Skulls Crack

Trying To Define Alcoholism

I get to read a lot of articles about “alcoholism”. People send them to me mostly. Others come through a clipping service I employ. There are articles about this discovery and that discovery – about this genetic cause for alcoholism or that medication being studied for treatment purposes.

I have learned to take these, not with grains of salt, but with handfuls of the hard rock variety – the kind you toss on your doorsteps in February so you don’t slip and crack your skull wide opened.

That is what it feels like after I read too many of these things. My brain hurts at times. It is hard to form an intelligent opinion on much of this stuff that floats around out there on news-wires and broadcasts since none of “us” – people interested in others with alcohol problems – ever seem to be on the same page when describing or thinking about “alcoholism.”

Some call it a “dependence” some call it an “addiction” some call it “substance abuse” and then there are a dozen or more different ways of describing “alcoholism” itself – with no one agreeing on one idea or describing it at all.

The world is all over the map with no one agreeing on just what is alcoholism. AA described it for their purposes over seventy years ago and now the “for fee” industry is expanding that to widening definitions to include a broader based “paying” markets – for its own profit making purposes. Some might say they are “hijacking” for revision the “description of the alcoholic” – I guess that depends on your perspective.

When it comes to alcoholism I’m a pure AA man myself. I go with what is described in their book, “Alcoholics Anonymous” the book from which the Fellowship derives it’s name. That’s what I use cause that’s what I got – and I hang with people who got what I got! Then, when I did what the co-authors did I also Got what hey got – I got a spiritual awakening and consequentially all of my problems were solves – EVEN INCURABLE ALCOHOLISM! I am equally convinced that diseases like cancer diabetes and heart disease can also be resolved through such awakenings.

I have experienced relief from chronic colitis, diverticular disease, high blood lipids, depression, anxiety, advanced arthritis and even financial problems and the dreaded “FEAR OF FINANCIAL INSECURITY” – all as the result of spiritual awakenings and spiritual growth. My kids are well adjusted and emotionally secure. My relationship with my wife is healthy and we are happy. Our home bursts with jocularity and contentment when we are all together – like a circus tent. No one is ill – no one is sick – there is no fighting or yelling or screaming beyond an occasion misunderstanding – and even then anger is never a problem. These are not hearsay ‘wonders’ to me. These are problems that a loving God has solved and gifts that He has given to and for us so that we could become useful on this planet. At least I am convinced that that is why He did it. It certainly is not because I deserve it for my saintly lifestyle.

Here is another “cool” thang . . . . . I am not afraid to tell you about any of it. I have no fear that I will ‘jinx’ it if I do – as if these things are because of sort of fairy’s charm and if the fairy hears me talk about it she’ll snap it away from us. Or because some tricky god up there will interpret my story as exhibiting braggadocio and egotism – so therefore I must be taught a lesson and be stricken with financial ruin and disease and drinking. I am not afraid that the “other shoe” will drop – because we have faith – faith in a LOVING GOD, not in some ogre in the sky just waiting for us to slip up so he can yank our happiness away – give us cancer and force us into fear of financial insecurity.

See?

This is ALL from having a spiritual awakening as the result of the steps. They are not from “Doin’ another AWOL” – Jeeeze do you AWOL people ever freakin recover or ever even come out here into the trenches to twelve step other alkies? They are not from “One Day at A Time” either. They are not because I “Just don’t drink.” and they sure as shit aren’t from “Going to lots of meetings”.

It all began when first I learned to concede to my innermost self that I was alcoholic. But how could I ever have done that if I did not now what alcoholisms is – how hopeless the solution without divine intervention? I cannot. I can run around yelling, “I AM AN ALCOHOLIC” all I want – but if I use any description other than the one, the AA one, which depicts hopelessness then I will always have some hope – call it “the lurking notion” - that I can “share” my way out – ‘doctor’ my way out – ‘rehab my way out’ or use my self-will as in “JUST DON’T DRINK”. All of these mean that I think that I have Power over alcohol and if any of these work – then I DO – and don’t need a spiritual awakening to get in touch with God so He can hand His power over to flow through me and remove the problem – ALL my problems.

When some journalist or doctor is writing his findings or opinions about what he calls alcoholism – it may or may not — probably not — apply to anything that I know to be what I got.

Even within the fellowship itself – we have so many folks with outside ideas, brought in from their rehab adventures of what alcoholism is that are so completely foreign to AA’s “description of the alcoholic” that they must steer clear of the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous or else undergo such a severe cases of Cognitive Dissonance I doubt that the county’s mental health system could bear the load if they all would seek help at one time.

This is so predominant that hardly anyone in AA’s own membership can tell you if asked what “Our description of the alcoholic” actually is. Which means that they cannot help other alcoholics do anything even close to recovering.

For what description has the AA Fellowship developed a Program? I can tell you that it most likely is not the description you were given by your friendly counselor in at the detox center. For the most part – AAs description of the alcoholic is bad for business if you are in the treatment business. AA s description automatically eliminates a solution through human aid – and the treatment industry and “addictions” counselors are in the business of providing human aid.

Haven’t you ever wondered why it is that you were more confused about AA and the Twelve Steps after you got out of rehab than when you first went in? It’s true isn’t it? You’re damned right it is – and that is no accident.

If, as your Big Book explains, you have “ passed into the region from which there is no return through human aid” (25:3) then those who provide such human aid cannot be included in your recovery which means that you are not a source of money to them.

Do you see now how important it is for the treatment industry to REDEFINE alcoholism – to take it back from Alcoholics Anonymous – and how if they do not then they have no industry?

If I fit Dr. Phil’s idea of alcoholism don’t you think that I might do well to pursue the Dr. Phil’s solution? I think so. If I fit AA’s idea of alcoholism does it not make sense to reject Dr. Drew Pinky’s concepts and pursue AA’s solution?

Shouldn’t I find out who’s description I fit so that I can seek help from the appropriate person or organization?

How can I ever have an intelligent conversation with someone say, Dr. Drew, if he thinks that alcoholism is determined by consequences of drinking – he does - and I think it is a mental obsession combined with a physical allergy? We cannot have that conversation – we would both be hitting our heads against each others – getting nowhere.

Let’s use the tiniest bit of common sense here, all right? If Dr. Drew prescribes ten hours a week of psycho therapy and anger management for my alcoholism and THAT WORKS – then what the hell do I need a AA for? And if AA prescribes a spiritual awakening as the result of the steps – wouldn’t I be foolish to ignore that and instead follow Dr. Phil’s advice? I will be told that I need AA for “group support” because that’s what AA is turned into. It is no longer a spiritual entity the sole purpose of which is “sobriety: Freedom from alcohol through the teaching and practice of the twelve steps.” it is now feeling “Happy joyous and free” through “sharing”. Apparently there are folks out there who if they are happy enough, joyous enough and free enough then they “Just wont drink”. WOW. I wish I could do that.

My solution would have been “Just join the circus.” What a clown I’ d have made.

No one is on the same page when it comes to describing alcoholism. Alcoholic Anonymous uses a very specific description and has a program designed to treat that description. It may not be designed to treat your type of drinking problem. Not everyone who has a drinking problem is going to fit AAs description of the alcoholic.

Not sure what AA’s “our description of the alcoholic” is? It is on pages one through 43 of the book, “Alcoholics Anonymous”. Maybe it would be an intelligent thing to do – to learn it - before saying “I am an alcoholic” in a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous – unless you know what that means.

Peace,

Danny S

PS – Have you ever noticed that the co-authors of the Big Book, “Alcoholics Anonymous” never say that they have “defined” alcoholism – only that they “describe” it? In fact they offer no definitions of anything!

Do you know why that is? I think that we can see why that is – and fairly easily too. More on that exact topic later next week.

Atheists Can Recover Too

When they ‘come to believe’

In the fellowship there are “Haves” and there are “Have Nots” I know . . . I know. There is the kind of person who recovers and there is the kind that does not. (149:3)

It sounds divisive. It is divisive. I didn’t create the divide. I didn’t polarize the fellowship. lease don’t shoot the messenger. Those who have decided to re-write the AA Program and bring in their outside issues and new solutions from their counselors, shrinks and TV shows that are nothing more than Public Relations devices and promotional tools for high priced rehab centers – like VH1′s “Celebrity Rehab” or A&Es “Intervention” * – have — and those who blindly assumed that those people and program are correct have. I just observe it – and you have observed it too. I think it is just as suckey as you probably do but what is the point in pretending that it does not exist.

There is no “I am better than you” inherent in such observations – but I will tell you that it is infinitively better to recover from alcoholism than not to recover – and if you don’t believe that then your are some kind of nut.

Just because one does not drink anymore and gets to keep a paycheck does not mean everyone else gets to enjoy it too – not if I am still a miserable, restless bastard who could really use a drink.

I have lived as a “Still recovering” “Just don’t drink today and everything will be OK” – “If I didn’t drink today then I am a winner” kind of AA alcoholic for enough years to compare it well with being currently and fully recovered. For non-alcoholics who have merely a drinking problem to overcome that type of living might be just fine – but for the true alcoholic like me and maybe you – its is one of the crumbiest ways to live life imaginable.

Haven’t we lived in a fantasy world long enough during our drinking lives? I speak of course of those who have “had a spiritual awakening” as the result of these steps . . . . .

and . . . . . those who have not - especially those who have no intention of having one – aren’t doing squat to have one – and are telling newcomer alcoholics that that is perfectly fine.

That would include those who think that since they cannot recall having had a spiritual awakening then they must be having “spiritual awakenings of the educational variety”.

If you are not one hundred percent sure whether or not you have had the spiritual awakening of the type that we are promised the Big Book, “Alcoholics Anonymous” – the kind the co-authors and co-founders of AA had – one powerful enough to expel the desire to drink – to change the entire psyche of the human condition – then you haven’t had one!

Lots of interesting and curious question come up within the AA Fellowship as well as from outside that look in to AA membership for answers. The answers given to such questions usually only serve to confuse an already confused membership as well as the public about AA. Maybe that is good. The minute everyone figures us out we’ll probably be ‘taxed’ or regulated by the government and they will have finally figured out a way to have God Himself to file a 1040.

The question often comes up because as a fellowship AA has only a small percentage of its own “members” who have taken and who actually practice its own twelve step program and consequently recover from alcoholism.

To understand how sign significant this is one has to realize one important thing that many of us inside of AA’s membership have not been taught or even bothered to learn – that the one single reason to take the twelve steps is to have a spiritual awakening as the result. That’s it!

It isn’t to stop drinking. It isn’t to help others. It isn’t to find God. Hold on now – BUT the results of the spiritual awakening WILL BE ALL OF THOSE THINGS! and hundred more. You WILL stop drinking. You WILL help others and you WILL find God. We only get ONE result of the twelve steps – - but we get a shitload of promised results kept as the result of the awakening. Get it?

Those are the facts of the Twelve Steps that become crystal clear to any alcoholic one once they are diligently pursued.

I want to circulate a new “script” to be read at the beginning of AA meetings in place of “The Promises” We can call them “The Surprises”. Hey, we can start with the “Tenth Step “Surprises”. Think it will catch on? Nah. Probably not

Real alcoholics pursuing the steps to “stop drinking” or even more disappointing – ‘to have an intellectual awakening’ - are still doomed until such time as they pursue first the Sunlight of the Spirit. Sometimes they slip right into that place during the early stages of the process – and that is good – so I don’t judge motives when working with others – only that they ‘want to stop drinking forever’ and are willing to go to any length. Any length includes hiring me. You gotta be really bad-off to be willing to take the likes of me into your life, I’ll tell you.

Since “practicing the steps” is not a requirement for attending AA meetings there is mix of those who HAVE and those who HAVE NOT “had a spiritual awakening as the result of the steps“ and consequently “recovered” from alcoholism – so when you ask a question like “Can atheists be in AA” you will get quite a mix of answers.

One real good question is regarding atheists in AA. There are AA groups which purport to be comprised of atheists. I am not kidding. Can they call themselves an AA Group? Hellyeah! As long as they are alkies.

I have never seen anyone get kicked out of the fellowship for being atheist. As long as they are alcoholic is all that matters for membership. To actually ‘recover’ well, that’s another story altogether – not altogether a negative one though.

You will get opinions about the twelve steps from those who haven’t actually experienced them, and opinions about God from those who have not actually developed nor maintain a communication with Him and then you will get real-life experiences with the steps from those who have actually experienced them and who have developed a flow of power and guidance from God and have become very “God conscious“.

My experience is that atheistic and agnostic alcoholics will not be prevented from recovery because the program does not allow them to remain atheist or agnostics and still recover from alcoholism.

Once they experience the miracle of recovery by simply “trying” the steps they embrace a God who reveals Himself to them they find that they have been wrong all along – that there is a God – and the proof they needed is right there now in their lives to develop and strengthen a faith in Him. It is truly a miraculous thing. I am privileged to be involved in such an avocation I must tell you. I have worked with many agnostics, and those claiming to be atheist and those who claim to be “the faithful” yet were really a agnostic – it’s a big mixed bag.

* Boy, those places and their owners/investors will never go broke now, will they?

Peace,

Danny S

Idea

Not every alcoholic has to take the steps to recover from alcoholism. They just have to have a spiritual awakening. That’s all.

AA is a Fellowship that offers that through the Twelve Steps.

If I you don’t want to take them and follow them – then you are free to go anywhere you want to get your spiritual awakening.

Or die. Whichever.

Or you can go to AA and pretend that AA isn’t about spiritual awakening. Make sure you tell everyone you meet and every time you “share” that AA is all about “not drinking”.

You can grow a sub-cult – right inside of the AA fellowship that “chooses” not to drink “for on day at a time” and pretend that the steps are optional. Make meetings mandatory. You can then invent your own qualification for membership – disregard AA’s “description of the alcoholic” and declare that AA is for anyone with “a drinking problem” – not just real alcoholics. Just make sure you spread the idea that there is no such thing as a real alcoholic – that ANYONE who has an addiction to any substance is “alcoholic”.

Oh wait. Sorry. That’s already been done.

Never mind.

Peace,

Danny S

Alcoholism – Folded, Spindled and Mutated

Part II
(Final of Two Parts)
See PART I

This dissertation has clearly separated the two maladies. Then let’s look solely at one of those maladies – the “spiritual illness.” spoken of in the Big Book, “Alcoholics Anonymous”

Remember that spiritual illness and alcoholism are not one and the same – not according to the co-authors. They write of these as TWO separate illnesses described in the Big Book – never “folding” the three into a Three Fold Disease.

We can lose that asinine, entirely inaccurate and dangerous phrase from our vocabulary entirely – and we had better. It’s got nothing to do with AA, the Twelve Steps or the Big Book. And steers newcomers off in a direction where they may NEVER be able to concede to their innermost selves that they are alcoholic.

How can they? They haven’t understood what it is they might otherwise admit, if only they had learned the AAs “description of the alcoholic” .

I can tell you that I am a deltiologist but that is meaningless to anyone – even me, since I have no idea what that is. Not a clue. Didn’t even click on the link I just pasted and even if I am one – I have no basis for telling you that I am one.

Anyone who puts there hand up in a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous – says, “I am an alcoholic” and cannot give “Our description of the Alcoholic“ is full of shit.

They might BE alcoholic but having no basis for making the claim other than they “have a problem with alcohol” then yes, they are full of it. I will tell you that most – MOST – folks don’t fit the description. I am sorry to say it.

Being spiritually sick is not limited to alcoholics. Lots of people are spiritually ill and are NOT alcoholics. While all alcoholics are spiritually sick – not all those spiritually sick are alcoholics. Now comes the Japanese problem with the words. Spirituality in Japan can mean a lot of different things. Our society is largely based upon monotheistic Judeo-Christian beliefs. We tend to personify and limit our thought of God as one single being and have no similarities with Bukkyo or Shinto thinking. Probably Shinkyo or Katorikku come closest – if my understanding of those are correct. *

The words used by the co-authors are a reflection of their understanding of theological concepts and for them that means “Christian”. The Twelve Steps are deeply rooted in the precepts and concepts of the first Century Christianity movement adopted by the Oxfords. So when the co-authors of the Big Book speak of spiritual illness they mean a human being who does not have a conscious contact with a single God. Like it or not, that’s what they meant.

It IS a God of one’s own understanding – not because they wanted to be sure to include all other monotheistic folks, but because they realized that it is impossible for any one person to have a compete or accurate mental concept of God since God is beyond all human understanding. No one is right or wring about how we individually may characterize God except that we all acknowledge omnipotence and singularity.

So what is “spiritually sick?” There can be forms of it – but whatever the ways that spiritual sickness may manifest itself in people, we are concerned with whatever form will now be healed and with that healing also take away our particular problem with alcohol – MENTAL OBSESSION/INSANITY. We are now to become sane.

So it is simple: Not having God consciousness and a relationship with that God. That’s it!

This separation from God (spiritual malady) is the result of “Resentment”. It doesn’t come from “not attending church” or “attending the wrong church“ or “disobeying parents” or “eating the wrong foods” or anything else except THAT ONE THING: RESENTMENT.

“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.” (63:3)

Understanding this and being willing to deal with resentment it is the key to the door we have ourselves placed a lock – back to God. Resentment separates us from God by it’s very nature because when we are resentful we are “playing God” - and there can only be ONE GOD.

Let me explain that. If I work for you as an employees in a shoe store and we sell shoes – then I sell a pair of shoes which I myself have made and intend to keep the entire proceeds, then I have separated myself from you, my boss, to become my own boss. I am no longer in your employ and I lose all benefits you provide.

The same for resentment. When we resent we are judging. We are condemning someone or judging something as “bad”. We are then claiming the knowledge of “good and evil” and deciding who is guilty an who is innocent in the courtroom of planet earth. That is a judges job. And in the scheme of the universe it is the prerogative of a God. By resenting therefore we are PLAYING GOD and effectively separating ourselves from Him when we do that. NOW WE ARE SPIRITUALLY ILL!

Anyone who resents in any moment has separated himself from God in that moment. What the Twelve Step help us do is discover a fix for resentments so we can remain close to Him. That is all there is to it.

Once we recover from spiritual disease we recover from the OTHER malady TOO – that being alcoholism – and we are free to live life freely, “Assuming we are spiritually fit,” or no longer spiritually ill. ” we can do all sorts of things alcoholics are not supposed to do. People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn’t think or be reminded about alcohol at all. Our experience shows that this is not necessarily so.
We meet these conditions every day. An alcoholic who cannot meet them, still has an alcoholic mind; there is something the matter with his spiritual status.” (100:4)

“When the spiritual malady is overcome,” – that’s one malady – being spiritually sickened – “we straighten out mentally and physically.” - that’s the other malady – alcoholism.

Spiritual illness is not the same as the problem we call alcoholism – but spiritual wellness IS the solution!

How do I know when I am “coming down” with a spiritual “flu”? That’s easy! Here are some of the symptoms – they suck, big time!

1. We were having trouble with personal relationships,
2. we couldn’t control our emotional natures,
3. we were a prey to misery and depression,
4. we couldn’t make a living,
5. we had a feeling of uselessness,
6. we were full of fear,
7. we were unhappy,
8. we couldn’t seem to be of real help to other people (All on page 52)

And let’s add a big “BECAUSE” to the end of each and every one of these. “Because I am selfish and self-centered” – and when I am not – then these bedevilments do not manifest in my life.

Peace,

Danny S

*Portions of this article have been extrapolated out of a letter to a reader in Tokyo who wanted clarification on “spiritual illness”.

The First Drink Gets Me . . . . . . . . .

. . . . Warm? Fuzzy? High? Sick? Plastered?

Going back a few years there is an old article somewhere in the archives of this site about my friend Al – so some of this may find his story familiar. You have friends like Al. You might be just like Al yourself. But I am always reminded of Al whenever someone asks about “The First Drink Gets Me Drunk”.

I am also reminded of my own drinking history but sometimes I get sick of talking about me. So be careful if you ever get close to me – because I might one day talk about YOU! ( I use Al sometimes when doing talks and Workshops. If interested I think one of the speaker tapes from some talks I did in Denmark recently have a more complete account: MP3 )

It’s funny, you can go an entire decade in AA hearing “The first drink gets me drunk” and NEVER once have anyone tell you what is meant by that. That might be OK for real alkies. Real alkies tend to get it. But what about the undecided non-alcoholic? He needs to know IF he fits in the fellowship and id he doesn’t know what that means, and just repeats it not knowing – what good is it? Before long we have generations of meeting goers repeating slogans not even knowing what the hell is meant by them. I think many folks don’t know – perhaps because they really cannot identify with the expression. I do, I’ll tell ya that!

First let it be said that this expression is not in the Big Book, and as far as I know, has never been addressed in subsequent writings of Bill W. So it IS one of those far-our slogans that have developed in the fellowship and continue to circulate.

But unlike most of the other slogans, some of which are one hundred and eight degrees counter to the Big Book, this expression can actually be stretched just a tad to fit a bona-fide AA, Big Book concept.

That concept is “PHYSICAL ALLERGY”

Of course real alkies aren’t going to get “Hammered” after on one drink – but if you are the real McCoy, what WILL happen is something that NEVER HAPPENS to non-alcoholics – even ones who drink to excess or like to get drunk. They are going to react strangely. Abnormally. They are going to experience something that no other entity of the human race is going to experience: They are going to CRAVE alcohol. Not “desire” it. Not “think of a drink”. “Not want to get more buzzed”. Not “obsess“. Not be “Complused“. None of these! They will be stricken with a physical CRAVING that if strong enough (depending on how much tolerance they have lost over time) will be absolutely impossible to overcome.

Here’s where Al’s situation comes in. Al is a funny, outgoing, likable guy of above average intelligence. He’s got to be one of the funniest guys in the world to drink with. I should know, I’ve drank with him hundreds of times in the 31 years I’ have known him. When Al and I were together we’d drink and get into all sorts of mischief — and lots of trouble too.

He could drink me under the table, for sure, continuing on extended sprees for days after I had long dried out and gone back to work. He was the guy at the wedding who just went absolutely bananas. He was the guy who every New Years Eve, and after Stag parties, disappeared for days on end, winding up in other States, once as far as Colorado and Vegas.

Now . . . put Al and I side by side, watch us drink. You could not, at first glance tell if there was a difference in our drinking habits, we BOTH drank so much and behaved so badly. We both could piss off as many people as could the other – wives, bosses, business associates – whoever!

But there is s BIG difference between Al and me.

Al is not an alcoholic . . . and I am.

Like me, Al has an allergy to alcohol, so that whenever he takes so much as the slightest bit of alcohol into his system, he is “off to the races”. But Al gets drunk whenever he wants to. He has always just “Wanted to” too much.

Although he can’t STOP once he starts, he CAN “not start” when he needs to stay sober. He always saved his “drunks” for those New Years Eve escapades or those wedding celebrations. He would avoid difficulties by just not picking up that first drink. And if he did that, everything was fine. He just sometimes made the choice to get shitfaced, a lot.

Now that Al has gotten married, he has a good reason to stop drinking — his wife will leave him if he doesn’t. Al decided it was time to grow up.

Al started going to AA meetings a few years ago, at the request of his new wife. But once he learned that all he had to do was “Just don’t drink the first drink” and he’d never pick up the second one, he stopped going to meetings. He HAS power over alcohol. An alcoholic problem, for sure (allergy). But he has solved his alcohol problem on his own power; by staying away from the first one. He can do that…………….he is not an alcoholic.

Al has “Put the plug in the jug” — and dammit! it works for the son of a gun!

Now if Al wanted to, he could continue to go to AA meetings and tell everyone how he stays away from a drink by “Just not drinking, no matter what”. But Al has other things to do. He has a full life without AA, and although he has a ton of respect for the Fellowship, has realized that he had not yet gone beyond human aid; and like my strawberry allergic sister who has solved HER problem by not eating strawberries anymore, Al has solved HIS problem by not picking up the first drink anymore. He cannot get drunk, because he does not drink! Not even one.

Life is good for my friend Al. And life can get good for many folks , real alcoholics if they realize that they cannot drink because if they do they will not be able to stop — and that this situation is compounded by the fact that cannot not-start either, because they are insane and can only get “Fixed” through the miracle of a loving God who has done exactly that for millions — when certain simple rules were followed.

Get my drift? The “Fix” comes through an event we call a spiritual awakening - and it can be had in many way BUT the way WE had ours was as the result of the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. If anyone wants to know how that’s done, find us. And somewhere inside that Fellowship there are still some of us who know how to show you how. Maybe God will lead us to meet.

Peace,

Danny S
http://gourl.org/recovered

ATTENTION: AA chauffeurs, Phone pals, Meeting Escorts and Amateur Psychologists

Have you ever wondered why the people you sponsor keep drinking? Or have you noticed that folks who get a sponsor, have a home group and make more coffee than a son of a Greek immigrant in a New York City diner?

“The minute we put our work on a service plane, the alcoholic commences to rely upon our assistance rather than upon God.” (98:2)

Get it?

Now ask this: “What are my responsibilities as a sponsor?”

Is it to let our prospects and protégées (“Sponsees” for those of you who haven’t a useful acquaintance with the Big Book) rely upon our assistance? So we feel like we are active in the Fellowship?

Or is it to get them to rely upon God? What are YOU doing?

What is YOUR definition of being an “ACTIVE” member? Is it making coffee? Running a sober house? Driving people to meetings? Sharing like a “pro” in meetings? Being “nice”?

Well while you are doing all of those things, alcoholics are dying because THIS message – that spiritual awakening through the twelve steps – is under your hat.

Peace,

Danny S

Primary Purpose Big Book Study Online

Spiritual Experience . . . . WHEN?

OPEN ALL DAY.
WE ACCEPT WALK-INS.
NO WAITING!

The impatient humanity in all of us wants to know, “When will I have the spiritual experience?”
The answer to that question is right here in today’s study – it is in Step Five.

“We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a spiritual experience.” (75:2)

NOW? WOW! We begin to have the experience – regardless of what our BELIEFS are. That tells me that even if I have spent much of my life in conflict with God, I will still have a spiritual experience! (Not an awakening!) Talk about promises!

It does not start at some later date, down the road, after we’ve had some “Time under our belt”, or been “Reading the book” for five or ten years – or gained some experience in “Practicing these principles” It is now – right in Step Five.

Very many of us have drastic upheavals or what we call “white light experiences” right now – in this phase of the step taking. Not a few – but MANY! I talk to them – all over the world. It is a frequent occurrence! But not the rule.

Middle-of-the-Roader solutionists do not like to hear this – they aren’t having spiritual experiences as the result of these steps – but it is never-the-less a fact. I think they under rate the power and enormity of this Program and Fellowship.

We are having the “psychic change” required to remove the desire to drink – and we may not have even been going to meetings for a very long time, but we have been meeting the “essential requirements” (14:0) and are starting to cough up the price of freedom – the “destruction of self-centeredness.” (14:1)

When I talk about some of this before doing a fifth step with others, it can have the effect of taking some of the misguided dread of “confession” (Which the 5th step in NOT) that a newcomer has picked up from the opinions of other folks who “shared” their opinions about Step Five without having very much experience with it – perhaps just their own and no fifth step experience gained from working with others.

Having taken step 5 is a good start but giving it and not “hearing” them leaves many us quite inexperienced in this Program and not well suited to be sharing much about Step Five in meetings.

AA meetings are chock full of the sickest, most self-centered people on the planet – and they LOVE to give advice – and you can quote me on that!

Peace,

Danny S