Finding a Sponsor...
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,047
I'm climbing back up on my soapbox:-)
The DIY Recovery posts I see scare the bejesus out of me, but they're obviously working for others. Should we question what method people choose to stay sober?
Another thought. How do we know that just because someone's worked the Steps, they've worked them the right way? Just having worked the Steps does not make one immune to a relapse.
I need to hit a meeting. Check back in tomorrow for your greatly appreciated thoughts. And I do mean from all of you, OK?
The DIY Recovery posts I see scare the bejesus out of me, but they're obviously working for others. Should we question what method people choose to stay sober?
Another thought. How do we know that just because someone's worked the Steps, they've worked them the right way? Just having worked the Steps does not make one immune to a relapse.
I need to hit a meeting. Check back in tomorrow for your greatly appreciated thoughts. And I do mean from all of you, OK?
Oh the contingencies..
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: California
Posts: 11
My experience and hopefully just that
I thought about not posting on this thread due to my lack of time in the program, but I reconsidered because although I may not have a lot of time, I do have experience to share.
Experience One: I am currently looking for a sponsor and am seeking one that has finished all twelve steps among other things. Why? Because I want to work all twelve steps and begin to practice the principles in all of my affairs ("I want what they have"). However, in business meetings, I have voted against adding it and for removing this phrase from the sponsorship announcement. Why? It cannot be found anywhere in our basic text and was not neccessary for the pioneers of AA to stay sober and cultivate such a program. However [yes, another however : )] I do suggest to newcomers to seek a sponsor that has completed the twelve steps at least once, if that is something they want to have.
Experience Two: I walked into a meeting pretty early a couple of days ago. To my surprise, three oldtimers were sitting around and trashing other AAs and their work in the program. I immediately began (in my head) criticizing them for (what I judged to be) their character defects. Following my criticism, I spot-checked my thoughts and realized that I had just taken their inventories because they so humanly had taken others' inventories. It was this recent experience that reminded me that I can only take my inventory and have no place taking others'. (By taking another's inventory, I feel I am walking away from the invaluable [IMO] principle of humility.)
Experience One: I am currently looking for a sponsor and am seeking one that has finished all twelve steps among other things. Why? Because I want to work all twelve steps and begin to practice the principles in all of my affairs ("I want what they have"). However, in business meetings, I have voted against adding it and for removing this phrase from the sponsorship announcement. Why? It cannot be found anywhere in our basic text and was not neccessary for the pioneers of AA to stay sober and cultivate such a program. However [yes, another however : )] I do suggest to newcomers to seek a sponsor that has completed the twelve steps at least once, if that is something they want to have.
Experience Two: I walked into a meeting pretty early a couple of days ago. To my surprise, three oldtimers were sitting around and trashing other AAs and their work in the program. I immediately began (in my head) criticizing them for (what I judged to be) their character defects. Following my criticism, I spot-checked my thoughts and realized that I had just taken their inventories because they so humanly had taken others' inventories. It was this recent experience that reminded me that I can only take my inventory and have no place taking others'. (By taking another's inventory, I feel I am walking away from the invaluable [IMO] principle of humility.)
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