Spirituality is essential to our sobriety.
December 2003 Special Section on the Promises Embedded in a paragraph beginning on page 83 and continuing on page 84 of Alcoholics Anonymous are what some of us in the Fellowship refer to as the Promises. For others, the Promises are scattered in great profusion throughout the text of the Big Book. However we view … Read more
August 1982 By: D. J. | Columbus, Ohio Through the Seventh Step he realized that we “carry our worlds within ourselves ABOUT TWO years ago, I made a fortuitous discovery while experiencing a disturbing episode during my recovery. As a result, the Seventh Step became my tool for everyday coping and living. The emotional impact … Read more
November 1966 By: T. P., Jr. | Hankins, New York Step Six: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character. The Sixth Step makes no sense at all except in the light of the preceding two Steps–Four and Five. Facing our load of psychic garbage and getting it out in the … Read more
September 1953 By: L. L. | Superior, WI PROBABLY the one basic essential, necessary for getting sober and staying sober through the AA program, is sincerity. The word is used so much in the practice of the program that it might be interesting to indulge in a little research into its origin. As I understand … Read more
January 1986 By: J. T. | Alto, New Mexico OF ALL THE STEPS, the Fourth seems to have the biggest reputation for being a real bear. Perhaps we are doing it a disservice, and the newcomer as well, by convincing them they are approaching a two-headed monster. So many of us, it seems, have a … Read more
September 1975 By: B. M. | Saratoga, California When we cannot suffer others, we are the ones who suffer MY TENDENCY to find other people irritating and objectionable because they have faults has long been a source of discomfort to me. I am annoyed even when those faults are causing me no real inconvenience. I … Read more
May 1979 By: C. W. | Huntington, West Virginia SERENITY WAS gone, and sobriety threatened to follow. After nearly three years of sobriety in AA, I recently became overwhelmed with physical and emotional problems. Luckily, I was attending a group formed to study the Twelve Steps. I had helped start this group and regarded myself … Read more
September 1985 By: J. M. | Fife Lake, Michigan After sobering up and getting active in AA, I was going to do great things. I took a new member of the program into my home and was really going to keep him sober. At this point, I think God said to me, “Okay, go ahead … Read more
We’re always changing, but who can predict the final result? ONE OF LIFE’S blessings for us in the program is the lack of continuity we are presented with in times of struggle, those times when we aren’t where we were but don’t yet know where experience will take us. In the past, these times produced … Read more
July 1953 By: Anon. | New York, New York THESE words to me and for me are three of the most important and significant in the whole program of Alcoholics Anonymous. In the first place it was necessary for me to come to believe and accept the fact that I was and am an alcoholic. … Read more
By: D. W. R. | Detroit, Michigan February 1973 New insight on the old parable, and how it applies to us – Around the Tables AROUND THE TABLES, I wondered how I was going to make it. What they had seemed so impossible to achieve. Yet I have obtained a lot of what they had, … Read more
January 1945 By: J.W.T. | Manhattan, New York The purpose of this little piece is to pass along to you an experience. Believe me, it is not an effort to moralize. It is not an effort to push any beat-up platitudes down your throat. It is simply something that happened to me. If you have … Read more