What is an AA Meeting?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Ottawa, not everyone lives in the states you know
Posts: 2
What is an AA Meeting?
Hi everyone. I am an alcoholc. I have been struggeling for quite some time now and I am young. I have been looking on the internet to find some good information on what exactly takes place in an aa meeting but cant really find any. Can someone give me a somewhat of an indepth idea of what takes place in a meeting?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Ottawa, not everyone lives in the states you know
Posts: 2
Hey thanks for the quick reply. However, the link doesnt work. After navigating throught the main site I found something that links to another article but that doesnt work either.
New things have come to light
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Downtown Nashville , TN
Posts: 306
Basically, we share what happened to us and how we got through it. When i first went to an AA meeting i thought it was a place where people went and just bitched all the time. I was wrong, although it does happen. But most of all it is people helping other people.
Member
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Nebraska
Posts: 187
I don't know what link didn't work for you but there is a thread in the Alcoholics Anonymous forum here "Curious about AA?" with this link which just worked for me ...
http://www.bma-wellness.com/papers/F...A_Meeting.html
http://www.bma-wellness.com/papers/F...A_Meeting.html
Knucklehead
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Davenport, WA
Posts: 4,005
Yeah, I tried it myself after I posted it, and no go.
Meetings vary, but basically they go as follows:
The meeting is opened with a moment of silence, followed by the Serenity Prayer:
Then the 'Preamble' and 'How it Works' is read:
At that point announcements and introductions are made, followed by someone reading from a daily prayer or meditation book, or something out of the AA Big Book, from which the meeting topic is often derived.
Then the meeting is open to sharing. People introduce themselves when they want to speak, usually in the form of "I'm ____ , I'm an alcoholic." People take turns sharing one at a time (dialog is not allowed), until the meeting time expires.
The meeting is closed with everyone holding hands in a cirlce, and reciting a prayer.
Many people hang out after the meeting to talk, and sometimes go out to coffee.
Meetings vary, but basically they go as follows:
The meeting is opened with a moment of silence, followed by the Serenity Prayer:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference.
How It Works
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average.
There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.
Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. 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.
At some of these we balked. thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.
Remember that we deal with alcohol, cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power that One is God. May you find Him now!
Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. we asked His protection and care with complete abandon.
Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Many of us exclaimed, "What an order! I can't go through with it." Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.
Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventure before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought.
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average.
There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.
Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. 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.
At some of these we balked. thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.
Remember that we deal with alcohol, cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power that One is God. May you find Him now!
Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. we asked His protection and care with complete abandon.
Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol, that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Many of us exclaimed, "What an order! I can't go through with it." Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.
Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventure before and after make clear three pertinent ideas:
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought.
Then the meeting is open to sharing. People introduce themselves when they want to speak, usually in the form of "I'm ____ , I'm an alcoholic." People take turns sharing one at a time (dialog is not allowed), until the meeting time expires.
The meeting is closed with everyone holding hands in a cirlce, and reciting a prayer.
Many people hang out after the meeting to talk, and sometimes go out to coffee.
Peace begins with a smile
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Boston, MA
Posts: 173
The preamble might help...
Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
Meetings vary. I googled Ottawa AA and the link came right up. Click on "meeting list" and you will see a description of the meeting types.
Alcoholics Anonymous® is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
Meetings vary. I googled Ottawa AA and the link came right up. Click on "meeting list" and you will see a description of the meeting types.
Knucklehead
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Davenport, WA
Posts: 4,005
Originally Posted by Carol87
I don't know what link didn't work for you but there is a thread in the Alcoholics Anonymous forum here "Curious about AA?" with this link which just worked for me ...
http://www.bma-wellness.com/papers/F...A_Meeting.html
http://www.bma-wellness.com/papers/F...A_Meeting.html
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: in a better place
Posts: 1,406
Wow Paul, you did a great job explaining a meeting.
Welcome Andrew!! You could always just step into a meeting and see what you think. There's no attendance and you don't even have to say your name if you really don't want to (although it's a great way to get a whole bunch of people to come over and talk to you - they love newcomers).
Welcome Andrew!! You could always just step into a meeting and see what you think. There's no attendance and you don't even have to say your name if you really don't want to (although it's a great way to get a whole bunch of people to come over and talk to you - they love newcomers).
Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: USA
Posts: 100
Isn't it originally a Big Book study?
Back home people talk about their problems mostly, some type of catharsis, but here it's mostly read the book and talk about it. Personally I like to talk about problems and get feed back.
I really don't know, my sponsor who's an AA fanatic, a little too much probabbly, says it's Big Book study..
Anyways, I'm confused too...
Back home people talk about their problems mostly, some type of catharsis, but here it's mostly read the book and talk about it. Personally I like to talk about problems and get feed back.
I really don't know, my sponsor who's an AA fanatic, a little too much probabbly, says it's Big Book study..
Anyways, I'm confused too...
Belgian Sheepdog Adictee
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: In Today
Posts: 6,101
Indigo there are many types of meetings:
Big Book Studies
Step Studies
Discussion and participation meetings
Speaker Meetings
Then in California and other places there are the 1 1/2 hour meetings where the first 1/2 is participation and discussion and after the break the 2nd 1/2 is a guest speaker.
Depends on the what the group decided in the early days when the meeting first started.
J M H O
Love and hugs,
Big Book Studies
Step Studies
Discussion and participation meetings
Speaker Meetings
Then in California and other places there are the 1 1/2 hour meetings where the first 1/2 is participation and discussion and after the break the 2nd 1/2 is a guest speaker.
Depends on the what the group decided in the early days when the meeting first started.
J M H O
Love and hugs,
In Paradise!
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Pair-O-Dice, CA
Posts: 432
Originally Posted by andrew1234
Hi everyone. I am an alcoholc. I have been struggeling for quite some time now and I am young. I have been looking on the internet to find some good information on what exactly takes place in an aa meeting but cant really find any. Can someone give me a somewhat of an indepth idea of what takes place in a meeting?
Thanks.
Thanks.
I would just go to one for yourself its different for everyone. I mean the structure is the same but since the people are different its always different. There are meetings everywhere, I would (if you want to try) go to a few meetings at different times, and in different places. Everyone here can tell you what "they" think a meeting is but only you make really make that determination. I will tell you this, you will be welcomed. They wont harass you and its not the "loser" sub-culture "normies" would like to think it is. Just a another (and most successful) way to combat a drinking problem....
Cheers,
GB
Knucklehead
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Davenport, WA
Posts: 4,005
Originally Posted by Greenbug
Just a another (and most successful) way to combat a drinking problem....
Old & Sober Member of AA
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Nursing Home in Brick, New Jersey
Posts: 5,174
Welcome to SR, Andrew...since I'm physically unable to get to AA meetings anymore, this is where I come to share experience, strength and hope with others trying to stay clean and sober. But, I definitely miss the regular meetings.
Thanks, Doorknob and Required Field...for bringing back some very pleasant memories!
Thanks, Doorknob and Required Field...for bringing back some very pleasant memories!
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