Positive Action Changes Everything

In memory of those who lost their lives

protecting our country.

MHIG info

Weekly Meetings

A Spring Retreat Experience 

         "A weekend to Delve into the new 12 and 12" was the theme of the retreat held at the Saint Lawrence Retreat Center in Beacon NY. The retreat was put together by Lori J our Inter Group Chair Person and MaryEllen our Inter Group Treasurer. They did a great job with all the arrangements and details, thank you both for your service.

         The Retreat Center is a very serene place. Set in the hills above the Hudson with views of Mount Beacon. The well-kempt grounds that surround it provide a great place to walk and sit in nature. Nearby is the Madam Brett park with waterfalls and excellent trails. It's an easy picturesque walk down to the Hudson River. 

         The rooms are clean and comfortable and the food was excellent.  Everyone on the staff is friendly and provide for the guests' needs with a smile. 

         The Leaders were Don and Kimberly who helped write the  New OA 12 and 12. They presented an in-depth study of the 12 steps. They did an excellent job and I want to thank them for their service. I came away with a better understanding of the steps and I am looking forward to doing them once again. One of the many things I took away from the weekend was that I need to know the steps in order to "Live" the steps. I was given more insight into my program and how I work it. I am sure all 22 people that attended had a positive learning experience as well.

         The fellowship in this beautiful setting was soul soothing and a great boost to my program and probably for most others as well.  I am grateful to all that put this together as well as all who attended. I look forward to next years retreat.

            Peace

            Chuck

Public Outreach/Professional Info

(PO/PI) Report

The Public Outreach committee attended 2 wellness fairs during the month of April. On April 3rd, members went to Orange County Community College at the Middletown
campus.  April 24th found us at Mt. St. Mary College in Newburgh. We distributed to students and the public many introductory pamphlets containing information about OA and how people could find local meetings, phone meetings, and websites.

— MaryEllen W.

MHIG Delegate's World Service Business Conference Report

— Evangelyn R.

OA Region 6 Info

OA WSO Info

>>> IMPORTANT Monthly News Bulletin <<<

Step 5 - Integrity

Tradition 5 - Purpose

Step 5: Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

Step 5: Seeing My Part

When I arrived in OA, I was full of anger, resentment, blame, guilt, and a lot of other negative emotions. When someone did a “wrong” to me, it was his or her fault and never mine. Everything that happened to me was not my fault.

Life wasn’t good to me; I was always the innocent person being hurt. When I found out that in Step Five I had to look at my part in the pattern, I was confused. I wasn’t responsible for people treating me badly and doing the wrong thing; I had no part in what they did to me.

My sponsor helped me work that Fifth Step. I looked carefully and saw selfishness, self-centeredness, dishonesty, and other character defects. At the end of my work, I felt so much lighter and freer. As the promises state: “We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., p. 83).

Afterward at meetings, I kept sharing about how much that Step meant to me. It taught me so much about myself. I had been blind to my defects. Through this process I learned to accept and love myself for who I am, not a bad person but a very sick person recovering in this program.

Step Five has helped me find natural happiness—I used to rely on others to make me happy and felt resentful if they did not fulfill my expectations. Now I have a great big smile on my face and just want to bounce all the time like a bubbly cartoon character.

Now when I feel angry or resentful at a person or situation, I sit down and ask myself what my part is. I have a very honest HP who never fails to let me know. Then I can make amends if I need to. If I have trouble letting go, I turn to page 417 of the Big Book and read about acceptance. Until I accept everything as it is and not how I want it to be, I have to keep praying to my HP for acceptance. I can’t change anyone except myself.

I have worked all Twelve Steps now, and I still maintain that Step Five was the best Step I ever worked. It was a real eye-opener to the true me. It also gave me freedom, peace, and serenity. I can let go of the past and live in each minute of the day, enjoying life to the fullest.

— Julie B., Adelaide, South Australia Australia

Lifeline - Posted on June 14, 2016

Tradition Five: Each group has but one primary purpose— to carry its message to the compulsive overeater who still suffers.

Tradition Five is clearly stated. It’s the follow-up question that’s important: 

How are we supposed to do that?

Here are some suggestions:

• Attend meetings regularly and participate by sharing and helping out when you can.
• Read OA literature and the AA Big Book regularly.
• Obtain a sponsor or sharing partner as soon as possible.
• Identify your trigger foods and develop a plan of eating that includes foods you’re supposed to eat in the right portions.
• Abstain from those trigger foods. This means keep away from your trigger foods, one day at a time.
• Pray often during the day and on a regular basis while developing a personal relationship with your Higher Power.
• Work the Twelve Steps in order and with the help of your sponsor as quickly as you can.
• Reinforce awareness of Steps One, Two, and Three regularly.
• Be aware of your gifts from your HP and express gratitude regularly.
• Make several outreach calls weekly, sharing your progress and showing concern for other members.
• When you and your sponsor agree, share your progress with a newcomer seeking help by offering to sponsor someone.
• Continue to apply the Steps, Traditions, and Principles of the program to your life and relationships, discussing your progress with your sponsor regularly.
• Realize and accept the fact that your body’s allergy to your trigger foods will be with you for your lifetime, but the obsession of the mind will be quieted if you “keep in fit spiritual condition” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th ed., p. 85).

The word “regularly” recurs throughout this list of suggestions. It appears that new habits are necessary to foster recovery and grow in it! The bottom line is that we “don’t simply carry the message, we are the message” (The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition, pp. 86–87). Enjoy the promises of each Step and smile as you get better.

— Edited and reprinted from The Butterflyer newsletter, Chicago Western Intergroup, July 2017