A BRIEF LOOK AT THE BIG BOOK
[ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS]
(3d edition)
The road of sobriety is not smooth an straight and is ALWAYS UNDER CONSTRUCTION, so keep in mind that God helps those who help themselves: and those alcoholics who don't, (GET DRUNK).
To help ourselves over the highs and lows we WILL encounter in sobriety, it is more then just beneficial, it is essential, not just to read our basic text, the Big Book, but to [STUDY IT!!!]. WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS. This is very difficult because we do not know what to look for so when we see it, we over look it; so consider a Big Book study group and/or another recovering alcoholic and share what you understand and even more importantly, what you do not understand about the messages in the book about getting sober, living sober, and staying sober. You will find this more rewarding then you can realize. Also, substitute your name in it and make it a personal book all about you, FOR YOU.
When reading your Big Book, look for its message concerning the problem, powerless, step one, (found in "The Doctor's Opinion" and "Bill's Story", chapter one), the solution, God, step two, (found in "There Is A Solution", chapter two, "More About Alcoholism", chapter three, and "We Agnostics", chapter four), and the application of the solution, the practical program of action; asking His protection and care with complete abandon. [Does that sound familiar: page 59, paragraph 2 in our basic text] steps three through twelve, (found in "How It Works", chapter five, "Into Action", chapter six and "Working With Others", chapter seven). Even the titles of these chapters convey a message.
All the steps are easy to read and talk about, but very, very difficult to apply to our daily task of living sober lives a day at a time, but our Big Book gives us the INSTRUCTIONS needed to do this, IF will read and STUDY it. The result: living a good, happy, peaceful, useful, serene, sober life: not just existing in a dry state of abstinence being restless, irritable and discontented with life; the poisonous feelings before the first drink.
God will keep us sober, a day at a time, IF we ask Him to and let Him by doing our part: reading and STUDYING our Big Book, practicing the principles of the 12 steps in all our affairs and sharing OUR experience, strength, and hope and not echoing those of others.
One step won't take us very far,
we have to keep on walking.
One word won't tell folks where we are,
we have to keep on talking.
One inch won't make us very tall,
we have to keep on growing.
One reading of our BIG BOOK won't do it all,
we have to keep on reading on.
INDEX
The first number or roman numeral is the page, the second number is the paragraph on that page, the third is the line or lines within that paragraph.
ABNORMAL BODIES XXIV-2:5-9 22-4:4-7
ARE YOU AN ALCOHOLIC 44-1:4-9
BEYOND HUMAN AID 11-3:3 24-1:1-7 25-3:4,5 34-2:9-11 39-1:5-8
41-2:15,16 43-3:1,2,4,5 44-1:7-9 58-4:1,2 60-2:2b1,2
BIG BOOK
PURPOSE XIII-1:4,5
ITS OBJECT 44-4:8-10 45-1:1-4 45-2:1-3
CHARACTER DEFECTS/SHORTCOMINGS 67-2:3,4 69-1:2 84-2:9
CURE 30/3:8-10 33/1:6,7 85-1:1-9
DENIAL XXVI-4:1-4 30-1:1,2
FEAR
HOW TO RID OURSELVES OF FEAR 68-3:7-10 75-2:1-8
WHY WE HAVE FEARS 68-1:3,4
FIRST DRINK
MENTAL STATE BEFORE THE FIRST DRINK XXVI-4:5-8 15-1:6-8
66-1:4-10 86-2:4,5 87-3:1,2,5,6
NO MENTAL DEFENSE 23-4:4,5 24-1:1-7 43-3:1,2
WHY THE FIRST DRINK 35-3:5-7 72-2:6-10
MATCH CALAMITY WITH SERENITY 68-2:3-7
OUR PROBLEMS
OUR MAIN PROBLEM CENTERS IN OUR MIND 23-1:4,5
SELF DEFEATED US 64-2:4-6
THE ROOT OF OUR TROUBLES 62-1:1,2
OUR REAL PURPOSE 76-4:9,10
PRAYER/MEDITATION
STEP THREE PRAYER 63-2:2-8
STEP FOUR PRAYER 66-4:5-10
STEP SEVEN PRAYER 76-2:1-7
WHAT TO PRAY FOR 13-4:3-7 59-11:3,4 66-4:5-10 68-3:7-9
69-3:6-8 70-2:1-4 79-1:4-7 83-1:8-10 84-2:8-10 85-1:7,8 86-1:1-14 86-2:1-5 86-3:1-4 87-1:1-8 87-3:1-5
WHEN TO PRAY 13-4:3-7 87-1:1-5
RECOVERY 65-3:5,6 72-1:2-4 76-4:9,10 77-2:2-4 570-2:1-5
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS 13-5:4-7 570-3:1-3
HOW NOT TO RECOVER 570-4:1-4
RESULTS OF THE FIRST FIVE STEPS 75-2:1-8
RESULTS OF THE FIRST NINE STEPS 83-4:3-16 84-3:2,3
RESULTS OF THE FIRST ELEVEN STEPS 60-first two lines 84-2:5,6 THE FIRST STEP IN RECOVERY 30-2:1-3
THE RECOVERY STEPS 1-9 (pages 1-83)
THERE IS A SOLUTION 25-1:1-3 25-2:1-9 25-3:4-8 44-1:4-9
45-1:1-4 45-2:1-3 46-1:3-6 46-2:1-10 58-4:3 60-2:c1
RELAPSE PREVENTION
XVI-1:7-9 XVI-2:10-12 14-1:2-4 14-6:2-10 15-1:6-10 16-2:4,5 19-4:10-12 33-1:9-11 35-3:5-7 43-3:4,5 58-1:1,2 62-2:5,6 66-1:4-10 66-2:1 67-1:1 68-2:3-7 70-2:4-7 73-4:1,2 77-2:2-4 83-1:8-10 84-2:8-13 85-1:1-9 86-2:2-5 87-3:1-7 89-1:1-5 RELAPSE PREVENTION STEPS 10-12 (pages 84-89)
RIDDING OURSELVES OF FEAR 68-3:7-10
RIDDING OURSELVES OF RESENTMENTS 66-4:1,2,5-10
THE SPIRITUAL LIVE IS NOT A THEORY. WE HAVE TO LIVE IT 83-1:1
SPIRITUAL
SPIRITUAL DISEASES 64-3:1-5
SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE, WHAT IS IT 27-4:4-11 27-5:4-6 569-1:1-4
570-1:1,2
HOW AND WHEN IT BEGINS 75-2:1-8
HOW IT DEVELOPS 569-4:5,6
STEP ONE, PAGES XXIII THRU 16
POWERLESS 8-1:4,5 11-3:3 22-4:4-7 23-4:4,5 24-1:1-7
25-3:4,5 30-3:1-3 34-2:9-11 39-1:5-8 41-2:15,16 43-3:1,2
44-1:4-6 44-4:8-10 45-1:1 58-4:1,2 60-2:b1,2
STEP TWO, PAGES 17 THRU 57
BELIEVE 12-4:1-4 46-1:3-8 46-2:1-10 47-1:1-12 47-2:1-8
47-3:1-4 58-4:3
INSANITY 24-2:1-7 66-1:4-10
OUR MAIN PROBLEM CENTERS IN OUR MIND 23-1:3,4
WHAT IS INSANITY 8-2:2,3 24-2:1-7 37-1:2,3
WHEN DOES INSANITY OCCUR 40-2:5
STEP THREE, PAGES 60-3 THRU 63-3
STEP THREE PRAYER 63-2:2-8
STEP FOUR, PAGES 63-4 THRU 70-4
COMMON MANIFESTATIONS OF SELF (RESENTMENT 64-3:1, FEAR 67-3:1,
SEX 68-4:1)
OUR LIQUOR WAS BUT A SYMPTOM 63-4:7-9
STEP FOUR PRAYER 66-4:5-10
TAKING STEP FOUR: MAKE A SEPARATE LIST FOR RESENTMENTS
64-3:6,7 FEARS 68-1:1,2 SEX{HARMS DONE TO OTHERS} 69-1:5,6
RESENTMENTS
COLUMN ONE: LIST WHO YOU HAVE A RESENTMENT AGAINST
64-3:6-9
COLUMN TWO: LIST THE CAUSE 64-3:9-13
COLUMN THREE: LIST WHAT PART OF YOU THEY INJURE 65-1:1-4
COLUMN FOUR: LIST THE EXACT NATURE OF YOUR WRONG, FAULT,
MISTAKE, DEFECT, SHORTCOMING 67-2:1-11
69-1:2,3
FEARS
COLUMN ONE: LIST YOUR FEARS 68-1:1,2
COLUMN TWO: LIST WHY YOU HAVE THEM 68-1:3,4
COLUMN THREE: LIST WHAT PART OF YOU CAUSED THE FEAR
65-1:1-4
COLUMN FOUR: LIST THE EXACT NATURE OF YOUR WRONG, FAULT,
MISTAKE, DEFECT, SHORTCOMING 67-2:1-11
69-1:2,3
SEX (HARMS DONE TO OTHERS)
COLUMN ONE: LIST WHO YOU HAVE HARMED 69-1:1-6
COLUMN TWO: LIST WHAT YOU DID 69-1:1-6
COLUMN THREE: LIST WHAT PART OF YOU CAUSED THE HARM
65-1:1-4
COLUMN FOUR: LIST THE EXACT NATURE OF YOUR WRONG, FAULT,
MISTAKE, DEFECT, SHORTCOMING 67-2:1-11
69-1:2,3
THE REASON FOR STEP FOUR 64-2:2,3 72-1:2-4
WHAT IS STEP FOUR (A FACT FINDING AND A FACT FACING PROCESS TO
DISCOVER THE TRUTH) 64-1:4,5 64-2:1,2
STEP FIVE, PAGES 71-1 THRU 75-3
STEP SIX, PAGE 76-1
STEP SEVEN, PAGE 76-1
STEP SEVEN PRAYER 76-2:1-7
STEP EIGHT, 69-3:2-4 PAGES 76-3 THRU 83-3
STEP NINE, PAGES 76-3 THRU 83-3
STEP TEN, PAGES 84-2 THRU 85-2
STEP TEN INVENTORY 84-2:8,9
STEP ELEVEN, PAGES 85-3 THRU 87-3
STEP ELEVEN INVENTORY 86-1:1-12
STEP TWELVE, PAGES 89-1:1-5
THE PROGRAM
THE TWELVE STEPS THAT SUMMARIZE THE PROGRAM XXII-3:4,5
WHAT IS THE PROGRAM 59-1:2,3
HOW TO WORK THE PROGRAM 59-2 (STEPS 1-12)
WHEN UNDECIDED 13-4:3-7 14-1:2-4 86-3:1-5 87-3:1-5
WHY WE DRANK XXVI-4:1,2
DEFINITIONS OF SELECTED WORDS IN
THE BOOK ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS
(3d edition)
Abandon: giving up
Abnormal: not natural
Acceptance: the fact of receiving gladly, taking willingly
Admitted: acknowledged, confessed; admitted the truth
Agnostic: a person who believes that God is unknown and probably unknowable
Alcoholism: compulsive use of alcoholic drinks
Allergy: an abnormal reaction to a food or chemical substance
Altruistic: concern for the welfare of others as opposed to egoism or selfishness
Amends: the correction of injuries or mistakes
Annihilation: destruction
Anonymity: the quality or state of being anonymous
Anonymous: giving no name, marked by lack of individuality or personality
Apology: an admission of error or discourtesy accompanied by an expression of regret
Atheist: a person who believes there is no God
Avocation: a subordinate occupation pursued in addition to one's vocation especially for enjoyment
Baffling: bewildering, confusing, puzzling
Believe: accept as true or real
Conscious: known or felt by one's inner self
Compulsion: obsession
Constitutionally: of or proceeding from the basic structure or nature of a person of thing
Craving: an abnormal desire; a great desire or longing
Dry: not showing or communicating, warmth, enthusiasm or tender
feeling
Ego: self-esteem
Ego-centric: thinking or acting with the view that one's self is the center
Faith: firm belief in something for which there is no proof, complete confidence; trust
Fellowship: a group of people with the same interests or experiences; mutual sharing
Fourth dimension: something outside ordinary experience
Honest: free from fraud or deception
Honesty: fairness and straight forwardness of conduct
Humble: not proud, arrogant, or assertive
Humbly: lacking pride, aware or one's shortcomings
Insanity: not whole of mind
Insidious: harmful but enticing; treacherous; seductive
Meditation: serious contemplation or reflection, listening for directions
Nature: the basis or essential characteristics of something
Obsession: a compulsive, often unreasonable idea or feeling
Powerless: helpless
Practical program of action: recovery steps 3 through 12
Prayer: any act or communication with God
Pride: self-respect
Principle: a basic truth or law
Program: a plan of action taken toward a goal
Recovery: a return to a normal condition
Relapse: a return to a former condition after a change for the better
Resentment: ill will felt because of a real or imagined wrong
Sane: able to anticipate and appraise the effect of one's action
Self-centeredness: selfishness
Self-pity: dwelling on one's sorrows or misfortunes
Self-reliance: dependence upon one's own capabilities of judgement or resources
Self-will: stubborn or willful adherence to one's own desires or ideas
Selfishness: concern chiefly or only with oneself
Service: contributions to the welfare of others, a helpful act
Slip: an unintentional mistake, a sudden mishap
Spiritual: divine
Spiritual awakening: a hugh emotional displacement and rearrangement of ideas, emotions, and attitudes; a personality change which occurs slowly, gradually over time
Spiritual experience: a hugh emotional displacement and rearrangement of ideas, emotions, and attitudes; a personality change which occurs suddenly, quickly; sudden awareness of a higher power or God
Sponsor: a guide
Tradition: information, beliefs and customs handed down by each generation to the next
Will power: strong determination
Work: physical or mental effort or activity
THE PROCESS OF SPIRITUAL GROWTH
Step 1. Willingness to CHANGE
Step 2. Believe we can CHANGE
Step 3. Decision to CHANGE
Step 4. Inventory to CHANGE
Step 5. Actions to CHANGE
Step 6. Actions to CHANGE
Step 7. Actions to CHANGE
Step 8. Actions to CHANGE
Step 9. Actions to CHANGE
Step 10. Actions to CHANGE
Step 11. Actions to CHANGE
Step 12. CHANGED
WHOSE RESPONSIBILITY
An A.A. group, as such, cannot take on all the personal problems of its members, let alone those of nonalcoholics in the world around us. The A.A. group is not, for example, a mediator of domestic relations, nor does it furnish personal financial aid to anyone.
Though a member may sometimes be helped in such matters by his friends in A.A., the primary responsibility for the solutions of all his problems of living and growing rests squarely upon the individual himself. Should an A.A. group attempt this sort of help, its effectiveness and energies would be hopelessly dissipated.
This is why sobriety--freedom from alcohol--through the teaching and practice of A.A.'s Twelve Steps, is the sole purpose of the group. If we don't stick to this cardinal principle, we shall almost certainly collapse. And if we collapse we cannot help anyone
(from As Bill Sees It, page 79)
We cannot wholly rely on our sponsors to solve all our difficulties. A good sponsor will never do all our thinking for us. He knows that each final choice must be ours. He will therefore help to eliminate fear, expediency, and self-deception, so enabling us to make choices which are loving, wise, and honest.