Aa ?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: Florida
Posts: 6,425
Aa ?
Was looking at the website for the local AA last night. A lot on there and just trying to make heads or tails.
Is it a monthly subscription kind of thing? Pay for each meeting? No cost?
There are a LOT of meetings on the schedule with many different descriptive abbreviations. I'm assuming that I should first go to one that has BG for beginners?
How do these meetings typically go?
Is it a monthly subscription kind of thing? Pay for each meeting? No cost?
There are a LOT of meetings on the schedule with many different descriptive abbreviations. I'm assuming that I should first go to one that has BG for beginners?
How do these meetings typically go?
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 368
There are no fees or dues associated with AA. Newcomers need not contribute. Typically after you've come to a few meetings you'll feel the need to give a small donation (usually $1 per meeting). There are several types of meetings. Big Book reading, Newcomers Big Book, 12 & 12 (reading from the 12 steps and 12 traditions book), Close Men's, Closed Women's, Open Discussion Men, Open Discussion Women, Speaker meetings (where one person gets in front of the group and talks for the entire hour. These are my favorite.) Mine starts with the serenity prayer, then announcements, the reading the first part of chapter 5 of the Big Book, then a short reading of the chairman's choice, followed by reading the Daily Reflection. Feel free to ask me to elaborate on any of these.
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Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 25,373
Just go.
They're all good. Put a dollar in or don't.
The only thing to not go to is a womens' meeting if you're a guy and vice versa. All the rest of them are good, go to all of them! "Open" means anyone can go (like family, husbands/wives, therapists, clergy, students, etc.) "Closed" means only alcoholics.
It takes a while to find a few that are good fits, they're all different - with different characters and stories and vibes.
Go to all of them.
When I was newly sober one Friday I went to six meetings in one day, all different and in different locations. It was interesting.
They're all good. Put a dollar in or don't.
The only thing to not go to is a womens' meeting if you're a guy and vice versa. All the rest of them are good, go to all of them! "Open" means anyone can go (like family, husbands/wives, therapists, clergy, students, etc.) "Closed" means only alcoholics.
It takes a while to find a few that are good fits, they're all different - with different characters and stories and vibes.
Go to all of them.
When I was newly sober one Friday I went to six meetings in one day, all different and in different locations. It was interesting.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Florida
Posts: 368
Also as far as the book reading meetings I'm sure most places will have books there for you to use during the meeting (at least my home group does). If you have a smart phone you can download the "AA 12 Step Guide" app for free. It has almost everything you need to read at home.
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