Big Book Quote

[CarolD]

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*


"Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the
past. We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out
of our effort to live on self-will and run the show ourselves. If we
haven't the will to do this, we ask until it comes. Remember it was
agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over
alcohol."


~Alcoholics Anonymous, 1st. Edition,
Into Action, pg.76~

[jimhere]

Originally Posted by CarolD

*~*~*~*~*^ Big Book Quote ^*~*~*~*~*


"Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the
past. We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out
of our effort to live on self-will and run the show ourselves. If we
haven't the will to do this, we ask until it comes. Remember it was
agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over
alcohol."


~Alcoholics Anonymous, 1st. Edition,
Into Action, pg.76~

Beginning with the Fourth Step, we look inward to find what has blocked us from God, from ourselves, and from others. But if we all did was look in, the process would just be another form of self-obsession, with the intent of "self-improvement."

But really it is a process of self-abandonment.

Beginning at the Eighth Step, we start to move out towards our fellows from that place of self-centeredness, thus coming to fruit in The Ninth Step and coming full-circle in Step Twelve.

The Eight Step is no different than the rest of the steps, it is about willingness. And willingness is about getting free.

About willingness. There are two exercises or prayers I use. One was given to us by my grandpa sponsor who got free in a maximum security penitentiary. His sponsor was doing a natural life sentence but he was free and Don knew it. So Don asked Bruce how he got free. The state wouldn't let them out to do amends. So Bruce told Don to take his Eighth Step list back to his cell and to close his eyes and picture himself sitting across from these people he had harmed and looking them in the eye and saying "I've harmed you and I don't how. Can you tell me what I need to do to balance the books?" This works and the reason I know is because it worked for me. I get free the minute I am willing to make the amend.

Whenever I had attempted to make amends so that I could feel better or to ease a guilty conscience, they backfired on me. But what I found out was that amends aren't for me, they are for the other person. You see, when I am willing, I am already free, so I'm not making amends to get free. You see, I'm so arrogant and insensitive that while I may know what I did to harm you, I can't presume to know how I've harmed you. So I ask. And in so doing I am giving you a chance to get free. Whether you take that opportunity is not up to me, but some do and I've watched others get free of the resentment and stuff they had been carrying for years. Others told me to take a hike, but it didn't matter because I was already free.

My sponsor told me I would know I was willing to make amends when I heard a strange noise that sounded like me knocking on the door of someone I had harmed followed by some more strange noise that sounded like me saying "I've harmed you and I don't know how. Could you please tell me what I need to do to set this matter straight?" Followed by an even stranger noise-me being quiet while they told me what I needed to do.

Willingness without action is fantasy. I can't go around AA meetings saying I've done the steps and had a spiritual awkening as the result of the steps if I haven't made every amend I'm consciously aware of.

A recent mentor of mine taught me this prayer. Don't say if you don't want to know, because it will mess with you.

"Dear God,
Please show me if these unfinished amends have anything to do with me
drinking again."
Amen

[espresso]

Half measures availed us nothing P.59

[nandm]

"Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the
past. We attempt to sweep away the debris which has accumulated out
of our effort to live on self-will and run the show ourselves.

The debris caused by our misapplication of self-will blocks us from God, hinders our progress, and chains us to the past. We must clear up these matters to be free to live our new lives. Not dealing with the harms we cause in a timely manner allows them to build up. This piling up of neglected responsibilities makes the load we carry in life unbearable. In the Eighth Step we learn how to right our wrongs and in the Tenth Step we learn how to prevent them from beginning to pile up again.

If we haven't the will to do this, we ask until it comes.

Asking in prayer for the willingness to face up to our past will work if we do it. Remember, we are no longer operating solely on our own limited power and courage, but now have access to the limitless power of God. God can do for us what we are unable to do for ourselves.

Remember it was agreed at the beginning we would go to any lengths for victory over alcohol."

"If you have decided you want what we have and are willing to go to any length to get it---then you are ready to take certain steps." Victory over alcohol and a spiritual experience are the "it" we are willing to go to any length to get. Step Nine is one "length" we must go to if we are to realize these goals.

Thank you Carol for the wonderful reminder.