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.
How it works pg 58
What is this "IT" that they talk about? Pretty simple...."IT" is a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps.
I sometimes feel like this is a missing step that comes before step one. Doesn't that mean I have to first decide that... that is what I really want...And that I'm willingto do anything to get it? Not a lot of things....Not a whole bunch of things.....Anything.....Before I'm ready to take certain steps? I think it does....And until you've reached this point....It seems to me making any progress is a long road. I had to be completely hopeless to get to this point....I look at that as a gift.
In a strict grammatical sense "it" is "what we have".
Bill describes what we have in a very fitting way "I was to know happiness, peace, and usefulness, in a way of life that is incredibly more wonderful as time passes."
Yep, through the steps...I agree though for most, this does mean meetings, fellowship, regular calls to sponsor, and reading and absorbing lots of AA literature. I've not seen good results when people just go to meetings. I have also not seen good results when people go through the steps, declare themselves recovered and stop meetings...maybe because that is a step failure there at steps 11 and 12...dunno. "It" was the whole shebang and AA lifestyle for me. I also believe some folks believe they are powerless and that alcohol makes their lives unmanageable, but the don't care or don't care enough. So yeah, absolutely agree with your sentiments about willingness. I think willingness is supposed to occur in step 6, but my experience has been that if folks do not have some good bit of willingness from the get go, they don't make it to step 6. Great post SC.
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That is a good point. Thanks SC. The principle behind step 6 is willingness but you are right...that quote does show we need it prior. The also say step 6 separates the men from the boys (sorry women, I know that's sexist...just a slogan) but I think the willingness is also just a burning desire to grow up and change even if it means facing painful stuff. I think you have hit upon the largest part of the "it" we mean when we say "I hope he gets it" this time (in reference to our fellows or somone trying the program) or also in the quote from how it works.
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Step 2 is about where willingness comes inot play. We can make a start just by being willing to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restor us to sanity. (God could and would if he were sought.)
I agree PC, that the steps can individually have there own spiritual experience attached. After all they are a spiritual journey. The book talks about a very great effect sometimes being felt at step three (though I wasn't aware of it) and it further talks about beginning to have a spiritual experience at step 5 -which I did experience. Each step seemed to prepare me for the next, though step three lead me in two directions. First to step four, for cleaning up the past, but also to 10, 11 and 12 for living sober today. While it was essential to clean up the past, it was equally important to begin living in these disciplines from the beginning, in order to stay sober today.
