On the flip side, emotional nonacceptance of alcoholism, as supported by denial, guilt, fighting against, or escaping the illness, puts a person at a high risk of relapse, even if a person can rationally accept the disease. The purpose of this study guide is to enable the student to better understand the information the authors of the book, alcoholics anonymous, intended to impart to each of us based on their experience and knowledge of alcoholism and their program of recovery. Step four asked you to compile a moral inventory and step five asked that you share your wrongs with your chosen higher power and with a discreet person that you trust. Our workbook companion to alcoholics anonymous 12 steps of recovery from alcoholism and addiction is called steps by the big book. Faith, to be sure, is necessary, but faith alone can avail nothing. The primary instructions for the 12 steps are highlighted, in order, in the big book. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing, situation. Click here to find out more about the full version for. Because this book has become the basic text for our society and has helped such large numbers of alcoholic men and women to recovery, there exists a sentiment. A nd acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. Alcoholics anonymous publishes a sexist book meant to teach both men and women how to work the aa 12 step program. Big book of alcoholics anonymous 11th step meditation.
Acceptance i know some people get really tired of the big book quotes. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing or situation some fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment. One way to get at the meaning of the principle of acceptance is to meditate upon it in the context of aas much used prayer, god grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change, courage to change the things i can, and the wisdom to know the difference. And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. A study conducted by aa in 2014 showed that 27% of the more than 6,000 members who participated in the study were sober for less than a year. Big book of aa step 2 understand and complete one step at. At one time the admission that i was and am an alcoholic. Pdf version one this is a basic version of the text of alcoholics anonymous. The role of acceptance in coping with alcohol addiction. This is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism. Acceptance page 417 alcoholics anonymous acceptance is the answer to all of my problems today. I have provided a link in a couple of places on this page for your convenience, so you can get to the search page. The second edition added the appendices, the twelve traditions.
Twelvestep guide to using the alcoholics anonymous big. Acceptance on the other hand required some thought and action. Monthly big book readings aa the original way group. Alcohol rehabilitation what is the success rate of aa. Alcoholics anonymous new books abookman, a book man. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing, or situationsome fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person, place, thing. Its faithbased 12step program dominates treatment in the united states. If you are seeking drug and alcohol related addiction rehab for yourself or a loved one, the hotline is a confidential and.
The 164 and more book, ebook, and web site are all concordances which display passages from the big book alcoholics anonymous, the twelve steps and twelve traditions, and the a. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing, or situationsome fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no. The program of alcoholics anonymous is not an intellectual challenge. Aas first step is neatly sliced in two parts of acceptance and. The answer lies in the second distinct, yet intrinsically related, part of step 1. This created a thirst for an even greater knowledge of the vital information contained in the big book. The edited book, mindfulness, acceptance, and the psychodynamic evolution can.
I was given yet another gift from a dear friend in my aa group. The whytehouse is, i hope, a way to find that special phrase or saying etc. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and more concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either alcoholics. Alcoholics anonymous big book cites a 50% success rate with 25% remaining sober after some relapses. As part of working step 1 we recommend reading step 1 of aa s book, twelve steps and twelve traditions, and discussing it with another person in recovery. Below are copies in various formats of the big book. Paul i think today that my job really is to enjoy life whether i like it or not. The big book of alcoholics anonymous the world famous eye. Perhaps one of the best short passages on acceptance comes from the big book of alcoholics anonymous. It is the basic text of the fellowship of alcoholics anonymous, and has helped large numbers of alcoholic men and women, young and old, recover. If you got through both of those steps, good job on your achievement. Pauls acceptance is the answer in the book alcoholics anonymous aka the big book.
Foreword to second edition figures given in this foreword describe the fellowship as it was in 1955. With that one statement, the second step of alcoholics anonymous explicitly lays out the spiritual foundations of what the 12 steps are all about. The primary purpose group big green bay area aa home. This is a link to the complete 4 th edition of the aa bigbook online. The irrationality of alcoholics anonymous the atlantic. The wisdom from the big book isnt limited to 10 quotes. Acceptance was the answer the physician wasnt hooked, he thoughthe just prescribed drugs medically indicated for his many ailments. Theres a meeting i want to go and it says bb for big book. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing, or. As being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
Bbss speakers on step one in accordance with the twelve traditions of alcoholics anonymous we admitted we were powerless over alcoholthat our lives had become unmanageable. Both women and men attend aa, but the aa big book preface reads. The description says 2nd edition big book, not the same 164 pages and the same forewords that are in the 3rd and 4th editions. This is the blue print of the 12 step recovery programs. Big book of aa step 2 understand and complete one step at a time in recovery with alcoholics anonymous book. There is comfort in knowing you arent alone, that what youre feeling isnt unusual, and that there is a solution. The big book is clearwe do this to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to god and our fellow man. To read a pdf version of the fourth edition of alcoholics anonymous. So, to all the present and past members of this group goes thanks for their interest and participation. Steps 1, 2, 3 15 step 1 18 step 2 29 step 3 33 part ii session 8 through session 12 37. The big book has given me that comfort and the push to move forward. After my son, our second child, came along, and as he became school age. Mindfulness and acceptance in alcoholics anonymous. The second edition, published in 1955, reached a total of more than 1,150,500 copies.
This is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. We provide this study guide based on personal experience to help those following aas 12 steps as outlined in the original big book, alcoholics anonymous aa. Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in gods world by mistake. The big book includes an assertion first made in the second edition, which was. More than 300,000 copies of the first edition are now in circulation. What does big book mean, i know its the blue aa book. My sponsor suggested i type it up and put it somewhere in the house where i see it all the time. We provide this study guide based on personal experience to help those following aa s 12 steps as outlined in the original big book, alcoholics anonymous aa.
You may find the complete text on the official web site of alcoholics anonymous on this page you can discover what this book tells about. One way to get at the meaning of the principle of acceptance is to meditate upon it in the context of aa s much used prayer, god grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change, courage to change the things i can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Home read the big book and twelve steps and twelve traditions. Our earliest printing voiced the hope that every alcoholic who journeys will. Big book of aa step 2 understand and complete one step. It is a spiritual journey and the big book is our travel guide. Step meeting an experienced aa member goes through all the twelve steps, along the big book, in 4 meetings the whole meeting in as many weeks. First written in 1939, the 4th edition was published in 2001. I wonder if youve ever had a problem accepting what life hands you. Never in my wildest moments had it occurred to me that i might like to be an. I wanted a 2nd edition aa big book to read the different stories in the back. This book became the second highest selling book from alcoholics anonymous.
Why dont you go home and get the big book and open it at page. Acceptance in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and. The impact of alcoholics anonymous on other substance abuse. Like all the remaining steps, step three calls for affi rmative action, for it is only by action that we can cut away the selfwill which has always blocked the entry of god or, if you like, a higher powerinto our lives. The original working manuscript is the missing link between bill wilsons first draft of alcoholics anonymous and the first edition. The big book has given me that comfort and the push to. In order for this to happen we must go directly into steps 10, 11 and 12 while doing step 9. It is essential reading for anyone trying to decide whether or not they are alcoholic. Over a period of time attending meetings, reading the big book and twelve by twelve, and sharing my experience, i took into consideration the surrender terms, and i became convinced that if i were to live and have any kind of life at all, i would need to stop drinking. On the flip side, emotional non acceptance of alcoholism, as supported by denial, guilt, fighting against, or escaping the illness, puts a person at a high risk of relapse, even if a person can rationally accept the disease. Twelvestep guide to using the alcoholics anonymous big book. And acceptance to is the answer to all my problems today.
Our big book step instructions booklet is published below for public use and printing adobe acrobat pdf. Jun 17, 2016 the big book is clearwe do this to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to god and our fellow man. Our steps by the big book group sessions are not official aa meetings because we limit enrollment to a specific number of participants. It is my hope that you will find this site useful to you and our friends of bill w. Jan, 2020 emotional not just logical acceptance of ones alcoholism is imperative to becoming well and preventing relapse. Copyright alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. His is the fourth edition of the book alcoholics anonymous. Aa big book with questions for discussion emotional. It is the basic text of the fellowship of alcoholics anonymous, and has helped large numbers of alcoholic men and women, young and old, recover as of december 2009, 30,664,881 copies of the big book have been sold or otherwise distributed source aa gso ny. We do not like to pronounce any individual as alcoholic, but you can quickly diagnose yourself.
This desire gave birth to the primary purpose group of alcoholics anonymous of dallas, texas, in january, 1988. The big book study guide helps us to examine the contents of virtually every sentence in the original text of the big book. We made this book so that anyone who wants to can point easily to all 12 step instructions in the big book. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing or situation some fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing or situation some fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that. In the big book, as the text alcoholics anonymous is known, we read the written words of the first 100 men and women of aa as they were put in the way of a. We learned that we had to fully concede to our innermost selves that we were alcoholics. For the serious student of the aa big book, what follows are some recommendations from the author of this study guide in the approach to take when utilizing this supplemental material. As on what needs to be changed in me and in my attitudes. Mar 18, 2012 from page 417 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous and acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. Read the book alcoholics anonymous from the frontispiece through the. Acceptance in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12.
Steps by the big book step 5 steps by the big book. Alcoholics anonymous quotes by alcoholics anonymous. Alcoholics anonymous big book touts about a 50% success rate, stating that another 25% remain sober after some relapses. The doctors opinion chapter in the book alcoholics anonymous provides a medical view of addiction to alcohol. In the opening salvo of his book twelve steps and twelve traditions. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing or situation some fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person, place, thing or situation as being exactly the way it. Wilson, one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa. The primary instructions for the 12 steps are highlighted, in. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing, or situationsome fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.
Steps in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. Mindfulness and acceptance in alcoholics anonymous psychology. These last three steps keep us current and help us to continue to solidify the foundation of our recovery. This is the second edition of the book alcoholics anonymous, which made its first appearance in april 1939. From page 417 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous.
Another study suggests, the rate of skin clearing in patients with. Why would bill capitalize the word fellowship here and not anywhere else in the big book. When i read the descriptions of what an alcoholic is in the big book i have yet to find any reference that and an unmanageable life has anything to do with whether or not a person is alcoholic or nonalcoholic. The second step of alcoholics anonymous explains the importance of hope and having a higher power guide us away from alcohol addiction and towards recovery. Home read the big book and twelve steps and twelve traditions alcoholics anonymous alcoholics anonymous this is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism generally known as the big book because of the thickness of the paper used in the first edition is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism, primarily written by william g. Read the book alcoholics anonymous from the frontispiece through the end of chapter 11 a vision for you pg 164. S ince the original foreword to this book was written in 1939, a wholesale miracle has taken place.
Aa big book with questions for discussion hi everyone. The first edition appeared in april 1939, and in the following sixteen years, more than 300,000 copies went into circulation. In fact, its one of my very favorites, and something ive arrived to live by in my life. Its words and interpretations are left up to the reader to use as they choose. Also just curious do all meeting end by saying the lords prayer.
These are the original and official 4th step guides and work sheetsused in the dallas b. Knowing whats acceptable and whats not, when we should practice it and when we shouldnt, isnt always easy. As of december 2009, 30,664,881 copies of the big book have been sold or otherwise distributed source aa gso ny. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing, or situation some fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to. Here is a pdf version of the first 164 pages found in all aa books.
Essentially this is to ask for the resources of grace by. Emotional not just logical acceptance of ones alcoholism is imperative to becoming well and preventing relapse. Apr 20, 2020 alcoholics anonymous big book touts about a 50% success rate, stating that another 25% remain sober after some relapses. Since the first edition appeared, in 1939, it has helped millions of men and women recover from alcoholism. The practice of remaining anonymous using only ones first names when interacting with the general public was published in the first edition of the aa big book. Sep 04, 2019 in your big book story, you say that acceptance is the key to everything.