Excerpt from the fifth chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who 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. We 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 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 fearless and thorough 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 or 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 adventures 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.
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"LOVE" devoid of self-gratification, is in essence, the will, to the greatest good...of another.
Saints, Religion and Inspiration: In searching for answers in coping with AH, it was automatic to turn to God/HP in prayer. (Catholism background) He led me many places one of which was here. I instructed 2nd graders for serveral years preparing them for two of the sacraments: Reconciliation (otherwise known as Confession) and First Holy Communion. For me there are many similarities between the 12 steps and those things I was taught and taught. I also turned to those my religion had bestowed the title of saint upon........looking for the one(s) who were the patrons of alcoholics. The prayers led to a sort of curiosity to know more about these individuals. In youth and even into adulthood, many assume those refered to as "saint" were born "perfect". The more that has been read the more realization how human/ordinary these people really were. One can see many self defeating characteristics in their actions/words/emotions. Yet at some point each was motivated to do their own "twelve step" program. The admission, asking their HP/God for help, personal inventory (examination of conscious), confession and making amends, and doing their best to do God's will, ect. ect. For most it was "one day at a time" and months into years before they were able to defeat these self admitted things. Simultaneously, with each step of their journey they were able to "share their experiences" and give to others what they themselves had learned. One such story----Matt Talbot, Dublin Ireland circa late 1856-1925. Born to parents of Catholic faith. His father and all but one brother were alcoholics. The family lived in poverty. Matt, himself, began drinking at around 12 when he worked as a messenger boy in a shipyard. He then became a hodsman. His love of alcohol led him to buying drinks on credit after he'd spent his wages, to stealing then selling/trading the items for booze, or trading/selling his own possesions--boots and clothing out of desperation for a drink. He became beligerent while drinking swearing and fighting. One day, however, as he waited for his "friends" getting off work to invite him and buy him a beer he was ignored. He felt dejected went home and told his mother he was making a pledge not to drink. She had begged previously for him to stop. On this day as he left after this announcement, she said, "May God give you strength. " He made his pledge for three months and under the guidance of a priest kept it. He was successful and furthered it for his lifetime. He also gave up his pipe and tobacco, however, he said it was more difficult. He ended up paying back all his debts......some of which were for stolen goods and alcohol on credit. He gave up wages giving to those having less than he. In his life he was far from wealthy. He also became more and more passive. He found his "inner peace". He conquer his profanity. And lastly without fists or angry words became a "fighter" for laborer's rights in his native country. In summation......Phil, you are correct. We are not saints. We are humans. This is what those entitled "saints" became aware of. Awareness of their own imperfections, weakeness, or self defeating ways. They began to ponder their words, actions, emotions and the correlation between them and the effects of them. Those that needed to be changed they began to work on. Many will say it took many many tries, yet gradually they found that inner peace. Others noticed. They were inspired. In Ireland there is a belief that Matt Talbot's story/methods were a sort of precursor to AA. Everytime I read the 12 steps I am reminded of those so-called saints. I am human. I have flaws. I acknowledge them and continually have to work at refining them. I can learn and do learn constantly from others. Combine that knowledge with what I have discovered on my own, I can teach others. I am a constant and progressive work. I am happy for this post. It always and continually keeps me humble and inspires. Thank you!
I am only 16months sober after 27 years from first to last drink. Love this part of the big book but have recently been reading the next two paragraphs and in particular the sentence "The first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success". First came into the rooms for a couple of meetings at the age of 22 and left as not ready to give up my reign of my little kingdom. Managed to stay sober without AA and without God for 8 years when insanity and rage drove me back to drinking. Tried again in my 30's after four more years drinking and again attended a couple of AA meetings and stopped drinking for 4 years again without AA and without God. Went back drinking again this time for keeps or so I thought and believed how little I knew. I came back into AA again three years ago without my conscious consent and spent 18 months fighting and looking for a way out while it seemed also to me that I was unable to leave this time. For myself I know that my alcoholism was on all levels that is emotionally intellectually physically and spiritually. I have spent my whole life since even before I found alcohol being unable to accept either myself or this world that I found myself in. I find today that I have not been easy to convince but that my alcoholism has brought me to a place that I am more than willingl to be convinced on a daily basis that any life means to me my emotional life my thinking life my physical life and my spiritual life. Sometimes I get confused about what action to take but when I relax and become consciously aware that God really is doing everything for me on all levels and I can rely on him to guide me I am amazed to find that my life has never been my own. I am God's creation and his work in progress.
