“Everything that occurs in the course of NA service must be motivated by the desire to more successfully carry the message of recovery to the addict who still suffers.”– Basic
“Complacency is the enemy of members with substantial clean time. If we remain complacent for long, the recovery process ceases.”– Basic Text, page 80 Complacency in recovery is subtle and
“There is a spiritual principle of giving away what we have been given in Narcotics Anonymous in order to keep it. By helping others to stay clean, we enjoy the
“Addiction is a physical, mental, and spiritual disease that affects every area of our lives.”– Basic Text, page 20 Many of us entered recovery with misconceptions about addiction. We may
“There is only one requirement for membership, the desire to stop using.”– Basic Text, page 9 Membership in Narcotics Anonymous is unlike membership in most other organizations. There are no
“By working the steps, we come to accept a Higher Power’s will…. We lose our fear of the unknown. We are set free.”– Basic Text, page 16 Change is an
“No one is forcing us to give up our misery.”– Basic Text, page 29 For many of us, the misery of active addiction became a familiar companion. Despite the pain,
“I started to imitate some of the things the winners were doing. I got caught up in NA. I felt good….”– Basic Text, page 223 In recovery, the term “winner”
“This ability to listen is a gift and grows as we grow spiritually. Life takes on a new meaning when we open ourselves to this gift.”– Basic Text, page 102
“When we see how our defects exist in our lives and accept them, we can let go of them and get on with our new life.”– Basic Text, pages 33–34
“We use the tools available to us and develop the ability to survive our emotions.”– Basic Text, page 30 For many of us in active addiction, emotions felt unbearable. Fear,
“Relationships can be a terribly painful area.”– Basic Text, page 78 Romantic relationships can stir some of the most powerful emotions we experience in recovery. Love, vulnerability, and intimacy can
“We have seen the program work for any addict who honestly and sincerely wants to stop using drugs.”– Basic Text, page 10 Recovery works for those who are ready to
“We know that if we pray for God’s will we will receive what is best for us, regardless of what we think.”– Basic Text, page 44 In recovery, we’ve come
“Perhaps for the first time, we see a vision of our new life.”– Basic Text, page 34 Addiction confined us to a narrow, repetitive cycle of survival: obtaining, using, and
“We have to keep our recovery first and our priorities in order.”– Basic Text, page 79 In active addiction, we often used external events or personal circumstances as excuses for
“We begin to pray only for God’s will for us. That way, we get only what we are capable of handling.”– Basic Text, page 47 Recovery teaches us the value
“Sharing with others keeps us from feeling isolated and alone.”– Basic Text, page 81 One of the most transformative aspects of recovery is learning to share our true selves with
“Enforced morality lacks the power that comes to us when we choose to live a spiritual life.”– Basic Text, page 44 Recovery brings us the gift of freedom—freedom from addiction,
“We believe that our Higher Power will take care of us.”– Basic Text, page 55 In recovery, we learn that simple spiritual principles, when applied consistently, can lead to profound
“To be truly humble is to accept and honestly try to be ourselves.”– Basic Text, page 35 Humility is often misunderstood. For those of us in recovery, it can be
“At times during our recovery, the decision to ask for God’s help is our greatest source of strength and courage.”– Basic Text, page 26 Recovery is a journey that requires
“A lot happens in one day, both negative and positive. If we do not take the time to appreciate both, perhaps we will miss something that will help us grow.”–
“Quieting the mind through meditation brings an inner peace that brings us into contact with the God within us.”– Basic Text, page 45 In recovery, meditation is a powerful tool
“We entertained the thought that staying clean was not paying off and the old thinking stirred up self-pity, resentment, and anger.”– Basic Text, page 98 In recovery, it’s natural to
“The relief of ‘letting go and letting God’ helps us develop a life that is worth living.”– Basic Text, page 26 In active addiction, many of us clung tightly to
“As we begin to function in society, our creative freedom helps us sort our priorities and do the basic things first.”– Basic Text, page 83 Recovery brings new opportunities—careers, relationships,
“If [character defects] contributed to our health and happiness, we would not have come to such a state of desperation.”– Basic Text, page 34 The Sixth and Seventh Steps of
As we navigate the complexities of life, it’s easy to get caught up in our past regrets or anxieties about the future. For those in recovery, particularly those who have
“…we could feel time, touch reality, and recognize spiritual values long lost to many of us.”– Basic Text, page 85 Addiction often leads us to compromise our values and abandon