Mari G Steps 10-11 Saratoga Springfest 2026Mari G Steps 10-11 Saratoga Springfest 2026
Mad Dog Recovery AA Speakers
Mary (Mari G) shares her journey from street-level alcoholism to 41 years of sobriety, focusing on how Steps 10 and 11 shape her daily life. She talks about ongoing self-inventory, amends, prayer and meditation as the spiritual tools that keep her close to God and emotionally stable.
55:56•30 May 2026
From Cantaloupes to Conscious Contact: Mary on Steps 10 and 11
Episode Overview
- Alcoholism is presented as a chronic and spiritual illness that requires daily use of AA tools, much like medication for diabetes.
- Step 10 is shown as a practical, ongoing process of self-inventory and prompt amends, illustrated through stories of theft, crashes and workplace conflict.
- Step 11 emphasises regular prayer and meditation to build conscious contact with God and to calm fear, rage and spiritual restlessness.
- Strong sponsorship and honesty about "brilliant ideas" help prevent self-will from causing fresh damage, even after decades sober.
- Living amends, emotional growth and simple acts of kindness form a "design for living" that replaces chaos with meaning, purpose and peace.
“We put the plug in the jug and then we're left with the horrors of reality, which I've never been able to cope with.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? Here, Mary – also known as Mari G – shares 41 years of sobriety and a sharp sense of humour as she talks through Steps 10 and 11 at Saratoga Springfest 2026. If you like your AA talks with depth, honesty and a bit of mischief, you’ll feel right at home. Mary sees alcoholism as a chronic illness, comparing it to diabetes, but with spiritual tools as the daily “medication”.
She describes going “all the way to the dump” – losing her children, home and self-respect – and how Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12 steps gave her a way back from the streets to a life with meaning. Her focus is on living these steps, not just talking about them.
Step 10 comes alive through very human stories, like the infamous stolen cantaloupe that kept her awake for two nights until she made it right, and the midnight mailbox crash that forced her to face consequences rather than run. She shows how continuous self-inventory, prompt amends and “growing up” emotionally are crucial if she wants to stay spiritually fit.
With Step 11, Mary leans into prayer and meditation, describing herself as having a “chronic spiritual illness” and a deep thirst for a relationship with God. She shares daily prayers, sponsor guidance, and tales from psychiatric wards, Jamaican roads and Canadian meetings to show how conscious contact with a higher power calms the “white rage”, fear and panic that once ruled her life.
This talk is aimed at people in recovery who want more than theory – those who want to see how long-term sobriety, spiritual practice and strong sponsorship can turn “colossal human failure” into usefulness. It may leave you asking: what does your daily “design for living” look like today?
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