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A DESIGN FOR SOBER LIVING

Forward

Bill W., one of A A’s founders, was said to have been rocketed from

his addiction into what he referred to as a, “physic change”. Truly

a miraculous or divine intervention that had the power to change his

mind and perceptions. He believed that his spiritual awakening had

given him a new sense to win the fight of his life and that it had

opened a new place of freedom in his life to use it.

You may have heard it said “we recover sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly”. This is not about comparing the speed of one person's recovery to another, it is about helping us to come through this process as quickly as we can. “The Simple Plan” steps are written vertically to help quicken our understanding of recovery. This helps to identify a method of making our journey into our new lives as smooth and concise as possible. We convert the stumbling blocks of what people in the program call, “character defects”, into a spirit of gratitude that comes when the reality of our new life begins to unfold. We maintain our sobriety by carrying our testimony of hope to those who are still suffering and the gratitude grows into spiritual joy.

WE BECOME RESPONSIBLE IN OUR JOURNEY OF RECOVERY, realizing we are not responsible for the disease, only for the decision to continue living desperate and miserable lives, or to awaken to the truth of how abundant our life can be.

Remember, no matter what you are facing, victory comes when we Keep it Simple...* The author has chosen to remain anonymous.

*The following material does not represent the views of Alcoholics Anonymous or any other organization and is written only in a spirit of helpfulness passing on what had been gained threw earnest investigation.

Step 1 We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become

unmanageable.

The first essential principle is honesty. Understanding the problem prevents ignorance and belligerent denial, two great enemies of

recovery.

WE, the first 100 low bottom drunks, have recorded precisely a method and simple plan of action to recover. We started with 2, became 100 and now number in millions.

ADMITTED our use of (you name it) had defeated us and reduced us to a state of complete hopelessness. Many of us with insurmountable problems wished for or were on the brink of death.

WE, who surrendered absolutely to this designed treatment, now enjoy a new freedom and happiness. WE have regained purposeful and productive lives.

WERE guaranteed, with our addictions, we would end up in jails, institutions, and ultimately the morgue or worse. We were the last to see this, but it was obvious to others.

POWERLESS and fooled, we thought controlling our addiction was a matter of self-will. Quitting was never a problem; we had done that many times. Staying quit and living sober is the real problem.

OVER a misunderstanding, we didn’t realize that our reaction to the drug alcohol was totally different than a social drinker. We had an allergy called dipsomania. Alcohol is the only drug that satisfies all receptors that cause the obsession in addiction.

ALCOHOL is a toxic suppressant drug that can be used safely by non-allergic people who can stop with ease; but anyone who has the allergy or is an addict absolutely can’t. (For addicts, where no allergy required alcohol, their drug of choice produces the same effect. Drinking alcohol will simply lead you back to your drug of choice. Has this been anyone’s experience?)

Step 1 Page 1

Step 1 (cont’d)

THAT if we were struggling with our addiction, we lost. Struggle now means simply we aren’t taking the steps to recover. Please don’t deceive yourself.

OUR ability to take all the action necessary to recover required us to concede to our innermost self that we were completely defeated, here and now.

LIVES and stories of others clearly show us that “the worse” was yet to come if we continue in addiction.

HAD now reached an unbearable state of disillusionment dishonest denial could no longer delude us.

BECOME ready to honestly see the truth that our addictions must be treated. All the horrible endings that we’d heard of were in the form of “yet to be” for us.

UNMANAGEABLE. Be honest with yourself: how’s your way worked so far?

(Note: Reading for the first step should include The Doctors Opinion and

Bill’s Story).

Do you now concede to your innermost self that your addiction has completely defeated you? In other words, are you 100% sure? Please answer one at a time Yes or No.

If you answered yes you are ready to take to step 2. Congratulations!

Step 1 Page 2

Our Way Doesn’t & Can’t Work

• Nature or what created life, has directed and provided a designfor living.

• Except where we humans have interfered, the design workswell.

• We will learn how our troubles are always connected with non-adherence to this design.

• In defiance of our design, we are always in conflict with others.

• For the addictive personality, we overindulged with more andgot less.

• Satisfying the addictive self is impossible because by its natureit can’t be satisfied.

• Lacking connection to our original design, we unnaturally feltless than.

• Misunderstanding this, we tried to fill this void with a person,place, or thing.

• The harder we tried to satisfy ourselves the more we provedour lack to be fulfilled outside our intended design. This onlyincreased our anxiety.

• Alcohol, a suppressant drug, reduces anxiety and consciousawareness.

Step 1 Page 3

• We alcoholics stuffed those nagging feelings of the “morningafter the night before” deep within us trying to avoid the truthby denying it.

•Another major block is the defiant nature of stubbornness. Westruggled with fierce determination to make our way work onlyto prove it can’t.

• Often rebelling against authority and being told what to do, webond to a failing self will.

• Being addictive, we try to fix our feelings rather our problems.

• Avoiding rather than facing problems, they naturally worsen.

• Fear, a by-product of self-reliance’s failure, sets up fight orflight responses.

• Restless, irritable, and discontent, we think our problem is oneof management.

• We will never fix our problems with the same consciousnessthat created them.

• We can develop a sixth sense known as a spiritual awakening.

• A principle-based intuitive knowing is the goal of the program.

ARE YOU WILLING TO BELIEVE YOUR WAY DOES NOT AND WILL NOT WORK, AND THAT ANOTHER WAY COULD?

Step 1 Page 4

Step 2

Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

The 2nd essential principle needed for recovery is hope gained through open-mindedness. The bitter enemies of hope are prejudice and contempt prior to

investigation. As our denial system fails, death appears as a solution

CAME here because our addiction had beaten us into a state of submission, we were self-reliant and closed-minded prior to this beating.

TO realize, without “help” we are powerless and hopeless. We managed opening our minds to new ideas. We defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.”

BELIEVE in the “recovery Steps power” since we have millions of sober examples. Our lack of belief and power could only come from contempt prior to investigation.

THAT because we have a new level of honesty, now open-mindedness would be our entrance fee to work toward a sensible way of life.

A doorway to hope and sanity just opened. All we had to be is willing to enter.

POWER working with another recovered person, who had completed all 12 steps, made our journey through them simpler, but not necessarily easy. We were promised that a complete psychic change would take place when we reached the 10th step.

GREATER would it be to learn to live by a practice of principles as we accomplished each step. Our emotions and personalities would become secondary. Much greater…

Step 2 Page 1

Step 2 (cont’d)

THAN the answer we had before. This new Good Orderly Direction would awaken us to an awareness which will be our pathway to sober living by design.

OURSELVES, aided by fellowship and a willingness to accept new ideas, could make it through early sobriety provided we didn’t fall back into our old prejudices.

COULD experience a rollercoaster of feelings as suppressed emotions come up for re-view. Using all the tools of the program we’d awaken with a new calmness deep within us.

RESTORE our lives with hope and the willingness to begin a new belief system.

US, or any person who had been hopelessly doomed by addiction, now becomes able to learn and practice a new freedom which brings gratitude and joy.

TO all who have suffered the ravages of addiction, you can know that today we have ___ years of sobriety present.

SANITY will begin with a simple decision to practice a proven program of action that removes the obsession to use.

Are you willing to believe millions have found a power greater than themselves by using the steps to develop a lifetime practice of contented sobriety? Please; answer yes, or no

If yes then turn to Step 6 page 2 to better prepare for Step 3

Step 2 Page 2

CHARACTER THE DEFINING FACTOR IN YOUR LIFE

• Our thoughts determine our actions.

• Our actions determine our habits.

• Our habits determine our character.

• Our character determines our destiny.

Our character will be the only thing we take from this world.

• We have a step by step method of practice. We call this development a

complete psychic change, in the form of a spiritual awakening (slowly developing over time with practice), or a spiritual experience (sudden drastic change usually those folks who couldn’t get it any other way and desperately surrender).

• Our character improvement will be as a result of removing (left side) blocks and replacing them with right side principles, virtues. (See step 6 pages 2&3). This happens as we take the action of the steps and incorporate them into our lives.

Don’t try this on your own-death or worse may occur

Step 2 Page 3

A STEP BY STEP Move From Left to Right

We Drink With We Live Sober

Stubborn Character Blocks Moral Principles Dishonesty Honesty

Hopelessness/ Closed Mindedness Hopefulness/Open Mindedness Willfulness/Faithless Willingness/Belief

Fear/Denial Courage/Truth False Pride Integrity

Arrogance/Self Pity Humility/Grateful Hate Love

Unjust/Unfair Justice/Amends Procrastination Perseverance

Outer dependent Inner Dependent/Spiritual Use Service

Left to my own devices Program & Help Restless, Irritable, Discontent Happy, Joyful, Free

Step 2 Page 4

Step 2

Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

The 2nd essential principle needed for recovery is hope gained through open-mindedness. The bitter enemies of hope are prejudice and contempt prior to

investigation. As our denial system fails, death appears as a solution

CAME here because our addiction had beaten us into a state of submission, we were self-reliant and closed-minded prior to this beating. TO realize, without “help” we are powerless and hopeless. We managed opening our minds to new ideas. We defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.” BELIEVE in the “recovery Steps power” since we have millions of sober examples. Our lack of belief and power could only come from contempt prior to investigation. THAT because we have a new level of honesty, now open-mindedness would be our entrance fee to work toward a sensible way of life. A doorway to hope and sanity just opened. All we had to be is willing to enter. POWER working with another recovered person, who had completed all 12 steps, made our journey through them simpler, but not necessarily easy. We were promised that a complete psychic change would take place when we reached the 10th step. GREATER would it be to learn to live by a practice of principles as we accomplished each step. Our emotions and personalities would become secondary. Much greater…

Step 2 Page 1

Step 2 (cont’d)

THAN the answer we had before. This new Good Orderly Direction would awaken us to an awareness which will be our pathway to sober living by design. OURSELVES, aided by fellowship and a willingness to accept new ideas, could make it through early sobriety provided we didn’t fall back into our old prejudices. COULD experience a rollercoaster of feelings as suppressed emotions come up for re-view. Using all the tools of the program we’d awaken with a new calmness deep within us. RESTORE our lives with hope and the willingness to begin a new belief system. US, or any person who had been hopelessly doomed by addiction, now becomes able to learn and practice a new freedom which brings gratitude and joy. TO all who have suffered the ravages of addiction, you can know that today we have ___ years of sobriety present. SANITY will begin with a simple decision to practice a proven program of action that removes the obsession to use.

Are you willing to believe millions have found a power greater than themselves by using the steps to develop a lifetime practice of contented sobriety? Please; answer yes, or no

If yes then turn to Step 6 page 2 to better prepare for Step 3

Step 2 Page 2

CHARACTER THE DEFINING FACTOR IN YOUR LIFE

• Our thoughts determine our actions.

• Our actions determine our habits.

• Our habits determine our character.

• Our character determines our destiny.

Our character will be the only thing we take from this world.

• We have a step by step method of practice. We call this development a

complete psychic change, in the form of a spiritual awakening (slowly developing over time with practice), or a spiritual experience (sudden drastic change usually those folks who couldn’t get it any other way and desperately surrender).

• Our character improvement will be as a result of removing (left side) blocks and replacing them with right side principles, virtues. (See step 6 pages 2&3). This happens as we take the action of the steps and incorporate them into our lives.

Don’t try this on your own-death or worse may occur

Step 2 Page 3

A STEP BY STEP Move From Left to Right

We Drink With We Live Sober

Stubborn Character Blocks Moral Principles Dishonesty Honesty

Hopelessness/ Closed Mindedness Hopefulness/Open Mindedness Willfulness/Faithless Willingness/Belief

Fear/Denial Courage/Truth False Pride Integrity

Arrogance/Self Pity Humility/Grateful Hate Love

Unjust/Unfair Justice/Amends Procrastination Perseverance

Outer dependent Inner Dependent/Spiritual Use Service

Left to my own devices Program & Help Restless, Irritable, Discontent Happy, Joyful, Free

Step 2 Page 4

Step 3 Made a decision to turn our will and lives over to the care of

God as we understood him.

The 3rd step essential principle is willingness to believe and follow a simple plan. Decision time: die in addiction or live free

MADE a commitment to understand how our misuse of self-will blocked us from enjoying life sober. A black hole of insecurity had plagued us. Our use was just its symptom. Most speakers confirm this with words like, “I felt less than,” “not a part of,” “full of anxiety,” “restless,” etc. A resolution is needed to become teachable and set aside old worldly ideas until we grasp principle based thinking. When we reach Step 10, use of our will is returned. DECISION making would have to be done on a higher, spiritual plane if we were to survive.

TO combine this attitude of discovery, with the action of Steps 4 through 12, guarantees recovery and gives us the means for the proper use of will. TURN from an ego-driven, self-directed life that could only end in early death or worse. OUR dipsomania (allergy) was not treatable but the obsession to use is if we would follow and take action with this simple plan. WILL isn’t free. In a sense it should be called expensive, as it costs the alcoholics and addicts among us everything worthwhile. The liabilities of self-directed character defects would have to be removed to have lasting sobriety. AND, in our effort to run the whole show, we’ve proven we’re not the proper designers. We produce confusion rather than harmony.

LIVES lived apart from our intended design always fail. We have a step-by-step design for living sober that works.

Step 3 Page 1

OVER this resolution a complete change in attitude will humbly be redirected from the material realm to a spiritual realm. We will learn to trust this direction by the calmness and joy it brings. TO know and understand a new a perception of consciousness that guides us through life intuitively. THE decision will only be as good as the steps we climb and the principles we learn and practice. CARE must be taken to become honest with ourselves and the results will develop our trust and faith. OF all the things worth having in life, our faith in the recovery plan will prove to be the best. GOD, as the designer and proper director of all life, wants us to take it a step at a time and use the stairs to help to recover our lives. AS we are the only living creatures who have any choice in the design to follow, we desperately needed to find a new direction for life. WE believers, agnostics, even atheists just have to be willing to see for ourselves that our former plan, the self-centered addictive plan, leads only to futility and death. UNDERSTOOD (at Step 10)our will has been returned because the actions of taking Steps 4-9 restored us to sanity and thus removes the obsession to use.

HIM, a loving and forgiving being, has provided through synchronicity a promised way out for us to follow.

Note: will is our way of thinking. It directs our actions that develop our habits that develop our character that becomes and drives our lives and destiny. To fulfill this decision, we started by answering this question as honestly as possible in Step 2; Has your way worked so far in keeping you clean and sober?

Step 3 Page 2

In Step 3, don’t stumble on the word God, or in giving a name to this higher power yet. We suggest and ask that you simply reserve naming your higher power until you reach Step 11. This will keep you open minded. Our experience tells us what name you choose isn’t that important and it could change. We know our perception did. As you work your way toward Step 11, it’s sufficient to realize there is a power greater than you and you lack the power to live sober on your own.

Remember if you’re struggling with sobriety it usually means you are closing your mind to new ideas and becoming complacent with current gains. Remain open and keep moving through the steps and you will continually get better results. There is not a finish line. This is a lifetime plan of action with promised results.

If you decided you want what we are offering, we request you work steps 4 through 12 with all the earnestness you can. Are you willing to go the full length of recovery? Are you committed to being honest, open-minded and willing (H.O.W.)?

Answer one at a time yes or no.

If you said yes your ready to start Step 4.

Step 3 Page 3

Step 4

Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

The principle of the 4th step is truth when we discover the right principles and practice them we are set free.

We had to get to the root causes if we hoped for a better way to live

MADE an appointment immediately to get the help we need to learn what a moral inventory is and the easiest way to conduct one. Certainly we would want to be rid of the number one cause for relapse.

A spiritual illness had manifested as resentment and fear and needed to be looked at with a new and objective vision. We needed help from someone who understood a simple way to do this.

SEARCHING through the people willing to help, we tried to find someone who could keep it simple. For this reason we recommend using the form Dr. Bob inventoried with. We don’t recommend filling it out alone, you might balk, and miss recovering.

AND we would like you to know that the only wrong way to do this is skip it. We see a lot of people relapse because they don’t learn how to get rid of resentment. You don’t have to do the writing; Bill W. obviously didn’t.

FEARLESS is a state of mind in which courage allows you to step through fear. If you care to use prayer the recommended way to find courage is to ask for it. Before learning the inventory procedure we exercised resentment and fear; they built up and dominated our life with the power to kill.

Step 4 Page 1

Step 4 (cont’d)

MORAL simply means the principles of right. Many people misunderstand and conduct an immoral inventory. That is not what we are being asked to do. It’s clear that we need to be free of resentment, anger and understand fear otherwise we will simply repeat the same mistakes over and over.

INVENTORY in business allows removing without prejudice the liabilities of over stocked and non-saleable goods. Any business that doesn’t regularly do this goes out of business.

OF this business called life if we don’t learn and practice removing the liabilities of resentment, anger and fear then we die from lack of truth and we will be dead wrong or counter to our design.

OURSELVES and this practice will now make the things that bothered us most in the past become the very things we use to gain the assets of serenity which are courage and wisdom.

To the precise degree we use resentment we squander the hours that might have been worthwhile.

Is everyone here ready to commit to taking this step? Yes or No.

Step 4 Page 2

More about Step 4

Many people come to A. A. and only work the first 3 steps. They balk at this

step out of fear of what they think they’ll have to do; what they’ll have to face.

This, of course, has the potential of being a bigger block to recovery than what

it is trying to solve. So, again, we advise a simple-as-possible approach. We

believe the true measure of your recovery will be your ability to learn and

practice all the steps.

Athletes who become professionals are not changing the basics but practicing

them until they become so good at their basic skills they become second nature

and then are outstanding. Learning the basics and practicing all 12 steps holds

promised results. We are not here to try to make you professionals, but rather

introduce you to the basics. It’s up to you to develop your lifetime practice of

them and you will enjoy emotional sobriety with serenity and purpose.

Various checklists are used by sponsors, treatment centers and others. For our

program, we have selected the asset and liability checklist that Dr. Bob used

successfully early on. Remember his advice to Bill was “keep it simple.” If

you’re on a journey to a destination you haven’t been able to find on your own,

why not travel with someone that knows the simplest way?

The main goal of the inventory process is to teach us to see our part in the

problems we have (which we then can fix in a later step). For many of us this

will be a first. The basic nature of resentment is not to do that. After learning

the inventorying process, many of us have stopped having many of those

problems which use to cause us to use. Remember our journey has a goal called

recovery.

The true value of any business is measured in its saleable assets minus its liabilities. The true value of a human is measured in his or her character assets minus his character defects. Steps 4 through 9 give us the tools for building a new life of sobriety. So the quicker we start assessing the true inventory of ourselves, the better chance we have for recovery.

Step 4 Page 3

More on 4 (cont’d)

To better understand what we are inventorying we offer these definitions, which we did not include at the beginning but saved for this point:

Resentment is a feeling of displeasure at some real or imagined act, remark, or person, etc. It is to become angry and indignant in response to a perceived affront or personal injury.

Fear is being afraid of losing something we have or not getting something we want. It manifests itself in many ways, some of which are anxiety panic, phobia, and terror.

Selfishness is concern only for our self, our own welfare or pleasure, without regard for others.

Dishonesty involves theft, deception, or cheating people out of what is rightfully theirs, and lying to or withholding the truth from others.

False Pride is either feeling less than someone else or feelings of superiority including prejudice about race, education or religious beliefs, and sarcasm (putting someone else down to elevate our image of self. It can include feelings of inferiority, self pity which is excessive concern about our own troubles, and low self-esteem the lack of self-worth or self-respect.

Step 4 Page 4

Step 5

Admitted to God, ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

The vital principle of the 5th step is humility; freedom with gratitude and useful service are the rewards.

ADMITTED a life based on self-will is full of character defects. They block us from understanding and contented sobriety.

TO now see it’s time to share our part, telling another all the troubles that have plagued our lives. Keep in mind it is not necessary to list every resentment in order for the inventory to be thorough. The object is to get to causes and conditions, and get rid of them promptly and without regret.

GOD could and would direct a life that was willing to face and live with the truth. He has synchronized the steps so that all the negatives that cause guilt and shame turn to positive use.

OURSELVES owning up, without excuse, now see the root cause. Self-will had run riot in us. A revolutionary method of change in character was unfolding.

AND this new method of inventory and admission would be used whenever or wherever resentment and fear cropped up. This would keep our side of the street clean.

TO see the truth and be willing to change is a freeing experience.

ANOTHER who has gone through this helps us for they have admitted the same and often worse offenses. We find out selfishness and left-side character defects are inherent in human beings. We were not as unique as we thought.

HUMAN power could now be ready to develop a vital sixth sense.

BEING willing to face our past without excuse, assures a promising future.

Step 5 Page 1

Step 5 (cont’d)

THE guilt and shame, which had plagued us, robbed us of hope and had been a major block from having a conscious relationship with our creator, was vanishing. EXACT character and causes of all our problems were becoming clear.

NATURE had tricked us with our own self- importance. Our new understanding of the flaws of the past made for a promising future.

OF all our problems, selfishness, self-centeredness, dishonesty and inconsideration were at the root of our addiction.

OUR worst enemies, the guilt and shame from mistakes of the past, are being transformed to useful tools to help others.

WRONGS and their affect, humble us absolutely.

We should be absolutely convinced that selfishness, self-centeredness, dishonesty and inconsideration are at the root of our addiction. They will have to become clear and objectionable to us if we are to progress spiritually. Helpful insight into resentment, fear and ego follow for use in Steps 4 and 5

Step 5 Page 2

Step 5 - The spirit of Resentment Its subjective ability to defend and protect the ego nature

If you’re struggling with a resentment, try inventory and admission with this:

• Seeing wrong and the ability to feel more right is the illusion of resentment. • Resentment can be offensive or defensive and almost always is accompanied with

a hurt or superiority feelings or victim status of self-pity. • Hurt feelings produce a heightened reach for a pleasured stimulus of relief. We

have now set into motion failing to feel better. • Each replay reinforces a cycle of hurt and pleasure and this is our image of life. • A greater awareness for seeing wrong in others and missing it in ourselves results. • It now takes half the fault to produce twice the reaction -- known as a conditioned

reflex, forming a habit and projecting outcomes before they even happen. • A love-hate relationship is now set into a motion we call emotion. • An Ego motion or feelings are now fluctuating from superior to inferior. • Secretly, we judge each other producing a relief and belief as being right relative

to a perceived wrong. • Stealing, lying, cheating or any misbehavior can feel justified with a rebellious

superiority. • Always looking for fault, we become good at the finding it. • If guilt and shame sets in, we give and give to those we secretly hate or resent. • We call this enslavement servitude, and we puff up with feeling of nobility. • All the above behavior has ego in charge. We’re selfish and self-centered, but we

don’t think so.

Step 5 Page 3

The ego is seldom objective to resentment and fear

• What character defects are most connected with your resentments? • Fear will always accompany resentment, and fight or flight reflexes are strong. • How often are you reacting with resentment and how much time are you

spending at resenting? • Are you more likely to have resentments with strangers or loved ones? • Disappointment always includes appointment did you expect more than you

received? • Did you make that clear or are you resenting something you didn’t express? • Are doubt and fear the aftermath of your resentments? • Do you end up resenting yourself for resenting? • How many times are you angry or resentful at someone doing what you want? • Then you may be able to see that your resentments have more to do with a

control issue or selfishness? • Are you not getting what you think you should? • Is this self-centered behavior and is it reinforcing a false sense of worth? • Is self-centered behavior a form of playing God or being fooled by the devil? • Is that something you should be sorry for or proud of? • Which side of the last question is being supported with resentment? • Resentment is a way of maintaining a feeling of rightness or superiority above the

person or situation. • Sick and miserable with the “yeah-buts’” of misunderstanding self, we are

wrongly blaming someone else so we feel right.

Step 5 Page 4

Note: read page 75 3rd paragraph lines 1-12.

Review of the first five Steps

Step one: admit means: without denial or excuse identify the problem.

• Definition of an alcoholic or addict. When you really want to quit they can’t

and once they start have little or no control on the amount they use.

• Is this a description of your use?

• How well has your management worked?

• Do you think it will go away because you want it to?

• Do you consider your addiction a disease?

• Are you mad or resentful at yourself for having it?

• Do you have the power to beat it on your own?

Step 2 I. d. the solution.

• Find a power greater than yourself.

• Are the fellowship and meetings the treatment for addiction?

• Are the 12 steps the treatment for the disease?

• In treating the obsession of the mind a complete psychic change is required.

• Most failures in treatment have to do with not completing the steps and/ or

becoming complacent and giving up practice of what has worked.

Step 3 A decision is only as good as the action we take and practice we apply.

• Learn to drop old ideas and the prejudice they formed.

• Set aside closed mindedness and contempt prior to investigation.

• Make and follow through on the decision to go to any length to recover.

• Understand the three essentials of recovery honesty, open-mindedness and

willingness.

Step5 Page 5

Review of the first five Steps

Step 4 Inventory often for the first time see our part in all our troubles.

• Finding the root cause as being Selfishness, self-centeredness, inconsideration, and dishonesty as well as other character defects.

• The above characters are also known as the bondage of self and liabilities of recovery?

• Can you be in resentment and not have these characteristics?

• Is fear a characteristic of self reliance’s failure?

• Does guilt and shame act as a block to recovery?

• We will move from the liability side to the asset side in steps 8 & 9.

Step 5 Admission by you to God and another human.

• Can you see you played a bigger part in your troubles than you thought?

• Have you skipped anything in your inventory?

• Are you willing to make things right where possible?

• Can you see any life based solely on self will is bound to fail?

• Are you willing to continue to use this inventory process on any new resentments or fear?

• Do you know yourself better and are you ready to take the next step to learn to live better?

• As we take the rest of the steps will these character defects be converted to assets?

Step 5 Page 6

Step 6

Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Principles of 6th Step are humble awareness and conscious understanding WERE taking responsibility by using a list of character defects to identify our need to change the things we can. ENTIRELY willing to do the next right thing, especially when we find ourselves on left side of the list. READY, once and for all, to be saved from the bondage of self. TO become proactive living in the now, the only time frame in which our Higher Power is present and in which change can take place. HAVE an understanding of our part in any wrong and be willing to ask for co-operation with the right-side virtues. GOD graciously does for us what we haven’t been able to do for ourselves. REMOVE self-will defects with a lifetime practice of right side character. ALL those defects described on the left column of the list should be objectionable to us. If not, we are to ask for willingness. DEFECTS inherent to bondage of self-will have lessened or blocked our ability to live with contented sobriety. OF all our defects, self-centeredness is the root cause of the left side. The right side is guaranteed to those who are willing to see the truth and humbly ask for the courage to change. CHARACTER now defines humbled awareness; as we add wisdom in this new dimension we gain a sixth sense. We can now fully understand what the next right thing to do is.

Reading for the sixth step is page 76, 1st paragraph.

Step 6 Page 1

The Vital Sixth Sense awakens us to the awareness: enslavement verses freedom

The truth can only do two things convict or set you free. Two wills exist, self-will and the designer’s will. We have to be operating in one or the other. Here’s how to measure which one you are co-operating in. Characteristics of personality re-acting Characteristics of personality being proactive In the bondage of self-will A gifted design known as a sixth sense Restless, Irritable, Discontent Happy, Joyous, Free aggravated gratitude, tolerance, patience, acceptance angry gratitude, tolerance, patience, acceptance annoyed gratitude, tolerance, patience, acceptance arrogance humility, love, self-honesty balky faith, trust, courage, acceptance bothered acceptance, faith coldness/coolness humility, honesty, love-concern for others condemnation love-concern for others contrariness acceptance, humility cowardly courage, faith, trust cynical humility, appreciation deceitful honesty, love-concern for others denial self-honesty, acceptance disbelieving faith, trust dishonesty honesty, truthfulness, love, concern dislike tolerance, acceptance, appreciation dismay faith, courage dissatisfied tolerance, acceptance disturbed faith, acceptance doubt faith, trust, courage dread faith, trust, courage egocentric humility, self-honesty envy gratitude, appreciation, honesty evasive honesty frightened courage, trust, faith gluttony love-concern for others greedy love-concern for others harm to others love-concern for others hate love-concern for others honesty,

Step 6 page 2

Understanding the character of wills!

humiliation humility impatience acceptance, patience, tolerance inconsiderate love, humility intolerance tolerance, acceptance jealousy tolerance, acceptance judgmental gratitude, appreciation, humility loneliness love-concern for others lustful love-concern for others offensive humility, love-concern for others, over-reactive courage, faith, self- honesty panic courage, faith, self- honesty pride humility , self -honesty procrastination service, action provoked tolerance, patience, acceptance resentment acceptance, forgiveness, honesty, love resistance acceptance, courage, faith revengeful forgiveness, love, self-honesty self-centered humility, love-concern for others self-condemnation self-forgiveness, humility self-importance humility, self-honesty selfish humility, love-concern for others self-justification humility, self-honesty, acceptance self-pity self-honesty, gratitude, appreciation self-seeking humility, love-concern for others sloth action, service spitefulness love-concern for others, humility suspicion trust, faith unwillingness faith, trust, acceptance vindictiveness humility, love-concern Recognition and awareness of wills develops a sixth sense with life’s experience We will improve our spiritual experience by going to the same places in which the left side of the page appeared and practice having those same experiences using the right side of the page. When you fail to use the present tense of the right side even your best expectations become intentions that never materialize.

• We can’t be right and on the left side of this list. • We can learn to ask for help to get to the right side and practice that.

Are you ready to develop this vital sixth sense? Answer one at a time yes or no.

Step 6 Page 3

The following was taken from a plaque in Doctor Bob’s office.

“Perpetual quietness of heart. It is to have no trouble. It is never to be fretted or vexed, irritable or sore: to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door and pray to my Father in secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around me and about is seeming trouble”

Other descriptions of humility include:

• Serenity, being calm in the face of chaos

• Courage to change what we can and wisdom to know when to let it alone

• To become unimportant, to serve

• Ego-less and self-less • An absence of anger and resentments

• A position of grace, peace and love that is above human power

• A higher or unselfish connection of love

Our goal is to practice being humble and to place what we understand as a Higher Power as the director. We ask only for the power to do the next right thing. Our life is filled with promise and we become a human being, proactive through conscious awareness. Now the gifts listed on the right side of the 6th Step list transform our lives into a new directed freedom.

Referred to in the Big Book; as a sixth sense in the 4th dimension

Step 6 Page 4

Paul’s Description Of God’s Love:

• Love endures long and is patient and kind; • love is never envious nor boils over with jealousy, • Is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. • It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude

(unmannerly). • Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way,

for it is not self-seeking: • It is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil

done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. • It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness but rejoices when

right and truth prevail. • Love bears up under anything and everything that comes; is ever ready

to believe the best of every person; • Its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures

everything (without weakening). • Love never fails or becomes obsolete or comes to an end.

Our ego image is always acting and reacting as it attempts to play the role of the designer -- running the whole show, selfish and self-centered. Using resentment on its throne of judgment, it deludes itself and falls into the abyss of misdirected self-will. This creates inherent separation from right side peace with habitual use of left side reactions. This keeps us in a state of restlessness, irritability and discontentment. Are the characters on the left side of the 6th step list objectionable to you? If not; we are to ask what we understand as our Higher Power for willingness.

Step 6 page 5

Step 7

Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings. The 7th Step principles are persistence and humility living with the awareness of now. HUMBLY observe our true character and learn not to struggle. Switch wills by pausing when upset and turning it over in favor of the right side. ASKED by sincere request for guidance, we transform to a gifted, proactive human being. HIM - the same loving Higher Power that removes the obsession to drink now redirects the arrogant self with gifts of virtue. TO the degree we add humility we are enhanced with gratitude. REMOVE all the false (old ideas) of self and build new character that will add joy in this life and becomes what we take to the next. OUR new identity will be the attraction for those who still suffer. SHORTCOMINGS become the very things that our spiritual growth is built with. We truly begin to comprehend how to do the next right thing.

It’s About Asking for and Receiving Specific Help. Converting the liabilities of character defects to assets of humility becomes our greatest tool to improve the quality of life and sets the pattern for continuous spiritual growth.

The seventh step prayer is found in the A.A. Big Book, page 76, 2nd paragraph.

Step 7 Page 1

Step 7 (cont’d)

Work against self-centeredness by practicing these suggestions

• Have concern and show interest in others.

• Be true to yourself, say yes or no honestly. • Don’t pretend or let fear rule. • Ask for courage and look for opportunities to practice it.

• Seek being humble by making yourself unimportant. • Read the humility page daily (Step 6 Page 2). • Practice forgiveness and you will receive it. • Pause when irritated. Ask to be shown the right response. • Speak from your own experience and don’t interfere with others. • Be open-minded about change. • Keep the good deeds you do, to yourself. • When you find yourself on the left side promptly admit it.

• Be slow to criticize others and don’t participate in gossip.

Remember faith is based in works and the right side of the 6th Step list works best.

Step 7 Page 2

(Cut out and place on mirror)

If you are unhappy YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE PROBLEM

Notes

Step 8

Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.

The 8th step principles are willingness to make restitution, by making our wrongs of the past as right as possible, with direct amends. MADE use of the four column list attached (Step 8 Page 3). A preliminary list of who we were to see was made when we did the 4th Step. LIST all persons we have harmed. OF all the steps thoroughness is imperative in making this list. PERSONS with emotional scars are often healed with simple amends. WE realized this action is vital to remain sober. HAD already determined the liabilities for which we needed to make amends. HARMED in some cases more by them, we would have to remember we were only trying to clean our side of the street. AND we are creating this list so as to identify and admit our part only.

Step 8 Page 1

Step 8 (cont’d) BECAME willing and committed to this vital action, knowing that it would insure a promising sobriety. WILLING to start with the now list, then the maybe list and with those successes move to the later and even reconsider the never list. TO understand this list is for our own sake, because we want to stay sober and live a better life. MAKE our list and realize that the real benefit will become ours as a result. AMENDS means full restitution or to the best of our ability for the harm done. TO understand in Step 9 we will restore to the best of our ability all those harmed. THEM, whom we listed by circling our liability in the 4th step and had already agreed to place on this list. ALL past errors may be corrected and freedom from guilt and shame will be the reward. Note: Steps 8 & 9 read; Chapter 6 Into Action, 3rd paragraph - page 76 to middle of page 84.

Step 8 Page 2

Amends List

Step 8 Page 3

NOW LATER MAYBE NEVER

Step 9

Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except

when to do so would injure them or others. The ninth step principles are freedom with consideration and discipline. Reconciliation restores dignity and honor, with promises of a new and fulfilling life. MADE a request for guidance from our Higher Power and also talked it over with our sponsor or an advisor prior to making any amends. DIRECT simply means face-to-face wherever and whenever possible. AMENDS change us from the liability side to the asset side of life. TO understand this step is a must in our recovery. Be careful not to fall into selfishness and inconsideration in the process. SUCH regard to protect others and ourselves from creating more harm. PEOPLE, institutions and our Higher Power all needed to be considered. EXCEPT we never clean up our past at the expense of others. WHEN additional hurt may be caused, we consider what alternative means can be used. TO make right the wrong to the best of our ability is the goal.

Step 9 Page1

Step 9 (Cont’d)

DO this with sincerity and this behavior will seldom be repeated. SO cleaning our darkest secrets from the past enhances us with the best chance for a bright future. WOULD gladly go to this length now to insure and secure our recovery. INJURE is what we try to avoid - do no further harm, and with the help of others beforehand we can see our way. THEM - the people we feared and dreaded seeing now become friends of our recovery. OR skip the vital step and our experience proves you will fall back into your addiction. OTHERS usually respect this action in going to this length to achieve freedom from your addiction, and most are more considerate then we ever were. Note: Read more about the amends process in A.A. Big Book, pages 76 to middle of page 84.

Step 9 Page 2

Step 10

Continue to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

Step 10 principles are diligence, and persistence -- to live in the now. CONTINUE constant awareness of wrong motives and character defects, especially those which involve dishonesty, selfishness, self-centeredness and inconsideration.

TO start my day with the goal of reducing the left-side defects of yesterday by looking for ways to improve right-side assets. TAKE the right moral principle for a pro-active approach to life. PERSONAL emotions always react and thus block virtue and reason. INVENTORY our day with this new awareness and yesterday’s mistakes become the assets for spiritual growth. AND use the actions we have learned in Steps 4 through 9 immediately on any violations. WHEN we realize now is the only time when change can happen. WE use our mistakes to practice spiritual principles and grow. WERE doomed in the past, exercising the bondage of self. This will now become the very thing we use to enhance our sobriety. WRONG motives had plagued our lives and had ruled our thinking.

Step 10 Page 1

Step 10 (cont’d)

PROMPTLY we recognize and - with no regret - quickly make right our left-side wrongs. ADMITTED to ourselves, our Higher Power and those we violated the exact nature of our daily mistakes. IT-- the ism in alcoholism: the character shortcomings that only grace and the steps can improve; the basic nature of self and all its costly will; the absences of a Higher Power presence; the use and abuse of all character defects which make hell on earth; the individual spiritual malady; our addiction’s continuous bid for our return. Will you continue the use of this personal inventory, especially being aware of selfishness, self-centeredness, dishonesty, and inconsideration? Are you committed to proper use of your will, making right any new mistakes as you go along? Please answer one at a time, yes or no. If you answered yes, Congratulations: your will has just been returned. We now understand its flaws and proper use. We simply need to practice and we will naturally or presently enjoy continuous spiritual growth. (Some assistance may be found on the next two pages). Note: Read the Step 10 promises, A. A. big book, page 84, 3rd paragraph and 85 1stparagraph.

Step 10 page 2

Step 10 - Nightly Review

Our designer’s will and our self-will are now apparent.

Step 10 challenges us to continuous awareness of whose “will” we’re

operating in. We refer to this as “progress not perfection.” If we think of it in terms of a spiritual target, then the idea becomes clear. The words “sin” and “evil” are archery terms and derive from the Aramaic language. The term sin meant “missing the bull’s eye” and evil meant “missing the target.” Score the left side of the character defect list on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest. Our nightly review becomes our daily spiritual score vs. worldly clamor.

If we regularly and honestly take stock of today’s shortcomings, this information will define our character defects and our need for spiritual progress. Our aim for the bull’s eye is to live continually on “the right side ”or the pro-active side, always looking for ways to do the next right thing.

Let’s look at the use of earlier steps and their relationship with specific faults. If we feel out of sorts and overwhelmed by stress, then we need to check if we have taken back the helm of management, and are suffering the consequences of self-will run riot without realizing it.

We can’t be disappointed except when we appoint in the first place. If we’re appointing then we are playing God. His will: peace. Our will: chaos. Stress is most often felt when time is a factor. Where possible, give things all the time they require by removing the time element. This becomes an exercise in acceptance and patience.

.

Step 10 Page 3

Step 10 - Nightly Review (cont’d) Resentment and fear are always Step 4 issues. Check where you have been selfish, self-centered, dishonest and inconsiderate. Tell on yourself and make amends immediately. When resentment persists, use the tools in our Step 5, pages 3 and 4. You will likely see, the only thing wrong, is you’re not getting what you want or expect. Resentment is often only an effort to try to make our wrongs to be right. As soon as you identify the character defects involved, tell on yourself and make direct amends as soon as you can. You won’t find amends to be easy, so you are a lot less likely to want to repeat the same mistakes

For repetitive problems question which left-side character defects are

present. Become prayer-specific by naming the left-side defect and placing your Higher Power between you and the problem. Ask Him to help direct you to the proper right side character.

Since faith is a practice of works that work we develop an understanding of God and reliance on higher principles. Our formula for continuous growth and change: willingness to believe, taking action, and learning to trust the results as the promises of this work is fulfilled.

Our Higher Power’s will for us is to live on the right side of 6th step list.

As we develop and practice the 16 virtues listed, we will be gratefully humbled, living in the present, with a presence and power directing our way to be happy, joyous and free. This is the value and purpose of life and the completion of our intended design. It is the development and proper use of our will and all “the promises” materialize. A real spiritual awakening we would not want to miss, and an experience of recovery we can’t afford to miss.

Step 10 page 4

• Practicing awareness and gaining reliance for the proper use of will.

• Learning to pause when upset and make use of this step by step check list to regain or maintain serenity.

• Realize I can’t & won’t manage left to my own reactions.

• Honest concern dictates practicing proven principles, faith and trust results .

• Inventorying from a moral perspective. Resentment now being defined as Self will run riot without realizing it or being fooled into self reliance

• In step 4 we learned to look at life as a business and measure the liabilities of the character defects of resentment and fear.

• We learned that resentment and fear are products of the bondage of self.

• Step 5 talking it over with a sponsor. If resentment is present inventor with Step 5 page 3 & 4.

• Step 5 we admitted to ourselves another and God that we missed his plan.

• In step 6 we learned the difference between self will left side reaction and right side principles of pro-active being.

• We saw clearly that any life based on self will using resentment and fear to protect our ego was to squander all that might have been worthwhile.

• Asked in an unselfish prayer to be contributors to life and to keep the right side of the page as a primary goal in life.

• Made direct amends wherever possible admitting without excuse our left side wrongs.

• Gave the right side list to those we were amending giving them permission to inform us when we violated that list.

• Made a real effort to maintain the right side in all our affairs. Paused several times daily to check our spiritual condition.

• Used the awareness of yesterday’s mistakes to try to improve our spiritual condition by returning to the same places the left side showed up and practice the right side.

Step 10 page 5

Practice the proper use of will with a Quite Meditation!

Stop struggling with a problem, practice this to reach for a spiritual solution. Preparing for the simple meditation and humble inventory process to develop decision making with principle based intuitive reason.

• Simply write down whatever question you need an answer for.

• Pause and become quite realizing a perfect spiritual solution exist .

• You need to be relaxed with the absence of worry in these moments.

• Place your hands on your lap palms up.

• Begin to notice them as soon as you do you will feel an energy rising off them.

• Allow the energy field to connect an awareness will increase.

• This is simply known as getting in your center or the present moment.

• Ask as gently and sincerely as possible to realize what the right action is that you need to understand.

• Thoughts and ideas will start to flow.

• Be sure you are prepared to record them all, good or bad.

• Do not edit your thoughts at this time write each and every one. * This will take some practice thoughts come and go quickly

• When the flow slows or stops use the Sixth Step list page 2 evaluate each thought.

• If they are left side of the page thoughts merely cross them out. If they are right side thoughts circle them.

• If any doubt exist talk over with someone who understands and agrees with practicing the right side virtues.

• Wisdom would dictate non action when a path isn’t made clear.

• Courage to take action when the path is clear

• Faith practiced in this manner works and serenity becomes your partner.

Step 11

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.

The 11th step principles are insightful planning and intuitiveness.

SOUGHT to improve our spiritual awakening by learning and practicing a simple method of communication with God.

THROUGH daily realization of character defects and wrong motives, this step becomes a planning action from our nightly reflections. PRAYER becomes a two-way communication as we learn a way to ask and then discern our thoughts for an answer. AND this new practice secures our faith in a loving Power. MEDITATION becomes simple to practice and works to solve problems which used to baffle us. TO no longer depend on what we think, but rather discern with principles of virtue what is right rather than who is right. IMPROVE on a continuous basis as we obey the right-side direction. OUR new freedom and happiness brings the real peace and joy we’ve always been looking for. Hope is transformed to reality. CONSCIOUS and now operating with a presence of mind we’ve been given with this new method of inventory and two-way communication. WITH this spiritual awakening, our conscious has moved from guilt-shame hindsight to joyful foresight. GOD, in his design for living, transforms us with right-side character. AS we practice Steps 10 & 11, we are on a path of continuous growth. WE now can carry this message of recovery to those who care to have it.

Step 11 Page 1

Step 11 (cont’d)

UNDERSTAND with these works we have a new faith to trust and stand under. HIM, the spirit of serenity, provides wisdom and courage to make clear when to take action or when to let it be. PRAYING turns the occasional hunch to a way of life. ONLY to be mindful of these principles of virtue in all we do. FOR us there now is no need to alter our minds with any chemicals. KNOWLEDGE is replaced with a faith-based intuitive understanding. OF our new found friend who has changed our minds to sanity. HIS gifts of virtues are listed on the right side of the 6th Step list. WILL take us to a promised way of life beyond what we could have achieved or even imagined on our own. FOR a whole new way of life- inspired instead of hell-fired. US who have had the obsession to drink or drug removed. AND now seek continuously to improve our 6th sense in the 4th dimension. THE assets of guidance we received are used to help someone else. POWER will be in the form of taking the steps forward to save lives. TO use the guidance found in two-way prayer whenever doubt is present. CARRY out the thoughts received if they pass the divine guidance test. THAT our actions guided by faith result in the attraction to others. OUT of all the insanity of our past comes the promise of a faith through practice which can enrich our lives and the lives of others. Note: text reference Chapter 6 “Into Action” bottom paragraph page 85 thru page 88.

Step 11 page 2

Step 12 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. The 12th step principle is service. To use our experience and save a life is a special type of heroism that satisfies the soul with a sense of purpose and worth. HAVING the gift of sobriety as a result of taking these steps, we help others. HAD no idea that we could enjoy life without drinking or using.

A new life of freedom was unfolding that we couldn’t even have imagined. SPIRITUAL sickness required a complete psychic change in our lives. AWAKENING intuitiveness and understanding beyond anything we had known. AS we work with others, we renew our connection to the one who has power. A faith that works will add new meaning, with purpose that fulfills our lives.

RESULT the goals of recovery and the actions you just took are preserved. OF all who suffer the fatal disease of alcoholism, they deserve the very best of recovery. THESE principles offered are only as good as how we carry and use them. STEPS are taken with responsible guidance. WE have the spiritual tools and continue to grow by giving them away. TRIED to live our lives by example, so as to attract those who need what we have. TO accept, as imperative, the responsibility to share our recovery with those in need.

Step 12 Page 1

Step 12 (Cont’d)

CARRY the vital message of freedom, we have had a spiritual experience or awakening as a result of this simple yet profound Steps.

THIS proven method now offers hope to the once hopeless.

MESSAGE: that grace and a precise method to recover exist.

TO preserve and pass this method of recovery to others who would die otherwise.

ALCOHOLICS who are powerless and hopeless on their own can find new hope.

AND recovered alcoholics respond by spreading the good news.

PRACTICE improving our sixth sense with all whom we come in contact.

THESE are gifts: the spirit of serenity offers wisdom and courage. They are given to us to offer to others, along with a calmness that allows us to choose our battles in life.

PRINCIPLES originate by design. To the degree we practice these steps we build a life with our Higher Power as the director.

IN life we can only give what we have and, if it’s grace, the more we give the more we have.

ALL the problems that we face are giving us an opportunity for growth through practice of spiritual principles.

OUR actions, under trial and through problems, become the measurement of our faith.

AFFAIRS of worldly clamor will always tempt and challenge us. Nothing can insure sobriety like working with others.

Read A.A. Chapter 7 “Working with others “

Step 12 Page 2

First Words Found Written on Alcoholism

“Who is the man with bloodshot eyes and many wounds? It is the one who spends long hours in the tavern trying our new mixtures. Don’t let the sparkle and smooth taste of strong wine deceive you. For in the end it bites like a poisonous serpent; it stings like an adder. You will see hallucinations and have delirium tremens, and you will say and do foolish, silly things that would embarrass you no end when sober. You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. And afterwards you will say, ‘I didn’t even know it when they beat me up … let’s go have another drink”. (The Living Bible, Proverbs 23:29-35)

Brief History on Alcohol Abuse Treatment

Problem Solution Recovery Plan

1785 Dr. Benjamin Rush Total Abstinence None (Disease)

1813 Temperance Movement Temper Your Drinking None (Social Problem)

1826 Lyman Beecher Total Abstinence None (Sin & Weakness)

1840 Washingtonians Total Abstinence Fellowship (Moral Problem)

1900 Emmanuel Movement Spiritual Experience None (Psychological)

1928 Oxford Group Spiritual Experience Six Tenants (Sin)

1930 Carl Jung M.D. Psychic Change/ Oxford Group No Opinion Spiritual Experience

1933 W. D. Silkworth M. D. Psychic Change None ______(Disease)_________________________________________________

W. D. Silkworth M. D. Carl Jung M.D. Oxford Group (Disease, Allergy) Spiritual Experience Fellowship

1932 Rowland Hazzard Spiritual Experience / 6-Step Program 1934 Ebby Thatcher Psychic Change 1934 Bill Wilson “

1935 Dr. Bob Smith “

Results: 1939 Published book, Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step Program

Bill Wilson

Problem: Step 1 Solution: Step 2 Recovery Plan Disease Spiritual Experience A.A. Steps 3-12 Recover

Appendix Page 1

Appendix

Harmonious Action and Synchronicity

Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is one of the greatest organizations of human restoration in the history of mankind.

Quietly, humbly, and with singleness of purpose, A.A. serves mankind and never asks anything in return. Millions have found solutions and salvation from terrible problems. From its very humble beginnings, its great success continues to rely on the maintenance of those humble beginnings.

A.A. has never advertised, yet we’re millions strong. We are represented in almost every country, city and town in the world. We serve -- with honest concern -- all classes and every type of human being. We answer every request for help: from judges, doctors, clergy, families, any individual. We ask nothing in return. We don’t even take credit for our work.

We don't want recognition. All who serve do so from a position of gratitude, knowing we would be dead or worse if this organization didn't exist. There are no dues or fees and we are self-supporting.

We are not governed by rules and we hope our actions show concern for all. None are refused or can be kicked out. Choice in becoming a member is left up to each individual. Our growth and strength come from the benefits received. No one is in charge and our leaders are trusted servants. Our attraction is a renewed life. We are bound by a common problem and a common solution. If we weren't here, millions would not enjoy a productive and purposeful life.

A. A. rescues human beings who have reached a state of hopelessness that only our kind can know. Lives are transformed from restless, irritable and discontent to happy, joyful and free. We do this gladly, as our very own existence depends on it.

We believe in a single word that transforms us individually and collectively: synchronicity. Synchronicity is a set of events which seem coincidental and not connected, but -- when combined -- work for the common good. We believe this harmonious action is from a power greater than ourselves, expressed through our many successes. Our plan rarely fails, for all of us that were doomed only had to learn to become honest and willing to follow this simple plan of action.

Appendix Page 2

Anonymously Simple: A 12- Step Guide

Bill W. spoke at an A. A. meeting the same day of Dr. Bob’s death. The

following quote and its explanation came from a recording of that talk. Earlier

that day Bill and Dr. Bob, the co-founder of A. A., met. Dr. Bob’s last words to

Bill W. were: “Don’t screw this thing up. Keep it simple.” Dr. Bob knew he was

close to death, but Bill did not. Rather than burden Bill with his condition, Dr.

Bob said nothing of his illness. He gave Bill W. a favorite hat (one that Bill had

stolen several times and Lois had returned) saying: “It’s supposed to rain, so take this hat. You have a lot of work ahead of you and can’t afford to get sick.”

It wasn’t until after he heard the news of his death, Bill realized that Dr. Bob, in

his usual, humble way was simply saying goodbye. He was like that, making it

about someone else instead of himself.

This is written to try to honor Dr. Bob’s last request to Bill W. We hope

to make the program simple to do and understand. Today, the universal

principles of the A.A. program are helping approximately 60 addictive and

obsessive behaviors. This proves the universal principle that all can benefit

from this treatment. Our hope is to help a broader reach of people. This is

done out of respect and admiration for the tradition of keeping A.A. in its

intended form for alcoholics. We wish to stay as close to the original idea but

give it a universal tone. We are only introducing the basics of recovery. You

will have to apply them with daily practice and help others do the same if you

wish to live a contented sober life.

Where the word alcohol is used, merely substitute it with your addiction

or compulsive behavior.

Since we invite and encourage participation by other addictions, we realize by

tradition this can’t be a closed A.A. meeting. We hope all present are open to

helping in this endeavor.

Appendix Page 3

Since there are so many different types of anonymous addiction groups using and amending the 12 Steps with conference permission, we are assured of our right to do the same. We hope this material is helpful. Physical sobriety is essential but emotional sobriety with serenity is the ultimate goal.

Our first question: does anyone here believe that we were designed to die from addiction or worse, live in its grip and cause hurt and harm to all we were intended to love? Please answer one at a time, yes or no. If you answered no, then you have automatically agreed that there is a design to life. Attraction is the intended purpose of this program -- improving our character to the best of our ability and beginning to correct the harm we may have caused.

Bill W. was rocketed from his addiction; to what he referred to as the fourth dimension. We seriously doubt this will be your experience. The usual experience of recovery happens slowly over a period of time as we complete taking the steps of recovery. Steps one, two and three are about surrender and developing the essentials of honesty, open mindedness and willingness. We then initiate a simple proven plan of action that removes the obsession to use with steps four through nine. Steps 10 through 12 assure a new life with continuous possibilities of growth in this lifetime path called recovery. This is a powerful design for living sober. We recover from our addiction and maintain that recovery simply by daily action of the steps and helping others do the same.

So if you care to live and be contented with sobriety we suggest you pay close attention and record exactly what you do. That way, when your time comes to help, you can pass it on.

Thank you for helping us on our journey through recovery.

We will take a few moments to share our experience of struggling and surrender, and then talk about what got you here. We will try to emphasize what role dishonesty and honesty played in our addiction and recovery.

Appendix Page 4

Addiction: A Fatal Disease or Worse (Before Step 1, let’s look at some definitions)

The prefix dis means away from; thus disease translates as away from ease. Most alcoholics’ and addicts’ stories start with “I felt less than or not part of, and that disappeared with my first drink or drug.”

An allergy is an unhealthy reaction to a substance. For the alcoholic, that reaction is known as dipsomania; which is defined as an irresistible urge for more once alcohol enters the bloodstream.

An alcoholic is defined as one who can’t stop entirely even when they want to and once they start, have little or no control on the amount they drink.

An obsession is defined as an idea which overrides any others to the contrary. The obsession becomes an imbued memory for ease and comfort or euphoria. If things were good we wanted even better or to celebrate, and when things were bad we wanted the ease and comfort of relief.

Addiction: the combining of obsession and allergy or addictiveness.

A blackout is when one continues to drink with little or no memory of what is taking or has taken place.

To pass out means to lose consciousness. The amount consumed has reached a toxic level and if continued, death would occur.

Led by the mental obsession (memory for ease and comfort) to the first drink (hit), an allergy (or addictive reaction) kicks in which creates an irresistible urge for more, which accelerates with each drink. This special combination of obsession and allergy occurs in every alcoholic and never occurs in the social drinker.

A social drinker has a normal reaction to the toxic substance of alcohol. That is to say, his body reacts by signaling the brain to slow down or stop. About 9 out of 10 people have this normal reaction, so they can drink with ease.

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Let’s look at the some of the differences

Normal: enzyme signaled Abnormal: no enzyme and allergy 9 out of 10 people 1 out of 10 people

• Drink to be social Brings on memory of ease and comfort

As soon as alcohol enters the bloodstream this effect happens:

• Brain signals slow down Brain signals speed up

• Doesn’t like, feels out of control Likes, feels in control

• Idea for more creates nausea “Let’s party”

• Stops with ease Drinks until something stops them; often until they pass out/black out

• Maintains low tolerance Develops high tolerance

• Avoids excess Mostly excessive; alcoholism

• Drinks & quits with ease Can never safely drink

9 Do you have the normal or abnormal response to alcohol?

9 Does your drinking (drugging) fit the definition?

9 Did you know if you’re an addict without the allergy you still can’t drink?

If you understand what has been presented up until to now then you will also understand what powerlessness is and the need for a power greater than yourself. Self- management can’t work.

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