sugarbear1

A Partial Listing of Back to Basics Meetings

AA Workshop

susanlauren

Threshold,
I was afraid of becoming "the hole in the doughnut" if I went through the process of working the steps. That is not at all what happened. I did not "lose" myself; instead, I "found" myself. I am becoming more of who I really am. I was a diamond in the rough, and the steps are a process to remove the dirt and debris so that the beauty of that diamond could shine in all its brilliance.

The steps removed those things that blocked me off from accessing the unsuspected inner resource which was my own conception of a Power greater than myself. I needed to be emptied of resentment and fear before I could be filled with love and patience and kindness and tolerance. I needed to be willing to let go of my defects of character before I could see that many of my defects were good qualities taken to the extreme.

In those places where I have not been willing, I have prayed for willingness. And it has come. In those places where I have been afraid to take that next step, I have prayed that the God of my understanding would remove my fear and direct my attention to the person He/She/It/Spirit would have me be. And my fear has been removed. The directions for the 6th and 7th steps are on the bottom of p. 75 to the middle of p. 76.

There is no reason that you need to be stuck in working the steps. I agree with Keith. I would encourage you read the directions and then to spend an hour and review the work you have done. Why would you want to hold on to the things (i.e., defects of character) that hold you back from being the person you were meant to be? The 7th step prayer and work on the 8th step are easily within your grasp. Why stay stuck?
Susan Lauren

Terminally Unique

SB, I had pegged you as a B2B adherent, but I wasn't certain. I can usually discern between B2B, PPG, BBA, and "mainstream" AA on here, but I was starting to doubt my radar.

Threshold

SB, I appreciate your enthusiasm and many of your posts provide food for thought, but I do want to point out that I am not in AA.

I certainly have abused alcohol, but AA is not my recovery home. I don't want to mislead anyone.

Threshold

FT,

The points you bring up are very important. I am being seen by a psychiatrist and am on meds for bi polar, depression and anxiety. Due to past experience, I do not take SSRI's.

I do not in any way minimize the importance of the recovery process, but as you suggest, there is a more immediate issue that must be dealt with.

sugarbear1

Have you researched AVRT or Rational Recovery or any other program? Something will work for you!

Best Wishes!

Mamaslittlebaby

Hi Threshold! - I'm so sorry to hear that you're struggling. It sounds like perhaps you bought the "Big Book" (titled "Alcoholics Anonymous") and are working the steps by yourself? Have you tried going to any meetings? The solution that the Big Book offers is two-fold: 1) The 12 Steps; and 2) The fellowship (i.e. meetings). ( See p. 17) For me, I could never stay clean and sober with just one or the other. Believe me, I've tried, along with countless others. If you're an alcoholic or addict, then "you may be suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer." AA freely admits that it is not the only thing that can produce this spiritual experience. There ARE other ways. But AA is the ONLY thing that has worked for millions of people. Like them, I tried everything else. Every single other thing humanly possible. For so many of us, AA was truly the "last house on the block."*

Being involved in the fellowship really is half of the solution that AA offers. Perhaps you've been to meetings and don't like them? I would suggest trying different AA meetings...they are as varied and different from each other as people are.

Think of AA (fellowship + the 12 steps) as a recipe. Millions have followed this *exact recipe and have had the exact same results: a spiritual awakening/experience that has changed their lives. If you follow this exact recipe, then you will have the exact same result as well. It really is that simple (I didn't say "easy"...I said "simple")! People tend to complicate the hell out of the steps. An AA sponsor can help guide you through them, and fellow members can offer assistance also. I wish I lived near you. I would GLADLY help.*

Of course we, who have worked the steps and go to meetings regularly still have our bouts of bad days, or even months. I'm in the middle of one now (death of one parent and the other one's dying, caught my spouse cheating, health probs, upcoming surgery, money probs, etc.). I'm not perfect. My life isn't perfect. "Constant thought of others," and "work and self-sacrifice for others" is sometimes the only thing that saves me from myself. I wouldn't trade my worst day being sober for my best day prior to AA. No comparison whatsoever. Underneath all my problems and heartaches is a peace and happiness that I never even knew existed. My life is incredible. Yours can be too.

I'm sorry if I sound preachy. Really, I am! I just get excited about this stuff because I truly want you find peace and happiness. It's there for the taking. Feel free to send a message to me if you wanna talk privately. Good luck to you.

Dee74

welcome to SR mamaslittlebaby

D

Threshold

Thanks Mamas...

I am in NA, with a sponsor. Currently living in a place where there are no meetings, but before I moved here I was a meeting a day and twice on somedays kinda girl.

The wisdom of the steps is clear to me, getting stalled, is, as usual, me getting in my own way. Praying to have defects removed opened up some important issues for me and I guess I got side tracked navel gazing.

They say you have to want this thing enough, and honestly right now, I don't.

I'm feeling pretty paralyzed right now.

Thanks all