namaste'

wantneeda · MIP Old Timer

namaste'

Phil · MIP Old Timer

Hey...Good to see you back Kiddo...

http://www.minnesotarecovery.info/literature.htm

http://www.minnesotarecovery.info/literature/Step4.htm

Yikes...!!

Did some editing here....

I had the gay community address on .....and My door doesnt swing...:)

Just wished to pass on a couple of good addresses..:)

Onward!!

-- Edited by Phil at 13:57, 2007-05-12

Bryan39 · Senior Member

Thanks phil not sure if I've metioned this here but I have a sponsor and have been working the steps and I'm begining step four in a few days so i'll take a lok at this

Bryan

Sobrietyspell · MIP Old Timer

Thanks so much for asking for this Wendy I've been 'stuck on Step4' for a little while now & haven't been sure how/when to move on. This is another step in the right direction for me so when I sit down & MAKE the time to do this maybe I'll get what everyone in meetings is exactly talking about! lol Thanks for obliging, Phil. Good man :)

miller2 · Senior Member

Id like to throw in my two cents, if I may. :)
The fourth step is outlined in the Big Book exactly as it should be done.
It's simply a fact finding step. An honest inventory of ones past.
There are three parts,
1. the list of resentments towards persons, principles, and institutions.
2. the fears list
3. the sex inventory.

On the resentment list, we disregard the entinty towards whom/wich we are resentfull, and look for "OUR" part in the situation that caused the resentment. We look at what
"IN US" caused us to form the resentment, and in what ways we were effected, be it our sex relations, personal or buisness relations, financial, security or self esteem, ect .
We ask our HP to remove our character defects so we can become more usefull to others, even when they have wronged us.

On the fears list, we examine why we had each fear, and ask our HP to remove them.

On our sex inventory, we see if our relationships were selfish, if we aroused suspision or distrust, and who we harmed. We try to determine what we could have done differently, and we ask our HP to help us shape more sound future relationships.

This is just my take, Im sure different folks teach it different ways... but the main thing, the one ingredient that MUST always be in there... is 100% total honesty.
Hope that helps.

Quetzal · MIP Old Timer

Hi,

Here's a link to some 12 step worksheets that I have found helpful in the past. I hope that you can get something from them.

http://www.12step.org/worksheets/12step_questions.php

Take care,

Carol

wantneeda · MIP Old Timer

thanks so much.

seeing as its mothers day today....i am not starting today. i will dedicate this week to reading up.

thank God for AA and its fellowship.
blessings

psychoktty · Veteran Member

Since it looks like a lot has already been imparted regarding step 4... I wanted to respond to a piece of your post regarding step 5 -- if you choose not to do step 5 with a sponsor or someone in the program, or heck, even if you do... everyone is different as to what their spiritual, personal needs are, and the bottom line is speaking everything on the list and discussing. If you expected to say a prayer afterwards, I would recommend talking to the person who you would like to do your 5th step with, and find out how they expect it will go, set some boundaries and figure out together what the process is going to be like. I imagine that as we all see our higher power differently and as there are many atheists and agnostics who work a strong program, that a standardized prayer at the end wouldn't exactly fly! But if you communicate with the person you are entrusting with your fifth step as to what you would like to have happen, then you can't go wrong!