Step 8 “We made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.”
Even though Step 8 is one of the shortest steps, the principals of this step have powerful and profound connections to the spiritual process of willingness and forgiveness. I was unable to internalize the spiritual meaning of this step, due to my lack of understanding. My mind sort of did a mental twist. One is that I made a list of people who have harmed me, because I didn’t harm anyone. The world and its peoples had harmed me. The second point was that I thought that I had to do more work and come up with another list of people to make amends to. This had been my spiritual process for Step 8 for a very long time. The members of the fellowship told me to ‘Keep Coming Back’ and that ‘More Will be Revealed’.
If I must say, to get the truest spiritual meaning of a step, one needs to have the guidance of a Sponsor. A Sponsor who has a working knowledge of the steps and, who has had a spiritual awakening, as a result of working the 12 steps of Narcotics Anonymous. From my experience of going through the steps, I have been literally carried by my Sponsors, mentally, spiritually and emotionally throughout this recovery process. In transferring the spiritual energy and knowledge of the steps, the women of the fellowship have shown me unconditional love. They have asked for NOTHING in return, except that I give back what was so freely given to me!
In regards to Step 8 my understanding was that I was the one who had been harmed, so when I thought about making the list, it was based on self-centeredness. Due to my addictive behavior and character defects, unbeknownst to me, I had harmed lots of people including those closest to
me and even those with whom I’d had romantic & sexual relations with. My understanding of “It Works How and Why” is that accepting responsibility for the actions of my defects of character is a way of gaining true freedom from those defects. It also references that I needed to do whatever I could to repair the harm that I’d done to others. Making the list of those people, places and institutions, was the beginning of the willingness to make amends to all I harmed.
In making the 8th step list, I thought that my Sponsor would be the one to suggest who would be placed on it. Turns out we would refer back to my 4th Step list and make the decision about who would be placed on my 8th step list. For me the twist was that they had NOT done harm to me, I had done harm to them! What a blow to my ego and, a SPIRITUAL REVELATION! The process of this step was for me to become willing to begin the spiritual practice of forgiveness.
The 8th Step was the beginning process for me to clear the wreckage from my past, and this all started from making the list. This step gave me a chance to see the exact nature of my wrongs, how my actions had affected others, and for me to stop denying the fact that I had caused harm from my selfish actions and behaviors of my short comings.
The 8th step process gave me the ability to choose recovery over addiction and the choice of spiritual principles rather than my character defects…and for this…I am grateful! Nikki B. Oct. 1, 1986 (clean time)
TRADITION 8. “Narcotics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers”.
CONCEPT 8 “Our service structure depends on the integrity and effectiveness of our communications”.
CAMPOUT
August 18-20 1745 Camp Rotary Rd Crawfordsville, IN 47933
$40.00-No Addict turned away. Includes camping for the whole weekend (bunkhouse available) dinner Friday & Saturday breakfast on Sunday Fellowship, Live Music, Meetings, & Activities Contact Cody W. 317-868-6230 or activities@centralindianana.org
CHILI COOK OFF
Central Area NA Annual H and I Chili Cook Off
Sept 27, 2023 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm 701 N. Delaware Indianapolis, (in the basement) Learn about facilities we serve
WORKSHOP
Sick and Tired of Being Sick and Tired
August 19th and 20th 12-2PM Sponsored by Surrender to Win and Thank God it’s Friday Club InnerVision 3001 Central Ave. (formerly Unleavened Bread Café)
CIACNA
CIACNA XIX
UNITY IS A MUST
“Through Recovery We Grow”
September 29 – October 1, 2023
Convention Committee Meetings 3001 North Central Avenue
Executive Committee 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM General Session 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
August 19 (Hotel Walkthrough) September 16 (Hotel Walkthrough) September 23
Let me say thank you to the fellowship of the Central Indiana Area of Narcotics Anonymous for your contributions and allowing me to be of service . Lillie A.
In memory of the addicts no longer suffering from the disease of addiction