Big Book Sponsorship

12 Step Recovery from ANY and ALL Addictions

Newcomers, How do you read your Big Book?

WE, OF Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. For them, we hope these pages will prove so convincing that no further authentication will be necessary . We think this account of our experiences will help everyone to better understand the alcoholic. Many do not comprehend that the alcoholic is a very sick person. And besides, we are sure that our way of living has its advantages for all. (Forward to the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous)

The Big Book gives us one suggestion to encourage the newcomer to learn the AA way of life, on page 94 it says,

“If he shows interest, lend him your copy of this book.”

Since the Big Book’s publication in 1939 there has been several approaches developed to help the newcomer understand the AA way of life. Here are just a few of the ways a newcomer can experience their Big Book.

Joe and Charlie Big Book Seminars

Joe and Charlie – Specific, Precise, Clear Cut Directions – A Guide to The Big Book and Recovery( http://www.theprimarypurposegroup.com/mp3/JoeCharlie.htm ). They did a line by line study of the first 103 pages. They made the unclear clear. They did it with humor, with purpose, and with brevity. Some are intimidated by this. Even the Joe and Charlie Big Book Seminars have been subjected to the comments that they violate the Traditions and that they speak of non-Conference approved literature. But the Seminars have stood the test of time, with A.A.’s own archivist from New York often participating. ( http://dickb-blog.com )

Joe McQ. & Charlie P. met in 1973 ,soon they were planning meetings in hotel rooms at AA conventions in Oklahoma and Arkansas, and within a few years, the meetings grew in popularity. In 1977, some members met in a Tulsa, OK hotel room for a discussion of the Big Book. One asked Joe & Charlie to come to his home group to present a program on the book. An AA taper made a four tape set of their presentation and called it “The Big Book Study”. The tapes were gradually circulated throughout the fellowship and invitations were received for Joe & Charlie to present the study at AA conventions, roundups and special events. By 1980, there had been about eight studies offered.

Studies have been given in 48 states and most Canadian provinces. Additionally, Australia, New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden and the Netherlands have all hosted the Big Book Study seminars with Joe & Charlie.

All this growth has not come without a measure of turbulence. What spiritual journey does not encounter obstacles? Some fellow AAs have termed the duo, “self-appointed gurus”. Others have accused them of making money on these weekends. Actually, only travel expenses, meals and lodging are paid for by the independent AA host committee sponsoring the study. This is in accordance with the AA Guidelines for Conferences and Conventions (MG4), published by the General Service Office. Since 1977, an estimated 200,000 AA Members have experienced the spiritual benefits of these collective studies.

The Hyannis Method

The “Big Book Step Study” (BBSS) format, based upon an AA meeting format originated in Hyannis, Mass. in the 1980’s, is part of a very structured way of working the 12 Steps out of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. In many BBSS meetings, only members who have worked the 12 Steps according to this structure are permitted to share.

Usually lasts an hour and a half with no break. It’s divided into three basic parts: the reading, the speaker, and discussion of the step being studied.

The Readings for the 12 Steps in the Big Book. Also known as the cycle, or step rotation, this is a 15-week rotation of readings. The chairperson announces the step, and pages in the Big Book that will be used as a topic for the meeting that night. The chairperson starts the reading by asking people to read, a paragraph at a time, going around the tables or the room. ( http://www.bbstepstudy.org/?Hyannis_Format )

Here is the Step Rotation Guide

Primary Purpose Groups

Primary Purpose Group Big Book Study Meetings are based on following a Big Book Study Guide which examines virtually every sentence in the Basic Text for Alcoholics Anonymous.

The purpose of this Study Guide ( http://www.ppgaadallas.org/study_guide.htm ) is to enable the student to understand the information the authors of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, intended to impart to each of us based on their experience and knowledge of alcoholism and their Program of Recovery. It can be used by an individual or by a group. This Guide is intended to examine the content of virtually every sentence in the basic text of the Big Book.

Example: Big Book Study Guide: Chapter 3: More About Alcoholism (Page 30)

1. What are most alcoholics unwilling to admit?

2. What would nobody like to think?

3. What do our drinking careers demonstrate?

4. What is the great obsession of every alcoholic?

5. What is astonishing in the life of an alcoholic?

6. Where does the obsession or the illusion take many of us, in fact, most of us?

7. What did we learn that is absolutely necessary for success in sobriety?

8. Why is this so important?

Comment: Until the problem is completely understood, the solution will be out of reach.

9. Like the obsession and illusion, what must happen to the delusion?

10. One more time, what is the alcoholic’s problem?

11. What do we know?

12-a. What have all of us believed on occasions?

12-b. Where did this lead us?

Comment: When we speak of a “bottom,” is it a set of external events or just a single emotional event within each of us?

14. Of what are we convinced?

15. Will it get better?

16-a. Who are we compared to?

18. What treatment will let us become like other people where drinking is concerned?

Big Book Muckers/Bookers

The Muckers are a rising rebuttal to the watered-down recovery program of “Just don’t drink and go to meetings” in the Greater Toronto, Ontario, Canada ara. Recovery rates had dropped to less than 10% percent in the late 1980s and were answered by a “Back-to-Basics” revival of the original, undiluted 12 step recovery program of the early 1940s where recovery rates were as high as 75% to 93%.

The Muckers are a group of men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of addiction and alcoholism, using the 12 step program as outlined in the book “Alcoholics Anonymous”. Central to the Muckers methodology is the action of a single recovered addict or alcoholic, guiding another addict or alcoholic through the Big Book. Muckers have discovered through experience that this one-on-one approach, as described in Chapter 7 of the Big Book, is a powerful method of working the 12 step program of recovery.

What is “Getting Booked”?

The focus is the Big Book; Muckers use no other text. The emphasis is on the first 89 pages of the Book, which have not been altered since originally published in 1939. The process of one addict/alcoholic guiding another through the Book takes between 24 and 30 hours, usually done in 2 – 3 hour sessions, typically over a period of 2 – 3 weeks. In the process, Muckers write comments and notes, circle words and highlight passages in the Book. (Muckers are called Muckers, because they muck up the Book!) During this period of “being booked”, the individual actually performs the first 11 steps of the program.

The purpose of this brief, intense process is to jump-start the program for the individual. The goal is to facilitate the “vital spiritual experience” as described throughout the Book, and to give the individual the tools to subsequently maintain and grow that experience. Once the individual has had this experience, we find that the addiction, that is the mental obsession is removed. Subsequently, much of the maintenance and growth of the spiritual experience is achieved by working Step 12. This means working directly with other alcoholics/addicts. Once recovered, the individual is encourage to pass the process on to someone else – to give it away. While other forms of service are not discouraged such as helping out at meetings, i.e. making coffee, setting up chairs etc., this is considered courtesy NOT Step 12 work.

Download a “mucked” Big Book muckers-big-book.pdf

Back to Basics

Back to basics, 12 steps in 4 hours

“Sobriety–freedom from alcohol–through the teaching and practice of the Twelve Steps is the sole purpose of an A.A. group. Groups have repeatedly tried other activities, and they have always failed…If we don’t stick to these principles, we shall almost surely collapse. And if we collapse, we cannot help anyone.”

Bill W., The A.A. Grapevine Inc., February 1958

Wally P. is an AA Archivist from Tucson, Arizona, a recovered alcoholic and the world’s foremost authority on A.A. and its’ success in the 1940’s. He has personally interviewed and tape recorded almost 200 of the original A.A. Members, all of whom recovered from the alcohol addiction in the 1940’s and 1950’s. For two years he researched and studied areas of the country that held “Beginners’ Classes”. He then started teaching the classes under the guidance of his sponsor who took the classes in 1953 and never drank again. In March of 1996 Wally mentioned the “Beginners’ Classes” as part of his historical presentation at the Wilson House in East Dorset, Vermont. Wally then wrote and published a book entitled “Back to Basics: The Alcoholics Anonymous Beginners’ Classes – Take all 12 Steps in Four One-Hour Sessions.” Wally P. has a website containing much information on the AA “Beginners’ Classes”.

Order the Book, Back-to-Basics by Wally P.

Call to order 520-297-9348 or visit:

Back to Basics with Wally P.

Upcoming Back to Basics, How to Listen to God, & A.A. History Workshops

What is your favourite approach to reading the Big Book with Newcomers?

12 thoughts on “ Newcomers, How do you read your Big Book? ”

Ha how you all doing everybody ..First came to AA 1976 but i looked around the room and i said Damn look at these old people . Then i heard the word God and i said Hell no i left religion years ago . Then i left AA behind . It wasnt till Dec 25th 1991 that i returned to AA again all beat the heck up and Willing to give up Alcohol . 27 years have gone by and ive seen all those other cult like way to work the Spiritual program of AA .( Wally P. / Joe & Charlie etc etc etc ) . Thank my Higher Power put hard core Big Book fanatics ( Ha Ha ) in my path both men and women . They said youll hear to start on page 1-164 , Bull Crap they started me at the Front cover and finished at the Back cover . As years gone by im a Mucker in a way i right notes and mini-biographies of people places and things .in the BB and all other AA literature . To get technical the 12 steps starts on page 30 and end on page 103 . I dont Sponsor anyone i work as one Alcoholic working with another . We are equal and really on a Higher Power to keep me Sober .

I have been sober for 32 years. In my understanding of our recovery program I hope that I have passed the stage of criticising fellow members on how they stay sober. There are lots of my family sober in the Fellowship and they will stay sober as I will stay sober in mine. Love and tolerance of others is our code.. I am not a soberologist; just a sober engineer. Where is the humility in expressing how many alcoholics I have managed to get sober?

As an emotional and mental illness-suffering person, member of a 12 step fellowship in development in my country, I am supposed not to be identified with Basic Text content, since it was written by recovered ALCOHOLICS helping to other ALCOHOLIC.

However, after listening to tapes of AA members who hadn’t been able to stay sober and/or living the same turmoil without the "comfort" of a drink, and were leaded through BB and steps, I did it, too. The result has been amazing, since I understood my illness in my own literature, and I did the Steps, but when going to make amends I found myself reluctant, afraid and angry and no praying no sharing took my feelings away. I found I hadn’t found the exact nature of my defects in my 4th and 5th steps, but most important, I had thought the recovery would be getting back to my old life with a growing control, "with a little help" of God. I thought I had Power, and God would give me Power and then, look at me while I graciously succeeded in life and extended a hand to help anybody who needed the Steps.

I hadn’t experience the First Step Experience: being trapped on a corner, where I couldn’t escape, lie, deal, cheat, manipulate, beg. Thanks to audios, and The Muckers BB, I started the BB study and my own literature study from a complete different angle. I really NEED A HIGHER POWER from now and ever without any deal. Period. Now an AA member and me are going through the Book together (fellow member said, it’s not about reading but living and "go to meetings and don’t drink"). It’s being one of the powerful experiences of all my life, discovering I don’t truly have power and I won’t. I am dying, even now that I have a job, a fellowship, better relations with my family: I need these principles to live, the spiritual base for my living. Now I’m in the position to search and maintain a relation with a HP and do whatever it takes from freedom from my own disease. Because I am dying unless I have a complete psychic change.

My own temptation is "get Muckers and a bit of Joe and Charlie and a pinch of Wally"to get a much better recipe for me. It doesn’t work in my experience. I’m learning to do one thing until the end and then, get another one. It’s important I stay focused in the Basic Text who "shows me precisely how they recovered". And in BB study and living, this approach is going well.

Thanks to all of you out there, guys, and thanks to the servers of this website, who first shocked my own recovery to the core when showing Clarence S. and Program dilution articles. Happy, joyous and free recovery for all of you around the world.

I read my Big Book almost every day. Sometimes I study The Little Red Book instead which is an interpretation of the 12 Steps the early AA groups used in their discussion meetings. I read Back To Basic by Wally P. as a format for teaching the 12 Steps to newcomers in four one-hour sessions. All depends what my Higher Power wants me to read that day.

Sometimes I read them in hard copy form and sometimes on my computer screen, magnified in size for my poorer eyesight lately. I blow it up to 200% and it is a different experience to see the letters that big on my screen.

I read it paragraph by paragraph always thinking about the Newcomers I have worked with and how the paragraph applies to them and myself in order to help them and myself more by being able to carry the Original undiluted 12-step instructions that guarantee a daily reprieve from alcoholic addiction and all other addictions if practiced daily as a new way of living, thinking, acting and reacting to life.

I have seen the daily practice of the 12 step philosophy arrest the obsession to pick up that first drink or first drug use in hundreds of addicts and alcoholics. I have also seen many many fall that do not practice the 12-Steps daily as outlined in The Big Book. The ones who fall sometimes come back, but some don’t and that saddens me.

I honestly enjoy sitting down with the Big Book, and reading it, by myself, or with a Newcomer, no matter what time of day or what day of the week. It saved my life, and I am forever humbled by it and forever willing to carry this message of hope and this message of love to Newcomers.

Do you follow the Big Book from front cover to back cover written by Bill W. and others or Wally P. Non AA book ? Theres a saying ” What aint broke dont fix it ” .

I came to DA (Debtors Anonymous) in Dec ’92, after reaching yet another bottom in my life.I had been in "recovery" for 4 years, having made progress but still searching for answers and still fearing for my life.

I had realized (by Dec ’92) that I had a multitude of addictions & assorted compulsive/obsessive issues, all contributing to my sense of being restless, irritable & discontented. I was, at that time, still unaware and in denial about having at least occasional bouts with depression. Destructive behavior patterns, spiritual bankruptcy and simply surviving was the way I had learned to live, rather than living life joyous, happy& free.

I also violently attempted suicide in the spring of ’81, right after my 20th birthday, after wanting to commit suicide for most of my life, after the failure of my 1st big geographic cure. I had thought moving away from my home town and to a large city and becoming independent would solve all my problems. Wherever I went, there I was. I very nearly died but on the plus side, the struggle to recover from all the very serious injuries made me a lot stronger. Lately I’ve been able to admit that I’ve had periods of depression in my life of varying lengths, sometimes situational, and perhaps sometimes due to some kind of bi-polar disorder or chemical variety,which is very prominent on my Mother’s side of the family.

Money became a drug for me, as well as tying directly in to many issues in my life, from low self-esteem to great fear of abandonment, to providing a means to mood alter chemically to just general self-abuse and co-dependency, to inability to express and/or deal with feelings. There are so many issues related to and responsible for my money problems that I’ve almost lost track. I get great comfort knowing that I only need to take action today,not try to analyze all the reasons why.

After getting some recovery from NA (Narcotics Anon), ACOA, SLAA (Sex& Love Addicts Anon), Nicotine Anonymous, CODA,, plus lots of group & individual therapy, countless recovery books, tapes, videos, workshops,etc., I had even started to attend an alternative Church to focus more on spirituality. Finding a workable concept of a higher power was a major struggle that involved a search for two years until I came across concept that would work for me in the context of truly being able to work the 12 steps without unbearable pain. I had to connect with an un-conditional non-anthropomorphic (read: not modeled after my parents or other authority figure) in order to be able to squarely face defects of character without overwhelming pain.

The real danger (in my mind) was always that I would stop thinking about and planning suicide and just go ahead and kill myself. Depression, despondency,and hopelessness from the various situations I created for myself due to my money issues and other sick behaviors became a serious threat to my life and resulted in a multi-layered rock-bottom. I could no longer denyI seriously needed help and I could not recover on my own.

I heard about DA from a fellow ACOA who had read the "How to Get Outof Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously" book and who started the first DA meeting in Toronto in spring of ’92. I heard about the meeting, and I knew I needed help with money issues, but it still took 6 months to finally show up.

I’ve committed to being regular at my weekly meeting and have had the great satisfaction of watching my debts slowly but surly melt away until last April ’96, when I gleefully marched into the bank and personally paid off the last of my debt. I great moment for me, to be sure, but also not as sweet as I had imagined. Just as I had to learn in the beginning of my DA recovery that I am not my debts or material things or income or whatever, I am also not my solvency, savings, etc. At one time I had thought that once I recover from my money problems, then the last of my major issues would be taken care of and I’d live happily ever after, but I was still feeling occasionally suicidal.

I heard about a meeting of AA Big Book fundamentalists in the Toronto area, named "The Muckers" for the way they study the BB, marking up the pages as they pair up and guide one another through the BB text in a detailed, action oriented way–closely following the way of the first 100 to recover in AA. That was in June ’96, and after covering the 1st 88 pages of the BB and another rigorous application of the steps, I had a spiritual experience unlike anything I’ve ever known before and felt incredible, and "amazed before I was halfway through" as the Big Book says in the promises, page 83. I would highly recommend this experience for anyone who has not had it, it is incomparable. I began to pray several times throughout the day, as well as first thing in the morning.

Learning about the history of AA from various sources and reading AA Big Book literature has become an important part of my recovery. I was first turned on to the profound significance of the original writing of the first 88 (unchanged since the original printing of the Big Book in1939) pages of the Big Book after hearing tapes of a Big Book study lead by two AA old timers Joe & Charlie from Arkansas. They travel around doing weekend Big Book studies that also include discussion of the history of the Big Book and the AA fellowship. First I listened to the tapes, was profoundly affected, then saw them in person for a weekend workshop in Toronto. I now know an appreciation for the miracle that occurred when a few white-collar low-bottom drunks recovered from a life-threatening spiritual sickness that was previously thought to be terminal. As I read the literature and learn the history of the miracle that developed between 1935 and 1940 I gain much insight into the true nature of my own comparable disease and the recovery that is possible. I know it is important to identify with Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob, and find the same solutions that led to their recovery from chronic alcoholism.

It is from the same spiritual program and simple, but not easy, tools that resulted in recovery that will affect all areas of my life.

But despite all that I know I can only have but a daily reprieve of relief from the burden of selfish self-centeredness that had always poisoned my life.

I have begun to feel I am doing God’s will for me and am incredibly grateful for all my recovery and abundance that I have received. It seems today that the more happy, satisfied, and grateful I am for what I have today the more I seem to have provided for me. There are endless opportunities and I truly feel prosperous today. I have a nice apartment in a great uptownneighborhood of Toronto, a good luxury/sports car (paid off) and a growing investment portfolio. I have a secure, decent paying job with a great company and I even like the people I work with.I have taken a number of solvent vacations, one to a Caribbean island.I am currently in a great relationship with an incredible woman who isfar from under-earning, having broken the pattern of previous partner selections. I look forward to a secure, comfortable retirement, God willing and if I stay in this program. I came to DA to learn to handle money and have received so much more. One of the great benefits of my DA recovery has been a considerable boost in my self-esteem. I used to be a door mat in many ways.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, everyone, thanks for keeping the DA fellowship alive by coming back, and keep coming back, as I could NEVER have made such remarkable progress alone.

Trudgin’

A gratefully recovering compulsive debtor & spender,

(name witheld in the interest of preserving anonymity)

I found alot of joy in reading the three articles just listed; In such a complicated world, I find that type of simplicity and Truth a blessing to be able to live in such a manner of basics.

Those of us who carry the torch for people with any number of afflictions weighing them down, will be the ones to prosper on the path. Over the past years I have been called any number of insulting names when it comes to sharing my experience out of the B.B (AA’s basic text.)

But its all good: Because I have reached a place with myself-Higher Power-others, to be able to see that "they know not what they do" when they say any number of degradng terms to me; and any number of degrading terms to my friend, when we speak of ending suffering; I find that it’s acceptted (it has to be accepted for my own sanity in all areas of my life.) So…it really means little to me what others do or say in meetings about such things as "think it through." My job is not to get these people to quit (their) message of what keeps them sober (the moderate types and the hard drinker/drugger types); my job is to make sure that THE A.A Message gets carried in such basic principles that a new-comer may "WAKE UP." My job is to look at a simple step process, such as the one that Eby used For Bill in a matter of days. So I always try to stay in the confines of that out-line; such a book as Wally P’s Back To Basic book; In there, I have found enormous amounts of experience and wisdom, which, ultamately derives from the original Alcoholics Anonymous Text.

I Love ya all,

Peace & Light :)

Do you follow the Big Book from front cover to back cover written by Bill W. and others or Wally P. Non AA book ???

I am both a ‘mucker’ and an advocate of the Back-to-Basics approach (Wally P.) of guiding the newcomer through all 12 step in approximately 4 hours.

I first qualify the prospect as to their willingness, honesty and open-mindedness to the A.A. way of life. I ask:

Do you want to stop for good? i.e. Are you convinced you can no longer drink or use without harming yourself and/or others?

Do you believe you are beyond human aid? i.e. Are you convinced you cannot quit on your own power?

Do you believe or are you willing to believe in a higher power that could restore you to sanity?

If yes, Would you be willing to ask this higher power for help without any reservations?

Once satisfied with their desire to stop, I outline the program of action, that is we take all 12 steps in approximately 4 hours. At the end of this process I ask the newcomer if they are prepared to accept the A.A. way of life and if they say ‘YES’ I then proceed to work with them one on one going through the Big Book, page by page, circling and highlighting words and phrases. We study the first 103 pages of the Big Book and when we come to the Step instructions we take them together.

I have experienced this process with almost 300 alcoholics and addicts over the past 4 years. I have had many spiritual experiences as a result of this approach as have many of the newcomers I have worked with. Approximately 50% of them are still sober today — thanks to the miracle of ‘Higher Power’. CF

12 steps start on page 30 and end on page 103 read word by word !

this is very helpful. thank you!

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Thoughts on Recovery – No. 73 – Step 1 – Fred -More about Alcoholism – Pages 39-42 – Part 2 – A powerful message for all alcoholics no matter how long you are sober!

In part 2 Fred is in the hospital. When he recovers enough to review the events he becomes aware that he made no fight whatever against the first drink. There was no thought to consequences at all. 

 He recalled that his alcoholic friends prophesied the time and place would come – he would drink again. An alcoholic mind has strange mental blanks spots. Will power and self knowledge would not be effective when the obsession to drink comes into the mind of an alcoholic.

 He then new he was hopelessly defeated. No power against the first drink. His alcoholic friends outlined the spiritual answer and the program they used to achieve it. Although he was crushed he felt the program of action seemed pretty drastic. Did you feel this way? Have you seen newcomers feel this way?  

Fred makes a powerful point! He would have to throw out several lifelong conceptions! Old ideas! Remember we have to let go of them absolutely or the result is nil.

He relates the moment he made up his mind to go through with the process he had the curious feeling that his alcoholic condition was relieved. I can relate and remember the moment for me. I asked God to take my life and said I would do whatever I was told.   It is hard to describe the sense of relief and that was the beginning of my spiritual journey.

There is a promise at the bottom of page 42. Spiritual principles would solve all my problems. All my problems . The only condition is to practice these spiritual principles in ALL my affairs. If I do that on a daily basis I will have a daily reprieve from my alcoholism.

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“Principles of the Program”

Step 12 says:

“Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.”

But what are ‘these principles’? The following is what I have found in studying the Big Book,  Alcoholics Anonymous  (BB), along with the  Twelve Steps And Twelve Traditions  (12&12), and  As Bill Sees It  (ABSI).                                                                 -Anonymous

12 Steps  |  12 Traditions  |  Accepting and solving problems  |  Anonymity  |  Change for the better  |  Clean house  |  Doing the right thing  |  Giving  |  Grow along spiritual lines  |  Honesty  |  Humility  |  Inclusiveness  |  Independence  |  Joy of good living  |  Kindness  |  Leadership in AA  |  Love  |  Open mindedness  |  Opposite of…  |  Patience  |  Peace and harmony  |  Surrender   |  Tolerance  |  Trust in God  |  Willingness  |  Work with others

Quick Checklist on Practicing the Principles  

Readings from the Big Book, “Alcoholics Anonymous” [In addition to the following, ‘principles’ are mentioned in the Big Book on pages xxii, 19, 64, 93-4, 97, 121 (footnote), 139, 156.]

Now let’s see what we can find described under ‘principles’ in the:

Readings from the “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions”  

(In addition to the following, ‘principles’ are mentioned in the  12 & 12  on pages 16, 18, 106, 114, 174, 182.)

Twelve – And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe that the principle of anonymity has an immense spiritual significance. It reminds us that we are to place principles before personalities; that we are to practice a genuine humility. This to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us; that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation of Him who presides over us all. (next reading on anonymity)

Now let’s look to see what we can find on ‘principles’ in:

Readings from “As Bill Sees It”  

(In addition to the following, ‘principles’ are mentioned in the  As Bill Sees It  on pages 13, 226, 238, 273, 283, 328.)

ABSI p.  21 “Each of us in turn – that is, the member who gets the most out of the program – spends a very large amount of time on twelfth step work in the early years. That was my case, and perhaps I should not have stayed sober with less work. “However, sooner or later most of us are presented with other obligations – to family, to friends, and country. As you will remember, the twelfth step also refers to ‘practicing these principles in all our affairs.’ Therefore, I think your choice of whether to take a particular twelfth step job is to be found in your own conscience. No one else can tell you for certain what you ought to do at a particular time. “I just know that you are expected, at some point, to do more than carry the message of A.A. to other alcoholics. In A.A. we aim not only for sobriety – we try again to become citizens of the world that we rejected, and of the world that once rejected us. This is the ultimate demonstration toward which twelfth step work is the first but not the final step.” letter, 1959 (next reading on Working with others)

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The Main Object Of The Big Book – Alcoholics Anonymous

  • MARCH 1, 2017

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Solving problems with Spiritual Principles

“Quite as important was the discovery that spiritual principles would solve all my problems.” – AA Big book, page 42. *

This quote is just profound to me. First what is a spiritual principle? Second, Does this mean I need to join a religion? Absolutely not. That was part of why Alcoholics Anonymous was a success, was because it was spiritual, not religious in it’s foundation.

Spiritual principles, to list are few are, love, patience, kindness, open mindedness, honesty, compassion, forgiveness, acceptance, to just name a few.

If I can apply those principles to any problem, my perceptions of that problem will change, and in turn, will help shed new light on the problem, and in turn, on solutions.

References:

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From the book Daily Reflections. Copyright © 1990 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

DAILY INVENTORY

. . . and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 59

I was beginning to approach my new life of sobriety with unaccustomed enthusiasm. New friends were cropping up and some of my battered friendships had begun to be repaired. Life was exciting, and I even began to enjoy my work, becoming so bold as to issue a report on the lack of proper care for some of our clients. One day a co-worker informed me that my boss was really sore because a complaint, submitted over his head, had caused him much discomfort at the hands of his superiors. I knew that my report had created the problem, and began to feel responsible for my boss's difficulty. In discussing the affair, my co-worker tried to reassure me that an apology was not necessary, but I soon became convinced that I had to do something, regardless of how it might turn out. When I approached my boss and owned up to my hand in his difficulties, he was surprised. But unexpected things came out of our encounter, and my boss and I were able to agree to interact more directly and effectively in the future.

Daily Reflections.

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Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 562  

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 562

Tradition Twelve became important early in my sobriety and, along with the Twelve Steps, it continues to be a must in my recovery. I became aware after I joined the Fellowship that I had personality problems, so that when I first heard it, the Tradition's message was very clear: there exists an immediate way for me to face, with others, my alcoholism and attendant anger, defensiveness, offensiveness. I saw Tradition Twelve as being a great ego-deflator; it relieved my anger and gave me a chance to utilize the principles of the program. All of the Steps, and this particular Tradition, have guided me over decades of continuous sobriety. I am grateful to those who were here when I needed them.

THE JOY OF LIVING

. . . therefore the joy of good living is the theme of A.A.'s Twelfth Step.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 125  

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 125

A.A. is a joyful program! Even so, I occasionally balk at taking the necessary steps to move ahead, and find myself resisting the very actions that could bring about the joy I want. I would not resist if those actions did not touch some vulnerable area of my life, an area that needs hope and fulfillment. Repeated exposure to joyfulness has a way of softening the hard, outer edges of my ego. Therein lies the power of joyfulness to help all members of A.A.

SUIT UP AND SHOW UP

In A.A. we aim not only for sobriety—we try again to become citizens of the world that we rejected, and of the world that once rejected us. This is the ultimate demonstration toward which Twelfth Step work is the first but not the final step.

AS BILL SEES IT, p. 21  

AS BILL SEES IT, p. 21

The old line says, "Suit up and show up." That action is so important that I like to think of it as my motto. I can choose each day to suit up and show up, or not. Showing up at meetings starts me toward feeling a part of that meeting, for then I can do what I say I'll do at meetings. I can talk with newcomers, and I can share my experience; that's what credibility, honesty, and courtesy really are. Suiting up and showing up are the concrete actions I take in my ongoing return to normal living.

PROBLEM SOLVING

"Quite as important was the discovery that spiritual principles would solve all my problems."

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 42

Through the recovery process described in the Big Book, I have come to realize that the same instructions that work on my alcoholism, work on much more. Whenever I am angry or frustrated, I consider the matter a manifestation of the main problem within me, alcoholism. As I "walk" through the Steps, my difficulty is usually dealt with long before I reach the Twelfth "suggestion," and those difficulties that persist are remedied when I make an effort to carry the message to someone else. These principles do solve my problems! I have not encountered an exception, and I have been brought to a way of living which is satisfying and useful.  

ACCEPTING SUCCESS OR FAILURE

Furthermore, how shall we come to terms with seeming failure or success? Can we now accept and adjust to either without despair or pride? Can we accept poverty, sickness, loneliness, and bereavement with courage and serenity? Can we steadfastly content ourselves with the humbler, yet sometimes more durable, satisfactions when the brighter, more glittering achievements are denied us?

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 112

After I found A.A. and stopped drinking, it took a while before I understood why the First Step contained two parts: my powerlessness over alcohol, and my life's unmanageability. In the same way, I believed for a long time that, in order to be in tune with the Twelve Steps, it was enough for me "to carry this message to alcoholics." That was rushing things. I was forgetting that there were a total of Twelve Steps and that the Twelfth Step also had more than one part. Eventually I learned that it was necessary for me to "practice these principles" in all areas of my life. In working all the Steps thoroughly, I not only stay sober and help someone else to achieve sobriety, but also I transform my difficulty with living into a joy of living.

AT PEACE WITH LIFE

Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all of our activities. "How can I best serve Thee—Thy will (not mine) be done."

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 85

I read this passage each morning, to start off my day, because it is a continual reminder to "practice these principles in all my affairs." When I keep God's will at the forefront of my mind, I am able to do what I should be doing, and that puts me at peace with life, with myself and with God.

A "SANE AND HAPPY USEFULNESS"

We have come to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him, but that our feet ought to be firmly planted on earth. That is where our fellow travelers are, and that is where our work must be done. These are the realities for us. We have found nothing incompatible between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy usefulness.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 130

All the prayer and meditation in the world will not help me unless they are accompanied by action. Practicing the principles in all my affairs shows me the care that God takes in all parts of my life. God appears in my world when I move aside, and allow Him to step into it.

RECOVERY, UNITY, SERVICE

Our Twelfth Step—carrying the message—is the basic service that AA's Fellowship gives; this is our principal aim and the main reason for our existence.

THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 160  

THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 160

I thank God for those who came before me, those who told me not to forget the Three Legacies: Recovery, Unity and Service. In my home group, the Three Legacies were described on a sign which said: "You take a three-legged stool, try to balance it on only one leg, or two. Our Three Legacies must be kept intact. In Recovery, we get sober together; in Unity, we work together for the good of our Steps and Traditions; and through Service—we give away freely what has been given to us."

One of the chief gifts of my life has been to know that I will have no message to give, unless I recover in unity with A.A. principles.

PRINCIPLES, NOT PERSONALITIES

The way our "worthy" alcoholics have sometimes tried to judge the "less worthy" is, as we look back on it, rather comical. Imagine, if you can, one alcoholic judging another!

THE LANGUAGE OF THE HEART, p. 37

Who am I to judge anyone? When I first entered the Fellowship I found that I liked everyone. After all, A.A. was going to help me to a better way of life without alcohol. The reality was that I couldn't possibly like everyone, nor they me. As I've grown in the Fellowship, I've learned to love everyone just from listening to what they had to say. That person over there, or the one right here, may be the one God has chosen to give me the message I need for today. I must always remember to place principles above personalities.

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BIG BOOK CHAPTER 5

How it works.

Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.

Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it--then you are ready to take certain steps.

At some of these we balked. thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.

Remember that we deal with alcohol--cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power--that One is God. May you find Him now!

Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. we asked His protection and care with complete abandon.

  • We admitted we were powerless over alcohol-- that our lives had become unmanageable.
  • Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
  • Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God AS WE UNDERSTOOD HIM.
  • Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
  • Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
  • Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
  • Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
  • Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
  • Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
  • Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
  • Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God AS WE UNDERSTOOD HIM, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

Many of us exclaimed, "What an order! I can't go through with it." Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.

Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventure before and after make clear three pertinent ideas: (a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. (b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism. (c) That God could and would if He were sought.

Being convinced, WE WERE AT STEP THREE, which is that we decided to turn our will and our life over to God as we understood Him. Just what do we mean by that, and just what do we do?

The first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success. On that basis we are almost always in collision with something or somebody, even though our motives are good. Most people try to live by self-propulsion. Each person is like an actor who wants to run the whole show; is forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery and the rest of the players in his own way. If his arrangements would only stay put, if only people would do as he wished, the show would be great. Everybody, including himself, would be pleased. Life would be wonderful. In trying to make these arrangements our actor may sometimes be quite virtuous. He may be kind, considerate, patient, generous; even modest and self-sacrificing. On the other hand, he may be mean, egotistical, selfish and dishonest. But, as with most humans, he is more likely to have varied traits.

What usually happens? The show doesn't come off very well. He begins to think life doesn't treat him right. He decides to exert himself more. He becomes, on the next occasion, still more demanding or gracious, as the case may be. Still the play does not suit him. Admitting he may be somewhat at fault, he is sure that other people are more to blame. He becomes angry, indignant, self-pitying. What is his basic trouble? Is he not really a self-seeker even when trying to be kind? Is he not a victim of the delusion that he can wrest satisfaction and happiness out of this world if he only manages well? Is it not evident to all the rest of the 'players that these are the things he wants? And do not his actions make each of them wish to retaliate, snatching all they can get out of the show? Is he not, even in his best moments, a producer of confusion rather than harmony?

Our actor is self-centered--ego-centric, as people like to call it nowadays. He is like the retired business man who lolls in the Florida sunshine in the winter complaining of the sad state of the nation; the minister who sighs over the sins of the twentieth century; politicians and reformers who are sure all would be Utopia if the rest of the world would only behave; the outlaw safe cracker who thinks society has wronged him; and the alcoholic who has lost all and is locked up. Whatever our protestations, are not most of us concerned with ourselves, our resentments, or our self-pity?

Selfishness--self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.

So our troubles, we think, are basically of our own making. They arise out of ourselves, and the alcoholic is an extreme example of self-will run riot, though he usually doesn't think so. Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kill us! God makes that possible. And there often seems no way of entirely getting rid of self without His aid. Many of us had moral and philosophical convictions galore, but we could not live up to them even though we would have liked to. Neither could we reduce our self-centeredness much by wishing or trying on our own power. We had to have God's help.

This is the how and the why of it. First of all, we had to quit playing God. It didn't work. Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are His agents. He is the Father, and we are His children. Most Good ideas are simple, and this concept was the keystone of the new and triumphant arch through which we passed to freedom.

When we sincerely took such a position, all sorts of remarkable things followed. We had a new Employer. Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well. Established on such a footing we became less and less interested in ourselves, our little plans and designs. More and more we became interested in seeing what we could contribute to life. As we felt new power flow in, as we enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered we could face life successfully, as we became conscious of His presence, we began to lose our fear of today, tomorrow or the hereafter. We were reborn.

We were now at Step Three. Many of us said to our Maker, AS WE UNDERSTOOD HIM: "God, I offer myself to Thee--to build with me and to do with me as Thou wilt. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. May I do Thy will always!" We thought well before taking this step making sure we were ready; that we could at last abandon ourselves utterly to Him.

We found it very desirable to take this spiritual step with an understanding person, such as our wife, best friend, or spiritual adviser. But it is better to meet God alone than with one who might misunderstand. The wording was, of course, quite optional so long as we expressed the idea, voicing it without reservation. This was only a beginning, though if honestly and humbly made, an effect, sometimes a very great one, was felt at once.

Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never attempted. Though our decision was vital and crucial step, it could have little permanent effect unless at once followed by a strenuous effort to face, and to be rid of, the things in ourselves which had been blocking us. Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions.

Therefore, we started upon a personal inventory. THIS WAS STEP FOUR. A business which takes no regular inventory usually goes broke. Taking commercial inventory is a fact-finding and a fact-facing process. It is an effort to discover the truth about the stock-in-trade. One object is to disclose damaged or unsalable goods, to get rid of them promptly and without regret. If the owner of the business is to be successful, he cannot fool himself about values.

We did exactly the same thing with our lives. We took stock honestly. First, we searched out the flaws in our make-up which caused our failure. Being convinced that self, manifested in various ways, was what had defeated us, we considered its common manifestations.

Resentment is the "number one" offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically. In dealing with resentments, we set them on paper. We listed people, institutions or principle with who we were angry. We asked ourselves why we were angry. In most cases it was found that our self-esteem, our pocketbooks, our ambitions, our personal relationships, (including sex) were hurt or threatened. So we were sore. We were "burned up."

On our grudge list we set opposite each name our injuries. Was it our self-esteem, our security, our ambitions, our personal, or sex relations, which had been interfered with?

We were usually as definite as this example:

We went back through our lives. Nothing counted but thoroughness and honesty. When we were finished we considered it carefully. The first thing apparent was that this world and its people were often quite wrong. To conclude that others were wrong was as far as most of us ever got. The usual outcome was that people continued to wrong us and we stayed sore. Sometimes it was remorse and then we were sore at ourselves. But the more we fought and tried to have our own way, the worse matters got. As in war, the victor only SEEMED to win. Our moments of triumph were short-lived.

It is plain that a life which includes deep resentment leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the precise extent that we permit these, do we squander the hours that might have been worth while. But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is infinitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feeling we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die.

If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the brainstorm were not for us. They may be the dubious luxury of normal men, but for alcoholics these things are poison.

We turned back to the list, for it held the key to the future. We were prepared to look for it from an entirely different angle. We began to see that the world and its people really dominated us. In that state, the wrong-doing of others, fancied or real, had power to actually kill. How could we escape? We saw that these resentments must be mastered, but how? We could not wish them away any more than alcohol.

This was our course: We realized that the people who wronged us were perhaps spiritually sick. Though we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too. We asked God to help us show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that we would cheerfully grant a sick friend. When a person offended we said to ourselves, "This is a sick man. How can I be helpful to him? God save me from being angry. Thy will be done."

We avoid retaliation or argument. We wouldn't treat sick people that way. If we do, we destroy our chance of being helpful. We cannot be helpful to all people, but at least God will show us how to take a kindly and tolerant view of each and every one.

Referring to our list again. Putting out of our minds the wrongs others had done, we resolutely looked for our own mistakes. Where had we been selfish, dishonest, self-seeking and frightened? Though a situation had not been entirely our fault, we tried to disregard the other person involved entirely. Where were we to blame? The inventory was ours, not the other man's. When we saw our faults we listed them. We placed them before us in black and white. We admitted our wrongs honestly and were willing to set these matters straight.

Notice that the word "fear" is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. This short word somehow touches about every aspect of our lives. It was an evil and corroding thread; the fabric of our existence was shot through with it. It set in motion trains of circumstances which brought us misfortune we felt we didn't deserve. But did not we, ourselves, set the ball rolling? Sometimes we think fear ought to be classed with stealing. It seems to cause more trouble.

We reviewed our fears thoroughly. We put them on paper, even though we had no resentment in connection with them. We asked ourselves why we had them. Wasn't it because self-reliance failed us? Self-reliance was good as far as it went, but it didn't go far enough. Some of us once had great self-confidence, but it didn't fully solve the fear problem, or any other. When it made us cocky, it was worse.

Perhaps there is a better way--we think so. For we are now on a different basis; the basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.

We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God. Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At once, we commence to outgrow fear.

Now about sex. Many of needed an overhauling there. But above all, we tried to be sensible on this question. It's so easy to get way off the track. Here we find human opinions running to extremes--absurd extremes, perhaps. One set of voices cry that sex is a lust of our lower nature, a base necessity of procreation. Then we have the voices who cry for sex and more sex; who bewail the institution of marriage; who think that most of the troubles of the race are traceable to sex causes. They think we do not have enough of it, or that it isn't the right kind. They see its significance everywhere. One school would allow man no flavor for his fare and the other would have us all on a straight pepper diet. We want to stay out of this controversy. We do not want to be the arbiter of anyone's sex conduct. We all have sex problems. We'd hardly be human if we didn't. What can we do about them?

We reviewed our own conduct over the years past. Where had we been selfish, dishonest, or inconsiderate? Whom had we hurt? Did we unjustifiably arouse jealousy, suspicion or bitterness? Where were we at fault, what should we have done instead? We got this all down on paper and looked at it.

In this way we tried to shape a sane and sound ideal for our future sex life. We subjected each relation to this test--was it selfish or not? We asked God to mold our ideals and help us to live up to them. We remembered always that our sex powers were God-given and therefore good, neither to be used lightly or selfishly nor to be despised and loathed.

Whatever our ideal turns out to be, we must be willing to grow toward it. We must be willing to make amends where we have done harm, provided that we do not bring about still more harm in so doing. In other words, we treat sex as we would any other problem. in meditation, we ask God what we should do about each specific matter. The right answer will come, if we want it.

God alone can judge our sex situation. Counsel with persons is often desirable, but we let God be the final judge. We realize that some people are as fanatical about sex as others are loose. We avoid hysterical thinking or advice.

Suppose we fall short of the chosen ideal and stumble? Does this mean we are going to get drunk? Some people tell us so. But this is only a half-truth. It depends on us and on our motives. If we are sorry for what we have done, and have the honest desire to let God take us to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and will have learned our lesson. If we are not sorry, and our conduct continues to harm others, we are quite sure to drink. We are not theorizing. These are facts out of our experience.

To sum up about sex: We earnestly pray for the right ideal, for guidance in each questionable situation, for sanity, and for the strength to do the right thing. If sex is very troublesome, we throw ourselves the harder into helping others. We think of their needs and work for them. This takes us out of ourselves. It quiets the imperious urge, when to yield would mean heartache.

If we have been thorough about our personal inventory, we have written down a lot. We have listed and analyzed our resentments. We have begun to comprehend their futility and their fatality. We have commenced to see their terrible destructiveness. We have begun to learn tolerance, patience and good will toward all men, even our enemies, for we look on them as sick people. We have listed the people we have hurt by our conduct, and are willing to straighten out the past if we can.

In this book you read again and again that faith did for us what we could not do for ourselves. We hope you are convinced now that God can remove whatever self-will has blocked you off from Him. If you have already made a decision, and an inventory of your grosser handicaps, you have made a good beginning. That being so you have swallowed and digested some big chunks of truth about yourself.

  • The Promises
  • The 12 Traditions
  • Recovery Slogans
  • 12 Step Prayers
  • Meeting Formats
  • (AA) Alcoholics Anonymous
  • (ACoA) Adult Children of Alcoholics
  • (Al-Anon) Families of Alcoholics
  • (ABA) Anorexics and Bulimics
  • (BA) Bettors Anonymous
  • (Castimonia) Castimonia
  • (CDA) Chemically Dependent Anonymous
  • (CPA) Chronic Pain Anonymous
  • (CLA) Clutterers Anonymous
  • (Co-Anon) Co-Anon Family Group
  • (CA) Cocaine Anonymous
  • (CoDA) Co-Dependents Anonymous
  • (CEA) Compulsive Eaters Anonymous
  • (CGAA) Computer Gaming Addicts
  • (COSA) Co-Sex Addicts
  • (COSLAA) CoSex and Love Addicts
  • (CMA) Crystal Meth Anonymous
  • (DA) Debtors Anonymous
  • (DepA) Depressed Anonymous
  • (DRA) Dual Recovery Anonymous
  • (EDA) Eating Disorders Anonymous
  • (EHA) Emotional Health Anonymous
  • (EA) Emotions Anonymous
  • (Fam-Anon) Families Anonymous
  • (FAA) Food Addicts Anonymous
  • (FA) Food Addicts in Recovery
  • (Gam-Anon) Gam-Anon
  • (GA) Gamblers Anonymous
  • (Gamer-Anon) Gamer-Anon
  • (GSA) GreySheeters Anonymous
  • (HA) Heroin Anonymous
  • (LAA) Love Addicts Anonymous
  • (Mar-Anon) Mar-Anon Family Groups
  • (MA) Marijuana Anonymous
  • (Nar-Anon) Nar-Anon Family Groups
  • (NA) Narcotics Anonymous
  • (Neura) Neurotics Anonymous
  • (NicA) Nicontine Anonymous
  • (OLGA) On-Line Gamers Anonymous
  • (OA) Overeaters Anonymous
  • (PA) Pills Anonymous
  • (RA) Recoveries Anonymous
  • (RCA) Recovering Couples Anonymous
  • (SHA) Self Harmers Anonymous
  • (SMA) Self Mutilators Anonymous
  • (SAA) Sex Addicts Anonymous
  • (SLAA) Sex and Love Addicts
  • (SA) Sexaholics Anonymous
  • (SCA) Sexual Compulsives Anonymous
  • (SRA) Sexual Recovery Anonymous
  • (Spenders) Spenders Anonymous
  • (SIA) Survivors of Incest
  • (TSJ) The Twelve Step Journal
  • (UA) Underearners Anonymous
  • (WA) Workaholics Anonymous
  • (Preface) PREFACE
  • (Chapter 1) BILL'S STORY
  • (Chapter 2) THERE IS A SOLUTION
  • (Chapter 3) MORE ABOUT ALCOHOLISM
  • (Chapter 4) WE AGNOSTICS
  • (Chapter 5) HOW IT WORKS
  • (Chapter 6) INTO ACTION
  • (Chapter 7) WORKING WITH OTHERS
  • (Chapter 8) TO WIVES
  • (Chapter 9) THE FAMILY AFTERWARD
  • (Chapter 10) TO EMPLOYERS
  • (Chapter 11) A VISION FOR YOU
  • (Appendix) APPENDIX
  • The Bible and the 12 Steps
  • (4) Scriptures for Step 1
  • (4) Scriptures for Step 2
  • (6) Scriptures for Step 3
  • (7) Scriptures for Step 4
  • (6) Scriptures for Step 5
  • (5) Scriptures for Step 6
  • (4) Scriptures for Step 7
  • (6) Scriptures for Step 8
  • (6) Scriptures for Step 9
  • (3) Scriptures for Step 10
  • (4) Scriptures for Step 11
  • (5) Scriptures for Step 12
  • (59) eSword Commentaries

COMMENTS

  1. Chapter 3

    Here are some of the methods we have tried: drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign...

  2. Chapter 4

    Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power? Well, that's exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem. That means we have written a book which we believe to be spiritual as well as moral.

  3. PDF Chapter 3

    Everymeans of solving his problem which 32 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS. money could buy was at his disposal. Every attempt failed. Though a robust man at retirement, he went ... 34 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS * True when this book was first published. But a 2003 U.S./Canada membership sur-vey showed about one-fifth of A.A.'s were thirty and under.

  4. Chapter 7

    See your man alone, if possible. At first engage in general conversation. After a while, turn the talk to some phase of drinking. Tell him enough about your drinking habits, symptoms, and experiences to encourage him to speak of himself. If he wishes to talk, let him do so.

  5. December 27

    "Quite as important was the discovery that spiritual principles would solve all my problems." — ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 42 Through the recovery process described in the Big Book, I have come to realize that the same instructions that work on my alcoholism, work on much more.

  6. Problem Solving

    "Quite as important was the discovery that spiritual principles would solve all my problems." ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 43 Through the recovery process described in the Big Book, I have come to realize that the same instructions that work on my alcoholism, work on much more. Whene

  7. The Big Book

    About the Big Book. Alcoholics Anonymous, also known as the "Big Book," presents the A.A. program for recovery from alcoholism. First published in 1939, its purpose was to show other alcoholics how the first 100 people of A.A. got sober. Now translated into over 70 languages, it is still considered A.A.'s basic text. Purchase Options.

  8. SOLVE in Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions

    solitary solution solutions SOLVE occurs 14 times 10 in BB • 3 in 12&12 • 1 in GV Definition in Merriam-Webster Online See also... solves solved solving some Click the page number or the book cover icon to view that page in the literature. 1. ... solve. BB The Doctor's Opinion, p.xxviii

  9. Newcomers, How do you read your Big Book?

    The "Big Book Step Study" (BBSS) format, based upon an AA meeting format originated in Hyannis, Mass. in the 1980's, is part of a very structured way of working the 12 Steps out of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

  10. Chapter 1

    Each day my friend's simple talk in our kitchen multiplies itself in a widening circle of peace on earth and good will to men. Bill W., co-founder of A.A., died January 24, 1971. **In 1993, A.A. is composed of over 89,000 groups. The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd edition, chapter 1.

  11. Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

    Spiritual principles would solve all my problems. All my problems . The only condition is to practice these spiritual principles in ALL my affairs. If I do that on a daily basis I will have a daily reprieve from my alcoholism. ... The Spiritual Axiom and Serenity Prayer in the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous - Pages 87-88 - Step 10-11 -Part 1;

  12. PDF WE AGNOSTICS I

    It is open, we believe, to all men. When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God. This applies, too, to other spiritual expressions which you find in this book. Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you.

  13. Principles Of The Program

    Free AA Big Book App; AA Literature . A.A. Big Book. A.A. Big Book (164 Pages) Big Book Stories Edition 1; Big Book Stories Edition 2; A.A. Preamble; Singleness of Purpose; ... Quite as important was the discovery that spiritual principles would solve all my problems. I have since been brought into a way of living infinitely more satisfying and ...

  14. PDF Chapter 2

    e, of ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, know thousands of men and women who were once just as hopeless as Bill. Nearly all have recovered. They have solved the drink problem. We are average Americans. All sections of this country and many of its occupations are represented, as well as many political, economic, social, and reli­ gious backgrounds.

  15. The Main Object Of The Big Book

    MARCH 1, 2017 0 COMMENTS The Main Object Of The Big Book - Alcoholics Anonymous By Chris Freeman In my previous story, Breaking The Barriers To Recovery By Letting Go Of Old Ideas. I spoke of the letting go process, the letting go of an old idea that seemingly forever held me in its grip.

  16. Solving problems with Spiritual Principles

    Solving problems with Spiritual Principles / Spirituality / By Anonymous "Quite as important was the discovery that spiritual principles would solve all my problems." - AA Big book, page 42. * This quote is just profound to me. First what is a spiritual principle? Second, Does this mean I need to join a religion? Absolutely not.

  17. spiritual principles

    PROBLEM SOLVING. "Quite as important was the discovery that spiritual principles would solve all my problems." — ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 42. Through the recovery process described in the Big Book, I have come to realize that the same instructions that work on my alcoholism, work on much more. Whenever I am angry or frustrated, I consider the ...

  18. Daily Reflections.

    ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 562 Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 562 Tradition Twelve became important early in my sobriety and, along with the Twelve Steps, it continues to be a must in my recovery.

  19. Chapter 6

    We alcoholics are undisciplined. So we let God discipline us in the simple way we have just outlined. But this is not all. There is action and more action. "Faith without works is dead." The next chapter is entirely devoted to STEP TWELVE. Chapter 6 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd edition.

  20. Page 42

    Page 42. Alcoholics Anonymous. Page 42. again. They had said that though I did raise a defense, it would one day give way before some trivial reason for having a drink. Well, just that did happen and more, for what I had learned of alcoholism did not occur to me at all. I knew from that moment that I had an alcoholic mind.

  21. SOLUTION in Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions

    The 164 and More ™ Book, eBook, and Web Site are all CONCORDANCES which display passages from the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and the A.A. Grapevine (A.A. Preamble only). Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and More concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either Alcoholics Anonymous ...

  22. BIG BOOK PREFACE

    Preface to the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, 2nd edition. Search. HOME Home FAQs Newcomers Guide ... let the solving of these problems become a part of their daily work, and even of their sleeping moments, and the most cynical will not wonder that we have accepted and encouraged this movement. We feel, after many years if experience, that ...

  23. Chapter 5

    One set of voices cry that sex is a lust of our lower nature, a base necessity of procreation. Then we have the voices who cry for sex and more sex; who bewail the institution of marriage; who think that most of the troubles of the race are traceable to sex causes. They think we do not have enough of it, or that it isn't the right kind.