I suffered in the rooms of AA for almost 10 years without having had an experience of the Spiritual kind, only had by going through the steps as they are laid out within the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
I found many "Alternate Solutions" that I have come to know as "Sprees" that were caused by my untreated alcoholism. They started innocently enough as placing "things" in front of sobriety; i.e.; job, recreation, relationships. Then became much more profound, scaling into workaholism, over-eating, over-spending ($15k in CC debt), harboring a resentment for 10 years lead me also to anger black outs and plotting someone's murder.
Thank God that never happened, but the damage that my untreated alcoholism caused me damages, including having a nervous breakdown (at age 37) a heart attack and early onset shingles. Including the emotional damages I caused my family by being unable to control my emotional nature. (Pg. 52)
So when I heard Peter M. share at a Big Book Step Study Meeting (www.SpeaerMeetings.com) and was thoroughly disturbed at the depth and weight of the truth about my alcoholism, I knew I had to do the steps, I had experienced a spiritual bottom and wanted to die with 10 years in AA.
So I spoke with the man and he directed me to one of his sponcee's who proceded to take me thoroughly through the 12 Steps as they are outlined in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.
The process took about 5 months of meeting him at his kitchen table once per week. There he read every page of the first 164 pages of the Big Book t me, illuminating every nook and cranny of the principals of AA, the meaning of the words that are written and the necessary action that I needed to take. I had to write each week on what we had read, starting with step one al the way to the end.
It has been 5 years since I have initially gone through the work that first time and have since gone through it a second time. I have taken more than a dozen men all the way through the work, al of which but one have stayed sober (the one didn't finish his amends), and many others stopped somewhere along the way to take back their previous lifestyles. (to get a better story)
I ave sponsored people with men with 10-18 years who have never gone through the work and were in pain and suffering, getting divorces, cheating, stealing, living a lie, all of which needed to have a spiritual experience to experience the freedom from the bondage of self and their dilemma, the lack of power.
Their transformations have been nothing short of miraculous and by witnessing them, my experience has indeed been the most incredible thing, greater than playing in front of 60,000 screaming fans at sold out shows, greater than making millions of dollars per year and buying unlimited toys, greater than any other thing I could have dreamed before catching a glimps of this reality.
So I started a Big Book Step Study where about 60-100 people go through the steps as they are outlined in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous each and every week, in the town were many wouldn't even mention the Bg Book or the doing of the work.
Big Book step studies are now popping up all of the United States. (www.LivingintheSolution.org) (www.sober.org) (www.12steps.org) and offer the ways and the means to get sober through working the steps out of the Big Book the way that it was only meant to be done by the creators of the AA program.
You can chose to try and get sober by any means you wish, but it is not AA. As AA's we have but one primary purpose, and that s to Carry the Message of AA, and to Hep the Still Suffering Alcoholic. (not to create, delude, water down, and carry my opinions)
I hope that this may have brought hope to just one suffering alcoholic and given them the initiative to get a Big Book and start reading it (really) look for a Big Book Step Study or someone who can take you through the Big Book Steps, Thoroughly. Read just the first 164 pages to start under the care and direction of a recovered alcoholic and have the Vital Spiritual Experience needed to recover from the hopeless state of mind and body that we suffer from.
Welcome to MIP, Kurt & thank you for sharing your experience, strength & hope. This post has my approval given our primary purpose & what you've highlighted. I don't believe any site has the monopoly on carrying the message of A.A. so I take this as a simple announcement of other recommended websites that can also offer a positive influence towards a newcomer interested in recovery from alcoholism. I am a Big Book sponsor myself. I don't feel qualified to sponsor any other way. I feel we have a shortage of sponsors in Liverpool who pass on the message of AA this way so I give this post my full support to encourage members of AA to recover as this describes & thus have newcomers then equipped to do the same with still others. Thank you for raising this issue.
I am responsible . . .
"When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible."
-- Edited by Sobrietyspell on Monday 6th of December 2010 01:19:10 PM
Rob84 said
Dec 6, 2010
Kurt,
Good stuff, thanks for sharing and welocome to the forum.
recovered55 said
Jan 31, 2011
Working the steps as the founders laid out, SAVED my life!! THANK YOU!!
I only do big book studies, and I only go to the middle of the road (discussion meetings) to carry this message as it was laid out in the book.
GarySmith said
Aug 4, 2022
I struggled in the AA rooms for about ten years without having had a spiritual experience which I only obtained by following the steps outlined in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous tutoringcoach.org They are typically seasoned teachers with in depth knowledge or qualifications in a specific subject or set of disciplines A tutor in simple terms, assists pupils in specific subject areas or abilities
I am responsible . . .
"When anyone, anywhere,
reaches out for help, I want
the hand of A.A. always to be there.
And for that: I am responsible."
-- Edited by Sobrietyspell on Monday 6th of December 2010 01:19:10 PM
I struggled in the AA rooms for about ten years without having had a spiritual experience which I only obtained by following the steps outlined in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous tutoringcoach.org They are typically seasoned teachers with in depth knowledge or qualifications in a specific subject or set of disciplines A tutor in simple terms, assists pupils in specific subject areas or abilities