AA Daily Reflections provide a structure for your daily meditation practice. They consist of a short quote from a piece of AA literature followed by a brief personal reflection written by an AA member. They are a source of encouragement during the challenges of daily sobriety and support mindfulness and spiritual practice for maintaining recovery.

What is Alcoholics Anonymous?

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a peer support group for people to resolve their drinking problems. It is a free community-based support group. There is no membership requirement outside of wanting to stop your drinking problem. AA’s goal is to help people with an alcohol use problem achieve and maintain sobriety. [1]

AA first began in 1935 as a meeting between two struggling alcoholics, Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith. They worked together to establish the 12-step program that is now synonymous with AA and recovery. In 1938, Bill wrote the “Big Book” as a support resource for people who could not attend meetings or did not have meetings available in their area. It lays out the A.A. process of recovery and how the first 100 people in AA used it to achieve sobriety.

Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. has grown to be a global support program for those striving to recover from alcohol misuse. The AA estimates that fellowships can be found in 180 countries comprising over 123,000 AA groups, with over two million members and meetings conducted in over 100 languages. [2]

What are the Daily Reflections?

Daily Reflections was published in 1990 in response to the need within AA for a collection of daily reflections that move through the calendar year. [3]  Each thought for the day is accompanied by a quotation from a piece of AA literature, such as the Big Book, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, As Bill Sees It, and other AA books.

Following each quote is a personal reflection on the quote by an anonymous AA member. The personal reflections were submitted by AA members (1,300 submissions were received).  They are not professional writers, speaking for themselves as they would at an AA in-person meeting about their experiences in sobriety. The casual writing style and short snippets of information can make it more approachable than diving into the Big Book or Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. The theme throughout the book reflects the Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous: Recovery, Unity, and Service.

Daily Reflections provides a structure for individuals’ daily meditation practice, inspiration for group discussions at meetings, and an introduction to other AA literature. It is a source of encouragement during the challenges of daily sobriety and supports mindfulness and spiritual practice for maintaining recovery. It is also a reminder to take one day at a time.

Where Can I Find the AA Daily Reflections?

Daily Reflections was published in 1990. It can be purchased online, at an AA meeting, or in many local bookstores. It can also be accessed for free on the Alcoholics Anonymous website: AA.org. The website allows the user to click on any calendar date and see the daily reflection for that day.  There is also a Daily Reflections App available to download to your phone.

What are Some Examples of a Daily Reflection?

The following are the Daily Reflections for July 31st and August 2nd. [4]

July 31: A Prayer For All Seasons

God grants us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, Courage to change the things we can, and wisdom to know the difference. – TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 125

The power of this prayer is overwhelming in that its simple beauty parallels the A.A. Fellowship. There are times when I get stuck while reciting it, but if I examine the section that is troubling me, I find the answer to my problem. The first time this happened, I was scared, but now I use it as a valuable tool. By accepting life as it is, I gain serenity. By taking action, I gain courage, and I thank God for the ability to distinguish between those situations I can work on and those I must turn over. All that I have now is a gift from God: my life, my usefulness, my contentment, and this program. The serenity enables me to continue walking forward.

Alcoholics Anonymous is the easier, softer way.

August 02: We Become Willing…

At the moment we are trying to put our lives in order. But this is not an end in itself. – ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 77

How easily I can become misdirected in approaching the Eighth Step! I wish to be free, somehow transformed by my Sixth and Seventh Steps work. Now, more than ever, I am vulnerable to my self-interest and hidden agenda. I am careful to remember that self-satisfaction, sometimes through the spoken forgiveness of those I have harmed, is not my true objective. I become willing to make amends, knowing that through this process, I am mended and made fit to move forward, to know and desire God’s will for me.

Are the AA Daily Reflections Effective in Supporting Recovery?

Daily Reflections can help you recover, whether you are just starting your recovery journey or have been in recovery for years. They aim to speak to universal aspects of recovery and how you can use the information in your daily life, no matter where you are in recovery and sobriety.

Daily Reflections provide a positive daily habit that supports wellness and growth. They can remind you of key aspects of the program or introduce new concepts. Daily Reflections are small bite-size pieces of key concepts from the AA program, making remembering and applying the ideas to your daily life easier. The daily recovery readings are small reminders of how your thoughts and actions help you maintain sobriety.

Daily Reflections to Support Post-Addiction Growth

Studies have found that during recovery, a person can experience addiction-related growth. Post-traumatic growth, the growth that is seen in people after they have experienced a traumatic, life-altering event, seems to be activated in people as they go through addiction recovery. [5] Recovery, particularly 12-step programs such as AA, focus on changing priorities, improving self-awareness, personal growth, and having a spiritual practice. All things that support post-traumatic growth. Social support is also a key indicator of post-traumatic growth, which is also a key component of the AA recovery program. Daily Reflections are a cornerstone to self-reflection and growth and can support your post-addiction growth.

AA Daily Reflections for Support and Growth

AA Daily Reflections play a key role in recovery by promoting self-awareness, encouraging spiritual growth, building resilience, providing support and community, and reinforcing the individual’s commitment to sobriety. They can be encouraged during challenging days to maintain sobriety and inspiration on days of strength and motivation. All of these components that Daily Reflections supports are touchstones to building towards experiencing post-traumatic growth during recovery.