I found the following passage in the preface of one of my favorite spiritual books, Emmet Fox’s “Sermon on the Mount.” This book has been a crucial part of my coming to believe in a Power greater than me, one of the tools of my search and research again and again always with the open mind principle from Step 2. It just hit me today that this is exactly what we are doing in our Emotional Sobriety groups and here on this blog. I have substituted the “12&12″ for “the Bible”. Obviously, you can also substitute “The Big Book” or any other spiritual book and the result will be the same:
“The study of the 12 & 12 is not unlike the search for diamonds in South Africa. At first people found a few diamonds in the yellow clay, and they were delighted with their good fortune, even while they supposed that this was to be the full extent of their find.
Then, upon digging deeper, they came upon the blue clay, and, to their amazement, they then found as many precious stones in a day as they had previously found in a year, and what had formerly seemed like wealth faded into insignificance beside the new riches.
In your exploration of the 12 & 12 Truth, see to it that you do not rest satisfied in the yellow clay of a few spiritual discoveries, but press on to the rich blue clay underneath. The 12 & 12, however, differs from the diamond field in the sublime fact that beneath the blue clay there are more and still more and richer strata, awaiting the touch of spiritual perception – on and on to Infinity.
As you read the 12 & 12, you should constantly affirm the Divine Wisdom is enlightening you. That is the way to get direct inspiration.”
Oh, and have you noticed lately what color both “The Big Book” and the “12&12″ are? Blue. Keep digging…..
I love SOTM and the blue clay ideal! Today is the day I dig for something better and deeper!
Thanks for all your writings here John!
Joe
I’m a new reader of this blog, your address was given to me at a recent seminar, whose subject was “over-reliance on self.” You’re hitting the nail on the head for me, and I appreciate your time/effort/thought. A “text” given us to study was Bill’s “New Frontier,” which I’m working on and undoubtedly has many relationships.
Thanks.
Dave
DAVE – Welcome and I’m glad you were given the info for this blog! If you want to receive email alerts when I write new posts, please feel free to sign up in the right sidebar at the top of the page. Is the text you were given Bill’s article on Emotional Sobriety? That was one of the inspirations for the name of this blog and our Step study meetings. They also talk about Emotional Sobriety on page 106 of the “12&12″. Fifty years later, we are all trying to be a part of this New Frontier and focus on our Emotional Sobriety now that we are sober. It’s the ticket into a new life! I look forward to hearing more from you.
JOE – Thank you for always reading and posting comments Joe. Keep digging and sharing your perspective with us!
Yes, John, it was Bill’s article. Also, a reference to _Recovery_Dynamics_Counselors_Manual, 2nd ed., copyright 1989 by the Kelly Foundation…that reference gels down to our human instincts, much referred to in the 12×12 but not laid out as naked as I need it. It was beneficial to me to be given my “new” 1st step:
We are powerless to not choose self.
Somewhat (to say the least!) of an epiphany for me. In my (as yet infantile) study of the 12×12, I can see where Bill struggled and is leading us. I am still somewhat in awe of the seemingly simple notation that “alcohol was but a symptom.”