The Humility of Becoming Invisible – Amy V.

About This Speaker Tape

"Beings are numberless; delusions are inexhaustible." Amy V. frames Step 12 not as a destination of perfection, but as a "boot camp" in the thick of the world's chaos. Drawing a line between the Big Book and the Bodhisattva Vow, she rejects the idea of "trying" to be a musician, opting instead to simply be one and fail until the music happens.

For Amy, the wreckage of the past is a place to turn one's face away from, provided there is the courage to remain present in the middle of suffering. She speaks of the humility of becoming invisible—blending into cultural norms rather than standing out like a sore thumb—to be of maximum helpfulness to others. By treating life as a constant practice, she views service as love in action.

Her aim is to be a raft or a bridge for the protectorless, relying on a Higher Power to move through the inevitable failures of the human condition.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:15 Amy V. opens with a joke about being the bookend of the retreat.
• 1:45 Laughter: Amy discusses the alcoholic's perspective on the duration of a retreat.
• 3:20 Amy introduces the connection between Step 12 and the Bodhisattva Vow.
• 5:10 Amy reads the Bodhisattva Vow and compares it to the wording of Step 12.
• 7:45 Discussion on 'baby bodhisattvas' and the inherent failure built into the vow.
• 9.15 Story about Ken F. and the lesson of 'don't try, do' regarding becoming a musician.
• 11:30 Amy discusses the concept of 'progress, not perfection' as a spiritual practice.
• 13:10 Mention of Tradition 12 and the practice of genuine humility.
• 15:00 Amy defines service as 'love in action' and summarizes Dr. Bob's view.
• 16:45 Closing reading of the Shanti D. verses on being a guardian and a bridge for others.