Becoming A Stradivarius

Being loved is wonderful; it fills our heart and puts a smile on our face. Demonstrating love towards loved ones and friends is easy, but what of the “unlovely” whose actions we find objectionable? Those who have committed crimes beyond the pale, have acted in ways reprehensible or hold beliefs and opinions we find anathema? To be clear: Divine (unconditional) Love does not suggest blind acceptance of another’s transgressions or world view. Additionally, we can only forgive the transgressions committed against us, for each must do their own spiritual work in embracing and demonstrating forgiveness, the one true path of freedom from the bondage of self.

When we walk this path in earnest, we embrace God’s love and guidance, seeking to be an instrument of His will. Consider: a Stradivarius violin is just an old piece of lacquered wood with strings until a master violinist places it to their shoulder and begins to play, transforming it from mere old wood and strings to something magical, creating a sound without peer. As great as the violinist may be though, without the violin nothing happens. As exquisite an instrument as the violin may be, it only truly comes alive in the hands of a master.

We are imperfect beings, prone to error while God is perfection. By Living on the Spiritual Basis and embracing forgiveness we fit ourselves to be the finest instrument possible. Living in the Light we are convinced that God wants us to be Happy, Joyous and Free, that Divine Love is freely given, but it is dependent on us to ask, to step out in faith, and just as the violin does not tune itself, we do not remove our shortcomings without help. When we are resentful, fearful, believing we are justified in anger or demonstrating any of the defects of character we are capable of, it is Divine Love that re-tunes our heart, brings us back to our right mind, forgives, restoring us to the sanity of true spirit, our notes, our lives, ringing clear and sweet once again.

Miracles Of Recovery

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved
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Faiths’ Foot Soldiers

Do you pray and meditate daily? If not, what could possibly be of more importance? Living on the Spiritual Basis requires consistent effort, so pick up pen and paper right now and list the reasons why you are resistant to meditation and prayer, I’ll wait…….

Looking at them in black and white; they are pretty weak, aren’t they? Especially when you consider you have been choosing excuses over freedom! If a rich benefactor approached you and the only requirement for consistent access to their fortune and help was physically exercising a few minutes every day, would you find excuses not to exercise? Considering you get to decide when to exercise and how, intensity not the goal, just consistency and all your financial needs vanish, permanently, would you hesitate? If you met someone with this kind of arraignment who then started lamenting all the reasons (remember your list) why working out consistently was “hard,” how would you respond?

The choice is always ours. We can live on the Spiritual Basis or visit it. To be clear: If we wait for trouble to come before we pray, God will still hear our prayers and act to our benefit, the difference between living in the light and running to it in fear is the wear and tear we place on ourselves. Trouble comes for all, the rain falls on the just and unjust equally, and consistent prayer and meditation prepares us for those times. So, what are you waiting for? Daily prayer and meditation demonstrate willingness, willingness the foot soldier of faith, faith the buffer that smooths the road, the road of Happy Destiny.

Miracles Of Recovery

© Vincent Lee Jones All Rights Reserved
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Fleeing Babel

There are a few stories in the Old Testament pretty much everyone has some knowledge of, the Tower of Babel being one of them. Considering this story, what would the world look like if we all spoke the same language, had complete access to unfiltered, accurate information? Everyone on the “same” page, nothing lost in translation, language barriers unknown, what a different world it would be. The good and bad of this making for an interesting thought experiment.

The Good News is such a common language exists and Living on the Spiritual Basis is at the root, for when we practice the Presence of God in all our activities, the heart speaks, and when the heart speaks, hearts listen. Regardless of the secular language employed for communication the Language of the Heart is universal. Be the words Russian, French, Chinese or Urdu if we begin each day asking in morning meditation to be shown the way of patience, tolerance, kindliness and love we speak as one. If we are asking throughout our day to be shown how we may be of service to God and our fellows, we speak with one voice. When we consistently place the welfare of others ahead of our own, we demonstrate the universal language of Divine Love. What would the world look like if everyone spoke this language, the language of the Heart? Heaven.

Miracles Of Recovery

© Vincent Lee Jones All Rights Reserved Miracles Of Recovery, Overdose Death, Alcoholism, Wayne Dyer, Drug Addiction, Zen, Emmet Fox, Opioids, Heroin, Einstein, AA, Healing Path Recovery, Drug Rehab, #Drug Addiction, #Drug Rehab, #Healing Path Recovery, #Heroin, #Opioids

Second Birth

New beginnings. We have had and will have many in our lives and though all are remarkable, the greatest of these however is the day we chose to live on the basis of trusting and relying on a Power Greater Than Ourselves. This conscious decision to Live on the Spiritual Basis begins closing the chapters of our lives lived on self-propulsion and self-will and starts us on the one true journey; our rebirth into the light. Just as was our physical birth, there is pain, made all the more difficult because we are fully conscious for all of it, but is necessary for, Pain is the only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self. Is it any wonder this path is the road less traveled? Our carnal mind seeks, and the secular world offers many “easy” alternatives to address our discomfort, whether it is a “pill for every ill” or some new book or teacher offering a path promising freedom without discomfort. Many pay the path lip service, few willing to pay the price required, a great sadness indeed. Pain is the touchstone of spiritual growth, we can wish it were not so with all our might, but in truth, without pain few, if any, would be moved to act, for complacency is one of the true Adversary’s, Fear, most effective tools.

The Good News however is that once moved to act, we tap into the power of the miraculous, taking a partner in living who has all knowledge and power, the True Source of all. The promise is that once we have embarked on this new beginning, steadfast in willingness and refusing to be turned by the Adversary, life will take on new meaning. We will comprehend Serenity and we will know peace, no matter what our current circumstances, we are, in fact, reborn, Freedom in spirit personified.

Miracles Of Recovery

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved
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The Five Central Aspects of Miracles Of Recovery:

To provide a safe nonjudgmental integrated comprehensive environment of recovery, breaking the current cycle of relapse and death from overdose; providing resources for all who suffer and their loved ones, utilizing all the recovery tools, technology, and assets available today, embracing all avenues of recovery with real consistent aftercare and an eye to the future. The approach multi-pronged: (1st Aspect) An updated design for living incorporating all facets of recovery with today’s realities and sensibilities, (2nd Aspect) reinvigorating “old school” methods with their long proven record of accomplishment (currently there are 200,000+ AA/NA meetings weekly worldwide in 181 countries) but unfortunately many members openly denigrate professional treatment and alternate paths, in turn alienating many, but particularly young people (avg. age in AA is 50 and 74% are 41 and over, only 12% under 30*) who don’t fit a narrow criterion for inclusion. Incorporating all current recovery modalities in a format bridging to past generations, those 40 and over, with real world gatherings and hard back books to this and coming generations (3rd Aspect) reliance on instantaneous communication, social media, and a preference for electronic commerce and professional engagement. Building and establishing real links (4th Aspect) between professional recovery and an outside integrated recovery community welcoming and supporting all paths and modalities of recovery, creating networks of real sustainable long-term aftercare and (5th Aspect) new and innovative income streams that don’t rely solely on Health Care Providers or governmental largess to survive and grow.
A detailed explanation of these Aspects can be found on the blueprint linked  below:

Miracles Of Recovery

Old Habitsh

“You leave old habits behind by starting out with the thought, ‘I release the need for this in my life’.” Wayne Dyer

Like many, my weight has varied greatly during my life. Currently it is at a low point, for which I am grateful. Now, putting on weight isn’t a mystery, and neither is losing it. It is really just simple math, burn more calories than you take in, and you lose weight. Simple, right? So, why is it, at least in my life, I have had to keep losing the same pounds repeatedly? Habit. Now, I have never been big on candy or sugary carbonated drinks, but baked goods; cookies, cakes, pies, doughnuts……oh, doughnuts are my kryptonite. And maybe a little ice cream, not the store brand stuff in the half gallon tubs, but those perfectly sized premium pints that say there are only 140 calories per serving, which is pretty good, until you check the servings per container, which is usually like a hundred or so. OK, I exaggerate, it’s more like 50.

Anyway, in the past after losing weight I would “reward” myself with baked goods, OK, doughnuts, and probably some Hagen-Dazs. Kinda like celebrating quitting smoking with a smoke. The curious thing is after all this time, the voice suggesting those “negative” rewards is still there even though my body carries the remnants of all those times my weight ballooned, the evidence undeniable, as is the truth: dieting doesn’t work long term, only changing the way we look at our diet does. “When we change the way we look at things, the things we look at change.”

So, just for today, I have changed the way I look at my diet and have come to accept the simple math of it all, that those calories will either be burned or “stored”, in my case around my middle. As a result, I like the way I feel and look today (OK, maybe not the saggy skin) but most importantly, I now understand the counterproductive (OK, crazy) habit of negative rewards that take us back to where we just came from and worked so hard to leave. So, I will leave the French crullers to those who can control and enjoy their doughnuts and praise the god of desserts for Skinny Cow ice cream products. Now, if they would only go into the doughnut business…….

Miracles Of Recovery

© Vincent Lee Jones All Rights Reserved
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The Wisdom of Tears

“If we never experience the chill of a dark winter, it is very unlikely that we will ever cherish the warmth of a bright summer’s day. Nothing stimulates our appetite for the simple joys of life more than the starvation caused by sadness or desperation. In order to complete our amazing life journey successfully, it is vital that we turn each and every dark tear into a pearl of wisdom, and find the blessing in every curse.” Anthon St. Marteen

Our tears define us. They will either drown us in self-pity, regret, despair;morbid reflection ascendant or they water, nurture and cause to sprout the seeds of awakening in purpose to the lessons of this amazing timeless journey. Will they paralyze us or motivate us to move and grow as Children of the Miraculous? In truth, though we would never wish ill on anyone, who truly appreciates the blessing of a cup of cool water better than those who have thirsted or a simple meal more than those who have faced starvation?

The tears we have shed have the power to heal, to instruct, to impart wisdom,to be blessings if we choose. As agents of free will, the choice is always ours. So, our darkest moments can either be a curse or a blessing, that which sinks us in despair and sadness or our greatest gift to ourselves and those in need. And our tears of joy? Points of light set high on a hill, for truly, who can appreciate joy more than those who have walked through sorrow.


Miracles Of Recovery


© Vincent Lee Jones All Rights Reserved
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One of my early spiritual teachers was often painfully direct, no sugar coatings.Once when I was complaining about some recent misfortune and stated, “It’s not fair” to which he quickly replied, “You want fair, go to Pomona(where the LA county fair is held) once a year.” Now, being the sensitive type,this hurt my delicate feelings. He didn’t much care, or at all, and followed up with “pain is the only instrument sharp enough to cut away the excess of self, so be grateful for the lesson.” Geez, what an insensitive lout, but he was right.

Life is not fair. Life is messy, we all make mistakes, regularly. Trouble starts when we take things personally, allowing ourselves to become emotionally attached to the error. So the reality is, money comes and goes, jobs come and go,relationships change or end, people will let us down and we will let people down as well, such is life. We are all in this together, our true job to learn and grow in awareness and understanding and so when(not if) our feelings are hurt, we make a mistake, are let down or offended, because we will be, we embrace the lesson as an opportunity to grow spiritually. Remembering that today is just one day in our long awakening, and nothing is worth losing our peace of mind and serenity in spirit over. Oh, and try not to smile too broadly when it’s your turn to respond when someone states “It’s not fair.”

Miracles Of Recovery

© Vincent Lee Jones Living In Spirit All Rights Reserved

Miracles Of Recovery, Overdose Death, Alcoholism, Wayne Dyer, Drug Addiction, Zen, Emmet Fox, Opioids, Heroin,Einstein, AA, Healing Path Recovery, Drug Rehab, #Drug Addiction, #Drug Rehab,#Healing Path Recovery, #Heroin, #Opioids