Notice to all: this big book step study email list is back in running
order!

Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our
path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not
completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and
women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with
themselves. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they
seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of
grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous
honesty. Their chances are less than average. There are, too, those
who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of
them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest. Our stories
disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and
what we are like now. 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.

At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier,
softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our
command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very
start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the
result was nil until we let go absolutely.

Remember that we deal with alcohol cunning, baffling, powerful!
Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all
power That one is God. May you find Him now!

Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We
asked His protection and care with complete abandon.

Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of
recovery:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol that our lives had
become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore
us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of
God as we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the
exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of
character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to
make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when
to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong
promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious
contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of
His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we
tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these
principles in all our affairs.

Many of us exclaimed "What an order! I can't go through with it." Do
not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain
anything like perfect adherence these principles. We are not saints.
The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines. The
principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim
spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.


R.S. (Rebecca) Massachusetts

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bbss

Hi fellow Recovered Rummies.  Rumhounds is a group for Big Book
recovery minded AAs in the area (not necessarily ON Cape Cod) to
share their ES&H from the Big Book "Alcoholics Anonymous" amongst
ourselves and with others. If you enjoy visiting the Cape, are
currently living on or near the Cape, or just wishing you were here,
stop by and share how you recovered or would like to the "always
recovering routine. This group is for those recovered or seeking
recovery from a seemingly hopeless state of body and mind though
practice of the AA program outlined in the basic text of Alcoholics
Anonymous. Old-timers, slippers, sliders, relapsers, dope-fiending
drunks, curious or the undecided; ALL ARE WELCOMED! There are no
holds barred. But we are not a forum for pro-con Big Book recovery.
(Please be warned)

The primary purpose of this group is to pass on to others PRECISELY
HOW the first 100 members of Alcoholics Anonymous recovered and how
we too have recovered using their treatment.

The more valuable practicing the steps directly out of the Big Book
is the way to go!  I works whether I am alcholic or a compulsive
overeater.

N

In order to stay sober, abstinent, etc etc<br>the
founders of the 12th step movement, felt we needed to have
a personality change in order to stay sober.
<br><br>Doing the steps; as they are layed out in the Big Book;
with the help of a sponsor, have done that for me.
<br><br>There are many "ways" to do a fourth step but this
particular way, from my experience and that of others, is
the way the founders promised we can recover!
<br><br>www.bigbookstepstudy.com<br><br>for meetings near you!

ly hopeless state of mind and body!<br><br><a
href=http://www.bigbookstepstudy.com/Schedule.asp
target=new>http://www.bigbookstepstudy.com/Schedule.asp</a>

It has made all the difference in my sobriety and
now my abstinence. <br><br>I had an email from a
close girlfriend who does not have a program but a good
relationship with God. There has been alot of layoffs at her
company and she was owning the sadness, guilt and pain
that goes with that kind of life change. She was
having thoughts of dumping her job and career over it.
<br><br>I was able to give her some BBSS back in the form
of "mirroring" about how she was reacting to this
change (life). She was really grateful and wondered how
I got so "smart"! No, not smart, girlfriend, just
wisdom from working all the steps in recovery. <br><br>I
love BBSS; it has made all the difference in my
recovery.

Nancee here. I have worked the steps out of the
Big Book with the help of a Big Book Step Study
sponsor and the grace of God. Former member of the
Portsmouth, NH AA BBSS and Lynnfield, MA AA BBSS. Presently
member of the Overeater's Anonymous BBSS meeting of
Andover, MA.

I just found this club and I am writing for my 4th step.  Is this still an
active club?

Thanks bell,<br>I am in another BB study group and we have a great time
discussing it page by page and look forward to the same
here.<br><br>Love,<br>Ron

sorry i am going to make an effort to advertise this club to people in the
program and get more hits...then ill post links and meeting times. :)

some are still lingering

ditto

photos and directions of meetings coming soon plus a whole lot more

I am so glad to meet you...Rebecca from
Massachusetts BBSS. I have been busy offline lately but next
week I am going to add alot to this site and invite
many others to join! I am so so hapy you have
joined!!!!!!!!!<br>So please check back...sometime later this week I
hope to work on this..<br><br>all my best<br>Rebecca
of the OA Open Big Book Step Study Meeting of
Mansfield, Ma and BBSS Meeting of Brookline All Saints
Church Friday Nights

hi hope this gets going will look in from time to time to see how it is going. I
belong to the saco maine bbss meeting

We practice the 12 steps as they are laid out in
the book. We go 1-12. It is a life long practice. We
have a sponsor...and we write thorough 4th
steps...read 5th steps...make amends...take our daily
inventory...etc...<br><br>We have 1 and a half hour long meetings all over
now...and we follow a basic format.<br><br>All are welcome.
More coming soon!<br><br>Rebecca from Boston & Norton,
MASSACHUSETTS

Welcome to the Yahoo! Message Board for bbss