12 Steps of Sponsorship
Some say that there are NO MUSTS in AA… actually, if you are working the Program outlined within the AA Text Book; there are 96 Musts. I heard someone say at a meeting that they were falling short on working the “Spiritual Aspect” of the program. It was quickly pointed out to them that there is NO SPIRITUAL ASPECT of this program - and that this IS a Spiritual Program of Recovery. The entire Program is Spiritual in Nature. There is no “Aspect” to it. (aspect means portion, perspective, section) We must do this work or we will die, of course , unless, you are NOT an alcoholic of the hopeless variety.
“The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Our so-called will power becomes practically nonexistent. We are unable, at certain times, to bring into our consciousness with sufficient force the memory of the suffering and humiliation of even a week or a month ago. We are without defense against the first drink.”
The Study Format of the chapters that are reviewed during the cycle of the Big Book Study Group meetings in thier specified orders. This example is given as a guideline for the reading of the chapters that specifically outline a program of recovery according to the steps and the specific instructions given to complete those steps. A group choosing not to consider themselves a Big Book Step Study meeting can choose to alter or adopt other chapters.
Good evening, everybody, this is the usual ________ night’s meeting of the _______ Men’s (and Women’s) Big Book Step Study Group and we will open the meeting in the usual manner with a moment of silence to do with as you wish.
Big Book Step Study meetings work. They work by being very structured and specific, providing clear-cut directions on how to recover from the disease of alcoholism. They work by putting the principles of AA ahead of our own (and other people’s) personalities, and by keeping one aim above all else: carrying the AA message to the alcoholic who still suffers.