If they become complacent they might stop doing the things that have been. Ben franklin famously said, honesty is the best policy. As time has gone by, life has filled up i have got more responsibilities in my life, the longer i have been sober. Aas 12 step program has made each of us a messenger for god. Complacency can creep up on a person in recovery without her even. Joining a recovery fellowship such as alcoholics anonymous can. This began to change in my area about 1990 when the first big book meetings started. Neither did i have any pressing problems or worries. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. There is comfort in knowing you arent alone, that what youre feeling isnt unusual, and that there is a solution. Aas 12 steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable. Its words and interpretations are left up to the reader to use as they choose. My sponsor used to tell me that people come to aa for all sorts of reasons these days, some are even real alcoholics who want to get sober.
Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and moreconcordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either alcoholics anonymous world services inc. The promises, as suggested in the big book, clearly indicate that we. To find aa meetings and your local helpline number in great britain, and englishspeaking meetings in. It requires a level of humility, vulnerability, and diligent and daily spiritual practice to stay on this path. It is better, however, that one does not needlessly name a person upon whom she can vent jealousy. The book is published by alcoholics anonymous world services and is available through aa offices and meetings, as well as through booksellers. It may be that both will decide that the way of good sense and loving. Being considerate of others in and out of aa being useful big book using the big book boredom with the program the bottom is where you stop digging you hit bottom when you stop digging breaking my anonymity bring the body and the mind will follow but for the grace of god carrying the message change. It can be a useful exercise to go through the big book looking for where the book tells us that we will drink unless we take or refrain from specific actions. Oct 11, 2020 one certain way to get the eyes rolling is to challenge the validity of this oft quoted favorite of aa infallibility. Bob started what is now known as aa in 1935 in akron, ohio.
Marty mann 19041980 wrote the chapter women suffer too in the second through fourth editions of the big book. Thats a great feeling, especially for someone who struggled for. Perhaps there are some cases where the utmost frankness is demanded. And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. Mar 18, 2012 from page 417 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous and acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. Other groups read from the big book weekly and discuss each chapter as they go along. I had been out of town before during this particular dry spell, so there was nothing new about that. Alcoholics anonymous quotes by alcoholics anonymous.
Apr 14, 2019 been attending aa since 1979 and sober since 1980. My 10 favorite lines from the big book of alcoholics. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing or situation some fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this. Chris raymer, aa big book, ca speaker, talk about carrying the message to the addict that still suffers hear renowned addiction speaker, mark houston from texas, a recovered alcoholicaddict, speak on 12 step spirituality living in the spirit. The big book is alcoholics anonymouss primary text. The wisdom from the big book isnt limited to 10 quotes. As nari mentions, my program or your program can be controversial ive learned that following the program of alcoholics anonymous, outlined in the big book, is the way to personal. It kind of becomes a big f u to ourselves and we struggle to even believe the.
The big book, alcoholics anonymous some groups discuss one chapter from the big book each week. Apr 21, 2010 maybe complacency would be a better way to put it. Reprinted from aa big book, page 59 the san diego aa coordinator january 2020 vol. During meditation or while being inspired or guided by our inner voice, as a way to differentiate between god. Jan 24, 2012 complacency can be far more subtle and dangerous in the early steps, and as we find our way in aa. Recovery is a journey of continued spiritual, moral, and emotional growth, and to practice these principles in all our affairs the path that takes us beyond physical to emotional sobriety and the happiness and freedom the program promises and we naturally long for. Complacency breeds old behavior and unnecessary problems. Its a condition that tends to peak in the third or fourth year of sobriety. The promises, as suggested in the big book, clearly indicate that we have work to do if we want.
It was one of the first to suggest that alcoholism was an illness, not a character defect. Search the alcoholics anonymous big book for phrases, key words, etc. Complacency can be far more subtle and dangerous in the early steps, and as we find our way in aa. The consequences of this, is to the let the big i in and the big i of this alcoholic gets thirsty both figuratively and literally. Lxviii carry the aa message join the fun and submit an article. Lest we become complacent it is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. The 4 absolutes gods will self will in cleveland a. It originated the twelvestep program now used widely among addictions outside alcohol. I got a girlfriend 2 years 7 months ago, and have found fulltime employment with increasing demands and. Its part of official aa literature to attend meetings over working the steps.
Readings from as bill sees it can inspire sharing on discussion topics. Faith in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. Jul 01, 2018 in chapter five of the aa big book, we read, those who do not recover are incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Rightly and naturally, we think well before we choose the per son or persons with whom to take this intimate and con. Those of us belonging to a religious denomination which requires confession must, and of course, will want to go to the properly appointed au. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing, or situationsome fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. Joy in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. Complacency could be seen as a combination of overconfidence and laziness. That means in the instances when you might be snowed in, hurricained in or whatever. Make no mistake about the intention of the guidance offered in this book.
But as the big book of alcoholics anonymous says, do not be discouraged. Mental, spiritual and physical disease readings from as bill sees it can inspire sharing on discussion topics. Somewhere theres a list of aa topics, like 50 of them, and i think complacency is on the list. Its the little things that can lead to big disaster. 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. Alcoholics anonymous 115 recovery program 103 12 steps of aa 76 aa big book 71 aa meetings 68 alcoholism 66 drugs adiction 49 recovery 46 family recovery 46 family sober support 43 chemical dependency 41 sober housing 31 12 traditions of aa 28 drug rehab 25 12 step program 24 womens sober residential 23 alcohol. The whytehouse is, i hope, a way to find that special phrase or saying etc. Becoming complacent in sobriety is nothing out of the norm.
Joy in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12 traditions. I become complacent and begin letting up on disciplines that remind me to take care of the weeds in my own garden and not worry about others gardens. I was taking every suggestion in the book, but my life felt like there. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow. The big book is the basic text for alcoholics anonymous and contains lots of personal journeys and insights, as well as practical information on the 12 steps. Im a new student of the big book and since my life is at stake and i follow the principles, which include addressing wino joes prediction from the 40s that two things kill alcoholics in aa. It kind of becomes a big f u to ourselves and we struggle to even believe th.
At first this sounded like a call to complacency until i got into step seven. I must remember that it is only a daily reprieve, contingent on my spirituality. For all of you, this book is a map that charts your way forward. Oct 09, 2020 the arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow. When i look up the word alcoholic in the big book of alcoholics anonymous in the. I was thinking of the line in the big book that says, science may one. The big book warns us about complacency and resting on our laurels, and that we are heading for trouble if we do. That was a dominant feeling on those innumerable days. Oct 18, 2009 it only takes you and 1 other alcoholic to have a meeting. Before i know it, i am looking for mental and physical diversions to keep the focus off myself. As a way to take inventory of our past to see where we fell short and in what ways, so that we could learn what areas of our life need to be worked on.
Then i would decide that i am ok to pull back a little bit because i feel good, dont want to drink, and life is good. All references to the topics will be found in the first 164 pages of the book, alcoholics anonymous. To say an individual is acting complacently means that they are taking things for granted. How easy it is to get complacent and slide on our laurels and not work the. The big book has given me that comfort and the push to move forward. The big book of aa is a text used in alcoholics anonymous to spread the word of how to recover from alcoholism and share the aa recovery stories of others. My business came off well, i was pleased and knew my partners would be too. Rightly and naturally, we think well before we choose the per. When you think of it, complacency is simply another form of e. One of the ways i avoid complacency is keeping in contact with newcomers, going to step meetings and big book meetings and getting involved in some type of service. The book is over 400 pages and can be broken down into 2 overarching parts. No outsider can appraise such an intimate situation. Many seem to come to aa with no confidence in their ability to stay sober, willing to do anything, but then they think they have it made and stop doing much of anything once the compulsion to drink leaves. Back then the aa big book was always displayed but seldom discussed or quoted.
Complacency can be defined as a feeling of contentment or selfsatisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger, trouble, or controversy. The 4th edition 2001 is also freely available online. Chapter 4 of the big book is titled we agnostics and explores the meaning of a higher. In previous attempts at staying sober i would put in enough work to start feeling better mentally and physically. Big book index page aa origin xvxvii aa organization xix, 565 aa program summary 164 acceptance 416420 agnostics 4457 alcoholic xxivxxvii alcoholism 3043 amends 7684 anger 6467 anonymity 565, 566 authority 563 boredom 152, 275 care 152 character defects 6471, 76 commitment 60. That was a dominant feeling on those innumerable days i was getting drunk in the 1980s. Aa tells us and personal experience confirms that not drinking is not enough. Febuary only a suggestion due 122819 march dubious luxury or other due 12520 april overcoming complacency due 22420 submit 27 to 1,106word story to newsletter chair at. Personally, i have a bit of a vendetta against narcotics anonymous and alcoholics anonymous. The 12 steps and the big book are know as recovery and are the entire foundation of the program. It is my hope that you will find this site useful to you and our friends of bill w. So let us never get the degree of smug complacency so that were not. I have provided a link in a couple of places on this page for your convenience, so you can get to the search page. 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.
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