How do we gain the promises of the Big Book?

[nandm]

Below is an excerpt from out Big Book study in our 12 step study forum (link to this area http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/step-study/). Your thoughts, experience, questions, and comments are welcome.

The famous AA promises are brought about by the application of spiritual principles in our lives. They are not the result of merely quitting drinking and attending AA meetings. A spiritual awakening results in a change in the way we act and percieve the world around us. This new way of life addresses the problems of the past and prevents new problems from arising. We have a new way of dealing even with the seeming hardships and tragedies that are a part of life.

84:1

No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others.

Our past becomes an asset that we can use to help other people. Our past helps new people identify with us and shows them that new lives are also possible for them.

84:2

That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.

Adopting this new way of life gives us a new direction and purpose for living.

84:3-4

We will lost interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away.

AAs we are restored to sanity, we see the rewards of selflessness greatly exceed the illusionary benefits of self-seeking.

84:5

Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change.

Our attitude towards life and our view of the world based on self-centered fear are changed as a result of practicing these spiritual principles. We live our way into a new way of thinking.

84:6

Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us.

When we focus on what we can give rather than what we can take, we lose our fear that we will not get what we want. We are no longer afraid that our own resources are all that we have to draw upon. We find that conscious contact with God is all we really need to be happy in life.

84:7

We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us.

We practice the application of spiritual principles as a way of addressing our problems and find the guidance of God is available to us when we seek it.

84:8

We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

The truth is that if we could have stopped drinking, addressed our defects of character, and righted our past wrongs on our own power we would have done so long ago. By seeking in earnest, we have accessed a Power greater than ourselves. All we need to do for proof is to examine the results.

84:12

They will always materialize if we work for them.

The key is that we must work to build sufficient spiritual experience so that we may draw upon it when we are challenged or tempted. These profound changes in our lives come about as the result of the repeated application of spiritual principles in all areas of our lives. It works for everyone who honestly tries.

84:13

This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests we continue to take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes as we go along.

To continue, we must first begin. We learn how to take inventory in Steps Four and Five. We learn how to address our character defects in Steps Six and Seven. We learn how to make amends for the harm we have caused in Steps Eight and Nine. We practice these techniques until we master them. Then we are at Step 10.

84:15

We have entered the world of Spirit.

We enter the world of the Spirit when we have cleared away all the obstacles that stand in our way. To maintain our conscious contact with our Higher Power we must continue to practice the principles of the program. Should we revert back to self-sufficiency we become separate from God.

84:16

Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness.

We grow by study and practice. Bill W. adopted spiritual ideas and practices that brought about a spiritual awakening while in Town's Hospital. He reflected upon his experience so that he could transmit this experience to others. The result was the Twelve Steps of AA. By studying this program of action and practicing the principles described in this book, we become more effective at carrying this solution to others.

84:18

It should continue for our life time.

The steps of this program are not magic tricks to be performed once so that they might solve all our problems. Rather, the steps are a discipline, a body of theory and technique that must be studied and practiced if we are to be able to apply this program to our lives. We continue with the techniques we have begun to practice in the earlier steps. We continue to write our inventory. We continue to admit our shortcomings. We continue to ask God for relief from our shortcomings and we continue to make amends when we are wrong.

84:22-23

Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code.

Being freed from the chains of selfishness we are able to follow a path that leads to happiness, joy, and fulfillment. Our very lives depend upon this change of motivation (20:1). While we are in the grip of selfishness we are dead to the Spirit. Our work helping others brings our faith to life so that we may truly live.

Source:
The Annotated AA Handbook
Frank D

[jimhere]

I might add that the Ninth Step Promises are not sommething to "get" in AA. In fact, there is nothing to get in AA.

I am grateful that my sponsor didn't dangle these in front of me like a carrot. He said these were results, a by product of taking the action in the Ninth Step. Not something to sit in AA meetings and wait for.
Jim

[1cor13]

Trust in God, Clean House, and Help Others.

[nandm]

Originally Posted by jimhere

I am grateful that my sponsor didn't dangle these in front of me like a carrot. He said these were results, a by product of taking the action in the Ninth Step. Not something to sit in AA meetings and wait for. Jim

You had a good sponsor. I too was taught that I was not going to get the program through osmosis (although I had to go through several sponsors to find this one). I had to actually put one foot in front of the other and do the suggested program if I wanted to see change in my life. Today, I know that the promises are a byproduct of working the steps and when I stop applying the steps in my life the promises disapear. Although they are a nice byproduct what I appreciate most in this program is the fact that I now know how to live life without drinking.

[jimhere]

There are some other promises on page 52 in Chapter 4 that are gaurenteed to either get me drunk or blowing my head off.

Maybe we should read those in the meeting.

[miss communicat]

Originally Posted by jimhere

I might add that the Ninth Step Promises are not sommething to "get" in AA. In fact, there is nothing to get in AA.

I am grateful that my sponsor didn't dangle these in front of me like a carrot. He said these were results, a by product of taking the action in the Ninth Step. Not something to sit in AA meetings and wait for.
Jim

for this reason, I like to think of "the promises" as "the verities" (or, the truths made manifest).

Once I have a spiritual awakening, which is possible through sobriety and following the steps of AA, the truths in my life will astound me. The truths of my life seem to improve daily. But, yes. If my sponsor or others had held the promises out as goals, I would not have had a way to conceive of them and would have locked in to a less than miraculous version of what actually is possible.

[BP44]

Jim, I love the agnostic promises. They speak to where I have been and do not want to return. And it is gauranteed that I will return if I do not progress spiritually. I was listening to a speaker not long ago that explained that two sets of people in AA are described in we agnostics. The first set following a simple course of action has a spiritual awakening. God is the central fact of their lives. They are at peace with themselves and the world around them. They have a sense of purpose and direction in their lives. They are usefully whole. The second set are found on page 52 having trouble with personal relationships, can't control their emotional nature, a prey to misery and depression, don't feel useful, no sense of direction. They ARE the central fact of their lives. What a horrible place for a sober alcoholic to be. I would never promise an alcoholic sobriety. Meaningful sobriety.....now that's something else. And that's what the steps promise me. Today I have a life of meaning, depth and purpose. Thank God nobody just offered me sobriety.

[BP44]

One more thing....If this is as good as it gets, then God isn't everything. The beauty of awakening spiritually is that I have no idea where God will take me. It just keeps getting better.

[barb dwyer]

Kinda funny. To me, at least:

I read the title to this thread.

I thought:
Work the Steps
Learn the Traditions
Keep it simple
Walk Your Talk.

Look around ...

and there they are.
Promises, promises, everywhere.

*shrug*

and that's how this stuff happens for me, y'all.

I'm sorry it's not a lot of analysis and all that ...
it's not a solitary thing more complex than
getting up and doing something, anything.
Taking action. DO something.

For me.

And for that ... I am grateful.

[CarolD]

1cor13.....Welcome!

[Tazman53]

I just took a few quotes from the BB and highlighted some key words, someone said sitting in meetings does not lead one to the promises, oh so very true.

How many here have noticed that the very people who whine and moan about this and that in AA and who are constantly looking for loop holes or pointing out defects in others actions are the very same ones who have not worked the steps?

AA is an action program, meetings is only one action, how in the world can some one 12th step someone else if they have never taken the actions involved in working the steps of AA?

I am sure many of you have seen people go out after many years sober come back in and share that they are going to get a sponsor and work the steps because they realized finally that meetings alone was not going to keep them sober.

Do not get me wrong, there are folks in AA that go to thier graves sober without ever having worked the steps. I have always felt they have missed out on so many of the rewards of the program. I know that going through the steps with my sponsee and seeing him grow into a happy sober person has been one of the biggest joys of my sobriety. I am able due to my working the steps to pass on the program of AA to another fellow alcohoic. I could never have had that joy unless I had taken and continue to take all the actions in the program.

They will always materialize if we work for them.

Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action,

We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action.

Then they outlined the spiritual answer and program of action which a hundred of them had followed successfully.

But the program of action, though entirely sensible, was pretty drastic. It meant I would have to throw several lifelong conceptions out of the window. That was not easy. But the moment I made up my mind to go through with the process, I had the curious feeling that my alcoholic condition was relieved, as in fact it proved to be.

Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if we kept close to Him and performed His work well.

We think of their needs and work for them.

This requires action on our part, which, when completed, will mean that we have admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact nature of our defects.

Now we need more action, without which we find that "Faith without works is dead."

His action met widespread approval, and today he is one of the most trusted citizens of his town.

It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels.

But we must go further and that means more action.

As we go through the day we pause, when agitated or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action.

There is action and more action. "Faith without works is dead."

[nandm]

Well put Taz!


my thank you button doesn't work but wanted to let you know I appreciate your post as IMHO it is right on the money.