Thoughts on Step 5

[nandm]

"Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs."

This is a good place to borrow anothe line from the Big Book because it aptly describes how many of us may be feeling right now: "What an order! I can't go through with it!"

This is the step where humility smacks us right between the eyes.

It was one thing to write out our inventory for ourselves. As for sharing it with God---if there is a God, He'd know all about us anyway. But we're also being asked to share our inventory with another person! This is asking too much! Why can't we simply assess ourselves and get on with the business of cleaning up our lives?

Why not? Because there's something very good waiting for us on the other end. As we follow the process of Step Five to its conclusion, we'll come to understand more fully all the reasons for---and advantages of---taking this Step exactly as it is written.

Step by Step. Muriel Zink

[savoy]

" Because there's something very good waiting for us on the other end. As we follow the process of Step Five to its conclusion, we'll come to understand more fully all the reasons for---and advantages of---taking this Step exactly as it is written. "

Thats saying nothing.!
Apply it to any step.

step 8, a great step , because if taken as written great results follow.
Step 7, great results follow if taken as written. etc etc.

Step 5 is the ego breaker and the educator.
I had to turn myself inside out, get all the secrets out.
But I learned there were secrets I kept from myself, things I thought that were that just weren't so. I learned exactly what made me tick, what drove me and what kept me insane. I learned what had been at the root of my problem. I learned why I felt I was born in the wrong century or the wrong planet.

[nandm]

Originally Posted by savoy

" Because there's something very good waiting for us on the other end. As we follow the process of Step Five to its conclusion, we'll come to understand more fully all the reasons for---and advantages of---taking this Step exactly as it is written. "

Thats saying nothing.!
Apply it to any step.

.

Duh.... But we are talking about Step 5 here, not the rest of the Steps. If you want to say it about the rest then post it about the rest under their appropriate threads. Please don't try and turn this thread into something negative.

[nandm]

Originally Posted by nandm

Duh.... But we are talking about Step 5 here, not the rest of the Steps. If you want to say it about the rest then post it about the rest under their appropriate threads. Please don't try and turn this thread into something negative.

I appologize to anyone who read my above post. It was not written in a spirit of love, tolerance, and respect for others individuality. I am human and reacted in haste rather than just accepting another's right to their opinion. Obiviously, I am a work in progress. As it says in the Big Book it is "progress not perfection" that matters.

[BP44]

Step 5 was a great experience for me. Prior to going over to my sponsor's house I sat down and prayed asking God to help me see the truth in this process. I then read pages 70-75 in the first person to get clear on what I am about to do. As the book says, this is a life and death errand. It is about the life of my spirit and the death of self. It was the first time in my life that i had an opportunity to have God begin to strip me of ego. It was the first real experience of humility. While all of the steps take some humility, this was a big one for me. I found the quiet hour very important. It was then that I realized I was having a spiritual experience and that I did indeed know God better. I belonged in this world and God loves me, defects and virtues. I also realized that I left out two important resentments on my inventory, resentment towards myself, and resentment towards God, church and organized religion in general. I thought about those during inventory, but I would put another one down on paper instead. Weird how things you have intention of putting on paper get lost in your head. We talked about it the next morning. And my sponsor laughed, he said," most people leave something out, but it's usually something sexual" And then he said, " You know, we are hardest on ourselves, we've talked about it now, and you have an assignment to complete your defects list." A powerful experience. For once somebody knows everything about me. And did not pass judgement.

[savoy]

Originally Posted by nandm

Duh.... But we are talking about Step 5 here, not the rest of the Steps. If you want to say it about the rest then post it about the rest under their appropriate threads. Please don't try and turn this thread into something negative.

I'm attempting to point out you are quoting a book written by someone who has not worked the steps, its opinion. Its not experience.
The program is in the Big Book.

[nandm]

:rof

[nandm]

I am grateful for the release that Step 5 provided me. It helped me learn to not take myself and life so seriously.

It along with the rest of the 12 Steps helped me learn to live life with laughter and joy.

[sugErspun]

I finished up step five earlier this week (took three sessions to read my fourth - probably around 15 hours or so)

I had an expectation that I would feel some new feedom, some overpowering relief...but it didn't happen the way I expected. We move right into step 6 and will be taking step 7 this week (get on our knees and say the prayer)...

I stayed in the work. and I commented to my sponsor about only using the BB and I thought it was great...he thought it would be good for me to read steps six and seven in the 12/12 - trying to teach me a lesson I'm sure.

[nandm]

Originally Posted by sugErspun

I finished up step five earlier this week (took three sessions to read my fourth - probably around 15 hours or so)

I had an expectation that I would feel some new feedom, some overpowering relief...but it didn't happen the way I expected. We move right into step 6 and will be taking step 7 this week (get on our knees and say the prayer)...

I stayed in the work. and I commented to my sponsor about only using the BB and I thought it was great...he thought it would be good for me to read steps six and seven in the 12/12 - trying to teach me a lesson I'm sure.

You have been busy. The first two times I went through the Steps it was using only the Big Book. My experience has been that although that was a great help, I am able today to also benefit from utilizing other sources such as the 12 x 12 in the maintenance and application of the Steps in my life.

[sugErspun]

I don't know what his reasoning for using the 12/12 is as our group only uses the BB...I think it is something along the lines of "Get familiar with how others have taken these steps so you can relate to them on that level. Might break down some of the walls I have up towards other AA's.

A lesson in humility I am sure.

He says jump, I jump..That's the way it is right now.

[nandm]

I have found that for me the willingness to be open to others experiences has truly helped me in my sobriety as it has been through the application of the Steps and listening others experiences that I have learned and grown. Although there are times when I have to use the principle of "take what I can use and leave the rest" as not everyone will or has to agree with me. We are all on a similiar journey but that does not mean we all have to take the same path.

[savoy]

Originally Posted by nandm

I have found that for me the willingness to be open to others experiences has truly helped me in my sobriety as it has been through the application of the Steps and listening others experiences that I have learned and grown. Although there are times when I have to use the principle of "take what I can use and leave the rest" as not everyone will or has to agree with me. We are all on a similiar journey but that does not mean we all have to take the same path.

Agreed, very good point,
unity doesn't require uniformity.

Or else we'll start arguing about who's God is bigger next.