community spirit
It`s ok to stay sober
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,903
community spirit
in the Doctors Opinion,the words,community spirit is written as a observation of Dr Silkworth of the early AA`s
in f2f AA,do we, as a group,display a community spirit to newcomers or other groups?
Do I ,as a individual ,display the same spirit to other alcoholics or other groups?What can I do to improve?What does it take to have that community spirit?
how about here at SR?
in f2f AA,do we, as a group,display a community spirit to newcomers or other groups?
Do I ,as a individual ,display the same spirit to other alcoholics or other groups?What can I do to improve?What does it take to have that community spirit?
how about here at SR?
TheMostSordidSpotOnEarth
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: ParadiseOnEarth
Posts: 811
Very nice, Bballdad.
We were reading from the first page of "There Is A Solution" in a meeting tonight.
I also reflected upon the powerful spirit of fellowship found there and throughout the book. "Bill's Story", "There Is A Solution," "Working With Others," "A Vision for you," - it's inspiring!
This is the passage that comes to mind from tonight's reading:
I find the end of that excerpt to be particularly striking.
Do I, as an individual, share the common solution we have discovered? Or do I, as an individual...
Do we still have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action? Or do I, as an individual...
Best way I know to make a community like that is with a whole lot of recovered alcoholics!
I love this program so much. Thank you for a good thread.
We were reading from the first page of "There Is A Solution" in a meeting tonight.
I also reflected upon the powerful spirit of fellowship found there and throughout the book. "Bill's Story", "There Is A Solution," "Working With Others," "A Vision for you," - it's inspiring!
This is the passage that comes to mind from tonight's reading:
"But there exists among us a fellowship, a friendliness, and an understanding which is indescribably wonderful. We are like the passengers of a great liner the moment after rescue from shipwreck when camaraderie, joyousness and democracy pervade the vessel from steerage to Captain's table. Unlike the feelings of the ships passengers, however, our joy in escape from disaster does not subside as we go our individual ways. The feeling of having shared in a common peril is one element in the powerful cement which binds us. But that in itself would never have held us together as we are now joined.
The tremendous fact for everyone of us is that we have discovered a common solution. We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action. This is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism.
The tremendous fact for everyone of us is that we have discovered a common solution. We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action. This is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism.
Do I, as an individual, share the common solution we have discovered? Or do I, as an individual...
Do we still have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action? Or do I, as an individual...
Best way I know to make a community like that is with a whole lot of recovered alcoholics!
I love this program so much. Thank you for a good thread.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,095
Great topic. I've found that community spirit (unity) is an inevitable by-product with those engaged in a common solution. My group is tight, and the community spirit happens without any conscious effort on our part.
SR? Not so much. But that's to be expected without the unity of a common solution. It's not a bad thing, it's just not a unified thing.
SR? Not so much. But that's to be expected without the unity of a common solution. It's not a bad thing, it's just not a unified thing.
Awakening...
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: in the present
Posts: 1,125
I'm starting to see a great community spirit in our meditation meeting. We reaffirmed our purpose and our identy, and it's just such a cool thing to see a fellowship build up. It's got to be the neatest feeling in the world.
Now to go find those sponsees...
Now to go find those sponsees...
It`s ok to stay sober
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,903
I would like to add something Ihave thought about this evening
our purpose,to be of service
I learned some lesons the hard way
I wanted to be of service to only those people,and groups I liked.It did not work so great,but it did work some.I eventually saw I was shooting myself in the foot,and finally I saw I must try to be of service to anyone,anywhere,or any group in any way they may need me.That brought me a great freedom I never expected.Service simply because I could.No strings attached to it for anyone for any reason,just service.That helped me get more into the community spirit within AA and helped me realize just who is in control,the HP
our purpose,to be of service
I learned some lesons the hard way
I wanted to be of service to only those people,and groups I liked.It did not work so great,but it did work some.I eventually saw I was shooting myself in the foot,and finally I saw I must try to be of service to anyone,anywhere,or any group in any way they may need me.That brought me a great freedom I never expected.Service simply because I could.No strings attached to it for anyone for any reason,just service.That helped me get more into the community spirit within AA and helped me realize just who is in control,the HP
It`s ok to stay sober
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,903
I used to put labels on people and groups,thats how sick I was.no community spirit at all.
when I started practicing the section below,it removed the labels and showed me
more of what unconditional love and unconditional service was
when I was putting those labels on people,I was judging and gossiping about them,and playing God once again.They all ended up on my 8th & 9th step list and amends are still in progress
When we retire at night, we constructively review our day.
Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we have done better? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could pack into the stream of life?
But we must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our usefulness to others. After making our review we ask God’s forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken
when I started practicing the section below,it removed the labels and showed me
more of what unconditional love and unconditional service was
when I was putting those labels on people,I was judging and gossiping about them,and playing God once again.They all ended up on my 8th & 9th step list and amends are still in progress
When we retire at night, we constructively review our day.
Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we have done better? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could pack into the stream of life?
But we must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our usefulness to others. After making our review we ask God’s forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken
Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,095
Originally Posted by bballdad 
I used to put labels on people and groups,thats how sick I was.no community spirit at all.
I saw a post in the Newcomers section a day or so ago about a guy who went to 'an AA meeting' only to find zero solution. By his description, it was filled with young people (nothing wrong with that) with court cards (nothing wrong with that) that talked about their hairdryer difficulties or something like that. He left, frustrated that he went there for help, and couldn't find any. I read that and felt slightly heartsick, slightly guilty, and slightly angry.
There's a guy that walked into a meeting of AA looking for help, and none was available for him. In the sense of community spirit, it's an AA meeting and I should be supportive of that, right? That meeting has the right to run itself any way it sees fit. But on the other hand, it does itself and all of AA a tremendous dis-service. Not intentionally, of course, but the result of the blind leading the blind as best they can.
In truth, I don't feel a community spirit in a meeting like that. Have I judged that meeting and others like it? Absolutely. And i know that judgement is a sick thing to do. But do I, in a sense of community spirit, wrap my arms around that meeting and consider it the same AA as I'm engaged in, or do I call it what it is?
It`s ok to stay sober
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,903
Keith,good to see you posting regular again-you was kinda quite for a few weeks
why call it anything?
I was listening to Tom I on a CD several yrs ago
during his talk,he mentioned when meetings go astray,what are we supossed to do.One solution is to go and help get it back on track,some meetings we feel like we are on the losing track....and then he added something like this,look at the meeting as if it was your friend,if they was in trouble,would you leave them or help them?
all we can do is try to help,who knows what it will be like in a few years?We have a message to carry,we can carry it there.
We have a group here,the attendance fizzled down to nothing because the meeting went astray.A oldtimer moved here and attended reguler.In 2 years the group grew from 4 to 42.People got sober thru the steps and the BB
why call it anything?
I was listening to Tom I on a CD several yrs ago
during his talk,he mentioned when meetings go astray,what are we supossed to do.One solution is to go and help get it back on track,some meetings we feel like we are on the losing track....and then he added something like this,look at the meeting as if it was your friend,if they was in trouble,would you leave them or help them?
all we can do is try to help,who knows what it will be like in a few years?We have a message to carry,we can carry it there.
We have a group here,the attendance fizzled down to nothing because the meeting went astray.A oldtimer moved here and attended reguler.In 2 years the group grew from 4 to 42.People got sober thru the steps and the BB
Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 812
Originally Posted by bballdad
I would like to add something Ihave thought about this evening
our purpose,to be of service
I learned some lesons the hard way
I wanted to be of service to only those people,and groups I liked.It did not work so great,but it did work some.I eventually saw I was shooting myself in the foot,and finally I saw I must try to be of service to anyone,anywhere,or any group in any way they may need me.That brought me a great freedom I never expected.Service simply because I could.No strings attached to it for anyone for any reason,just service.That helped me get more into the community spirit within AA and helped me realize just who is in control,the HP
our purpose,to be of service
I learned some lesons the hard way
I wanted to be of service to only those people,and groups I liked.It did not work so great,but it did work some.I eventually saw I was shooting myself in the foot,and finally I saw I must try to be of service to anyone,anywhere,or any group in any way they may need me.That brought me a great freedom I never expected.Service simply because I could.No strings attached to it for anyone for any reason,just service.That helped me get more into the community spirit within AA and helped me realize just who is in control,the HP
^^^^Great post. Thank you!
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