“The 12 Steps are so formed and presented that an alcoholic can either ignore them completely, take them cafeteria-style, or embrace them wholeheartedly.” (from the Conference-approved pamphlet, A Member’s Eye View of Alcoholics Anonymous)...
By Mykel P. The second step of AA reads as follows: “Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity”. Perhaps a sensible approach would be to break down...
By Russ H. The vast majority of AA members have heard How It Works read aloud at the beginning of meetings. It is such a common practice that many of us have passively committed...
By JHG When we first get to AA, we can just “take what we like and leave the rest”, but eventually, we have to decide whether we’re even going to stay. And if we stay,...
By Steve K. Introduction My goal in writing this essay is to demonstrate how practising virtue – defined as a trait or quality of character considered to be morally good or desirable – is...
By John L. Introducing Sophrosune [So-fro-SU-nay], a goddess of Ancient Greece, who personifies virtues germane to us in recovery. She is the spirit of moderation, self-control, temperance, restraint, and discretion. Sophrosune was one of...
By John F. In many groups, AA groups or otherwise, the vocal minority often trumps and drowns out the more passive majority, particularly when a good portion of that majority is comprised of folks...
Reviewed by bob k There is a tendency for those of us in the “non-believer” camp to throw out the baby with the bathwater in regard to the dark blue prayer book. What is personally...
By Wayne M. I am an alcoholic and have been sober for over nine years. I am also an agnostic/atheist who attends AA on a regular basis. Many people have asked how I as...
By Serge Prengel Many years ago, I started re-writing the Twelve Steps in order to better understand the process they describe by “translating” the wording of the Steps into language that felt clearer to...
By Gabe S. AA’s twelfth Step says “Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics.” But what is this message? What on Earth...
By Neil F. On the 13th of April 1986, during a drive from Montreal to Toronto, I broke into a cold sweat and started shaking. I felt like I was losing control of my mind...
Procrustes: a mythical host who stretched or cut his guests to fit his “magical” bed, often killing them in the process. By Frank M. I should probably start by explaining that I have no...
By Roger C. One alcoholic talking to another (Step 12) It all began in the waning months of 1934. Bill W, an incorrigible inebriate nearing the end of his rope, was visited at his...
