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Pernell Johnson · 03-17-2003, 10:25 PM

Even after all the work we've done in the Fourth and fifth Steps, we're still not entirely clear at this point about the nature of our defects of character. We're probably wondering where, precisely, our character defects end and our character begins within the complex structure of our personality. Why do we do the things we do? Is it someone's fault? When did we first feel this way? Why? How? Where? If we're not careful, we can become so self-obsessed that we lose sight of why we're working a Sixth Step. We need to focus our efforts. Our goal is to raise our awareness of our character defects so that we can become entirely ready to have them removed, not to anaylze their origin or indulge in a bout of self-absorption.
Our character defects are indicators of our basic nature. We are likely to find that we have the same basic nature as anyone else. We have needs, and we try to get them met. For instance, we need love. How we go about getting love is where our defects come into play. If we lie, cheat, or harm others and degrade ourselves to get love, we are acting on defects. As defined in It Works: How and Why, our defects are basic human traits that have been distorted by our self-centeredness. With our sponsor's help, we need to list each defect we have, describe the ways in which we act on it, look at how it affects our lives, and, very importantly, find out what we're feeling when we practice it. Imagining what our life would be like without each defect will help us see that we can live without it. Some of us take practical action by finding out what the opposite spiritual principle would be for each defect.

*List each defect, and give a brief definition of it?

*In what ways do I act on this defect?

* When I act on this defect, what effect does it have on myself and others?

*What feelings do I associate with this defect?

*Am I trying to suppress certain feelings by acting on certain defects?

*What would my life be like without this behavior? Which spiritual principle can II apply instead?

03-17-2003, 10:25 PM	#55 (permalink)
Pernell Johnson Forum Leader Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Plainfield, New Jersey USA Posts: 498 Blog Entries: 1	Our Defects of Character Even after all the work we've done in the Fourth and fifth Steps, we're still not entirely clear at this point about the nature of our defects of character. We're probably wondering where, precisely, our character defects end and our character begins within the complex structure of our personality. Why do we do the things we do? Is it someone's fault? When did we first feel this way? Why? How? Where? If we're not careful, we can become so self-obsessed that we lose sight of why we're working a Sixth Step. We need to focus our efforts. Our goal is to raise our awareness of our character defects so that we can become entirely ready to have them removed, not to anaylze their origin or indulge in a bout of self-absorption. Our character defects are indicators of our basic nature. We are likely to find that we have the same basic nature as anyone else. We have needs, and we try to get them met. For instance, we need love. How we go about getting love is where our defects come into play. If we lie, cheat, or harm others and degrade ourselves to get love, we are acting on defects. As defined in It Works: How and Why, our defects are basic human traits that have been distorted by our self-centeredness. With our sponsor's help, we need to list each defect we have, describe the ways in which we act on it, look at how it affects our lives, and, very importantly, find out what we're feeling when we practice it. Imagining what our life would be like without each defect will help us see that we can live without it. Some of us take practical action by finding out what the opposite spiritual principle would be for each defect. List each defect, and give a brief definition of it? In what ways do I act on this defect? * When I act on this defect, what effect does it have on myself and others? What feelings do I associate with this defect? Am I trying to suppress certain feelings by acting on certain defects? *What would my life be like without this behavior? Which spiritual principle can II apply instead?