About COS 26
The Heart of The Message
““What is our message? The message is an addict, any addict, can stop using drugs, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live. Our message is hope and the promise of freedom.”
-Tradition Five Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text-
Some have come to the Circle of Sisters convention leaving life on life’s terms at home but still carrying the silent suffering of our thoughts and feelings. We may come to the Circle of Sisters convention with the challenges of parenting our children, caring for our parents, financial insecurities, unemployment, toxic relationships, and even trying to stay clean just one more day. When we arrive at the Circle of Sisters convention, those challenges fade with that first warm hug from our NA sisters. The It Works How and Why tells us, our program works because recovery is found “in each other, in our relationship with our higher power, in our hearts and minds, and finally in the collective wisdom of each other.” As we meet new sisters and settle into workshops, the Spiritual Principle A Day tells us “one of the gifts of recovery is learning how to quiet our minds so we can listen with our hearts.” We continue to listen to hear the message of recovery ever mindful that the Journey Continues reveals, “we hear it when we learn to listen with our hearts well as our ears.”
Many of us also come to the Circle of Sisters convention and reconnect with our sisters from past conventions. We share laughter during the comedy and fashion shows, take photos during the city tour, and dress up for the banquet. We believe it when the Journey Continues tells us that “even if we experience that peace for just a moment, we can keep it in our hearts as we move through our lives.” Spending the weekend at the Circle of Sisters convention, most of us experience what the Basic Text describes as “indescribable joy that comes from sharing from the heart.” As the weekend comes to an end, we leave with new phone numbers, lots of photos, and our hearts ready to embrace the life on life’s terms we left at home. Finally, the Journey Continues tells us that “we find the courage to follow our heart, to listen to the voice within, to create, to commit, to explore, and to live” as we return to our lives at home.
Basic Text
-The heart of NA beats when two addicts share their recovery.—What is the NA Program
-Indescribable joy comes from sharing from the heart—More Will Be Revealed
It Works How & Why
-Helping others is perhaps the highest aspiration of the human heart - - Step Twelve
-The heart of the NA way of recovery from addiction is one addict helping another. – Tradition Eight
Living Clean
-We hear it when we learn to listen with our heart as well as our ears. Chapter one, Growing Pains
--We find the courage to follow our heart, to listen to the voice within, to create, to commit, to explore, and to live. Chapter Three, Creative Action of the Spirit
Guiding Principles
-Our message is the heart of Narcotics Anonymous - - Tradition Five, opening reflection
-Sharing from the heart is the most attractive thing we have to offer. - - Tradition Eleven, opening reflection
Sisters, YOU are the Heart of our Message, your love, your story, and your experience!
Welcome to San Diego!
Welcome to the Heart of the Message!