Harmless Gossip?

Harmless Gossip?

Vigilance is the price for continued Spiritual Freedom. Drifting into negative thinking or speech typically happens without any conscious thought or plan on our part. Those “good” natured gossip sessions with a friend or joining in (or worse, instigating) a huddle at work complaining about a disagreeable co-worker or boss or worse taking sides in any romantic or marital dispute to simply speaking about someone for any reason where we would be embarrassed if we discovered they overheard us, demonstrates we have dropped our spiritual guard. If we are saying anything about anyone we would be unwilling to say to them in person, we place ourselves at risk. Gossiping and tale telling rarely (if ever) embodies the patience, tolerance, kindliness and love Living on the Spiritual Basis requires. As far as taking sides in romantic squabbles, we have all probably done this only to become the enemy upon their reconciliation, so through bitter experience we have learned to be supportive but avoid engaging in character assassination, no matter how seemingly egregious someone’s behavior appears to be. One of the great truths in life is that every story has two sides and when it comes to romance, they often only have a passing resemblance to one another.

So restraint of pen and tongue is not only a secular truth but a Spiritual axiom as well if we wish to be free.

Miracles Of Recovery

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

Seeking Direction

Seeking Direction

Everyone requires help at times in their lives. Everyone. There is a part of us though, and not a good part, which routinely suggests we do not need help or direction, we can, or worse should, do it on our own, figure it out. Now if it is failing to follow written directions and finding ourselves with a half assembled something or other that has to be disassembled because we left a key part out or refusing to ask for directions when driving are one thing, but what of our spiritual life?

Thinking we can “do it on our own” in this area invariably leads to needless difficulty and suffering. The problem lies in self, manifesting as baseless fear; that we will either be judged negatively by others or worse, we are supposed to know how to live spiritually, the truth of being just “popping” into our consciousness unaided. Nonsense. Every spiritual teacher and leader have stood in this place, without exception. Whether it be Jesus, Buddha, Moses or Muhammad all received direction and guidance from the Great Creative Intelligence at the heart of everything and learned as they grew spiritually, their consciousness raised as a result. Now you and I may not currently have the kind of direct access the aforementioned had, but it matters not.

Spiritual guides, teachers and fellowships, both sectarian and religious based abound. Our job is seeking where we are, and as has been said, when the student is ready the teacher will appear. There will be missteps along the way, but these often provide some of the most powerful lessons. And when the adversary, Fear, often cloaked in pride, whispers in our ear that we don’t need help we now understand this is the moment to reach out, for if we fail to do so we become prey to all manner of spiritual unease and disease opening the door to the bondage of self. Oh, and just a thought, maybe this Christmas read the directions before assembly?

Miracles Of Recovery

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

A Made Bed

A Made Bed

Many are in a hurry spiritually but never really arrive anywhere. They rush to and fro, from hither to yon, worrying, concerned with “big things” while neglecting the foundational principles which make understanding the big things possible. A wise man said, “If you want to change the world, start by making your bed every day.” Sounds kinda silly but is spot on. “Making our bed” spiritually travels in the same car with “getting back to basics.” As I have said elsewhere, if I ever meet the individual who suggested getting away from basics in the first place I will (metaphorically of course) provide them with a thrashing.

Making our bed spiritually requires us to adopt a simple but effective spiritual routine employed daily, without fail, consistent basic actions that we build on throughout each day to keep us centered spiritually, avoiding the trap of morbid reflection found in anger, worry, anxiety and remorse.

So, don’t be in a rush, but don’t hesitate either do the things to begin your day in a positive way. Read a small section of something spiritual that appeals to you, simple daily positive prayers and affirmations have and are working for many and meditating for a few minutes to start the day always pays dividends. What you choose is your affair, but choose and stick to it, make it a basic part of living, for in that way if we never get away from it, we never have to go back to it. Oh, and make your bed as well, it is a wonderful simple form of discipline that pays great dividends and who doesn’t like coming home to a made bed?

Miracles Of Recovery

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

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Rejoicing Butterfly

Everything about us is connected, the within and the without. Every word, every action, every thought having significance,from the positive to the negative, touching everything and everyone. Consider still pond. Toss a pebble into the center and concentric rings from the disturbance begin emanating on the surface towards the shores of the pool.Observe carefully and you will see the rings rebound back from the shore at oblique angles, eventually touching even the seemingly obscured nooks and crannies of the pond’s shoreline. This is the observable part of the reaction,but what of that which happens beyond our sight? As our pebble falls through the water it continues to send out waves, reactions, though invisible to our eye but there nonetheless, eventually touching every part of the pond and every creature swimming in it.

The pebble’s effect reverberating through the pond is akin to the effect our thoughts, words and actions have in our lives and the world about us. What we are truly reverberates throughout the world, mostly unseen or consciously noticed, but the effect is there nonetheless. The analogy of “a butterfly flaps its wings in Africa and a drought happens in China” to suggest that the smallest actions can influence major change is illustrative.

Never doubt your importance or connection with the Miraculous. We are all children of the Most High, so regard yourself accordingly, asserting your true place in thought and deed,reaping the positive consequences of a life lived in purpose, a demonstration of Divine Love and understanding, for in so doing, all Heaven rejoices. Miracles Of Recovery.

Rejoicing Butterfly

Rejoicing Butterfly

Everything about us is connected, the within and the without. Every word, every action, every thought having significance, from the positive to the negative, touching everything and everyone. Consider a still pond. Toss a pebble into the center and concentric rings from the disturbance begin emanating on the surface towards the shores of the pool. Observe carefully and you will see the rings rebound back from the shore at oblique angles, eventually touching even the seemingly obscured nooks and crannies of the pond’s shoreline. This is the observable part of the reaction, but what of that which happens beyond our sight? As our pebble falls through the water it continues to send out waves, reactions, though invisible to our eye but there nonetheless, eventually touching every part of the pond and every creature swimming in it.

The pebble’s effect reverberating through the pond is akin to the effect our thoughts, words and actions have in our lives and the world about us. What we are truly reverberates throughout the world, mostly unseen or consciously noticed, but the effect is there nonetheless. The analogy of “a butterfly flaps its wings in Africa and a drought happens in China” to suggest that the smallest actions can influence major change is illustrative.

Never doubt your importance or connection with the Miraculous. We are all children of the Most High, so regard yourself accordingly, asserting your true place in thought and deed, reaping the positive consequences of a life lived in purpose, a demonstration of Divine Love and understanding, for in so doing, all Heaven rejoices.
Miracles Of Recovery


© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

Fear Is A Bluffer

Fear Is A Bluffer

We all began this journey standing by the side of the road of Spiritual Awakening and destiny, deciding what to do. When we decide to Live on the Spiritual Basis we move from the shoulder and into the vehicle of our journey to freedom from the bondage of self. While standing on the shoulder we were rationalizing and justifying why we are putting off taking the trip, all the while watching vehicle after vehicle stop and pick up other travelers. Wishing to embark ourselves but fearful of what the journey will entail. Fear would keep us on the shoulder, a mustard seeds worth of faith gets us off it.

As with all travel, there are costs. The fare for this journey being willingness, action in purpose, open-mindedness and honesty. Faith the motive power of our vehicle. And though along the way we will come to know the Shining Cities on the Hill of peace, serenity and freedom there is no “final” destination, for our trip is never ending, always climbing to new heights of awareness and understanding in Spirit as long as we remain teachable. Our driver and guide? No less than the Miraculous, the very Creative Intelligence that lies at the heart of everything, providing all we need in good measure to make the journey. 
Yes, it will be a long and often strange trip but the only one that truly matters. Along the way the only real adversary, Fear, will keep cajoling us, suggesting, even screaming at us to disembark for we really shouldn’t trust the driver, we should climb out and sit by the side of the road “to think” about ourselves, morbid reflection ascendant. By resisting the adversary’s clarion call and trusting in God to guide us our freedom is assured, the sights and vistas along the way remarkable beyond words, our continued awakening in Spirit breathtaking, and if we remain diligent in the path we have chosen, Fears’ voice will become quieter and quieter for we now know the truth: Fear is a bluffer.
Miracles Of Recovery


© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

Unlocking Our Secret Room

Unlocking Our Secret Room

When I truly began applying spiritual principles in my life, not just paying them lip service, I had to address my “secret room.” Employing rationalization and justification I had sold myself a bill of goods to neatly lock away the things I was not proud of:poor choices, general bad behavior, secret fears, resentments, etc. out of sight. When the time came to ruthlessly face my past the reasoning that locked these things away melted like a late spring snow. The process required placing them on paper and then saying them aloud to a trusted spiritual adviser. When this was completed it felt as if an actual weight had been lifted from my shoulders, it was a stunning moment. This happened long ago and in the intervening years I have watched the same transformation happen in thousands of lives, the only requirement for successful consummation of the process being that they were thorough and honest in clearing out their secret room, for The truth will set you free.
A few weeks after revealing the inventory of my secret room, I asked the Miraculous to enter every nook and cranny of my life, to short circuit the false notion that there exists any aspect of my life that God is unaware of. Looking back, it seems foolish to believe I could “hide” things from God, which is defined by omnipotence and omnipresence, but I did. A wise teacher said tome many years ago “live your life as if it was being filmed, a permanent record available to any who would care to look.” In truth, no camera eye follows us around (thankfully), but the “eye” of God does (thankfully). Clear out your secret room if you have not already, for God already knows what is in it. Tear the door of your secret place off its hinges, and live in the light, free of the fear that hides within the shadows.
Miracles Of Recovery


© Vincent Lee Jones Living In SpiritAll Rights Reserved

Trudging the Road of Happy Destiny

Trudging the Road of Happy Destiny

We triumph over life’s inevitable challenges not by the exercise of willpower or brute force but by tapping into the power of the Infinite. Many paths lead to our ultimate awakening, and most begin with spiritual discomfort wrapped in fear. Sickness (our own or a loved ones), addiction, financial stress, a failed relationship and death (a loved one or contemplating our own) are all beginnings, for truly “the only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self is pain.” The greatest gift we can give ourselves is a foundation in faith before these assaults on our serenity begin. The pain and discomfort of dealing with the ultimate questions of living will not be avoided, but we will have a clear-cut set of directions to follow out of the wilderness to peace of mind and heart.

To follow this path we must set aside our preconceived ideas and don a new pair of glasses and “Become quick to see where spiritual people are right and make use of what they offer.” Laying aside our prejudices we listen and learn with our heart, for in the end, isn’t finding a way out more important than who provides it? If you were drowning and a rope appeared before seizing it would you first question who held it? So, we put aside any lingering prejudice against any spiritual path and make use of what they have to offer, taking what we need at this time and leaving the rest (remember, this selfishness is God inspired and is part of our growth) and join them in “trudging the road of happy destiny.”  
Miracles Of Recovery


© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

Extravagant Promises? No.


Extravagant Promises? No.

The promises from Living on the Spiritual Basis are pearls beyond price: “We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past or wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace…That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear…Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us…When we look back, we realize that the things which came to us when we put ourselves in God’s hands were better than anything we could have planned…As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His Presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn.”

        “Are these extravagant promises? We think not…They will always materialize if we work for them” (Alcoholics Anonymous).

If this and more is promised to those suffering from addiction, could you expect anything less in your life? Place your will and life into the hands of the Miraculous and this and so much more is yours, for it is the Promise and God keeps all His promises.

Miracles Of Recovery


© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

Miracles Of Recovery

Vincent Lee Jones

714-366-1725 vlj@miraclesofrecovery.com

Specialties:

  • Assisting those not only struggling with addiction in all its forms and guises, but their loved ones as well.
  • Guide not only to classic 12 Step based recovery, but other modalities and paths since recovery is not one size fits all.
  • As an avid hiker I incorporate nature into recovery, to slow down and appreciate the beauty and serenity found in simple things.

As someone who lost nearly everything to substance abuse and is intimately familiar with the day to day realities of recovery, over the last 30+ years I have successfully worked with thousands of individuals from all walks and strata of life: teens to the retired, people in the mainstream and on the fringes of society to the instantly recognizable, prosperous to those struggling to survive; representing the full spectrum of Spiritual beliefs and practices, suffering from all manner of substance and behavior-based addictions. Additionally, working with and providing support to the families of and those who care about the sufferer, since addiction’s powerful grip in all its guises and manifestations is often baffling to fully comprehend.

Some Career Highlights:

  • Creator of Miracles Of Recovery
  • Ordained Minister
  • Published over 2000 pieces on The Spiritual Basis of Living at: Living In Spirit
  • Over 600 recovery-based videos on YouTube at: Vincent Lee Jones
  • Designed and built Treatment Centers, Sober Living Residences and Laboratories utilizing a workforce comprised almost exclusively of people new or returning to recovery, helping them to learn a trade and since many had relapsed numerous times, in concert with treatment professionals at Healing Path Recovery worked with them to begin truly building a foundation to live free of addiction. This program changed many lives.
  • Worked pro bono with at risk students at Huntington Beach High School for 5 years.
  • Have taught recovery/Spiritual principles as a Facilitator for 15+ years.
  • Served on the Orange County California Intergroup Board of Alcoholics Anonymous as Board Vice Chairman and Chairman of Group Relations, worked as a committee Chairman for 5 years on the annual OC AA Convention and have handled the Prison and Jail correspondence for the Orange County Hospitals and Institutions Committee for 20 years. Past Chairman “Thursday’s Fellowship” 501 C 3.
  • Founded a teaching group which studies the history of recovery in all its aspects, open to all who suffer and their loved ones, leading it for 20+ years and am a locally recognized recovery historian.
  • Author of Hightower Chronicled.