Thursday Morning Big Book Step Study

( week 20 ) Big Book Step Study Workshop 17 May 2012

From the start of the 2nd paragraph page 13 of Bill’s story: ‘There I humbly offered myself to God, as I then understood Him, to do with me as He would.’

Until end of the next paragraph: ‘I was to right all such matters to the utmost of my ability.’

How not to rest on your Laurels Workshop (Was done by Stephanie in the fall of 2011 and you can listen online

Instructions on how to do a Quiet Time and what the Big Book says about prayer and mediation.

http://steps-10-11-12.12stepstudyworkshop.com/

For a two part summary of steps 1-3 (1.5 hours each)  641-715-3900

Part one (from Doctor’s Opinion to Page 20) pin number: 235934#

Part two (from page 20 onwards) pin number: 578290#

Donations for upkeep of website:

Stephanie Whiting
PO Box 64
Hanover, MA 02339

Stephanie welcomes questions:

stephaniew324@gmail.com

In 1960 Bill Wilson gave a talk: The 12 reasons why people slip.

1. Rebellion against God. Against the principles and the traditions and suggestions of the program.

2. Illusion of being cured.

3. Carelessness: not caring enough to do morning prayer, meditation and guidance; not doing the evening review regularly; not taking others through all 12 steps.

4. Complacency: not doing the above.

5. Guilt over wrongs that we refused to stop doing.

6. Too little self-forgiveness.

7. Too little prayer.

8. Don’t find spiritual resources. Not doing what is stated above (nos. 3 & 4). Not really seeking resources in spiritual mentor, community, books, etc.

9. Physical illness.

10. Exhaustion.

11. Anxious and fearful (have not learned to love).

12. Depression (which indicates suppressed anger, which indicates unfinished inventory and amends).

To learn more about Dr Bob and Bill Wilson read: ‘Dr Bob and the Good Old-timers’, ‘Pass It On’ and Dick B’s writing on AA history:

www.dickb.com

Soul work

Find the description of humility in the seventh step in 12 x 12.

Look up: laurels (as in ‘resting on your laurels’), humble, unreservedly, care, direction.

1.Write in your own words, including ‘to do with me as you would’, how you would humbly offer yourself to the God of your understanding. And then speak it aloud. (If uncomfortable sharing it with your buddy group, say you wrote it out and humbly offered yourself to the care of the God of your understanding).

2a. What does God’s care look like?

b. How does your higher power give you directions?

c. How does care differ from direction?

d. Are you willing to put yourself unreservedly under God’s care?

e. Are you willing to put yourself under His direction?