What Does “Daily Reflections” Mean in AA?

What Are AA Daily Reflections?

AA Daily Reflections is a book of annotated passages taken from The Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous). The passages are organized by date, with one “reflection” for each day of the year. The reflections provide insights, inspiration, and encouragement to help those in recovery stay on track and gain a deeper understanding of their relationship with alcohol.

Imagine this: You’re sitting on a bus, and the woman next to you is holding two books. The first has that blue and yellow telltale cover that you recognize as The Big Book (Alcoholics Anonymous), or simply The Big Book. She must be on her way to an AA meeting — you’ve dabbled in it in the past, and while you decided it wasn’t for you after a few meetings, you recognize the cover from across the room.

But what’s that other tiny one? It says “Daily Reflections” on the cover. Are the two related? Or will she just sneak an extra something to the meeting in case things get boring? Nope! (Well, at least that’s not the primary reason.) AA Daily Reflections is part of the program. This small book contains a quote from The Big Book for each day of the year, with an “AA reflection of the day” for each one. But how exactly do they fit into the AA program? And how can we make the practice of reflecting daily on inspiring passages part of our own journey, even if it doesn’t involve AA? Let’s dig into the details!

AA: A Brief Introduction

The roots of AA go back to the 1930s, when a certain stockbroker named Bill Wilson (thereafter known as Bill W.) found himself in a nearly hopeless situation — he couldn’t stop drinking. Even his doctors had well-nigh given up trying to save him, but then — lo and behold — Bill saved himself. After having what he called a “spiritual awakening,” he experienced what’s sometimes called spontaneous sobriety — and started Alcoholics Anonymous. The self-help group he launched relies on members who struggle with alcohol use helping each other in a way nobody else ever could (at least according to them).

The Big Book: The Source of AA Daily Reflections

Since the AA reflections are based directly on The Big Book, it’s worth looking into before we explore what daily reflections, AA-style, are all about.

The Big Book serves as an AA manual, spiritual text, autobiography, and story collection all in one. The idea came after Bill W. met Dr. Bob, a fellow with a similar recovery story who played an instrumental role in starting AA. Written in 1938 and published a year later, it has served as the “AA basic” text for generations. The second edition alone ran to 1,150,000 copies, and for the past two decades it has also been available online. Apparently, U.S. President Richard Nixon was presented with the millionth copy, while the 30-millionth was given to the American Medical Association in 2010, honoring it for defining alcoholism as an illness back in 1956.

Living up to its name, the book is over 400 pages long. It begins with “Bill W.’s Story” and “Dr. Bob’s Nightmare.” This intense start is followed by the personal stories of others who recovered as well as detailed advice about “the solution.” The 12 Steps, which are at the core of AA’s recovery program, appear frequently. 

Big Book, Big Problems (for Some)

The whole thing is a somewhat odd mix of helpful advice and problematic claims regarding science (there isn’t much), sexism, spirituality (which feels more like religion), and stilted language.

• Science is mostly missing. For example, the book gives us the idea that alcoholism is a type of “allergy” that only some of us are unfortunate enough to have. 
• Sexism is hard to ignore. There’s also a hefty dose of sexism throughout, as well as a notorious chapter titled “To Wives.” Bill and Bob were clearly under the impression that alcohol is an exclusively male problem and that the best way to help women is to comfort and instruct them on dealing with their alcoholic husbands. 
• Spirituality feels like religion. There’s a bit of religious flavor to the whole thing. For an approach that claims to be “spiritual rather than religious,” the word “God” certainly comes up frequently. And while this approach resonates with many, it could be off-putting to some if they don’t know what they’re getting into from the get-go. 
• Stilted language can be a turnoff. Even though The Big Book went through dozens of revisions, much of the language is still the same: It feels like we’re talking to a White, middle-aged stockbroker from the 1930s. No judgment intended here — it just hasn’t aged all that well. It also sounds a bit cryptic in parts (after all, we’re not in Bill W.’s head or in the ‘30s anymore).

That said, there’s an encouraging message in there, if we’re willing to dig for it. And that’s where the AA Daily Reflections book comes in.

AA Daily Reflections

As poet Robert Burns writes, “I pick my favorite quotations and store them in my mind as ready armor, offensive or defensive, amid the struggle of this turbulent existence.” (That’s right, it’s a quote about quotes — we couldn’t resist.)

When it comes to alcohol misuse and recovery from it, it can be useful to muse on quotations and stories by those who came before us. That’s what the AA Daily Reflections book is all about. As we already mentioned, the “small book” of reflections contains a short quote from The Big Book, followed by a couple of paragraphs of explanation. Each one is referred to as the “AA reflection of the day.” 

They’re meant to be read anywhere (it helps that the book is just slightly bigger than an iPhone), but are often read in meetings to spark a discussion as people around the room give their take on the passage. Here’s the purpose behind them:

• Getting a better grip on The Big Book. As Oscar Wilde once said, “Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else's opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” Bill’s language in The Big Book is a bit cryptic in places and requires further explanation (especially for the modern audience) in others. The AA Daily Reflections, in turn, serves as a sort of annotation manual for The Big Book quotations.
• It’s part of the 12 Step practice for some. The last two “maintenance” steps call for members of AA to engage in daily meditation and self-reflection as part of their sobriety journey. The reflections are one way to do it.

Curious to see examples? Let’s look at some, but be forewarned — the interpretations, the way they’re phrased in the official version of the Daily Reflections, lean pretty heavily on the religious (rather than purely spiritual) side) That said, there’s nothing like looking at the real thing to get a better idea of what they’re all about.

Examples of Daily Reflections

Here are some examples of AA daily reflections, followed by a “translation” in non-AA language:

June 1: AA reflection of the day: “A Changed Outlook”

• Passage: “Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change” 
• Annotation: “When I was drinking, my attitude was totally selfish, totally self-centered; my pleasure and my comfort came first. Now that I am sober, self-seeking has started to slip away. My whole attitude toward life and other people is changing. For me, the first “A” in our name stands for attitude. My attitude is changed by the second “A” in our name, which stands for action … Action is the magic word! With a positive, helpful attitude and regular [action], I can stay sober and help others to achieve sobriety …”
• “Translation”: Recovery is all about shifting to a new perspective: we move away from satisfying our internal cravings and expand toward the outside world while helping others. 

June 19: AA reflection of the day: AA Regeneration

• Passage: “Such is the paradox of AA regeneration: strength arising out of complete defeat and weakness, the loss of one’s old life as a condition for finding a new one.” 
• Annotation: “A thousand beatings by John Barleycorn [see who that is below] did not encourage me to admit defeat. I believed it was my moral obligation to conquer my ‘enemy-friend.’ At my first AA meeting I was blessed with a feeling that it was all right to admit defeat to a disease which had nothing to do with my ‘moral fiber’ … My feelings set me free, where my thoughts had held me in bondage. I am grateful.”

P.S.: John Barleycorn is Scottish slang for booze. The name appears in a 1970 “John Barleycorn Must Die” album by the band Traffic, long before the Dixie Chicks would sing “Earl Has To Die.” (Incidentally, the latter is about an abusive partner, just like alcohol can be for some.)

• “Translation”: Recovery starts with acknowledging a problem and having the courage to do something about it. Alcoholism doesn’t make someone a bad person.

As we can see, the AA Daily Reflections book serves as an annotation manual and practical tool. That said, you’ve probably noticed that the language of these annotations is still very AA-heavy (and, as such, is not for everyone). But let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater — it’s worth looking at daily reflections from a scientific point of view and then see how others have incorporated the practice into their lives sans AA.

The Science Behind Daily Reflection

And while we can take AA, The Big Book (as well as Bill himself), and even the official AA Daily Reflections with a grain of salt, there’s power in daily reflection in general. Here’s why:

• Reflecting adds structure to our day. If we’re on an alcohol journey, routines are key (and even if we’re not, they’re still important!). Adding a daily reflection practice acts as a useful pause that allows us to structure our day and adds a spark of inspiration to keep us going in the right direction. Plus, the more room we give to good habits, the less there is for unhelpful ones!
• The process of reflecting helps us gain perspective. In addition to providing structure, daily reflection is also a time to look at our own journey objectively and without judgment — in other words, to practice meditation, a science-backed tool proven to change habits, build resilience, and coast through cravings. As we apply the passage or quote to our lives, we’re focused on the positive message and are more likely to view ourselves with compassion.
• It engages the brain and promotes neuroplasticity. If we use an inspiring passage to reflect on, we’re engaging the cognitive powers of our brain. Understanding and analyzing a quote or longer passage fires up our neural circuits in positive ways, helping repair damage from alcohol and clearing brain fog.
• It’s a form of meditation. And as science shows, meditation helps with all sorts of conditions, such as insomnia, PTSD, depression, anxiety, and (most importantly for our purposes) cravings for alcohol and other substances.
• It gives us a chance to keep track of our mental and emotional state. Another great way to do so is journaling. (Check out “Benefits of an Addiction Recovery Journal” for more information!)

Now that we know the benefits, how can we add a daily reflection to our day if AA or The Big Book isn’t our cup of tea? There are plenty of ways to do so!

Daily Reflections: Beyond AA

Many meditative practices around the world use “passage meditation” — reflecting on an inspiring bit of text, quote, or even poetry or song lyrics — as part of the process of self-discovery. One prominent figure who comes to mind is Eknath Easwaran (1910-1999) — a prolific spiritual author who published over 40 books and is credited as the “originator of passage meditation.”

You wouldn’t know it unless he told you, but Easwaran started out, well, like a hot mess. Back in the day, he struggled with emotional problems and felt that the life he was leading wasn’t quite what he signed up for. So Easwaran switched gears, moved “from education for degrees to education for living.” He went on to give many talks on meditation and, in 1961, founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation. 

Peace Through Passage Meditation

At the heart of his program is the so-called “Passage Meditation.” He first got a glimpse of how helpful meditating on a certain passage can be after a particularly dark time in his early life. He writes, “Almost instinctively … I went to my room and picked up my [Bhagavad] Gita, most of which I knew by heart. I closed my eyes, and as I began to repeat the verses silently to myself, the words opened up and took me deep, deep in.”

Easwaran went on to expand his meditation repertoire, adding passages from a number of different spiritual traditions — texts by Catholic mystics, Buddhist scripture, Sufi poetry, and more. He writes, “The passages were lifelines, guiding me to the source of wisdom deep within and then guiding me back into daily life.”

Easwaran’s Passage “Playlist”

There are many, but the Prayer of Saint Francis is one of his favorites:

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

Where there is sadness, joy.”

And here’s one from The Dhammapada known as the “Twin Verses”:

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: we are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfish thoughts cause misery when they speak or act. Sorrows roll over them as the wheels of a cart roll over the tracks of the bullock that draws it.

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought: we are formed and molded by our thoughts. Those whose minds are shaped by selfless thoughts give joy whenever they speak or act. Joy follows them like a shadow that never leaves them.”

Interestingly, both passages are very much in line with modern science, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The message is very “CBT”: it’s about dealing with cognitive distortions to get “unstuck” from unhelpful thought patterns, CBT-style. Just as cognitive behavioral therapy helps us see life from a different perspective, these passages are all about mental shifts and cognitive restructuring!

Looking for a Different Option? Harness the Power of Reflection Without AA

How can you tap into the power of daily reflection without AA?

• Pick a time to reflect. Consistency is key. Choose a time each day, perhaps morning or evening, when you can sit quietly without interruptions.
• Find sources that spark motivation. Choose any passage, quote, or poem that speaks to you. (Rumi’s poetry is a treasure trove!)
• Reflect, write, repeat. Read the passage, reflect on it, then read it again. You don’t have to say it out loud (unless you want to). Then spend some time thinking and writing about your experience. Use the Reframe journal feature for this!
• Find time to share. Want a bit of extra insight and support? Find a group of like-minded people and share your experience if you wish. The Reframe Forum is a great place for this!

Looking for quotes to add to your practice? Check out “Recovery Quotes: Words To Inspire Your Journey.” Then, dive into the inspiring quotes you’ll receive daily from our app when you sign up!

Final Reflection

All in all, reflecting on the words of others tends to lead back to us — specifically, to that deep place within ourselves where authenticity and true intentions thrive. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Every man is a quotation from all his ancestors.” As “quotes” ourselves, it’s no wonder that words by others resonate so deeply within us.