Spirtual Awaking vs Sobriety

Thirty years ago hardly anybody ever talked about WORKING the steps. Sobriety is a gift freely given by the grace of a loving God. Do you know what a gift is? A gift doesn't have to be worked for. By definition a gift can't be worked for. If I could work for and gain sobriety then sobriety wouldn't BE a gift; I would have EARNED it and I would then maybe deserve it.>> grampalectronics

You've got much to learn about Alcoholics Anonymous, I see. There is nothing in the Big Book, Alcoholics Anonymous about sobriety being a "gift". Where did you pick that up? Meetings?

Do you know why this is? Like many who are unfamiliar with the Program of AA, apparently you are of the impression that the Twelve Steps are worked for a goal of sobriety. You are wrong!

The only result of the Twelve Steps is to have a spiritual awakening, not sobriety!

You may know something of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous - but the actual Program? - Not so much. We "WORK" at having a spiritual awakening and we continue to "work" to maintain our spiritual fitness. Sobriety is a "given" - hence it could be said a "gift" if you like to use that word. Nothing is EVER mentioned in the Program of AA about sobriety being a gift out of "working the step".

Just look at step twelve: "12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs." The result of these steps that we can expect IS NOT SOBRIETY. It is to have a spiritual awakening. Surprise surprise surprise!

Granted, we do find sentences like this in the Program, "This work is necessary to maintain his sobriety" , but as we go along we discover that sobriety is a consequence of having had a spiritual awakening NOT "Taking the steps" or in this case doing the "necessary work". They are speaking of Step Twelve - "carrying this message" on a continuing basis in order to "Maintain" sobriety - not to "Get" sober.

Be careful when you repeat stuff you hear in the meeting rooms. It is much better to experience recovery and THEN talk of your experience. THAT is where our credibility comes from - Not parroting "Meeting-speak" which is very dangerous to the newcomer my "middle-of-the-road solutions" friend.

Peace,

Danny S

http://recoveredalcoholic.blogspot.com

AA's One Hundred Percent Success Rate?

AA does not HAVE a success rate that can be compared with "alternative methods" of treatment for alcoholism. It would be nice. It would be cool to have some wonderful figure to bandy about the media - but we don't have any. So let's get over it.

There is no data hiding anywhere either. Don't you wish folks would stop trying to quantify and label an organization that is design specifically to NOT accept such meddling? People seem to always be trying to wrest a "rate" out of AA literature and pamphlets or unscientifically collected bits and pieces of "data" here and there and the best they can come up with is some imaginary number like "5% success" which of course automatically holds the converse stat of "95% failure." How convenient. And how utterly inaccurate.

GIVE IT UP. There AIN'T no rate! It cannot have one even if it wanted to have one. It's Traditions prevent it. Indirectly but they do.

Trying to compare AA's "success rate" with some "success rate" of other institutions that treat alcoholism and drug addiction is a frustrating lesson in futility. The reason is because there is not any organization enough LIKE Alcoholics Anonymous that can be held up to a side by side look-see. No comparisons can be valid. It will ALWAYS be apples comparing with oranges.

The problem lies in lies. Many people think that the purpose of Alcoholics Anonymous is to solve a persons drinking problem. That is a lie, one often being perpetuated by folks not realizing that it is a lie is - but a lie never-the-less. That does not diffuse it's power to confuse confound and destroy real alcoholics. Often-enough times it is a real lie. Bona-fide, forked tongue bold faced, bullshit hitting the fan and flying in all directing like whipped cream on the pies served and tossed all over everyone - in a Three Stooges movie - LIE.

The Purpose of the AA fellowship is not what many folks think it is ---- just as AA' Twelve Steps are NOT designed to do what many of the sames suppose and so comparing two organizations whose primary purposes are so far removed from each otter as to render any conclusion of the comparison irrelevant - not even academic - and just plain silly to even attempt such a thing.

If I can go to ten AA meetings -- relapsing after each of the first nine before finally recovering and staying sober till the day I die . . . . .
. . . . then the Fellowship's success rate is TEN PERCENT.

But MY success rate is ONE HUNDRED PERCENT!

Punch THAT into your T-89 baby!

Peace and Love,

Danny S - RLRA
Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

Say WHAT?

Have you ever asked this question: “What do I say” to the prospect when on Twelve Step call?*

WHAT FOLLOWS IS SOME of HOW A TWELVE STEP CALL GOES WHEN PERFORMED as they had been when the co-founders did this deal, helping alcoholics recover form alcoholism. ---- AND IT WORKED!

"The two friends spoke of their spiritual experience and told him about the course of action they carried out."

Did they follow that with, "Oh but that's too far down the road for YOU. That spiritual stuff - that STEP stuff - is not for the 'still foggy' and "still shakin' newcomer " like you.

Oh, c'mon you know some arrogant pricks who talk like this in AA meetings. You know you do.

Are you kidding me? No they did not. They made NO BONES about the spiritual program of action. And they brought it out UP FRONT! Right from the get go.

He interrupted: "I used to be strong for the church,
but that won't fix it. I've prayed to God on hangover mornings and sworn that I'd never touch another drop but by nine o'clock I'd be boiled as an owl."

Next day found the prospect more receptive. He had been thinking it over. "Maybe you're right," he said. "God ought to be able to do anything." Page 157

Holy crap! Did this guy just take Step Two? Yes I believe he did! No classes. No Big Book thumping’. No workbooks. No essay writing. No handouts or religious lectures - -- just one alcoholic talking to another. Amazing. It’s THAT simple.

Not that seminars or Big Book conferences are bad . . . they are wonderful, I have conducted, hosted and and spoken at my fair share of Big Book gatherings and Step Workshops and even attended some myself -- but facilitating a public event for the benefit of educating, motivating, and fellowshipping a group of alcoholics is one thing - nailing ones balls to the walls or whatever it is you posses that is worth nailing - and getting the work done with a another alcoholic is something else entirely - and if you think that I think that standing at a podium pitching AA and the Twelve Step is the same as "Carry this message" then you don't 'get' Step Twelve OR even the entire seventh chapter of that fabulous, fantastic and terrible tome after which the Fellowship of the Spirit was named, "Alcoholics Anonymous".

We follow the directions and the prospect responds’.

This information is in the Chapter "A Vision For You". The co-author's "VISION" for us involves an awful lot of twelve step work with others doesn't it?

Peace and Love,

Danny S - RLRA

Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

* For the benefit of you going to meetings, suiting up and shown up and hanging with other drunks to keep sober one day at a time and not doing shit in the fellowship have a sponsor who told you that 'twelve stepping' means showing up and getting your hand up or some other such bullshale -- a "Twelve Step call is when a recovered alcoholic goes out to tend to a still sick and suffering alcoholic and running a very specific Twelve Step 'routine' - laid out and detailed in a specific method and order of application in the book, "Alcoholics Anonymous" expected result of which is a spiritual awakening accompanied by a removal of the desire to drink. The is what is meant by "carrying the message". Carrying the message and take someone through the twelve steps are synonymous. I have never seen it fail when administered and followed as directed. Never. And I' have been blessed to have been a party to more applications than many of my fellows.

Funny How?

“SLA” - Salty Language Alert. If you are too “spiritual” to appreciate “street” language then please abstain from this article as it contains instances of typical “Hollywood” vulgarity.

There is a line in the Big Book, “Alcoholics Anonymous” that is often referenced having to do with “funny” stuff in the Fellowship.

You know . . . .. jocularity . . . . laughter, cheer and fun fun fun even now that daddy took the T-Bird and the Stolichnaya away.

No one liked to lose that T-Bird. No one liked to piss their pants and piss-off, hurt and alienate loved ones. Yet it happened. Yet we laugh. You know why? Because there is an irony behind it all. Delay all this drek-and -circumstance that came out of utter powerlessness over EtOH we Now have more power than we know what to do with and have recovery from alcoholism. Hey, when the hammer stops hitting the head it does feel good, ok? As stupid as it was to hit ourselves, it feels good to stop none-the-less.

As if that weren’t enough, then not only have “we have recovered” and not only are we now powerFULL over alcohol just like any non-alcoholic problem drinking heavy hitting asshole who is afflicted with the mental obsession cause by the meddling alcoholic brain monkeys - but here is something else. We have something else that only alcoholics have. We have been given the power to help others! AWESOME! And what a responsibility it is. Even the big book co-authors made note of this phenomenon:

“Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we burst into merriment over a seemingly tragic experience out of the past. But why shouldn't we laugh? We have recovered, and have been given the power to help others.” (132:2)

Alcoholics Anonymous that is a favorite one too many AA members that connotes that we who have escaped the jaws of death, who have survived the shipwreck and share a common bond of a certain kinship

It speaks of the seemingly jocular nature of many of us alkies – the express being ‘We are not a glum lot”. The co-founder recognized how, glum and stupid those of the religiously self-righteous can be and did not wish to be associated with that kind of boredom . We aren’t a glum lot” was a simple, observation.

What if Joe Pesci needed a twelve step call? It might red like this,’

“Two days later, a future fellow of Alcoholics Anonymous stared glassily at the strangers beside his bed. "Who the fuck are you assholes and how come I’m in this private room. I never got a private room before. Just semi-private. What are you from the Vatican or something? Cops? Are youse cops?"

Said one of the visitors, "We're giving you a treatment for alcoholism."

Hopelessness was written large on the man's face as he replied, " What aare you outta your fuckin' ? Hey fuhgetaboutit . Yoose must be stooonad? I’m done. I’m all trew with this life. It’s broke. Ot can’t be fixed. This is my fourth time here, ok? The first tree times I got shitface on the way home. I'm ascared to go out the fuckin’ door. You hear what I’m saying to you? So fuck that!’ Later! Nofuckin’ way.

For an hour, the two friends told him about their drinking experiences. Over and over, he would say: "Holy shit! That's me. That's me. I drink like that."
The man in the bed was told of the acute poisoning from which he suffered, how it deteriorates the body of an alcoholic and warps his mind. There was much talk about the mental obsession, the insanity of the mind as manifested in the state of mind that preceding the first drink.

"Are you fuckin' kiddin’ me?” said the sick man, "I guys are painting a pitcha I can see in my head like a fuckin’ comic book or something. I can see this right in my head.”

“Yeah you Jabronies know your shit all right, but I don't thatis can be no freakin' good. Not now. You guys are still in – you got it made. You are 'somebodies'. I was a 'somebody' once, but now . . . . I'm sit. A piece of shit! OK? And you know what? Now that you fuckin explained this shit to me I know MORE than EVER that I am fucked . . . . for good!

At this both the visitors burst into a laugh. Said the future Fellow Anonymous: "You think I’m funny?”

One of the friends said, “Yeah you are. You make me laugh. You’re funny.
”
“Funny how. You mean like a clown. Like I amuse you”.

"Now take it easy guy;" one friend said. " It’s just that we’ve seen your kind before and we know that we can help."

"Help me? What did I just tell yoose? MADONNE! How the FUCK are you gonna help me?”

The two friends spoke of their spiritual experience and told him about the course of action they carried out.

He interrupted: "I used to be strong for the church,..

Ok you get the idea.

Peace and Love,

Danny S - RLRA
Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

It is True . . . . Nothing' s Free

But how about you?

Perhaps it is a blessing that so many of us who have never completed our amends are also too afraid to sponsor others.

What is our real purpose in Step nine? Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us. Until we completely unblock the free flow of that Sunlight of the Spirit we are not going to be 'maximum'. We are not being asked to do a good deed a day, try not to hurt anyone --- we might leave that to the Boy Scouts of America. We are to be of MAXIMUM service and that means do ALL that we can – and that’s a heck of a lot more than just enough to stay way from a drink.

We can never be truly free from SELF until every vestige and prick of guilt -- every pang of worry; regret and morbid concern with regard to our past behaviors - the often unconsciously held negative notions that block what might otherwise be divine 'insights' - intuitive knowing and inspirations . . . . . that rob the God given energy that might otherwise allow us to do God's will instead of our own -- that turn us toward ourselves and usurp our attentions and concern form being directed toward God and our fellows.

Show me an alcoholic - man or woman - with ONE UNFINISHED AMEND and I’ll show you someone who cannot possibly be of maximum service to God.

Just ONE will do it.

Mercifully, most of us in the meetings will never have to complete our amends and we will simply live with our past indiscretions neatly stacked away in the abysses of our sub-conscious' minds thinking "HEY it's another day and I have not had a drink. How wonderful I am".

Why is that true?

It is because most of us are not real alcoholics. Most of us have that luxury. Just don't tell a REAL ALCOHOLIC that he has his whole life to finish his amends. If you do you just might kill him like it nearly killed Doctor Bob, me and some others who I am sure read this blog.

Dude, if there is just one person - any one - who you can reach right now via telephone or email - to whom you owe an amends - who is written on you eight step list - and you don't go away from this article right now and set up an appointment to personally meet that person - regardless of airfare, price of gas or promises to meet anyone save for the sick and dying - or any other incursion of any other cost or inconvenience . . .

. . . then please do not tell another living alcoholic in an AA meeting that you "follow these principles" in all of your affairs. You don't.

You might may be a nice and pleasant enough person who does service to his group and makes a hell of a good urn of high acid AA coffee -and give great "share" in meetings - but now fraekin way you being 'maximum' and we will just have to settle for you in our lives that your minimalistic self-centered middle of the road way.

You are welcome! You are of minimal use to us - you might even be full of shit - but you certainly are welcome. Damn -- if I hadn't been welcomed even though I was an over esteemed full of shit AA bullshale dispenser I'd have never made long enough to see that truth about myself and recover. As alcoholics all of us are equally alcoholic - are we not? Or are some of us more equal than others in this regard?

Oh so and "Four legs good, two legs better!"


Peace and Love,

Danny S - RLRA
Real Live Recovered Alcoholic

Helter Skelter

When I get to the bottom I go back to the top of the slide
Where I stop and I turn and then I go for a ride
'Til I get to the bottom and I see you again, yeh, yeh yeh
Lennon-Mccartney


Have you ever heard of an escalator made of wood? There is one still in Macy's on 34th Street in New York that dates back to Lois Wilson's days when she worked there. I used to try to walk up the down side of it when I was a little kid. I would get up a few feet off the main floor and it seemed that I might successfully getting somewhere.

It felt good to make some initial progress but when I stopped the effort I descended and ended up back where I started – at the bottom.

Doing the same with a spiritual awakening brings a similar result.

The effort cannot cease or else we cease growing and end up at the bottom again. The problem is that once we get a few feet off the ground then the ego kicks in and starts telling us that we are surely spiritually advanced - perhaps even beyond our fellows once any spiritual progress has been made -- yet all we have done is barely scratched the surface.

This is what happens when sobriety becomes about “Not drinking” instead of awakening spiritually as is said in the Twelfth Step.

That step is clear when it tells me that 'THE RESULT' of the Twelve Steps is a 'spiritual awakening.' It does not tell to carry this message since I have stayed away from a drink today as the result of these Steps.

The maintenance portion of the Program does not call for 'getting' spiritual, 'being' spiritual, 'reading' spiritual or even 'feeling' spiritual.

It DOES call for GROWING spiritual.

That means spiritual progression - not spiritual perfection - but progress - doing things like working with other alcoholics to take them through the Twelve Steps to ensure continued growth. Many of us get the promises of sobriety - of establishing a relationship with God - a taste of spirituality and it is so darned good we stick with that. It is so much better than what we used to have, a spiritual void, that it is tempting to stay with it right in that place - where we hit it. But it is only the tip of the iceberg.

We simply do not remain recovered from alcoholism when we found recovery upon a spiritual awakening event in the past - whether that be twenty years ago or last Thursday. The AA Program is a design for current living - not a spiritual 'certification course' like CPR, a CDL to drive a truck or even a shingle to hang outside an office in the hallway of a rehab for "Addictions Counseling".

AA is a spiritual Kindergarten - not a spiritual paradise.

There is a lot of heaven to be found when we begin to live in the Fourth Dimension - but there is so much more that that crossing over the threshold. The co-authors of the Big Book, "Alcoholics Anonymous" knew a hell of a lot about alcoholism and how to recover from it but even they were aware that they knew only a little about the spiritual life - especially when compared to what is out there and yet to be reached by them at the phase of growth they were at when they scribed their book. Middle-of-the-road solutionists LOVE to toss out that line, "we know only a little" - out of context, in hopes of proving that what we do know is probably wrong - especially when they disagree with what is in the Big Book. Honestly - do they know how asinine that sounds?

We have to head toward paradise once we get our sea legs and it is a long and sometimes arduous but adventurous journey. If I awaken in the morning and don’t go anywhere or do anything then I may as well just climb back into bed and go back to sleep. I am not very useful to anyone. I am not being MAXIMUM. Not meditating is not being MAXIMUM and if I am not maximizing then I am NOT fitting myself to be of service to God as prescribed. I am doing my OWN program - not the Twelve Steps I can look at meditation as a good example.

I wish folks who do not meditate would NOT go around the AA fellowship telling everyone that they have done the steps and practice these principles in all their affairs. It’s a LIE! Ditto unfinished amends. Adding “To the best of my ability” as a qualifier, because they know in their heart-of-hearts that they are lying is the ultimate cop-out.

Why would I even think of this? Do I think that I am better than they are because I do meditate and I do in good conscience tell newcomers that I practice these principles in all of my affairs? Not at all. I wish they would not do it because it kills real alcoholic newcomers by presenting them with a false impression of AA's Program - The Twelve Steps Ask yourself this question: If Bill W's contention, that the Twelve Steps are simply a way to enter the "Spiritual Kindergarten" is correct then is kindergarten where we should be spending the rest of our lives? Or do we want to continue to grow toward something spiritually more? We do graduate. But to higher levels of spirituality not to a finish.

Look out! Helter Skelter ... she's coming down fast
yes she is
yes she is
coming down fast
Lennon-Mccartney

Peace,
Danny S

PS: I got blisters on my fingers!

I Killed

They Laughed When I Got Up To
the Podium Microphone.

But when They Heard Me Speak! --

"Is he really sober for a whole ninety days?" a girl whispered. "Heavens no!" Peter B. exclaimed. "He’s never been happy, joyous or free in his life either. “But you watch him . . . . This is going to be good. At least he’ll be getting what he needs.” “Don’t forget Freddy M. comes on at one O’Clock to talk about 'Denial' . He’s a powerhouse of 'Denial' stories. Tells some great jokes too. We are not a glum lot. You’ll love his message.”

Peter had just finished speaking about ‘Acceptance‘. The room vibrated with applause. I decided that this would be a dramatic moment in which to make my “AA Roundup” debut. To the amazement of all my friends, I strode confidently over to the podium and said “My name is Danny S. I’m an alcoholic 'ANDA' drug addict and I tapped the microphone. Thuk Thuk "Can ya hear me now?" Already I was getting a smattering of good natured chuckles from the crowd. An old lady in the front row nodded approvingly.

Then I started to speak.
Instantly a tense silence fell on the crowd. The laughter died on their lips as if by magic. I was like a pianist playing through the first few bars of Beethoven's immortal Moonlight Sonata. I heard gasps of amazement. My friends sat breathless -- spellbound!

“There isn’t anything so bad in my life today that a drink will make better.” I said, and I swear that right then I heard someone say, “Uh-huh” from the side of the room. Someone in the back of the room, I am sure said "Amen". It was like I was a preacher or doing stand-up at the Improve. I KILLED! I was slaying them left and right. Surely I was even saving lives with just the wagging of my golden AA tongue.

I talked and talked and as I did I forgot the people around me. I forgot the hour, the place, the breathless listeners. The little world I lived in seemed to fade -- seemed to grow dim -- unreal. Only the talk was real. Only the music of my speaking and visions it brought me. Visions as beautiful and as changing as the wind blown clouds and drifting moonlight that long ago inspired the master composers. It seemed as if Bill W. himself were speaking -- speaking through the medium of ME -- not in drunkolgue lingo like I used to do but in genuine AA slogans, AA snippets from Conference Approved literature and little jokes that made people laugh. I spoke not in sentences but in exquisite melodies! This MUST be the Language of the Heart! I thought.

A Complete Triumph!
As the last words of my talk left my lips I said “You people are the ones that keep me sober. If I stay in the middle of the pack - I can’t get picked off by the lions.“ Then I said something right out the mouth of Dr. Bob himself. “Keep it Simple.” I said. Then the coup- -de-grace, “ALL you have to do is KEEP COMING BACK and take the Program to the best of your abilities.” The room resounded with a sudden roar of applause. I found myself surrounded by excited faces. How my friends carried on! Men shook my hand -- wildly congratulated me -- pounded me on the back in their enthusiasm! Everybody was exclaiming with delight -- plying me with rapid questions... "Freddy! Why didn't you tell us you could talk like that?"... "Where did you learn?" -- "How long have you been coming?" -- "Who’s your sponsor?"

"I have never even seen my sponsor," I replied. "And I haven’t even taken the Steps. A short while ago all I ever spoke about was my boring problems as a drunk.”

"Quit your kidding," laughed Frank B., himself an accomplished AA speaker. "You've been around for years and have been to thousands of meetings. I can tell."

"I have been sober only a short while," I insisted. "I decided to keep what I have been retaining in my head a secret so that I could surprise all you folks."

Then I told them the whole story.

"You’re familiar with the Twelve and Twelve, right?" I asked.

A few of my friends nodded. "Of course. That’s the book with the Steps in it!"

How I Learned to talk “The Steps” Without a Big Book
And then I explained how for as long as I had been coming around I had longed to be an AA Giant - to be able to speak from the podium with presence and to share in open discussion meetings like a someone who knew the ropes - launching pithy “shares” that would make other meeting-goers cringe in awe of my AA tenure. Like an “old-timer”.

"A few weeks ago," I continued, "I ran into an interesting person named Marty. Marty talks in meetings like he knows something. And he does! He never took the steps, and proudly announces this at every chance, then he goes on to talk like a champ. He’s sober thirty years so it all sounds so credible. Well, Marty has a method of sounding fantastic in meetings and he truly believes that he is carrying the message when he does. It had taken him years to get the patter down just right, just by practicing at open discussion meetings but all of the information came right out of a collection of books that he had. They were written by Emmet Fox, and Bill W himself - Sermon on the Mount and the Twelve and Twelve even the 24 Hour book from Hazelton. He told me how he had mastered the art of speaking in front of drunks in his spare time in small open discussion meeting, reading books -- and without a sponsor! Best of all, the wonderful method he used, required no laborious Steps -- no heartless Big Book Study groups -- no tiresome practicing of the principles in the Big Book - he had not even ever had a spiritual experience as far as he was aware - except that all his studies and hearing himself speak seem to be giving him what he calls "spiritual experiences of the educational variety."

Oh man. I thought. That is heavy.

"Yep." Marty said. "Spiritual experiences of the education variety - it's right there in the Blue Book. I think so anyway."

Marty has educated himself right into not drinking. Then with a sprinkling of AA slogans and a few mentions of Higher Power - VIOLA! It sounded so convincing that I went home and pulled out all the AA books I could find. Except the Big Book of course. That’s too hard to understand until I’m sober a while. “No sense in rushing.” as Marty says. “It took me seven years of AA meetings and puttin' the plug in the jug - before I even began the Steps”. And he’s still sober.

Speak and Share like an Old-timer
You too, can now teach yourself to be an accomplished AA speaker - whether you want to speak from podiums or just sitting in a folding chair at your favorite open discussion meeting -- and you can do it right at home. You can't go wrong with this simple method which has already shown 350,000 people how to sound like they have been around AA for years and years and have “a few 24s”. Forget the old-fashioned idea that you need an experienced sponsor who has recovered and need to qualify as a real alcoholic, to accept God as your higher power, do drastic, thorough and potentially embarrassing inventories. No need to make ALL of your amends right away either. Take years to do it if you like. Take your whole lifetime if necessary. You will learn to call them "LIVING AMENDS" and still sound like you are practicing these principles in all your affairs.

No Experience? No Problem!
No need to have a spiritual experience either. Your opinions about an experience you have never had will be enough when supplemented through our method. You will be able to just say “I put the plug in the jug” or “Just don’t drink and go to meetings" and mean it. You can remain “recovering” your entire life without ever having to drink or actually recover. No need to even sponsor others either - taking them through the Twelve Steps. "Work with Others" anyway you want - such as driving them meetings. Taking phone calls. Becoming a "greeter" and think that you are working a Program - all in good conscience. And you will have load of “alcoholic’ friends with which to “hang” all of whom you’ve impressed with your new outspoken aura.

You only have to select from our list of books, decide which one you want to take on and the Danny S. School of Middle-of-the -Road Solutions with do the rest. No matter which book you choose, the cost in each case will be the same -- just a few minutes a day. No matter what you are a mere beginner or already a good speaker, you will be interested in learning about this new and wonderful method.

Send for Our Free Booklet and Demonstration Lesson
Thousands of successful students never dreamed they possessed ability to speak AA until it was revealed to them by a remarkable "Talk AA Ability Test" which we send entirely without cost with our interesting free booklet.

If you are in earnest about wanting to be an AA speaker, get invited to AA Roundups, Conventions, maybe even Founders Day in Akron -- if you really want to gain happiness, joyfulness and freedom and increase your popularity in your own Home Group, District and Area -- send at once for the free booklet and Demonstration Lesson. No cost -- no obligation. Right now we are making a Special offer for a limited number of new students. Sign and send the convenient coupon now -- before it's too late to gain the benefits of this offer. Cash or credit. U.S. School of Middle-of-Road Solutions, 1031 Brunswick Bldg., New York City.

FOTS Boston 2009

Fellowship of The Spirit Boston

November 13th - 15th 2009

Hector E. from Los Angeles

Charlie P. from Austin, TX

Saturday Night Speaker: Danny S. from Cape Cod

Sunday Closing Speaker: Katie G. from Austin, TX

Please join us at our 3rd annual conference taking place at the Weymouth Elks, 1127 Washington Street, Weymouth MA 02189. The conference will began promptly at 7 PM on Friday night. Weekend schedules will be available at the door. Of course these can be subject to change.

Special Hotel offer, Please mention when you call: Best Western, 909 Hingham Street, Rockland MA - 888-878-5660. Register your room by 10/13 and receive a discount rate of $92.00 per night.

Download the flyer here and REGISTER seating is limited!

Best If Used By . . . . .NOW!

Spiritual Awakenings Don't Last Forever

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Igor, would you mind telling me whose brain I did put in?

Igor: And you won't be angry?

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: I will NOT be angry.

Igor: Abby someone.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Abby someone. Abby who?

Igor: Abby Normal.

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Abby Normal?

Igor: I'm almost sure that was the name.

------

There is a small but very important moment in the Mayflower Hotel incident that is extremely significant to my own identification and I like to share it.

Here is this guy, Bill Wilson - who just six months prior had God Himself shooting off roman candles next to his hospital bed.....six months later he is in a hotel lobby worrying about his failed business deal - how to pay his hotel tab and he has made yet ONE MORE insane decision to drink - one more time.

Apparently a spiritual experience does have a shelf-life. In Bills case - six months - UNLESS.... and we discover what that "Unless" is by following through the story.

The reason I like to share this is because for a long time I was under a misconception of the Mayflower Hotel lobby incident. I was under the impression that Bill did not drink because he distracted himself with making phone calls, and 'It too passed'. Not true.

This was not a white knuckling - "It will pass" episode - the kind we hear today. Bill did not have the option of "hanging on" till he could get to a meeting, or reach his sponsor. Or 'just don't drink until midnight' and he would have another day under his belt. These concepts are not in the Big Book, "Alcoholics Anonymous" and if they did work for alcoholics then there would probably would never have been a Big Book. There would never have been a need for it to be written. That is why problem drinkers - alcoholic abusers - who eventually learn to "put the plug in the jug" and who can "just don't drink" by "keeping it green" and who can stay sober "One Day At A Time" are not as zealous, fired-up and pro-active with working with others and carrying the "this" message in the Big Book: The don not have to.

No. Something else came to Bill's rescue.

Upon careful reading, it can be seen that in reality the desire left him FIRST, AND THEN he went to help others. So if the action taken of starting his little telemarketing campaign did not save Bill, then what did?

Bill's mind tells him that he can go into that barroom and find "Companionship" (Women? Maybe) But he would need to drink or he would not have the courage. Instead of alcohol, his mind tells him ginger ale would be OK. Then his mind tells him that three drinks would be OK as long as that was all.

It is so apparent that Bill's mind is not working properly. It is telling him that to drink will be ok. It will get him through the weekend. Bill has decided to drink. Fear keeps him from walking into the bar just long enough to get him to the area of the directory. Yet fear does not keep him there.

What keeps him there? What exactly does he do that instantly vanquishes his insane obsession to go into that bar? Making phone calls does not remove the obsession; reading the directory does not remove it either.

There is ONE THING that Bill does which results in Bills sanity returning and frees him from insanity in that moment:

He stops thinking about himself and has a thought of being helpful to another person. The moment he does that, the insanity LEAVES! He thanks God. And THEN goes about his business of helping others.

Not only was Bills problem centering in his mind, but the solution as well. Bill's miracle occurs prior to setting one foot in that booth or even sticking his first finger in the first hole of that phone dialer.

Bill's miracle occurs where the problem exists. In his mind. He reacts sanely. And the new SANE thought end up sending him to the Gatehouse of the Sieberling Estate to perform his first twelve step call - just like was done for him by Ebby T - only now with Doctor Bob.

Peace,

Danny S

Taking The Big Book Personal

The personal stories were included in the Big Book for a reason and the criteria for story selection was established by the co-authors.

1) Reason for including personal stories is IDENTIFICATION:

“We hope no one will consider these self-revealing accounts in bad taste. Our hope is that many alcoholic men and women, desperately in need, will see these pages, and we believe that it is only by fully disclosing ourselves and our problems that they will be persuaded to say, " Yes, I am one of them too; I must have this thing” (29:3)

But for whom are they intended?

The "Personal stories" that follow the directions - the first one hundred and sixty four pages - are for identification purposes directed to AA prospects. Prospects are not yet members. They were not for inspirational reading AFTER a prospect has already decided to try AA.

If you have already said “Yes, I am one of them too; I must have this thing." Then it is time to put down the stories and come get this “thing”. The stories would be pointless by that time.

2) The criteria for which stories to include toward this objective is to "push" GOD:

“These are followed by forty-three personal experiences. Each individual, in the personal stories, describes in his own language and from his own point of view the way he established his relationship with God. These give a fair cross section of our membership and a clear-cut idea of what has actually happened in their lives.” (29:2)

If I read a personal story in this Book, say….in the Fourth Edition…..and I cannot find in that story “the way he established his relationship with God.”, - What do you suppose has happened – and is that OK?

The Big Book is not really designed for casual reading. It is a textbook of directions for taking the Steps. I find many new folks like to give it a dry run first though - I did. Unfortunately then there was a temptation to glean and cherry pick quotes and concepts for repeating online and in meetings – without actually taking the directions – to sound knowledgeable or spot wipe life’s stresses as they were spilled.

When people at the point where they take the steps, those directions are in the first one hundred and sixty four pages.


Peace,

Danny S