5 to clear the conference of noise)
This is an 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Individual’s Experiences Discussion Meeting. We will be doing just that. First, we will be reading on the 11th step. Secondly, we will explore different styles of guided Meditation, a different one each week. Thirdly, we will share on our experiences and the telling of our own techniques at working this step for the benefit of others. In following traditions, we will not mention specific religions or deities, so everyone can feel included to the beautiful spirit you share with us.
ANONYMITY STATEMENT: In Al-Anon, this is a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience and ours is derived from living with the effects of alcoholism. We ask those who are members of other anonymous programs not to break their anonymity and to try and identify with the Al-Anon approach for the family illness. Ours is a different experience and calls for a different interpretation.
Secretary/Chair says: Each week there is a different Reading and Guided Meditation.
For WEEK 3 of each month this is read by Secretary/Chair.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 3
PART 1 READING:
We will be using How Al-Anon Works this week. Starting at the bottom of Page 90 to the middle of page 91, under the title “Our Spiritual Health” We will need one reader, it is only two paragraphs long. Could someone volunteer to read from How Al-Anon Works?
Thank you for the reading.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 3
Part 2
GUIDED MEDITATION (Secretary/Chair reads)
(Leader press *5 to mute the line)
The word inspire comes from the words associated with breathing. Let’s take a few deep breaths filling ourselves with clean air. Take huge deep breaths. . (Pause here, and let people take this breath and you yourself do the same. Remember this meeting is also for your health as well) On the exhale let’s release the sorting, the concerns, the worries, the fear for this moment is worth our time… I have enough Time, I have enough Space, I have enough Love in my Heart, I have enough Grace. The 11th step may be used as a refuge. It has been a view of many members that, we and the people around us benefit from the self care of practicing the 11th step.
So let’s start again by taking 3 long deep cleansing breaths, and allowing exhaling to release stress like letting go of a tennis ball in your hand and letting it hit the floor. (Pause and let people relax without words) Take in with each breath clean pure love and light and like the ball, watch the stress roll off your fingers and bounce and then roll away as you exhale. As tension escapes out of your fingers, toes, shoulders and knees, you feel your spine loosen and calm spread to your heart and as your eyes brighten, your shoulders relax back and return to level.
So here is breath 2 ……… breathe in…very deeply give you and others life’s deep cleansing breath……… breathe out…..allowing the exhale to attach to any residue and be released outside.
Last one…breathe in……………………………… exhale…..release the stress.
Let’s come back with this new room inside we have allowed. We can now feel the subtle where before we may have seen only the extremes. In other words, we are ready to improve our conscious contact. “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, Praying for God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.”
This week’s technique connects us with what is similar to us and to our surroundings and other people. It focuses us on the “Us” part of our 11th step. It is simple, starts out general and then gets more specific. Here we go…
I want you to imagine the physical space your body would take up, as if it was a pearl or an air bubble in a glass of water. Imagine sitting where you are and how much water your body would displace if you were a pearl in a glass of water. (Pause for people to envision this)
Think about the space that is not water…. Or like the shapes a cookie punch makes in dough after it is taken out. See your body as an empty space of maybe a ginger bread person or a star that a cookie punch would make. Just see yourself as empty again maybe like a Tupperware container with nothing in it. (Pause)
Now that you have this image, I want you to look around the room you are sitting in or outside of your car and imagine all the objects that you see as empty containers displacing the air that surrounds them like the pearl does in a glass of water. Imagine the chairs, tables, couches, plants etc as all empty. (Pause)
Ok now that we have done that… I want you to do this same emptying of solid with any people you can currently see or people you spend a lot of time thinking about positively or otherwise. See them as the space the pearl produced in the glass of water or the space the cookie punch made in the dough, clean empty space. Hold them in the view for a moment. (Pause)
Now I want you to take this new way of seeing solid objects and people and yourself, all empty containers and start to fill them all up at the same time with light. Like turning up a dimmer light switch all at once light with light. Fill all you see, think about, know and spend time with…. People, (friends family, and even difficult people) objects, (plants, furniture, buildings) and yourself as well with radiant light. (Pause)
Once you have done that…. Just sit here for a moment and bask in the sunlight coming from each person and object filled with light. Take it in like a plant turns to the sun to produce its own food via photosynthesis. Plants grow and make food out of sunlight.
(Pause)
Finally, I want you to connect all these radiating containers with strings coming from their center to the center of other radiating containers. A string connecting you to maybe a chair, a string connecting you to a friend… and these strings create a hammock of some sort. All objects and people are connected like a hammock of light strung lazily in the back yard. Empty radiating and interconnected… the strong strings all tied to each other supporting a bigger meaning. (Pause)
Just sit with that…….
Knowing you and all you can imagine are pure light and at its inner most starting point are connected with strings of light like a universal web.
Give yourself this moment to bask in the warmth of the inner radiance that is “ US “ surrounding “Us” and connecting “Us” impartially every second of everyday before you were born, while alive and after.
Sit with the “US” part of the 11th.
Sought through Prayer and Meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, praying for God’s will for … “I”… and the power to carry it out.
So now we are going to come back to the regular part of the meeting where we will open up for sharing with others either on the reading or on the meditation part or on how you work your 11th step and what experiences have brought you comfort and joy.
SPIRITUAL TIMEKEEPER: Can we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper? We will have 3 minute shares. We ask that our spiritual timekeeper stay muted at all times unless to say time and that our members acknowledge our spiritual timekeepers prompt by saying “Thank-you I heard you” or “I’ll wrap up.”
Would the spiritual timekeeper like to start the sharing?
SHARING: Who would like to begin their 3 minute share?
Thank you all that shared and read.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Does anyone want a telephone number of a member that shared? Please call out their name and after the closing we will get the phone numbers.
CLOSING: Suggested Al-Anon Closing (5 minutes before the top of the hour)
In closing, I would like to say that the opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest. The things you heard were spoken in confidence and should be treated as confidential.
Keep them within the walls of this room and the confines of your mind. A few special words to those of you who haven’t been with us long: Whatever your problems, there are those among us who have had them too. If you try to keep an open mind you will find help. You will come to realize that there is no situation too difficult to be bettered and no unhappiness too great to be lessened. We aren’t perfect. The welcome we give you may not show the warmth we have in our hearts for you. After a while, you’ll discover that though you may not like all of us, you’ll love us in a very special way, the same way we already love you.
Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else, but let there be no gossip or criticism of one another. Instead, let the understanding, love and peace of the program grow in you one day at a time. (Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
For all those who want to join us in the Al-Anon Declaration found on page roman numeral V in paths to recovery, please push *1 to mute yourselves
(Pause a moment for them to do this)
Let It Begin With Me
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,
Let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen
always be there, and---Let It Begin With Me.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
PHONE NUMBERS: Okay is ___________ on the line? (If someone called out a name)
MEETING SCHEDULE
All Eastern Time Zones, same phone and pin number as you dialed in for this meeting.
8am
Saturday and Sunday
9am
Weekdays (Monday -----
Friday)
11am
Sunday
Noon
Monday ----- Saturday
2pm Sunday
4pm
7 days a week
8pm
7 days a week
10pm
Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday
12 midnight Thursday
Meeting schedule and phone bridge information can be accessed on the web at www.alanonphonemeetings.org. Format changes, determined by the group conscience of each autonomous meeting, can be emailed to alanonphonemeetings@yahoo.com. As per group conscience, proposals for new meetings and format drafts ideas need to be brought to the Group Conscious Meeting on the 4th Saturday of every month at 1:30 EST
Secretary/Chair turns the meeting over to the member who is staying on the line to answer questions about the Al-Anon phone meetings or to explain the phone etiquette.
Thank you, have a great day.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting
INTRODUCTION:
Hi, my name is ____________________, a grateful Al-Anon member and your secretary/chair for this meeting
1. This meeting will stop at the top of the hour for members to share their telephone numbers. Members can stay on the line until 25 minutes after for fellowship.
2. PHONE ETIQUETTE
a. Prior to joining the meeting, we ask members to temporarily disable their call waiting by dialing *70 before calling the number to the phone bridge (example *70-1-712-432-8733). If a member does not disable their call waiting, we may hear your conversation or beeping.
b. When you dial in, you will start the conference being muted.
c. Stay muted at all times unless you are sharing. You can un-mute by pressing your *1 keys. You will hear a voice saying “you are now un-muted”. Some phones do not have a long enough beep for the muting and un-muting to happen. You may have to press *1 several times for this function to work. When the voice comes on, you will know that the *1 keys have worked.
d. We ask members to use the *1 keys to mute even if they have a mute function on their individual phones. The *1 keys ensures the greatest sound strength for the entire phone line and provides the greatest service to all members of the phone bridge during the meeting.
e. Please do not use a speaker phone for sharing or we will all hear an echo. Some speaker phones will not mute even when pressing your *1 keys.
f. To hear a menu of all the features--such as volume control or member count--simply press * by itself.
READINGS: Secretary/Chair reads:
SUGGESTED AL-ANON WELCOME
We welcome you to this 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting of the Al-Anon Family Group and hope you will find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy.
We who live or have lived with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We, too, were lonely and frustrated, but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless and that it is possible for us to find contentment, and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives.
The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.
The Al-Anon program is based on the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous), which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives, along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus makes us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.
Anonymity is an important principle of the Al-Anon program. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member to member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon. (Al-Anon/Ala-teen Service Manual pg.24)
WE NOW NEED A VOLUNTEER TO READ:
d. Preamble to Al-Anon’s 12 Steps 2 pages before Jan.1st in all 3 meditation books
7th Tradition: Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Please send your contributions to World Service Office stating it’s from the Wednesday 4pm Meditation Meeting WSO ID 30536827 or donate at your face to face meetings.
Also at the close of the meeting, we will ask for Al-Anon sponsors and state the meeting schedule.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
Do we have any Al-Anon newcomers today, either newcomer to Al-Anon or to this phone bridge? Please give us your first name so we may greet you!
Do we have a volunteer on the line today that can stay after the phone meeting and greet newcomers and provide information on the phone etiquette or on Al-Anon?
Meeting Schedule will be read at the end of the meeting after the phone numbers are given out.
Business Meeting for this meeting will be held the first Wednesday of every month.
Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves. Hi, I am ______(Name)_____ from (_______State/Country/Planet___)
And now we will do the Serenity Prayer. Please press * 1 to un-mute. (Give a few seconds pause to let everyone un-mute)
I’m going to cycle us through and we will start the meeting (Secretary/Chair press *5 to clear the conference of noise)
This is an 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Individual’s Experiences Discussion Meeting. We will be doing just that. First, we will be reading on the 11th step. Secondly, we will explore different styles of guided Meditation, a different one each week. Thirdly, we will share on our experiences and the telling of our own techniques at working this step for the benefit of others. In following traditions, we will not mention specific religions or deities, so everyone can feel included to the beautiful spirit you share with us.
ANONYMITY STATEMENT: In Al-Anon, this is a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience and ours is derived from living with the effects of alcoholism. We ask those who are members of other anonymous programs not to break their anonymity and to try and identify with the Al-Anon approach for the family illness. Ours is a different experience and calls for a different interpretation.
Secretary/Chair says: Each week there is a different Reading and Guided Meditation.
WEEK 4 of each month this is read by volunteers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 4 PART 1 READING:
We will be using the Three Al-Anon Daily Readers this week. We will be looking in the back index for a topic on the 11th Step or Meditation.
Can we get 3 readers to volunteer?
1. One Day at a Time
2. Courage to Change
3. Hope for Today
Thank you. Let’s read in the order of One Day at a Time followed by Courage to Change and ending with Hope for Today…… with only one person un-muted at a time.
Thank you for all that read….
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 4 PART 2: GUIDED MEDITATION (Secretary/Chair reads)
Take a moment to prepare yourself for this meditative process.
Get in a comfortable position, sitting, laying down, whatever feels good to you and your body.
Close your eyes, breathing very relaxed. Take a moment to let your entire being become relaxed.
You begin to see a word that represents your Higher Power in your mind
At first the word will look faint, like looking through an unfocused camera lens, but the more focused you bring your attention to the word it becomes crystal clear.
Now let’s begin to breathe a little more deeply.
Breathe in and breathe out
As you continue to breathe you notice that the word that is your Higher Power transforms into an image that represents what your Higher Power looks like to you.
Each time you breathe in, you breathe in your Higher Power…then breathe out all of your worries, fears, concerns and problems of yesterday and you are in the present of just this Twenty-Four hours, of just this hour and then of this moment and then this nano second. Bring yourself to the present, all we have is now. No Other Worries.
As you breathe in you start to see your Higher Power is taking you by your hand. You see a set of steps. Your Higher Power gently leads you to those steps. The both of you walk onto the first step together you and your Higher Power, and the idea of being powerless and your life being unmanageable without Higher Power’s help and guidance comes to your mind.
Together you and Your Higher Power go onto the Second Step in which you silently pray, “Dear Higher Power I come to you today because I believe that You can restore and renew me to serenity and sanity to meet my needs today”.
You progress to the Third Step. You look at your Higher Power who stands right next to you and say, “Since I cannot manage my life or affairs; I now decide to give you my life, my will, my thoughts, my desire and my ambitions into your hands”.
You and your Higher Power continue
upward onto the platform of Step Four, Five, Six, and Seven.
The two of you continue to step up the next few steps reminding you to
give all of yourself to Your Higher Power, the good, bad, character defects and
shortcomings, selfishness, resentments and problems, knowing that your Higher
Power is your Friend who walks with you up these steps while you work them out
in accordance to His plan.
Each step you take becomes lighter and brighter. You are reaching a level of Higher Consciousness, rising above your worries, fears and problems. You turn to your Higher Power and say,” Such as I am, take and use me in Your service, Guide and direct my ways and show me what to do for you…
I cannot control or change my friends or loved ones, so I release them into your care for Your loving hands to do with as you will. Just keep me from judging them. If they need changing, Higher Power, You’ll have to do it; I can’t. Just make me willing and ready to be of service to you, to have my shortcomings removed and to do my best.
Together you reach even a higher level, now going up Step Eight, Nine and Ten.
Say to your Higher Power “Help me to see how I have harmed others and make me willing to make amends to them all. Keep me ever mindful of the thoughts and actions that harm me and others that separate me from Your light, love and Spirit. And when I commit these errors, make me aware of them and help me to admit each one promptly.”
You are reaching the
final Step Eleven and Twelve.
You again turn to your Higher Power and ask Him or Her, “Dear Higher Power I am
seeking to know You better, to love You more. I am seeking the knowledge of
Your will for me and the power to carry it out.” And your Higher Power looks at
you and says, “You are my dearly beloved child in whom I will always be there
for you every day and every way. My will not thine be done.
From the Twelfth Step, you step into the most beautiful place you have ever been before and know that you will always be loved and are never alone. (From “As We Understood” Al-Anon Family Groups, pg. 214)
This sanctuary is your own special place. It has beautiful trees, flowers, a river and a cleansing pond with a waterfall, rocks and birds singing in the background or whatever your mind creates.
You start seeing stones with writing on it and the closer you get you can read what they say.
Let Go and Let God
Live and Let Live
One day at a Time
Easy Does It
More stones start to appear that read…..
First Things First
Listen and learn
Think
This too shall pass
Let It Begin with me
But for the Grace of God
And finally the last stone says,
Together we can make
it
You then see some book nestled in a bed of flowers. The closer you get you see these are your Al-Anon Recovery Books, How Al-Anon Works, Survival to Recovery, Paths to Recovery, The Twelve Steps and Traditions, ODAT, Courage to Change, Hope for today or whatever literature helps you in your recovery.
You find a place that you sit as you look around and create this place of utmost euphoria, so beautiful that there is no other place like this that you have ever seen or experienced…full of joy, peace, serenity, happiness.
As you continue to breathe in, you start to notice that your breathing becomes a radiant light and as you breathe out any darkness leaves your special place.
Breathe in … and breathe out.
Each time you breathe in the light, you become filled more and more with an omnipotent light and all darkness is permanently gone.
You soon start to see this light circle in and around you into eternity where there is no beginning and no end. The rays of light begin to fill in any gaps with more light, unbelievable golden light.
You then become the light. You have no body but are complete light. You are in the heart of your Higher Power trading your finite wisdom for the infinite wisdom of your Higher Power. Stay in that place for a while and see how it feels.
Slowly, slowly get up remembering from where you were sitting in this inner special place. Walk back toward the Twelfth Step and begin walking down the steps one by one. Step Eleven, Ten, And Nine…Then Step Eight, Seven and Six… You progress down Step Five, Four, Three, Two and then Step One.
You look around and you notice that your Higher Power is not around you but realize that He or She is a part of you. You are now One. You are different. How you see life changes your life.
At the bottom of the steps you have so much gratitude that you have been chosen to take this journey on the paths to recovery and that you can take this journey back up the steps as many times as you want to...Never alone.
Begin becoming aware of your body, wiggle your toes, fingers, move your body. Keep your eyes closed and move your head toward your hands and place your forehead into your hands. You have now placed yourself and concerns into the care of your Higher Power.
Again slowly, slowly open your eyes and notice your surroundings, the room, wherever you started this meditation and come back to the now.
Take time to come out of this meditative state. (Read below)
Just for Today
Just for today, I will
try to live through this day only,
and not tackle all my problems
at once. I can do something for twelve hours
that would appall me if I felt that I had to
keep it up for a lifetime.
Just for today, I will be happy. This assumes to
be true what Abraham Lincoln said, that
"most folks are as happy as they make up
their minds to be."
Just for today, I will try to strengthen my mind.
I will study. I will learn something useful.
I will not be a mental loafer. I will read
something that requires effort, thought and
concentration.
You become more conscious and back to the present moment… (Read below)
Just for today, I will adjust myself to what is,
and not try to adjust everything to my own
desires. I will take my "luck" as it comes,
and fit myself to it.
Just for today, I will
exercise my soul in three
ways: I will do somebody a good turn, and
not get found out. I will do at least two
things I don't want to--just for exercise.
I will not show anyone that my feelings are
hurt; they may be hurt, but today I will not
show it
Just for today, I will be agreeable. I will look
as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low,
act courteously, criticize not one bit, not
find fault with anything and not try to improve
or regulate anybody except myself.
Three more paragraphs give you the final stage of this meditation… (Read below)
Just for today, I will
have a program. I may not
follow it exactly, but I will have it. I will
save myself from two pests: hurry and indecision.
Just for today, I will have a quiet half hour all
by myself, and relax. During this half hour,
sometime, I will try to get a better perspective
of my life.
Just for today, I will be unafraid. Especially I
will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful,
and to believe that as I give to the world, so
the world will give to me. (Al-Anon Just For Today)
You have now come to the end of this meditation. Every time you want you can go through this journey again and find the peace your Higher Power wants you to have...One Day at a Time.
So now we are going to come back to the regular part of the meeting where we will open up for sharing with others either on the reading or on the meditation part or on how you work your 11th step and what experiences have brought you comfort and joy.
SPIRITUAL TIMEKEEPER: Can we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper? We will have 3 minute shares. We ask that our spiritual timekeeper stay muted at all times unless to say time and that our members acknowledge our spiritual timekeepers prompt by saying “Thank-you I heard you” or “I’ll wrap up.”
Would the spiritual timekeeper like to start the sharing?
SHARING: Who would like to begin their 3 minute share?
Thank you all that shared and read.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Does anyone want a telephone number of a member that shared? Please call out their name and after the closing we will get the phone numbers.
CLOSING: Suggested Al-Anon Closing (5 minutes before the top of the hour)
In closing, I would like to say that the opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest. The things you heard were spoken in confidence and should be treated as confidential.
Keep them within the walls of this room and the confines of your mind. A few special words to those of you who haven’t been with us long: Whatever your problems, there are those among us who have had them too. If you try to keep an open mind you will find help. You will come to realize that there is no situation too difficult to be bettered and no unhappiness too great to be lessened. We aren’t perfect. The welcome we give you may not show the warmth we have in our hearts for you. After a while, you’ll discover that though you may not like all of us, you’ll love us in a very special way, the same way we already love you.
Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else, but let there be no gossip or criticism of one another. Instead, let the understanding, love and peace of the program grow in you one day at a time. (Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
For all those who want to join us in the Al-Anon Declaration found on page roman numeral V in paths to recovery, please push *1 to mute yourselves
(Pause a moment for them to do this)
Let It Begin With Me
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,
Let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen
always be there, and---Let It Begin With Me.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
PHONE NUMBERS: Okay is ___________ on the line? (If someone called out a name)
MEETING SCHEDULE
All Eastern Time Zones, same phone and pin number as you dialed in for this meeting.
8am
Saturday and Sunday
9am
Weekdays (Monday -----
Friday)
11am
Sunday
Noon
Monday ----- Saturday
2pm Sunday
4pm
7 days a week
8pm
7 days a week
10pm
Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday
12 midnight Thursday
Meeting schedule and phone bridge information can be accessed on the web at www.alanonphonemeetings.org. Format changes, determined by the group conscience of each autonomous meeting, can be emailed to alanonphonemeetings@yahoo.com. As per group conscience, proposals for new meetings and format drafts ideas need to be brought to the Group Conscious Meeting on the 4th Saturday of every month at 1:30 EST
Secretary/Chair turns the meeting over to the member who is staying on the line to answer questions about the Al-Anon phone meetings or to explain the phone etiquette.
Thank you, have a great day.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting
INTRODUCTION:
Hi, my name is ____________________, a grateful Al-Anon member and your secretary/chair for this meeting
1. This meeting will stop at the top of the hour for members to share their telephone numbers. Members can stay on the line until 25 minutes after for fellowship.
2. PHONE ETIQUETTE
a. Prior to joining the meeting, we ask members to temporarily disable their call waiting by dialing *70 before calling the number to the phone bridge (example *70-1-712-432-8733). If a member does not disable their call waiting, we may hear your conversation or beeping.
b. When you dial in, you will start the conference being muted.
c. Stay muted at all times unless you are sharing. You can un-mute by pressing your *1 keys. You will hear a voice saying “you are now un-muted”. Some phones do not have a long enough beep for the muting and un-muting to happen. You may have to press *1 several times for this function to work. When the voice comes on, you will know that the *1 keys have worked.
d. We ask members to use the *1 keys to mute even if they have a mute function on their individual phones. The *1 keys ensures the greatest sound strength for the entire phone line and provides the greatest service to all members of the phone bridge during the meeting.
e. Please do not use a speaker phone for sharing or we will all hear an echo. Some speaker phones will not mute even when pressing your *1 keys.
f. To hear a menu of all the features--such as volume control or member count--simply press * by itself.
READINGS: Secretary/Chair reads:
SUGGESTED AL-ANON WELCOME
We welcome you to this 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Discussion Meeting of the Al-Anon Family Group and hope you will find in this fellowship the help and friendship we have been privileged to enjoy.
We who live or have lived with the problem of alcoholism understand as perhaps few others can. We, too, were lonely and frustrated, but in Al-Anon we discover that no situation is really hopeless and that it is possible for us to find contentment, and even happiness, whether the alcoholic is still drinking or not.
We urge you to try our program. It has helped many of us find solutions that lead to serenity. So much depends on our own attitudes, and as we learn to place our problem in its true perspective, we find it loses its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives.
The family situation is bound to improve as we apply the Al-Anon ideas. Without such spiritual help, living with an alcoholic is too much for most of us. Our thinking becomes distorted by trying to force solutions, and we become irritable and unreasonable without knowing it.
The Al-Anon program is based on the Twelve Steps (adapted from Alcoholics Anonymous), which we try, little by little, one day at a time, to apply to our lives, along with our slogans and the Serenity Prayer. The loving interchange of help among members and daily reading of Al-Anon literature thus makes us ready to receive the priceless gift of serenity.
Anonymity is an important principle of the Al-Anon program. Everything that is said here, in the group meeting and member to member, must be held in confidence. Only in this way can we feel free to say what is in our minds and hearts, for this is how we help one another in Al-Anon. (Al-Anon/Ala-teen Service Manual pg.24)
WE NOW NEED A VOLUNTEER TO READ:
a. Preamble to Al-Anon’s 12 Steps 2 pages before Jan.1st in all 3 meditation books
7th Tradition: Al-Anon is fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Please send your contributions to World Service Office stating it’s from the Wednesday 4pm Meditation Meeting WSO ID 30536827 or donate at your face to face meetings.
Also at the close of the meeting, we will ask for Al-Anon sponsors and state the meeting schedule.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Are there any Al-Anon related announcements?
Do we have any Al-Anon newcomers today, either newcomer to Al-Anon or to this phone bridge? Please give us your first name so we may greet you!
Do we have a volunteer on the line today that can stay after the phone meeting and greet newcomers and provide information on the phone etiquette or on Al-Anon?
Meeting Schedule will be read at the end of the meeting after the phone numbers are given out.
Business Meeting for this meeting will be held the first Wednesday of every month.
Let’s go around the globe and introduce ourselves. Hi, I am ______(Name)_____ from (_______State/Country/Planet___)
And now we will do the Serenity Prayer. Please press * 1 to un-mute. (Give a few seconds pause to let everyone un-mute)
I’m going to cycle us through and we will start the meeting (Secretary/Chair press *5 to clear the conference of noise)
This is an 11th Step Literature, Guided Meditation and Individual’s Experiences Discussion Meeting. We will be doing just that. First, we will be reading on the 11th step. Secondly, we will explore different styles of guided Meditation, a different one each week. Thirdly, we will share on our experiences and the telling of our own techniques at working this step for the benefit of others. In following traditions, we will not mention specific religions or deities, so everyone can feel included to the beautiful spirit you share with us.
ANONYMITY STATEMENT: In Al-Anon, this is a gentle reminder that we speak from our own experience and ours is derived from living with the effects of alcoholism. We ask those who are members of other anonymous programs not to break their anonymity and to try and identify with the Al-Anon approach for the family illness. Ours is a different experience and calls for a different interpretation.
Secretary/Chair says: Each week there is a different Reading and Guided Meditation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 5
PART 1 READING: We will be using How Al-Anon Works this week. Starting at the bottom of Page 90 to the middle of page 91, under the title “Our Spiritual Health” We will need one reader, it is only two paragraphs long.
VOLUNTEER: Could someone volunteer to read from How Al-Anon Works?
Thank you for reading.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEEK 5
Part 2 GUEST SPEAKER
Secretary Announces…
This week we have a guest speaker or a guest to do a guided meditation.
Without any further “a-do” I turn the meeting over to our guest speaker to either guide us in a meditation or speak on their experiences working the 11th step. As a reminder… In following traditions, we will not mention specific religions or deities, so everyone can feel included to the beautiful spirit you share with us.
(Presses *5 to clear the line before guest speaker starts.)
Ok thank you with great pleasure, Here is __________.
So now we are going to come back to the regular part of the meeting where we will open up for sharing with others either on the reading or on the meditation part or on how you work your 11th step and what experiences have brought you comfort and joy.
SPIRITUAL TIMEKEEPER: Can we have a volunteer to be our spiritual timekeeper? We will have 3 minute shares. We ask that our spiritual timekeeper stay muted at all times unless to say time and that our members acknowledge our spiritual timekeepers prompt by saying “Thank-you I heard you” or “I’ll wrap up.”
Would the spiritual timekeeper like to start the sharing?
SHARING: Who would like to begin their 3 minute share?
Thank you all that shared and read.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Does anyone want a telephone number of a member that shared? Please call out their name and after the closing we will get the phone numbers.
CLOSING: Suggested Al-Anon Closing (5 minutes before the top of the hour)
In closing, I would like to say that the opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest. The things you heard were spoken in confidence and should be treated as confidential.
Keep them within the walls of this room and the confines of your mind. A few special words to those of you who haven’t been with us long: Whatever your problems, there are those among us who have had them too. If you try to keep an open mind you will find help. You will come to realize that there is no situation too difficult to be bettered and no unhappiness too great to be lessened. We aren’t perfect. The welcome we give you may not show the warmth we have in our hearts for you. After a while, you’ll discover that though you may not like all of us, you’ll love us in a very special way, the same way we already love you.
Talk to each other, reason things out with someone else, but let there be no gossip or criticism of one another. Instead, let the understanding, love and peace of the program grow in you one day at a time. (Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
For all those who want to join us in the Al-Anon Declaration found on page roman numeral V in paths to recovery, please push *1 to mute yourselves
(Pause a moment for them to do this)
Let It Begin With Me
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,
Let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen
always be there, and---Let It Begin With Me.
(Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual pg.24)
PHONE NUMBERS: Okay is ___________ on the line? (If someone called out a name)
MEETING SCHEDULE
All Eastern Time Zones, same phone and pin number as you dialed in for this meeting.
8am
Saturday and Sunday
9am
Weekdays (Monday -----
Friday)
11am
Sunday
Noon
Monday ----- Saturday
2pm Sunday
4pm
7 days a week
8pm
7 days a week
10pm
Monday, Tuesday,
Thursday and Saturday
12 midnight Thursday
Meeting schedule and phone bridge information can be accessed on the web at www.alanonphonemeetings.org. Format changes, determined by the group conscience of each autonomous meeting, can be emailed to alanonphonemeetings@yahoo.com. As per group conscience, proposals for new meetings and format drafts ideas need to be brought to the Group Conscious Meeting on the 4th Saturday of every month at 1:30 EST
Secretary/Chair turns the meeting over to the member who is staying on the line to answer questions about the Al-Anon phone meetings or to explain the phone etiquette.
Thank you, have a great day.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________