Some of you may know that A Dozen Steps really ought to be involved with discussing other fellowships in addition to Alcoholics Anonymous. I find myself getting away from this too often.
Recently I saw someone “out there” attempt to debunk the saying that “alcohol is a drug.” Well, for the singleness of purpose of AA that could confuse folks and I understand.
But for my friends who have problems with drugs that is the type of arrogance that could send someone to their death.
Directly from the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous, page 18;
“Thinking of alcohol as different from other drugs has …read more

From “That Ain’t In The Book,”
“We must change playmates, playgrounds, and playthings”

Page 100-101: “Assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things alcoholics are not supposed to do. People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn’t think or be reminded about alcohol at all. Our experience shows that this is not …read more

I was just introduced to this resource today. It is not free and I am not an affiliate but it certainly seems as if it could be worthwhile to many. Therefore;
The Little Big Book Dictionary
“Made EXPRESSLY for use with “The Big Book” of A.A. Definitions do not necessarily translate for use with ‘The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions’ book of A.A.
The Little Big Book Dictionary includes over 2,200 of the most difficult words, terms, and phrases found in The ‘Big Book’ of Alcoholics Anonymous. Providing text referenced definitions, simple phonic pronunciation guides, and page numbers for the included words. …read more

This will be from our literature and pgs. 113-114 in the book “Came To Believe.”
Getting Ahead
See if you can identify with this (I can);
“Most alcoholics I have known, including myself, wanted to get ahead. If we didn’t, well, there was nothing so rosy as the dreams of success and glory which subsequently came out of the bottle; such fantasies are the warp and woof of the active alcoholics life.”
No, I don’t know what the writer meant by “warp” or “woof” except he/she wasn’t speaking of a twisted dog. I can definitely say that one of the constant disappointments in my …read more

It is my personal hope that I can continue to remain teachable in the light of continuous judgment, character assassination and perpetual anger and hate. Which is why today’s reading is an affirmation, to me…
Learning To Love Ourselves
“Alcoholism was a lonely business, even though we were surrounded by people who loved us…. We were trying to find emotional security either by dominating or by being dependent on others…. We still vainly tried to be secure by some unhealthy sort of domination or dependence.” As Bill Sees It, pg 252
Ego-maniac with an inferiority complex.
This time, the person who has responded says …read more

From Dick B. on Dr. Silkworth;
“In the course of writing my two latest A.A. History titles – The Conversion of Bill W. and Introduction to The Sources and Founding of Alcoholics Anonymous, I had occasion to look much more deeply into the Silkworth/Wilson/A.A. links.
First, as to resources, there are none better for me than Dale Mitchel’s Silkworth: The Little Doctor Who Loved Drunks and the Silkworth website.
Second, because Mitchel dug into Silkworth family papers, we can see much more about the good doctor’s belief in healing by religious means.

In the “Big Book,” on page 133, it says “We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous, and free. We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears, though it once was just that for many of us.”
The AA Grapevine has it’s own web site with valuable and useful resources including humor. Check it out here.
Follow it through to the Digital Archive and then the Grab Bag. The Grab Bag has a rotating recovery joke (yeah, so some are old and lame, but ya’ never know when a good laugh could just get …read more

We 12 Steppers know that our Program, whatever it is, is a spiritual program. But what does that mean? Of course it means something different to every single one of us, although we often have more in common than we think.
I particularly like Sharon Janis’s book, Spirituality for Dummies. Billed as “A Reference For the Rest of Us!” my first reaction when I was gifted with this book was ho hum – that is until I actually began to read it.
I also was suspicious of the format. After all, I reasoned, this works for teaching computer programs, but teaching spirituality? …read more

As Bill Sees It carries the subtitle of The A. A. Way of Life …Selected Writings of the A. A.’s Co-Founder. Much of what’s in this small volume is reprinted from AAs magazine, The Grapevine.
Not only is it a nice selection of Bill W.’s writing, it’s also got a subject index. That means you can look up, say Character Defects, and find are a whole bunch of pages dealing with just that.
Although not part of what I consider original source material, As Bill Sees It is another must-have for everyone in any 12 Step program.
With love, blessings, and gratitude,

The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, aka 12 and 12, is the textbook to the Steps. Written in 1952, mostly by Bill W., this slim volume gives details about working all 12 Steps. It also tells us about the Traditions. Although it was written long after the Big Book, the 12 and 12 is also part of the original source material for any 12 Step Program
The Steps are how we work our program; the Traditions are how our fellowships work. This book will answer many questions about both, and provide you a way to work with each.
With love, blessings …read more