Regular prayer and meditation are two more key elements in our new pattern of living. Our active addiction was more than just a bad habit waiting to be broken by force of will. Our addiction was a negative, draining dependence that stole all our positive energy. That dependence was so total, it prevented us from developing any kind of reliance on a Higher Power.

From the very beginning of our recovery, our Higher Power has been the force that's brought us freedom. First, it relieved us of our compulsion to keep taking drugs, even when we knew they were killing us. Then, it gave us freedom from the more deeply ingrained aspects of our disease. Our Higher Power gave us the direction, the strength, and the courage to inventory ourselves; to admit out loud to another person what our lives had been like, perhaps for the first time; to begin seeking release from the chronic defects of character underlying our troubles; and, at last, to make amends for the wrongs we'd done.

That first contact with a Higher Power, and that first freedom, has grown into a life full of freedom. We maintain that freedom by maintaining and improving our conscious contact with our Higher Power through regular prayer and meditation.

Recovery offers us many chances to adopt a realistic view of who we are. Humility deepens when we admit powerlessness in Step One, accept help in Steps Three and Seven, and get clarity about our assets and shortcomings in Steps Four, Six, and Ten. We continually gain experience sorting out what we can and can't do for ourselves. Sometimes, we embrace our strengths or expand our capabilities. Other times, we accept our limitations.

When deciding what we can realistically accomplish on our own, Tradition Eight reminds us to practice humility and prudence. That's good advice for groups and service bodies, and it's equally applicable for our personal lives. We strive to be self-supporting, as Tradition Seven suggests, but that doesn't mean we're self-sufficient. In NA and at home, humility helps us discern the difference.

Making the NA message widely available often involves tasks or projects requiring more time or expertise than we have available. We can and do employ special workers for many functions in NA, from printing meeting directories to proofreading to navigating the rules of international trade. When it comes to demonstrating NA's reliability and expanding access to our lifesaving message, it's sometimes prudent to hire some help.

Seeing our principles at work in NA service helps many of us learn to apply them in our personal lives. "I wanted to save money on a plumber by fixing a leak myself," a member recalled. "My partner reminded me that I'd made several valiant attempts at home projects in the past year, and none turned out very well. If I want to become a fix-it person, I can make the time to take a class or get help from a friend. But while the water is leaking, I might just need to call an actual plumber." That's practicing willingness, self-support, and humility . . . all while preventing unnecessary catastrophe!