Feed the White Dog
By Anonymous info@aascv.org
They say “if you wonder why you drink, stop drinking.”
Removal of alcohol is the first step in the recovery process, but our big book state that “Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and ¬conditions.”
“Therefore, the main problem of the alcoholic centers in his mind, rather than his body.”
This quote from the big book suggests that even after the alcohol has been removed, relieving the body of the physical effects and damage done to the body–that the alcoholic still has to deal with the problems caused by his thinking (his mind).
This is where the steps come in to address the underlying causes of our alcoholism. This is the work where we dig deep into ourselves and clean house so that the grace of God can enter us in expel the obsession.
“Feed the white dog” is something I heard in meetings many years ago when I first came into the program. Back then, there were a lot of slogans that people in AA often used. They even had bumper stickers with these many different slogans, which I liked very much. These brief sayings were constant reminders of the simple solutions we have to the many problems that we alcoholics, as complicated people, encounter on a regular basis.
The default of my thinking tends to be negativity, pessimism, negative thoughts about me, judgmental thoughts about you, etc., all of which lead to negative feelings, and often, negative actions and behaviors which are triggered by these thoughts. This is the case regardless of whether my thoughts about a situation are accurate or not. These negative thoughts -based on my distorted perception -often lead to negative emotions, which ultimately can result in actions or behavior that is contrary to the person I want to be.
I’ve learned throughout the years that my problem truly does center in my mind/my thinking. By working the steps, going to meetings following sponsor direction and working our program to the best of our ability …our book promises that continuing to do so (with God’s help) will lead to the necessary psychic change needed to achieve quality sobriety.
As sober alcoholics, we find that we gain the freedom to make decisions and choices as to how we will think, act and behave. This ability to make healthy choices for ourselves requires that we do the work (12 steps) and the self searching that is needed in order to clean house. The promises, the gifts that we receive as a result of working the steps and working our program, give us the opportunity to have a joyful life and make choices that will enable us to become the people that God created us to be.
Most habits or desired changes in behavior is a process that requires practice. Becoming aware of our thoughts is the first step, as we cannot change something of which we are unaware. Over time, we become more aware of our thoughts and have the opportunity to pause and make the best decision for ourselves, and best decisions for ourselves and for others.
So what does “Feed the white dog mean?” Feeding the white dog means that I choose thoughts, actions and behaviors that move me closer to my recovery; while feeding the black dog does the exact opposite, moving me away from my recovery (and my true self).
Today, I choose to focus on positive thoughts, including those of optimism, recovery, service to others and maybe even giving a moment of grace to another -or myself–when I feel they/I have fallen short. By making the “right choice” (ie. “What would the master do?”), I have a better chance of experiencing a more joyful life while I continue to grow in my sobriety.
Practice, mindfulness, and effort regarding my thoughts will enable me to become more like the person that God created me to be.
Feed the White Dog.