(week 116) 20 March 2014 All Addictions 12-step Big Book Workshop

AA 12 x 12  Step Two  page 33 paragraph beginning: ‘Few indeed are the practicing alcoholics who have any idea how irrational they are…’ until end of the step ‘…an assurance that God will restore us to sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to Him.’

*Stephanie suggests we make one call a day to someone on the Big Book contacts list.

*God will show you what is right/not right for you in your walk and in your life in recovery. Stephanie respects all of our journeys and everything she says is a suggestion.

Soul work

Look up: suggestion, workshop, irrational, abetted, sanity.

Q1. Write on what it means to you to be given a suggestion?

Q2. What is a workshop? 

b) What is a 12-step meeting? 

c) How are they alike and how are they different?

Q3. What is the benefit of having: 

a) a study buddy?

b) a study buddy group?

[Answer this question irrespective of whether or not you have a buddy/buddy group]

In no deep or meaningful sense had we ever taken stock of ourselves, made amends to those we had harmed or freely given to any other human being without any demand for reward. We had not even prayed rightly.  

Q4. Take this sentence/concept, dig deep and then write on it.

We had always said “Grant me my wishes†instead of “Thy will be done.’†The love of God and man we understood not at all. Therefore we remained self-deceived, and so incapable  of receiving enough grace to restore us to sanity.

Q5. Write on this. 

Few indeed are the practicing alcoholics who have any idea how irrational they are, or seeing their irrationality can bear to face it. Some will be willing to term themselves “problem drinkers,†but cannot endure the suggestion that they are in fact mentally ill. 

Q6.  Write on what it means to be mentally ill. 

Q7.  Write on the difference between sane drinking and alcoholism and give examples of people in your life who can drink sanely and those who drink alcoholically.  

Yet not alcoholic, soberly analyzing his destructive behavior, whether the destruction fell on the dining-room furniture or his own moral fiber, can claim “soundness of mind†for  himself.’

Q8. Do you have soundness of mind today?

Therefore, Step Two is the rallying point for all of us.  Whether agnostic, atheist or former believer, we can stand together on this step.  True humility and an open mind can lead us to faith, and every AA meeting is an assurance that God will restore us to sanity if we rightly relate ourselves to Him.

Q9. Write on this.

[Can you truthfully walk arm-in-arm with an agnostic, atheist, former believer or somebody who is really gung ho for their belief?  Can you accept everybody in all four categories when they talk of it in a 12-step meeting and be comfortable when, for instance, they say that tree or this group is my higher power?]

Q10. Please read 12 x 12 Tradition Two in preparation for next week’s workshop. 

Ends

Announcements:

•Wednesday, April 9, 2014 – Stephanie will be doing a closed group on: “Forgiven and Set Free.”  Healing From The Effects of Abortion.

•Monday April 14, 2014 – “Lose It For Life”  will be starting at 12n EST on call in number.

For these two new meetings this April, if interested in more details, please call Stephanie on her cellphone:

(617) 774-7916  EST or

Email Stephanie at:  stephaniew324@gmail.com

•Sunday’s Open Study-Buddy group could use support:

712/ 432-0800   pin 587213#   11a-12n EST

• Suzanne L. will be facilitating the Saturday 12n (EST) Trust and Rely Workshop. Don’t miss out on this great meeting!!