STEP 10 The big book way.

[blackhorse]

Step 10 is basically steps 4-9 which suggests we continue to take inventory and continue to set right any mistakes as we go along.

Whenever difficult fears or resentments crop up that i can not clear myself, i immediately step 10 it with my sponsor, it is the easiest softest way and it works.

Step 3 prayer,
step 4 - pen to paper rigorous honest inventory
step 5 - we discuss them with someone immediately
step 6 - we are asked if we are entirely ready to have god remove these defects
step 7 - step 7 prayer
step 8 - we may have a list of people
step 9 - we make amends if any.

Then we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help, love and tolerance is our code.

[Diddles]

Uh, no sir/ma'am, that might be the problem "Me clearing things myself." ... "Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment and fear. When these crop up, ASK GOD AT ONCE to remove them. We discuss them with someone IMMEDIATELY, make amends QUICKLY if we have harmed anyone. The we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help. Love and tolerance of others is our code.

I might be caught up in the clear myself. Please see that I get where you're coming from, and I can dig it. I just know that I can not clear anything on my own, I MUST have God of my understanding in my life, clearing it up. That's what this step does, clears out the spiritual cholestrol, so the direct (conscious) contact can be made and hopefully maintained.
Peace.

BB

[DayTrader]

I've found that there certainly ARE some things I can fix on my own.....as the result of some power I've been given along the way.

Where I can get into trouble is with the stuff I can't seem to clear up right away....the stuff I should be going to God right away with because I'm not making enough headway. Sometimes, I tend to work on it myself for too long - forgetting to ask God for help or to ask someone in the program for help.

he gave us brains......we're supposed to use them -- or something to that effect.

[tmbg]

I've found that there certainly ARE some things I can fix on my own.....as the result of some power I've been given along the way.


For me, that first honest inventory that gave the "power" of reflection. Otherwise, I'd be right back to "whoa, this feels so good...God wants it that way..." And you know where that got me.

[omegasupreme]

Consider this: Is personal inventory different from moral inventory?

"This thought brings us to step 10." What thought??? The thought of finishing amends.

"We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past." So much for finishing step 9 before we begin 10. "cleaned up the past" = amends, so we begin this immediately as we work through amends.

"We have entered the world of the Spirit." The tenth step is new language, my experience shows that those that have not worked 1-9 recently or ever, have very little capacity to practice this step...could the doorway to the Spirit Realm be between steps 9 and 10?

"Our next function is to grow in understanding and effectiveness." Understanding is useless without effectiveness and effectiveness is empty without understanding. I transmit what I have and cannot transmit what I don't have.

"This is not an overnight matter. It should continue for our lifetime." Fairly bold statement. 10th step is an abyss of practices.

"We watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear." "Watch" is the first spiritual exercise/practice we are given in this step. I worked with the word "watch" for six months. I worked with the dictionary definition-"to observe" What am I observing? I am observing myself move to those four things, all those false states of being, yanno the tragedy of the ego, or "personas" if you will. After working with this intensely it's like I am pulled back, out of my body watching from the side, just watching, and after noticing something like fear shoot through me I proceed to the next tool (Ask), yanno, a hollow bone, letting that Power be the marrow of life flowing through me!

"When these crop up," It does not say "If" it says "when" which means they will, lol.

"we ask God at once to remove them." "Ask is another practice. It is the one I am currently working with, yes, for six months. What am I asking? I am asking at once for God to remove those four things I was "watching" for, now don't confuse this into "Ask God to remove them at once." No no, we don't decide when that Power removes them.

"we resolutely turn our thoughts to someone we can help." "Turn" is another spiritual exercise one could work with in the same manner as the others. I work well with visuals so here is one I use: I go to the gym so I know what it means to be in fit physical condition, this stuff keeps me in fit spiritual condition so I picture an aerobics instructor, yanno, tight pink spandex or whatever you like, but anyway, the instructor is saying this, "Watch, ask, turn, watch, ask, turn." Ya see, it's exercise, just in the fourth dimension. What am I turning??? turning out of myself...out of that egoic state of being. Turning out of that false "persona." Could this be why they call it "personal" inventory rather than "moral?"

"Love and tolerance of others is my code." Dictionary definition of tolerance as my code, another six months with this one.

"ceased fighting" another spiritual practice

"Position of nuetrality" another practice, and ya see, "ceased fighting" and "position of neutrality" have so much more meaning behind them than just drugs and alcohol...can apply them to every aspect of my life. Can I be in a position of neutrality at my job, around my exwife, etc...

This is just a fraction of what is deep in the 10th step. I work with these tools all day long...the 10th step is about the line of the will, is my will aligned with God's will? And all these tools help my realign my will throughout the day, yanno, when life starts happening.

I see folks struggle with this at times, yanno, confuse it with the 11th step. The 11th step is "On awakening" in the morning and "evening review" at night. The 10th step is what the book asks us to do in between those two events, in realtime life, when the game is on.

This is just scratching the surface on this step, so so much more...an abyss!

p.s.-this is the Big Book way that was given to me by some men that had their Experience with the first 100. Peace.

[sugarbear1]

Thanks! I have been forgetting 3... Wow! Better days ahead (I hope).