AA Healing in Ealing

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Foreword
Chap.1
Chap.2
Chap.3
Chap.4
Chap.5
Chap.6
Chap.7
Chap.8
Chap.9
Chap.10
Chap.11

FOREWORD AND THE DOCTOR’S OPINION.

The Big book, is in my opinion, the greatest book that has ever been written, for it not only saved my life, by giving me precise instructions on how to stop drinking, but it also allowed me to start and develop a wonderful relationship with a God of my own concept or understanding.The first edition, started with a Forward, in which the sentence, “To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book,“ is written. This still holds good today. There then follows a piece known as ‘The Doctor’s Opinion.’ This is basically a letter written by a Dr William D. Silkworth, who was at the time, “A well-known doctor, chief physician at a nationally prominent hospital specializing in alcoholic and drug addiction.” He had treated Bill, and had tried very hard for a number of years to help Bill and other alcoholics to keep sober. He describes the affliction of alcoholism, and how very hard he found it to keep anyone sober, including Bill. He then saw Bill change completely, all through what we now know to be spiritual principles, and saw that not only was Bill able to keep himself sober, he was also able to help others. I have written a few words about this, I pray you enjoy them.

The book that saved my life,

Is our wonderful ‘Big Book,’

I love every part of it,

Please do give it a look;

Written in the late 1930′s,

In the wonderful USA,

It contains certain instructions,

To help us soberly on our way.

It has a ‘Forward’ and ‘The Doctor’s Opinion,’

Then another eleven chapters bright,

All to help the alcoholic.

Be sober, joyful and light;

It also contains stories,

From members of all kinds,

All to help readers identify,

And have peaceful, sober minds.

“Precisely how we have recovered,”

Is in the forward to the first edition,

A precise solution has been found,

That solves our drunken condition;

It’s the first time in history,

If we look at the story of the ages,

We should rejoice every day,

For the beautiful instructions on its pages.

I am so very grateful,

That there is now a solution,

One that we should pass on constantly,

That is my daily resolution;

Something found in my parents’ lifetime,

Where previously there never was none,

AA allows me not only to be sober,

But to be full of happiness and fun.

After the ‘Forward’ there is ‘The Doctor’s Opinion,’

Written by fabulous Dr Silkworth,

Who tried his utmost and best,

To bring his charges sobriety and mirth;

He lists the impossible condition of alcoholics,

And realises that no matter how hard he did strive,

He could not keep any of his charges,

Permanently and soberly alive.

He states that “if a doctor is honest with himself,”

“He must sometimes feel his own inadequacy,”

Yet when he wrote this opinion,

He was starting to see people sober and full of glee;

He talks about knowing Bill previously,

And how about he did change,

And that by doing certain altruistic things,

He did through the world happily range.

He talks about the “phenomenon of craving,”

And “the manifestation of an allergy,”

And even though he knew his facts,

A way out for alcoholics he couldn’t see;

But then he saw that Bill had changed,

And heard him tell his story to many another,

He noticed how unselfish he became,

And how he treated everyone as a brother.

His final paragraph says,

“I earnestly advise every alcoholic to read this book through,”

I am so grateful for his beautiful words,

And would advise the same to anyone too;

“And though perhaps he came to scoff,

He may remain to pray,”

I certainly arrived as a scoffer,

But now I pray gratefully every day.

CHAPTER ONE – BILL’S STORY.

Bill’s story, wonderful Bill, who was the first of us to get sober. He then met Dr Bob, and they then started to work with others. After a few years, when they realised they had found something special, they published the book Alcoholics Anonymous, the ‘Big Book,’ At that time, the Fellowship only numbered about 100. How wonderful, and now the Big Book, and the solution it contains is spread all around the world, It’s because of Bill, the book, and the beauty of God and AA that I am alive today. I am so grateful to him, to Dr Bob, to everyone who I have ever met in AA, they are on my gratitude list every day. I must always realise, that never before in the history of mankind, has there been a solution to our problem. Thank you Bill, thank you Dr Bob and all those early pioneers, and thank you lovely God for all the beauty you have allowed come into our lives through AA, and may we pray that AA does humbly and healthily, spiritually grow and glow.

Bill’s Story,

First Chapter of our Big Book,

Containing the wonderful solution,

Do give it a look;

Born in Vermont,

In the USA,

This lovely man,

One of the founders of AA.

He found alcohol in his teens,

It worked for many years,

But eventually it brought him only misery,

And lots and lots of tears;

He often tried to stay dry,

To never again have a drop,

But no matter what he did,

He never could stay stopped.

He had a wife and family,

Was committed many a time,

But always on discharge,

Was soon back on the wine;

Then Eby called one day,

A former drinking friend,

Who said he had a solution,

For Bill’s drinking to end.

He didn’t stop right away,

But it was the start,

That led to our Fellowship,

And many a happy heart;

He managed eventually to get sober,

And to Akron did go,

Trying to help others,

Enjoy a sober glow

He met there Dr Bob,

In May 1935,

And soon thereafter,

Our Fellowship came alive;

Dr Bob stayed sober,

And together they tried even more,

To help others every day,

Connect with a God they could adore.

From this humble beginning,

From this flimsy reed,

A book was later written,

To help fill the desperate need;

Now many years later,

AA has spread all over the earth,

To help people be sober,

And enjoy a life of freedom and mirth.

I am so very grateful,

For without AA I’d be dead,

The founders are on my gratitude list,

And in my prayers when I go to bed;

Only started in the 1930′s,

Before that there was no respite,

Only death awaited,

To make the head peaceful and quite.

Thank God for the twelve steps,

From a loving God or Higher Power,

I am eternally grateful,

Every second of every hour;

For I was in despair,

Contemplating suicide,

When I came to AA,

To be welcomed with arms wide.

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

How can we ever repay,

The beauty of our Fellowship,

That gives many a sober day;

Thank you lovely God,

For giving the solution to Bill,

That allows us to surrender our will,

And have a mind happy and still.

CHAPTER TWO – THERE IS A SOLUTION.

Chapter Two, describes the very simple solution, things that our founders did to keep sober. These they set out, thank God, in the life-saving book, Alcoholics Anonymous, our beautiful Big Book. As it says on page 20, “Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs.” I pray the words I have written below, reflect the beauty of what they wrote.

There is a beautiful solution,

That I now know,

I pray that in my demeanour,

It does always show;

I saw it on my first day.

When I did arrive,

The people at that meeting,

Were very positively alive.

They had found a solution,

One common to all,

All they wanted to do was help me,

Stand sober, happy and tall;

They were armed with the facts,

They had been where I had been,

They had reached their rock bottom,

And had their own horrors seen.

We had similar stories,

What had started as a friend,

Later caused problems,

And despair without end;

It had become a problem,

For years it gave me pain,

I often tried to stop,

And a new life gain.

I had tried many times,

But something would arise,

And before I knew it I was drinking,

I wasn’t very wise;

My will-power was great,

But not when it came to drink,

Something would happen,

And I was drunk before I could think.

I knew trouble would ensue,

If I started drinking again,

Yet these thoughts were pushed to one side,

I couldn’t remember the pain;

Many a time I made resolutions,

A new pledge make,

Yet a short time later,

A drink I would take.

Often a resolution would be made,

Then the thought would appear,

“It won’t burn me this time,”

Let’s just have a beer;

One would lead to another,

Despair would set in,

Why did I start,

Why did I begin.

But in AA there is a solution,

It is a spiritual one,

With lots of simple suggestions,

For a life of sobriety and fun;

We have to review our lives,

With complete and utter honesty,

And be willing to make amends,

If a wrong we do notice or see.

In AA we can begin a new life,

One that’s completely free,

By doing daily spiritual suggestions,

That give peace and serenity;

This then is the solution,

Spirituality is the core,

To find a God in our life,

One whom we can love and adore.

CHAPTER 3 – MORE ABOUT ALCOHOLISM

This chapter continues talking about us, and how and why we drank. It talks about the things we have often done to try and stop drinking. It also shows that no matter what our resolve, something would happen that would lead us to picking up a drink, allowing alcoholic insanity to return. It does, however, talk about the solution, and contain the magic sentence, “Then they outlined the spiritual answer and programme of action which a hundred of them had followed successfully.” (Page 42 of the Big Book.)

It wasn’t my ambition,

To come to AA,

But pain forced me through the door,

There was no other way;

I couldn’t stop drinking,

I had no other choice,

I phoned the AA office,

And heard a pleasant voice.

I was given details,

Of a lunch-time meeting,

When I arrived,

I got a lovely greeting;

People seemed to know about me,

They had been where I had been,

But now they lived soberly,

And did happily dream.

We went for tea after,

Our stories were virtually the same,

They had been sober a long time,

Life for them was a new ball game;

They had had periods of not drinking,

Before they came to AA,

But only by following the steps,

Had they been happily sober for many a day.

They had tried self-knowledge,

They had looked at all the facts,

But then something would upset them,

And they thought a drink would help them relax;

The Big Book describes this insanity,

Or the ability to think straight,

Life would become heavy,

And a drink they would take.

They use the example of the jay-walker,

Which at first I thought was absurd,

But now when I read it,

I agree with every word;

For weren’t we all jay-walkers,

Over the years we got worse,

But it wouldn’t prevent us drinking,

It was like we had a curse.

With all my self-knowledge,

Eventually I couldn’t stop,

Then I sought out AA,

And into a meeting did hop;

I found there a solution,

But I had to admit I was completely beat,

There was no going back,

Trial drinking I could not repeat.

The God given solution was outlined,

A positive programme of action,

They said if I did these things,

I would get a positive reaction;

Even from that first day,

I had the feeling I’d be all right,

If I just put AA first,

I’d remain happy, sober and bright.

It has brought me a new way of life,

More useful than the life I lived before,

Something called my spirit has been charged,

It now wants to magnificently soar;

My old manner of life was not a bad one,

But I would not go back to it now,

For AA has given me peace and serenity,

To describe it, I can only say wow.

WE AGNOSTICS – CHAPTER FOUR.

This chapter is sometimes described as the greatest chapter of the greatest book ever written. It talks about us and our necessity to find a power greater than ourselves to stop our drinking. It gives fantastic advice on how to achieve this. It has so many beautiful sentences including these from Page 47, “We needed to ask ourselves but one short question. “Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself? As soon as a man can say that he does believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on his way.”

‘We agnostics,’

A word that used to describe me,

I thought I knew it all,

But I was missing ‘Thee’;

I didn’t know AA was spiritual,

When I did arrive,

But I had to follow the programme of action,

If I was to remain alive.

‘You may be suffering from an illness’,

It says on Page forty-four,

‘Which only a spiritual experience will conquer’,

To help your spirit live and soar;

For if you are powerless over alcohol,

You’ll need to find a Higher Power,

Something that’s with you,

Every second of every hour.

‘Lack of power, that was our dilemma’,

It says on Page forty-five,

We had to find a power greater than ourselves,

If we were to remain happily alive;

“Well that’s exactly what this book is about,” (Page 45)

It’s why it was wrote,

Every word in it divine,

From it we often quote.

For the reason I am alive today,

Is the information it does contain,

Instructions that not only keep me sober,

But also happy and sane;

Thank God it was written,

For without it I’d be dead,

A screaming painful death,

Until the last breath from my head.

Pain made it easy,

To change my way of thinking,

And find a Higher Power,

To stop my stupid drinking;

The word God used to upset me,

But it doesn’t any more,

For AA allows me to find,

A God I now adore.

The book on Page forty-seven asks,

‘Am I even willing to believe’,

It needs to be answered positively,

For your old drinking habits to leave;

If you are able to answer yes,

The book says your on your way,

To a life of sober living,

With God’s love growing day by day.

‘Faced with alcoholic destruction,’

Mentioned on Page forty-eight,

Made me open-minded,

Allowing God to be my mate;

Pain was a great persuader,

It made me reasonable,

To allow God to enter my life,

To make it sober and stable.

The beautiful presence of God,

I am now able to say,

Is the most important fact in my life,

In every wonderful way;

I would have smiled at such a sally,

When I tried to do life on my own,

But through AA and lovely God,

A wonderful life I’ve been shown.

CHAPTER FIVE – HOW IT WORKS

The beautiful chapter that sets out the 12 steps, and then goes on to describe in beautiful detail, steps three and four. What a wonderful title for a chapter. It is so positive. It is setting out what the origins members did to get and stay sober. I am one of many millions who followed their path, and can say the steps are what you need to do to get and stay sober. Doing the steps, with the guidance of a sponsor, is ‘HOW IT WORKS.’

How it works,

The title of chapter five,

The steps we need to do are shown,

To become spiritually alive;

Twelve wonderful steps,

Just 200 words,

To repair a damaged spirit,

So simple it seems absurd.

I had never heard of them,

Before I did arrive,

But doing them,

Brought me spiritually alive;

Thank you for our Big Book,

For every single page,

By doing the steps we happily grow,

We no longer shout or rage.

On Page 63 it says,

We were now at Step Tree,

And doing this lovely step,

Certainly increased me glee;

I went to my sponsor’s house,

And we looked at steps one, two, three,

The start of the process,

That allows us to be alcohol free.

We then got on our knees,

To say the step three prayer,

I’ve said it every day since,

It’s a spiritual tool to remove care;

Those beautiful magical words starting,

“God I offer myself to Thee,”

Helping smash the ego,

Helping setting me free.

Very soon thereafter,

I started to do step four,

To free me from the bondage of self,

To allow my spirit to soar;

My sponsor gave me a list of my character defects,

He said I had in all forteen,

And writing this step in three columns,

Allows me to continue to happily dream.

It allowed me to see realistically,

That no matter what had occurred,

It was how I reacted to it,

That caused me to drink and act absurd;

It didn’t really matter,

What the event or situation,

It was me defects of character,

That caused me to drink without hesitation.

My pride and self-pity,

And twelve defects more,

Caused me to be unhappy,

And my mind to race and roar;

Being shown this beautiful step,

Allowed me to look back at my past,

Allowed me to have control of events,

And not to pick up a glass.

It allowed my mind to be clean,

Allowing me to happily dream,

It allowed me to realise my spirit,

And be part of the human team;

Thank you lovely God,

For giving me this new chance,

Please allow me to be sober,

So that other lives I can enhance.

CHAPTER SIX – INTO ACTION.

Into action, how wonderful, the chapter that deals with steps five, to eleven. It gives more details on what we have to do, all part of the wonderful AA 12 step spiritual programme of recovery. AA only came about in the late 1930′s, when for the first time man found a solution to the disease known as alcoholism. Previous generations, had tried, but it was only with the start of AA, that a wonderful simple common solution became available. This chapter talks about the action required for steps 5 to 11, and what has to be done. I can only say that as one of the many millions who have followed it’s guidelines, with the benefit of a sponsor, that by doing the steps, and by taking certain actions, it does beautifully, and wonderfully work.

The chapter “Into action,”

Lists things that have to be done,

To complete our spiritual programme,

To have a life of sobriety and fun;

It’s there in black and white,

The steps to put you right,

Very simple spiritual advice,

To make your spirit shine happy, healthy and bright.

The chapter starts with step five,

Which I never thought I’d do,

But by doing it,

A new life came into view;

It has to be done,

For as it says on Page seventy-two,

Avoiding this humbling step,

Could be the ruin of you.

Then steps six and seven,

Only three short paragraphs,

Allowing us to spiritually grow,

And enjoy many a sober laugh;

They ask for defects of character to be removed,

Things I never realised were there,

Getting ride of my difficulties,

And easing many a care.

Then making necessary amends,

By doing steps eight and nine,

Part of the spiritual recovery programme,

To make our relationships fine;

To go to members of our family,

To see a friend or even someone who was a foe,

Allows the soul to glisten,

The spirit to grow and glow.

Then on to step ten,

Pages that give such great advice,

The words of the ages,

The wisdom of the wise;

On Page eighty-five is written,

We’re given a daily reprieve,

“Contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition,”

So this spiritual healing need never leave.

“We have not even sworn off,”

Is mentioned on the same page,

And by doing daily spiritual actions,

We need no longer drunkenly rage;

It is truly remarkable,

I can testify to it’s strength and might,

Through sponsorship and the Big Book,

I have been shown a sober light.

Finally step eleven,

Mentions prayer and meditation,

Things I regularly do now,

Often praying for the whole of creation;

This step also mentions,

A conscious contact with God,

Something I now think is wonderful,

Something that I once thought very odd.

These steps all involve action,

That’s what this chapter talks about,

Something that I now feel is wonderful,

Something about which I want to happily shout;

So much great advice is given,

All in our wonderful Big Book,

All I can say to everyone,

Is do not delay give it a look.

CHAPTER SEVEN – WORKING WITH OTHERS>

AA is free, and from the start I was given beautiful free help and free beautiful spiritual advice. This has meant that not only have I not had a drink for over seventeen years, but it has also been the best period of my life. All the help I’ve been given, had been freely given. AA is a spiritual programme of recovery, and a definition of spirituality, is that it has to be free. This is at the heart of AA. I was given fantastic free help from my first day, still am given it, and all I have to do is to try to pass it on to others, by trying to help them, and this is what chapter twelve is all about.

“Working with others,”

What a pleasure,

To pass on the gift,

Of our beautiful spiritual treasure;

Freely passing on,

What was freely given to me,

Not only wonderful sobriety,

But also a life of health and glee.

From when I arrived,

People worked with me,

I was given a cup of tea,

And the gift of sobriety;

We went to a Cafe after,

For ‘the meeting after the meeting,’

I was very well looked after,

I was given a wonderful greeting.

It is our twelfth step,

To carry our message to others,

For people who have our problem,

People who are our friends and brothers;

The people helping me,

Had also been given a great welcome,

And through following spiritual principles,

Sober they had happily become.

The people I met knew my problem,

Which over the years had grown,

Only death awaited me,

My destruction I was daily been shown;

But AA offers a solution,

Of a spiritual kind,

Allowing us not only to be sober,

But to have a peaceful happy mind.

These people knew all about me,

They had been where I had been,

They had reached the depths of despair,

They had had many a horrendous dream;

But they offered a solution,

One which I quickly did grasp,

All they wanted to do was help me,

That is all they did ask.

They spoke of alcoholism as an illness,

A fateful malady,

It didn’t take much to convince me,

From my own experience this I could feel and see;

But now they all looked so well,

They talked about their experience,

They said if I did the same things,

A sober life I could live and enhance.

They said they only wanted to help me,

By passing on what they had been shown,

By doing simple spiritual things,

Into a sober life they had grown;

At first it seemed strange,

But I had to grasp at any straw,

I started to do what they suggested,

And on a new Power I started to draw.

Now many years later,

I still try to pass on this beautiful gift,

To help others be sober and healthy,

And their spirits from alcoholic lift;

It is something I do with gratitude,

Something I do with glee,

It’s the very least I can do,

For a gift given so freely to me.

CHAPTER EIGHT – TO WIVES.

This chapter was written by Bill, because he was the person who had the spiritual experience, and because he also had the foresight, to get the book up and running. When AA started it was nearly all men, but from the start the wives of those involved would also be getting together to meet. This eventually led to the start of our sister Fellowship, Al-anon. What a fantastic fellowship both are. As time went on more and more women started to come to AA because of their own drinking problems, and the husbands started to go to Al-anon. Thus the chapter ‘To Wives,’ called also be called “To Husbands, To Boyfriends, To Girlfriends, To Partners,” for it gives advice on how to deal with the newly sober person, and how beneficial to all concerned, it is to live on a spiritual basis. I am so grateful to AA, and daily I say thank-you to Bill, for allowing my mind to be happy and still,and for allowing me to ask God to surrender my will.

Chapter eight,

Entitled ‘To Wives,’

Part of our beautiful Big Book,

The book that saves lives;

But this chapter could also be called,

To husbands or to friends,

For the spiritual truths within,

Contain information whose truth never ends.

It starts by talking about different stages,

And gives four categories of use,

No matter to which one you belong,

We needed to control our drinking abuse;

This is best done spiritually,

By practising spiritual principles in all our affairs,

And by doing this we deal with resentments,

And reduce our cares and fears.

When the Big book was written,

The Fellowship was nearly all men,

Who had upset their wives,

Wonderful brilliant women;

Then as AA expanded,

Women in their own right started to appear,

Bringing their husbands,

Who had also shed many a tear.

But spiritual truths are universal,

This we learn in AA,

And doing them keeps us sober,

Each wonderful, beautiful day;

They apply equally to husbands and wives,

No matter what their age , philosophy or creed,

By living a spiritual life,

You will always happily succeed.

It says on Page one hundred and twenty,

Why not place the problem in God’s hands,

Something I could never admit existed,

Wasn’t I the silly arrogant man;

But AA gives the freedom,

To choose a God of our own concept,

This very beautiful simple idea,

Made the God idea very easy to accept.

I now realise that all my pain was necessary,

For it opened me up to the idea of God,

Something I used to rebel against,

Actions that I now realise were weird and odd;

Page one hundred and sixteen mentions,

“How much better life is when lived on a spiritual plane,”

I now readily agree with this,

For before AA my life was one of fear, unhappiness and pain.

A spiritual life is not just a theory,

It helps to ease the journey of life,

For doing life on our own,

Only leads to pain and strife;

But pain can lead to wonderful AA,

Where we find we are not apart,

We find a fantastic Fellowship,

That allows us to reveal the love of God in our heart.

The spiritual life we are shown,

Is not exclusive to AA,

But we certainly have to live it,

Otherwise we drink and go astray;

We find that a spiritual life works not only for wives,

But husbands, children, and friends,

By being humble before Him or Her,

His love He constantly sends.

CHAPTER NINE – THE FAMILY AFTERWARDS.

The chapter describing what happens when Dad starts to be dry. It talks about some of the obstacles a family will meet, and how it is often best not to rush things, and yet of course the family can be impatient and wants things to return to ‘normal.’ The chapter does stress the spiritual life, and how this should be put first. How the ex-problem drinker must always try to help others, if he wants to retain his sobriety. How to approach this new life, may best be described by two sentences from the Big Book, one on Page 127, and the other on page 130.

Page 127, “For us, material well-being always followed spiritual progress,” and Page 130,“We have found nothing incompatible between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy usefulness.”

Alcoholism effects not just the individual,

But also friends and family,

And this chapter describes the solution,

That can bring to all parties glee;

For there is also a sister Fellowship,

It is called Al-anon,

Where people also meet,

To help each other spiritually along.

It started at the same time,

For when Bill and Bob got together,

The wives would also meet,

To help each other over sticky weather;

Having common ground,

A sister Fellowship they found,

To the despair of their drinking connection,

They were no longer bound.

For we have a common past,

But also now a common solution,

It is a spiritual one,

God willing there’s never any dilution;

We talk about our common experience,

And the horrors that have gone before,

And how the benefit of a spiritual life,

Allow our spirits to soar.

There are a lot of spiritual gems,

In this lovely chapter,

Things to keep us sober,

And not ourselves batter;

For instance Page 133 says,

“We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous and free.”

And following spiritual principles,

Allows this to be.

Page 133 also says,

“We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears,”

And through sponsorship, steps and service,

We allay all our troubles and fears;

“Avoid then the deliberate manufacture of misery,

But if trouble comes,”

Use the spiritual life,

To remain with God and others as chums.

“If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence,”

It says on Page 132,

And following AA’s spiritual principles,

Allows joy and fun to come into view;

“We also absolutely insist on enjoying life,”

Is also mentioned on the same page,

And again by following AA’s spiritual principles,

We need no longer drink or rage.

It talks about health,

And how this does improve,

It might not happen overnight,

But it does if you get into the AA grove;

“We who have recovered from a serious condition,

Are miracles of mental health,” (P 133)

For steps, service and sponsorship,

Leads to the greatest spiritual wealth.

To conclude about this chapter,

Called ‘The Family Afterward,’

Leading a spiritual life,

Does lead to untold reward;

It concludes with three sayings, ‘First Things First,’

Live and Let Live,’

‘Easy Does It,’ and may I add,

Do constantly work and forgive.

CHAPTER TEN – TO EMPLOYERS.

This chapter to employers, is numbered ten, like all the other chapters, we should read it, again and again, and again.The only chapter in the Big Book, not written by Bill. It gives lots of practical advice. The core of our programme, is that we are given “a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.” (Page 85.) By dong this, we are able to start a great relationship with a new employer, God, which then allows us to be sober daily, and then to have a new successful relationship, with family, friends and employers.

To Employers,

The title of Chapter Ten,

Part of the wonderful Big Book,

Which we should read, again and again, and again;

It contains lots of wisdom,

All of it wise,

And helps us on our path,

And the spiritual awakening realise.

“We had a new employer,”

It says on Page 63,

And following the steps and traditions,

Leads us to a life of sobriety;

Because this new employer,

Will never let you down,

He/She is always there to help,

And remove many a frown.

“He provided what we needed,

if we kept close to Him,” (Page 63.)

And He/She not only keeps us sober,

But provides us with lots of energy and vim;

The book does also tell,

We must perform His work well,

We need no longer swear or shout,

Or at God or our employer yell.

Established on such a footing, it also says,

We become less interested in our little plans and ideas,

Each day I thank God I came to AA,

And for realising the warning signs;

More and more we became interested

In seeing what we could contribute to life, (P63)

Of trying to help others,

Overcome sickness and strife.

As we felt new power flow in,

As we enjoyed peace of mind, (P63)

We thanked God constantly,

For being so loving and kind;

As we discovered we could face life successfully,

As we became conscious of his presence, (p63.)

We came to enjoy the beauty of God,

His beautiful spiritual essence.

Page 63 also says,

We began to lose our fear,

We began to realise God’s beauty

And shed many a happy tear.;

We began to realise God’s love,

We were reborn, (P63)

A new spiritual life had started,

We had a new beautiful dawn.

It also says on Page 143,

“we have to place recovery first,”

We have to do this,

To prevent us having a thirst;

For without recovery,

We would have lost both home and business,

This seemed strange at first,

But now it makes complete and utter sense.

So to all employers,

To all family and friends,

By putting our spiritual life first,

Recovery never ends;

For we are granted a daily reprieve,

Given to us by lovely God,

Provided we maintain our spiritual condition,

That no longer seems strange or odd.

CHAPTER ELEVEN – A VISION FOR YOU.

This is the title of our last chapter, chapter eleven. It strives to give an indication of what we should aim for with our new sober life. It assumes that the lovely broken people coming to AA are doing the steps with the guidance of a sponsor, and are on starting a new relationship with God. It’s final paragraph on Page 164, often read at meetings, ask us to, “Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of happy Destiny. May God bless you and keep you – until then.”

Chapter eleven,

“A Vision For You,”

Things we can aspire to,

Things we can aim to do;

Our lovely last chapter,

God willing the steps have been done,

Describes what can we look forward to,

Now we’re in the spiritual sun.

It talks bout what it was like,

And how a new Fellowship we found,

That allows us to be sober,

Our spirits happy and sound;

It talks about making new friends,

In our own community,

Passing on our sober message,

Helping them to be alcohol free.

“The age of miracles is still with us,”

It says on Page 153,

For not only are we sober,

God’s love fills us with glee;

“Our own recovery proves that,”

That we were able to change,

And now with God’s love,

Through the world we happily range.

We have found release.

From care, boredom and worry,

Our minds have started to be calm,

No longer screaming or in a hurry;

Our imagination is fired,

“Life will mean something at last,”

As we help others always,

To never again pick up a glass.

“The most satisfactory years of your existence lie ahead,”

This I certainly found to be true,

For now I have the beauty of God’s love with me,

In all that I think of or do;

My life is not boring or glum,

For everyone now is my chum,

This lad who was on the drunken shelf,

Is now able to “Love Thy neighbour as Thyself.”

“Both saw that they must keep spiritually active,“

It says on page 156,

And I very gratefully do,

To retain my sober spiritual fix;

I do daily spiritual suggestions,

Including morning and night on my knees,

Thanking lovely God for sobriety,

And asking may I help others please.

“These men had found something new in life,”

It says on beautiful Page 159,

And by doing spiritual things daily,

They radiate eternal sunshine;

“It was transcended by the happiness they found,”

It also does say,

“By giving themselves for others,”

Every second of the day.

“Abandon yourself to God,”

It says on page 164,

Doing things constantly for others,

Allows your spirits to soar;

So “Give freely of what you find and join us,”

On the “Road of Happy Destiny,”

Throw away your old life,

Do the steps and fill yourself with glee.

SPIRITUAL TOOLS ; DAILY SUGGESTIONS.

aahealing — Fri, 12 Jul 2013 09:25:39 +0000

SPIRITUAL TOOLS ; DAILY SUGGESTIONS.

The term “spiritual tools,” is mentioned on Page 25 of the book Alcoholics Anonymous. They are so, so, very important. These are the things that keep us sober, for it is by daily doing spiritual actions or by daily picking up the spiritual tools of AA that we remain sober.

When I arrived in AA, I had no idea that it was a spiritual programme of action, or even that the word God would be used.

I had also never heard of the expression “spiritual tools.” It seemed a strange concept. I now realise that there are “spiritual tools,” and that it is essential for my sobriety for me to put them into use each day.

This is all mentioned in the Big Book, where it says on Page 85, “It is easy to let up on the spiritual programme of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.”

This means that to remain sober, we have to do spiritual things daily to maintain our spiritual condition and hence our sobriety.

When I first heard this and started doing them, I thought it a bit strange, but I saw that they worked in others, and I am very grateful to say it works for me, and countless others.

I now love doing spiritual actions, for by doing them, not only do I maintain my sobriety, but they also encourage me to do service, to help newcomers, and to give away this gift, a gift that I have been so freely given.

Regarding the term “spiritual tools,” the full quote from Page 25 of the Big Book is, “When, therefore, we were approached by those in whom the problem had been solved, there was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of SPIRITUAL TOOLS laid at our feet.”

Since my first day, I have always got on my knees, night and morning, to connect with a Higher Power or a God of my own concept or understanding.

Each morning I ask my Higher Power to keep me sober that day, all so that I can be of help to others. Then again at night, I get on my knees, and thank that same power for keeping me sober that day.

This getting on our knees, is a very, very important spiritual tool. It allows us to humbly connect with a Higher Power or God of our own concept, and allows us to express gratitude to that same concept of God or Higher Power for keeping us sober each day.

When I met my sponsor, he gave me other spiritual suggestions or tools to do each day.

These are shown below. I and many. many others, do them each day. Please feel free to give them a go.

………………………………………………………………………………………

DAILY SUGGESTIONS ; DAILY SPIRITUAL TOOLS

We find that doing the following actions, maintains our daily spiritual condition, keeping us sober, giving us good days, in other words, we’re sober, ‘happy, joyous and free.’

ON KNEES – TRUST YOUR HIGHER POWER.

Each morning, pray, talk, or chat on your knees to a Higher Power or God of your own understanding or concept (Page 12 of the Big Book). Ask for a sober day, all so you can be of help to other alcoholics, (Page 13 of the Big Book)and then be in a position to help your family, friends and society. Each night, again on your knees, thank your Higher Power for keeping you sober that day.

MEDITATION.

Each morning read the JUST FOR TODAY card, a great set of ideals to aim for. At night, write a gratitude list, that is a list of things you are grateful for, thanking your Higher power for them. Some people do this in the morning, and even add to it during the day.

SPONSOR.

Phone your sponsor daily and do what is agreed. If anything is unclear or if you have any problems, this is a chance to discuss or unburden them. The sponsor isn’t the Higher power, but he/she passes on the spiritual programme of recovery, and by doing the steps, we develop our own relationship to it.

READINGS.

Each day, read at least a page from the Big Book, more if you can. This will help your recovery; it will also help you to understand the real problem and allow you to see the great life on offer. Each day read the relevant daily page from the AA book ‘Reflections’. It’s another great read.

SERVICE.

Aim to do some service to help AA grow and glow each day. (phoning newcomers is a way of doing this.) Commit to two weekly meetings, these are called ‘home groups.’ At these pitch in and be helpful. Aim at these to get service commitments. At other meetings always see if you can be of help, ask if necessary, and always be looking to help the newcomer.

PHONE.

Each day phone at least two newcomers. (That is someone newer than you.)

FRIGHTENED OR ANXIOUS ? SAY THE SERENITY PRAYER. UPSET OR ANNOYED WITH SOMEONE. ? PRAY FOR THEM

Pray for him or her. For example ‘Please God bless XXX and let him or her have health, prosperity and happiness’, or Please God, give me the tolerance, and patience I would gratefully grant a sick friend.,’ or ‘Please God give XXX everything I would wish for myself.’ (Page 552 of the Big Book gives great advice on how to deal with resentments, or how to pray for others.)

IF ANYTHING IS UNCLEAR, ASK YOUR SPONSOR.

We found these suggestions worked for us. Why not give them a go? However, if you don’t like them or don’t want to do them, just ignore the above and this website, and move on. Either way you will be in our prayers, as we pray that AA does happily and healthily spiritually grow and glow.

aahealing — Sat, 29 Jun 2013 19:47:36 +0000

Foreword

Chap.1

Chap.2

Chap.3

Chap.4

Chap.5

Chap.6

Chap.7

Chap.8

Chap.9

Chap.10

Chap.11

FOREWORD AND THE DOCTOR’S OPINION.

The Big book, is in my opinion, the greatest book that has ever been written, for it not only saved my life, by giving me precise instructions on how to stop drinking, but it also allowed me to start and develop a wonderful relationship with a God of my own concept or understanding.The first edition, started with a Forward, in which the sentence, “To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book,“ is written. This still holds good today. There then follows a piece known as ‘The Doctor’s Opinion.’ This is basically a letter written by a Dr William D. Silkworth, who was at the time, “A well-known doctor, chief physician at a nationally prominent hospital specializing in alcoholic and drug addiction.” He had treated Bill, and had tried very hard for a number of years to help Bill and other alcoholics to keep sober. He describes the affliction of alcoholism, and how very hard he found it to keep anyone sober, including Bill. He then saw Bill change completely, all through what we now know to be spiritual principles, and saw that not only was Bill able to keep himself sober, he was also able to help others. I have written a few words about this, I pray you enjoy them.

The book that saved my life,

Is our wonderful ‘Big Book,’

I love every part of it,

Please do give it a look;

Written in the late 1930′s,

In the wonderful USA,

It contains certain instructions,

To help us soberly on our way.

It has a ‘Forward’ and ‘The Doctor’s Opinion,’

Then another eleven chapters bright,

All to help the alcoholic.

Be sober, joyful and light;

It also contains stories,

From members of all kinds,

All to help readers identify,

And have peaceful, sober minds.

“Precisely how we have recovered,”

Is in the forward to the first edition,

A precise solution has been found,

That solves our drunken condition;

It’s the first time in history,

If we look at the story of the ages,

We should rejoice every day,

For the beautiful instructions on its pages.

I am so very grateful,

That there is now a solution,

One that we should pass on constantly,

That is my daily resolution;

Something found in my parents’ lifetime,

Where previously there never was none,

AA allows me not only to be sober,

But to be full of happiness and fun.

After the ‘Forward’ there is ‘The Doctor’s Opinion,’

Written by fabulous Dr Silkworth,

Who tried his utmost and best,

To bring his charges sobriety and mirth;

He lists the impossible condition of alcoholics,

And realises that no matter how hard he did strive,

He could not keep any of his charges,

Permanently and soberly alive.

He states that “if a doctor is honest with himself,”

“He must sometimes feel his own inadequacy,”

Yet when he wrote this opinion,

He was starting to see people sober and full of glee;

He talks about knowing Bill previously,

And how about he did change,

And that by doing certain altruistic things,

He did through the world happily range.

He talks about the “phenomenon of craving,”

And “the manifestation of an allergy,”

And even though he knew his facts,

A way out for alcoholics he couldn’t see;

But then he saw that Bill had changed,

And heard him tell his story to many another,

He noticed how unselfish he became,

And how he treated everyone as a brother.

His final paragraph says,

“I earnestly advise every alcoholic to read this book through,”

I am so grateful for his beautiful words,

And would advise the same to anyone too;

“And though perhaps he came to scoff,

He may remain to pray,”

I certainly arrived as a scoffer,

But now I pray gratefully every day.

CHAPTER ONE – BILL’S STORY.

Bill’s story, wonderful Bill, who was the first of us to get sober. He then met Dr Bob, and they then started to work with others. After a few years, when they realised they had found something special, they published the book Alcoholics Anonymous, the ‘Big Book,’ At that time, the Fellowship only numbered about 100. How wonderful, and now the Big Book, and the solution it contains is spread all around the world, It’s because of Bill, the book, and the beauty of God and AA that I am alive today. I am so grateful to him, to Dr Bob, to everyone who I have ever met in AA, they are on my gratitude list every day. I must always realise, that never before in the history of mankind, has there been a solution to our problem. Thank you Bill, thank you Dr Bob and all those early pioneers, and thank you lovely God for all the beauty you have allowed come into our lives through AA, and may we pray that AA does humbly and healthily, spiritually grow and glow.

Bill’s Story,

First Chapter of our Big Book,

Containing the wonderful solution,

Do give it a look;

Born in Vermont,

In the USA,

This lovely man,

One of the founders of AA.

He found alcohol in his teens,

It worked for many years,

But eventually it brought him only misery,

And lots and lots of tears;

He often tried to stay dry,

To never again have a drop,

But no matter what he did,

He never could stay stopped.

He had a wife and family,

Was committed many a time,

But always on discharge,

Was soon back on the wine;

Then Eby called one day,

A former drinking friend,

Who said he had a solution,

For Bill’s drinking to end.

He didn’t stop right away,

But it was the start,

That led to our Fellowship,

And many a happy heart;

He managed eventually to get sober,

And to Akron did go,

Trying to help others,

Enjoy a sober glow

He met there Dr Bob,

In May 1935,

And soon thereafter,

Our Fellowship came alive;

Dr Bob stayed sober,

And together they tried even more,

To help others every day,

Connect with a God they could adore.

From this humble beginning,

From this flimsy reed,

A book was later written,

To help fill the desperate need;

Now many years later,

AA has spread all over the earth,

To help people be sober,

And enjoy a life of freedom and mirth.

I am so very grateful,

For without AA I’d be dead,

The founders are on my gratitude list,

And in my prayers when I go to bed;

Only started in the 1930′s,

Before that there was no respite,

Only death awaited,

To make the head peaceful and quite.

Thank God for the twelve steps,

From a loving God or Higher Power,

I am eternally grateful,

Every second of every hour;

For I was in despair,

Contemplating suicide,

When I came to AA,

To be welcomed with arms wide.

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

How can we ever repay,

The beauty of our Fellowship,

That gives many a sober day;

Thank you lovely God,

For giving the solution to Bill,

That allows us to surrender our will,

And have a mind happy and still.

CHAPTER TWO – THERE IS A SOLUTION.

Chapter Two, describes the very simple solution, things that our founders did to keep sober. These they set out, thank God, in the life-saving book, Alcoholics Anonymous, our beautiful Big Book. As it says on page 20, “Our very lives, as ex-problem drinkers, depend upon our constant thought of others and how we may help meet their needs.” I pray the words I have written below, reflect the beauty of what they wrote.

There is a beautiful solution,

That I now know,

I pray that in my demeanour,

It does always show;

I saw it on my first day.

When I did arrive,

The people at that meeting,

Were very positively alive.

They had found a solution,

One common to all,

All they wanted to do was help me,

Stand sober, happy and tall;

They were armed with the facts,

They had been where I had been,

They had reached their rock bottom,

And had their own horrors seen.

We had similar stories,

What had started as a friend,

Later caused problems,

And despair without end;

It had become a problem,

For years it gave me pain,

I often tried to stop,

And a new life gain.

I had tried many times,

But something would arise,

And before I knew it I was drinking,

I wasn’t very wise;

My will-power was great,

But not when it came to drink,

Something would happen,

And I was drunk before I could think.

I knew trouble would ensue,

If I started drinking again,

Yet these thoughts were pushed to one side,

I couldn’t remember the pain;

Many a time I made resolutions,

A new pledge make,

Yet a short time later,

A drink I would take.

Often a resolution would be made,

Then the thought would appear,

“It won’t burn me this time,”

Let’s just have a beer;

One would lead to another,

Despair would set in,

Why did I start,

Why did I begin.

But in AA there is a solution,

It is a spiritual one,

With lots of simple suggestions,

For a life of sobriety and fun;

We have to review our lives,

With complete and utter honesty,

And be willing to make amends,

If a wrong we do notice or see.

In AA we can begin a new life,

One that’s completely free,

By doing daily spiritual suggestions,

That give peace and serenity;

This then is the solution,

Spirituality is the core,

To find a God in our life,

One whom we can love and adore.

CHAPTER 3 – MORE ABOUT ALCOHOLISM

This chapter continues talking about us, and how and why we drank. It talks about the things we have often done to try and stop drinking. It also shows that no matter what our resolve, something would happen that would lead us to picking up a drink, allowing alcoholic insanity to return. It does, however, talk about the solution, and contain the magic sentence, “Then they outlined the spiritual answer and programme of action which a hundred of them had followed successfully.” (Page 42 of the Big Book.)

It wasn’t my ambition,

To come to AA,

But pain forced me through the door,

There was no other way;

I couldn’t stop drinking,

I had no other choice,

I phoned the AA office,

And heard a pleasant voice.

I was given details,

Of a lunch-time meeting,

When I arrived,

I got a lovely greeting;

People seemed to know about me,

They had been where I had been,

But now they lived soberly,

And did happily dream.

We went for tea after,

Our stories were virtually the same,

They had been sober a long time,

Life for them was a new ball game;

They had had periods of not drinking,

Before they came to AA,

But only by following the steps,

Had they been happily sober for many a day.

They had tried self-knowledge,

They had looked at all the facts,

But then something would upset them,

And they thought a drink would help them relax;

The Big Book describes this insanity,

Or the ability to think straight,

Life would become heavy,

And a drink they would take.

They use the example of the jay-walker,

Which at first I thought was absurd,

But now when I read it,

I agree with every word;

For weren’t we all jay-walkers,

Over the years we got worse,

But it wouldn’t prevent us drinking,

It was like we had a curse.

With all my self-knowledge,

Eventually I couldn’t stop,

Then I sought out AA,

And into a meeting did hop;

I found there a solution,

But I had to admit I was completely beat,

There was no going back,

Trial drinking I could not repeat.

The God given solution was outlined,

A positive programme of action,

They said if I did these things,

I would get a positive reaction;

Even from that first day,

I had the feeling I’d be all right,

If I just put AA first,

I’d remain happy, sober and bright.

It has brought me a new way of life,

More useful than the life I lived before,

Something called my spirit has been charged,

It now wants to magnificently soar;

My old manner of life was not a bad one,

But I would not go back to it now,

For AA has given me peace and serenity,

To describe it, I can only say wow.

WE AGNOSTICS – CHAPTER FOUR.

This chapter is sometimes described as the greatest chapter of the greatest book ever written. It talks about us and our necessity to find a power greater than ourselves to stop our drinking. It gives fantastic advice on how to achieve this. It has so many beautiful sentences including these from Page 47, “We needed to ask ourselves but one short question. “Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself? As soon as a man can say that he does believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on his way.”

‘We agnostics,’

A word that used to describe me,

I thought I knew it all,

But I was missing ‘Thee’;

I didn’t know AA was spiritual,

When I did arrive,

But I had to follow the programme of action,

If I was to remain alive.

‘You may be suffering from an illness’,

It says on Page forty-four,

‘Which only a spiritual experience will conquer’,

To help your spirit live and soar;

For if you are powerless over alcohol,

You’ll need to find a Higher Power,

Something that’s with you,

Every second of every hour.

‘Lack of power, that was our dilemma’,

It says on Page forty-five,

We had to find a power greater than ourselves,

If we were to remain happily alive;

“Well that’s exactly what this book is about,” (Page 45)

It’s why it was wrote,

Every word in it divine,

From it we often quote.

For the reason I am alive today,

Is the information it does contain,

Instructions that not only keep me sober,

But also happy and sane;

Thank God it was written,

For without it I’d be dead,

A screaming painful death,

Until the last breath from my head.

Pain made it easy,

To change my way of thinking,

And find a Higher Power,

To stop my stupid drinking;

The word God used to upset me,

But it doesn’t any more,

For AA allows me to find,

A God I now adore.

The book on Page forty-seven asks,

‘Am I even willing to believe’,

It needs to be answered positively,

For your old drinking habits to leave;

If you are able to answer yes,

The book says your on your way,

To a life of sober living,

With God’s love growing day by day.

‘Faced with alcoholic destruction,’

Mentioned on Page forty-eight,

Made me open-minded,

Allowing God to be my mate;

Pain was a great persuader,

It made me reasonable,

To allow God to enter my life,

To make it sober and stable.

The beautiful presence of God,

I am now able to say,

Is the most important fact in my life,

In every wonderful way;

I would have smiled at such a sally,

When I tried to do life on my own,

But through AA and lovely God,

A wonderful life I’ve been shown.

CHAPTER FIVE – HOW IT WORKS

The beautiful chapter that sets out the 12 steps, and then goes on to describe in beautiful detail, steps three and four. What a wonderful title for a chapter. It is so positive. It is setting out what the origins members did to get and stay sober. I am one of many millions who followed their path, and can say the steps are what you need to do to get and stay sober. Doing the steps, with the guidance of a sponsor, is ‘HOW IT WORKS.’

How it works,

The title of chapter five,

The steps we need to do are shown,

To become spiritually alive;

Twelve wonderful steps,

Just 200 words,

To repair a damaged spirit,

So simple it seems absurd.

I had never heard of them,

Before I did arrive,

But doing them,

Brought me spiritually alive;

Thank you for our Big Book,

For every single page,

By doing the steps we happily grow,

We no longer shout or rage.

On Page 63 it says,

We were now at Step Tree,

And doing this lovely step,

Certainly increased me glee;

I went to my sponsor’s house,

And we looked at steps one, two, three,

The start of the process,

That allows us to be alcohol free.

We then got on our knees,

To say the step three prayer,

I’ve said it every day since,

It’s a spiritual tool to remove care;

Those beautiful magical words starting,

“God I offer myself to Thee,”

Helping smash the ego,

Helping setting me free.

Very soon thereafter,

I started to do step four,

To free me from the bondage of self,

To allow my spirit to soar;

My sponsor gave me a list of my character defects,

He said I had in all forteen,

And writing this step in three columns,

Allows me to continue to happily dream.

It allowed me to see realistically,

That no matter what had occurred,

It was how I reacted to it,

That caused me to drink and act absurd;

It didn’t really matter,

What the event or situation,

It was me defects of character,

That caused me to drink without hesitation.

My pride and self-pity,

And twelve defects more,

Caused me to be unhappy,

And my mind to race and roar;

Being shown this beautiful step,

Allowed me to look back at my past,

Allowed me to have control of events,

And not to pick up a glass.

It allowed my mind to be clean,

Allowing me to happily dream,

It allowed me to realise my spirit,

And be part of the human team;

Thank you lovely God,

For giving me this new chance,

Please allow me to be sober,

So that other lives I can enhance.

CHAPTER SIX – INTO ACTION.

Into action, how wonderful, the chapter that deals with steps five, to eleven. It gives more details on what we have to do, all part of the wonderful AA 12 step spiritual programme of recovery. AA only came about in the late 1930′s, when for the first time man found a solution to the disease known as alcoholism. Previous generations, had tried, but it was only with the start of AA, that a wonderful simple common solution became available. This chapter talks about the action required for steps 5 to 11, and what has to be done. I can only say that as one of the many millions who have followed it’s guidelines, with the benefit of a sponsor, that by doing the steps, and by taking certain actions, it does beautifully, and wonderfully work.

The chapter “Into action,”

Lists things that have to be done,

To complete our spiritual programme,

To have a life of sobriety and fun;

It’s there in black and white,

The steps to put you right,

Very simple spiritual advice,

To make your spirit shine happy, healthy and bright.

The chapter starts with step five,

Which I never thought I’d do,

But by doing it,

A new life came into view;

It has to be done,

For as it says on Page seventy-two,

Avoiding this humbling step,

Could be the ruin of you.

Then steps six and seven,

Only three short paragraphs,

Allowing us to spiritually grow,

And enjoy many a sober laugh;

They ask for defects of character to be removed,

Things I never realised were there,

Getting ride of my difficulties,

And easing many a care.

Then making necessary amends,

By doing steps eight and nine,

Part of the spiritual recovery programme,

To make our relationships fine;

To go to members of our family,

To see a friend or even someone who was a foe,

Allows the soul to glisten,

The spirit to grow and glow.

Then on to step ten,

Pages that give such great advice,

The words of the ages,

The wisdom of the wise;

On Page eighty-five is written,

We’re given a daily reprieve,

“Contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition,”

So this spiritual healing need never leave.

“We have not even sworn off,”

Is mentioned on the same page,

And by doing daily spiritual actions,

We need no longer drunkenly rage;

It is truly remarkable,

I can testify to it’s strength and might,

Through sponsorship and the Big Book,

I have been shown a sober light.

Finally step eleven,

Mentions prayer and meditation,

Things I regularly do now,

Often praying for the whole of creation;

This step also mentions,

A conscious contact with God,

Something I now think is wonderful,

Something that I once thought very odd.

These steps all involve action,

That’s what this chapter talks about,

Something that I now feel is wonderful,

Something about which I want to happily shout;

So much great advice is given,

All in our wonderful Big Book,

All I can say to everyone,

Is do not delay give it a look.

CHAPTER SEVEN – WORKING WITH OTHERS>

AA is free, and from the start I was given beautiful free help and free beautiful spiritual advice. This has meant that not only have I not had a drink for over seventeen years, but it has also been the best period of my life. All the help I’ve been given, had been freely given. AA is a spiritual programme of recovery, and a definition of spirituality, is that it has to be free. This is at the heart of AA. I was given fantastic free help from my first day, still am given it, and all I have to do is to try to pass it on to others, by trying to help them, and this is what chapter twelve is all about.

“Working with others,”

What a pleasure,

To pass on the gift,

Of our beautiful spiritual treasure;

Freely passing on,

What was freely given to me,

Not only wonderful sobriety,

But also a life of health and glee.

From when I arrived,

People worked with me,

I was given a cup of tea,

And the gift of sobriety;

We went to a Cafe after,

For ‘the meeting after the meeting,’

I was very well looked after,

I was given a wonderful greeting.

It is our twelfth step,

To carry our message to others,

For people who have our problem,

People who are our friends and brothers;

The people helping me,

Had also been given a great welcome,

And through following spiritual principles,

Sober they had happily become.

The people I met knew my problem,

Which over the years had grown,

Only death awaited me,

My destruction I was daily been shown;

But AA offers a solution,

Of a spiritual kind,

Allowing us not only to be sober,

But to have a peaceful happy mind.

These people knew all about me,

They had been where I had been,

They had reached the depths of despair,

They had had many a horrendous dream;

But they offered a solution,

One which I quickly did grasp,

All they wanted to do was help me,

That is all they did ask.

They spoke of alcoholism as an illness,

A fateful malady,

It didn’t take much to convince me,

From my own experience this I could feel and see;

But now they all looked so well,

They talked about their experience,

They said if I did the same things,

A sober life I could live and enhance.

They said they only wanted to help me,

By passing on what they had been shown,

By doing simple spiritual things,

Into a sober life they had grown;

At first it seemed strange,

But I had to grasp at any straw,

I started to do what they suggested,

And on a new Power I started to draw.

Now many years later,

I still try to pass on this beautiful gift,

To help others be sober and healthy,

And their spirits from alcoholic lift;

It is something I do with gratitude,

Something I do with glee,

It’s the very least I can do,

For a gift given so freely to me.

CHAPTER EIGHT – TO WIVES.

This chapter was written by Bill, because he was the person who had the spiritual experience, and because he also had the foresight, to get the book up and running. When AA started it was nearly all men, but from the start the wives of those involved would also be getting together to meet. This eventually led to the start of our sister Fellowship, Al-anon. What a fantastic fellowship both are. As time went on more and more women started to come to AA because of their own drinking problems, and the husbands started to go to Al-anon. Thus the chapter ‘To Wives,’ called also be called “To Husbands, To Boyfriends, To Girlfriends, To Partners,” for it gives advice on how to deal with the newly sober person, and how beneficial to all concerned, it is to live on a spiritual basis. I am so grateful to AA, and daily I say thank-you to Bill, for allowing my mind to be happy and still,and for allowing me to ask God to surrender my will.

Chapter eight,

Entitled ‘To Wives,’

Part of our beautiful Big Book,

The book that saves lives;

But this chapter could also be called,

To husbands or to friends,

For the spiritual truths within,

Contain information whose truth never ends.

It starts by talking about different stages,

And gives four categories of use,

No matter to which one you belong,

We needed to control our drinking abuse;

This is best done spiritually,

By practising spiritual principles in all our affairs,

And by doing this we deal with resentments,

And reduce our cares and fears.

When the Big book was written,

The Fellowship was nearly all men,

Who had upset their wives,

Wonderful brilliant women;

Then as AA expanded,

Women in their own right started to appear,

Bringing their husbands,

Who had also shed many a tear.

But spiritual truths are universal,

This we learn in AA,

And doing them keeps us sober,

Each wonderful, beautiful day;

They apply equally to husbands and wives,

No matter what their age , philosophy or creed,

By living a spiritual life,

You will always happily succeed.

It says on Page one hundred and twenty,

Why not place the problem in God’s hands,

Something I could never admit existed,

Wasn’t I the silly arrogant man;

But AA gives the freedom,

To choose a God of our own concept,

This very beautiful simple idea,

Made the God idea very easy to accept.

I now realise that all my pain was necessary,

For it opened me up to the idea of God,

Something I used to rebel against,

Actions that I now realise were weird and odd;

Page one hundred and sixteen mentions,

“How much better life is when lived on a spiritual plane,”

I now readily agree with this,

For before AA my life was one of fear, unhappiness and pain.

A spiritual life is not just a theory,

It helps to ease the journey of life,

For doing life on our own,

Only leads to pain and strife;

But pain can lead to wonderful AA,

Where we find we are not apart,

We find a fantastic Fellowship,

That allows us to reveal the love of God in our heart.

The spiritual life we are shown,

Is not exclusive to AA,

But we certainly have to live it,

Otherwise we drink and go astray;

We find that a spiritual life works not only for wives,

But husbands, children, and friends,

By being humble before Him or Her,

His love He constantly sends.

CHAPTER NINE – THE FAMILY AFTERWARDS.

The chapter describing what happens when Dad starts to be dry. It talks about some of the obstacles a family will meet, and how it is often best not to rush things, and yet of course the family can be impatient and wants things to return to ‘normal.’ The chapter does stress the spiritual life, and how this should be put first. How the ex-problem drinker must always try to help others, if he wants to retain his sobriety. How to approach this new life, may best be described by two sentences from the Big Book, one on Page 127, and the other on page 130.

Page 127, “For us, material well-being always followed spiritual progress,” and Page 130,“We have found nothing incompatible between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy usefulness.”

Alcoholism effects not just the individual,

But also friends and family,

And this chapter describes the solution,

That can bring to all parties glee;

For there is also a sister Fellowship,

It is called Al-anon,

Where people also meet,

To help each other spiritually along.

It started at the same time,

For when Bill and Bob got together,

The wives would also meet,

To help each other over sticky weather;

Having common ground,

A sister Fellowship they found,

To the despair of their drinking connection,

They were no longer bound.

For we have a common past,

But also now a common solution,

It is a spiritual one,

God willing there’s never any dilution;

We talk about our common experience,

And the horrors that have gone before,

And how the benefit of a spiritual life,

Allow our spirits to soar.

There are a lot of spiritual gems,

In this lovely chapter,

Things to keep us sober,

And not ourselves batter;

For instance Page 133 says,

“We are sure God wants us to be happy, joyous and free.”

And following spiritual principles,

Allows this to be.

Page 133 also says,

“We cannot subscribe to the belief that this life is a vale of tears,”

And through sponsorship, steps and service,

We allay all our troubles and fears;

“Avoid then the deliberate manufacture of misery,

But if trouble comes,”

Use the spiritual life,

To remain with God and others as chums.

“If newcomers could see no joy or fun in our existence,”

It says on Page 132,

And following AA’s spiritual principles,

Allows joy and fun to come into view;

“We also absolutely insist on enjoying life,”

Is also mentioned on the same page,

And again by following AA’s spiritual principles,

We need no longer drink or rage.

It talks about health,

And how this does improve,

It might not happen overnight,

But it does if you get into the AA grove;

“We who have recovered from a serious condition,

Are miracles of mental health,” (P 133)

For steps, service and sponsorship,

Leads to the greatest spiritual wealth.

To conclude about this chapter,

Called ‘The Family Afterward,’

Leading a spiritual life,

Does lead to untold reward;

It concludes with three sayings, ‘First Things First,’

Live and Let Live,’

‘Easy Does It,’ and may I add,

Do constantly work and forgive.

CHAPTER TEN – TO EMPLOYERS.

This chapter to employers, is numbered ten, like all the other chapters, we should read it, again and again, and again.The only chapter in the Big Book, not written by Bill. It gives lots of practical advice. The core of our programme, is that we are given “a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.” (Page 85.) By dong this, we are able to start a great relationship with a new employer, God, which then allows us to be sober daily, and then to have a new successful relationship, with family, friends and employers.

To Employers,

The title of Chapter Ten,

Part of the wonderful Big Book,

Which we should read, again and again, and again;

It contains lots of wisdom,

All of it wise,

And helps us on our path,

And the spiritual awakening realise.

“We had a new employer,”

It says on Page 63,

And following the steps and traditions,

Leads us to a life of sobriety;

Because this new employer,

Will never let you down,

He/She is always there to help,

And remove many a frown.

“He provided what we needed,

if we kept close to Him,” (Page 63.)

And He/She not only keeps us sober,

But provides us with lots of energy and vim;

The book does also tell,

We must perform His work well,

We need no longer swear or shout,

Or at God or our employer yell.

Established on such a footing, it also says,

We become less interested in our little plans and ideas,

Each day I thank God I came to AA,

And for realising the warning signs;

More and more we became interested

In seeing what we could contribute to life, (P63)

Of trying to help others,

Overcome sickness and strife.

As we felt new power flow in,

As we enjoyed peace of mind, (P63)

We thanked God constantly,

For being so loving and kind;

As we discovered we could face life successfully,

As we became conscious of his presence, (p63.)

We came to enjoy the beauty of God,

His beautiful spiritual essence.

Page 63 also says,

We began to lose our fear,

We began to realise God’s beauty

And shed many a happy tear.;

We began to realise God’s love,

We were reborn, (P63)

A new spiritual life had started,

We had a new beautiful dawn.

It also says on Page 143,

“we have to place recovery first,”

We have to do this,

To prevent us having a thirst;

For without recovery,

We would have lost both home and business,

This seemed strange at first,

But now it makes complete and utter sense.

So to all employers,

To all family and friends,

By putting our spiritual life first,

Recovery never ends;

For we are granted a daily reprieve,

Given to us by lovely God,

Provided we maintain our spiritual condition,

That no longer seems strange or odd.

CHAPTER ELEVEN – A VISION FOR YOU.

This is the title of our last chapter, chapter eleven. It strives to give an indication of what we should aim for with our new sober life. It assumes that the lovely broken people coming to AA are doing the steps with the guidance of a sponsor, and are on starting a new relationship with God. It’s final paragraph on Page 164, often read at meetings, ask us to, “Abandon yourself to God as you understand God. Admit your faults to Him and to your fellows. Clear away the wreckage of your past. Give freely of what you find and join us. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of happy Destiny. May God bless you and keep you – until then.”

Chapter eleven,

“A Vision For You,”

Things we can aspire to,

Things we can aim to do;

Our lovely last chapter,

God willing the steps have been done,

Describes what can we look forward to,

Now we’re in the spiritual sun.

It talks bout what it was like,

And how a new Fellowship we found,

That allows us to be sober,

Our spirits happy and sound;

It talks about making new friends,

In our own community,

Passing on our sober message,

Helping them to be alcohol free.

“The age of miracles is still with us,”

It says on Page 153,

For not only are we sober,

God’s love fills us with glee;

“Our own recovery proves that,”

That we were able to change,

And now with God’s love,

Through the world we happily range.

We have found release.

From care, boredom and worry,

Our minds have started to be calm,

No longer screaming or in a hurry;

Our imagination is fired,

“Life will mean something at last,”

As we help others always,

To never again pick up a glass.

“The most satisfactory years of your existence lie ahead,”

This I certainly found to be true,

For now I have the beauty of God’s love with me,

In all that I think of or do;

My life is not boring or glum,

For everyone now is my chum,

This lad who was on the drunken shelf,

Is now able to “Love Thy neighbour as Thyself.”

“Both saw that they must keep spiritually active,“

It says on page 156,

And I very gratefully do,

To retain my sober spiritual fix;

I do daily spiritual suggestions,

Including morning and night on my knees,

Thanking lovely God for sobriety,

And asking may I help others please.

“These men had found something new in life,”

It says on beautiful Page 159,

And by doing spiritual things daily,

They radiate eternal sunshine;

“It was transcended by the happiness they found,”

It also does say,

“By giving themselves for others,”

Every second of the day.

“Abandon yourself to God,”

It says on page 164,

Doing things constantly for others,

Allows your spirits to soar;

So “Give freely of what you find and join us,”

On the “Road of Happy Destiny,”

Throw away your old life,

Do the steps and fill yourself with glee.

Dear Reader

admin — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:16:27 +0000

Thank you very much, for visiting this website. I pray it finds you happy, healthy, joyous and well, and enjoying all the beauty of the God given, AA spiritual twelve-step way of life.

This website has been put together to help newcomers. To help them find and enjoy the beautiful free spiritual sobriety gift, that is available in AA, by working its life saving twelve-step spiritual recovery programme.

It came about, because I was recently asked, by our local AA archivist to write some articles about my time in AA, and how AA has grown in the Ealing area since 1996.

My sponsor then asked me to put what I wrote, onto a website, as it could be of some use in helping others. This therefore is it.

I pray, God willing, that it does contribute and help others, on their beautiful spiritual journey of AA recovery

Putting it together has been a joy. It has also given me the opportunity, to pass on in some small way, the joy, health, sobriety, and happiness that has come into my life, since I came to AA, a broken, broken man, over 17 years ago.

I have not had or wanted a drink in that time, and I know and appreciate, that this is all because of the wonderful simple spiritual programme that I have been shown in brilliant, life-saving AA.

When I arrived, I had no idea of how AA worked. I did not know that it was a very simple spiritual programme of action, involving steps, sponsorship, service, and smiles.

I did not even know that the word God would be used. At the time of my arrival, God was to me a nasty word, a word that upset me, a word that only brought bad memories, and nasty thoughts.

Yet it is only a word of three letters, and the same three letters make the word Dog, a word I had no problem with or with saying. How silly and stupid I was, some people may say I still am, that is their right.

When I came to the rooms, I was completely and utterly beaten. I had drunk for over 30 years. Alcohol had started as a friend. As time went on, I came to rely on it more and more, to help me over life problems.

However, by the time I got to AA, drinking only made matters worse. Whether I drunk or not, the pain in my brain, would not go away.

Lots of the thoughts I had at the time I arrived were suicidal ones. Suicide was something I had attempted ten years earlier, which had led to me being admitted to the local mental hospital for a period.

I now gratefully and sincerely realise that all the pain I went through was absolutely necessary, for it meant that when I came to AA, it made me humble enough to listen.

It also made me put into action, the simple spiritual suggestions, all taken from the wonderful Big Book, that were being put forward to me, by the wonderful people I was meeting.

I did not at that time, realise, that by doing these simple spiritual suggestions; getting on my knees morning and night, writing gratitude lists, doing service etc, would change my life so much.

Not only would they help me stop drinking, but by doing them, I would become cheerful, and start having a pleasant sober harmonious relationship, not only with those around me, but also with myself, and with a God or Higher Power of my own concept or understanding.

From that very first day, this previously arrogant and proud person, has got on my knees, morning and night.

At night to thank a Higher Power or God of my own understanding or concept, for keeping me sober that day, and each morning to ask that same Power to keep me sober that day, all so I could be of help to others, particularly my fellow alcoholics.

This is in line with what is said on Pages 12 and 13 of the beautiful Big Book.

On Page 12 it says, “”My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea. He said, ‘Why don’t you choose your own conception of God?” and Page 13, “Never was I to pray for myself, except as my requests bore on my usefulness to others.

From my second day, I was introduced to service., I didn’t particularly want to do it, but I helped put away the chairs.

As time went on, I got involved in all aspects of service at meetings; opening up, putting up the scrolls, setting out the chairs, washing up, making the tea, tidying up, greeting people etc.

The more I did, the more I was enjoying life. I quickly realised that doing these things not only helped the meeting, but also helped me, for when I was doing something for someone else or for the meeting, guess what,I was not thinking of myself.

I soon got home groups, at which I did service. I was also advised that when ever I went to a meeting, I should always go with the aim of helping out, or pitching in where necessary, and always be looking to help the newcomer.

From my first day, this previously proud arrogant person was taking spiritual guidance, from the wonderful people I was meeting.I quickly found that when I did what they suggested, it worked.

However, I quickly realised that I also needed to get a sponsor. This I quickly did, and this wonderful man, quickly took me through the twelve beautiful, God given, life-saving steps.

This led me to doing even more beautiful service. After finishing step five, I started to do chairs, and share at meetings. I become a secretary. I also held treasurer and literature commitments at meetings.

Later I had the privilege of being a sponsor, the wonderful gift of freely passing on to others, the spiritual solution that had been so freely given to me. I still love helping out, doing service, helping others, sponsoring people, and God willing, long may it continue.

After some years I went on to do service at Intergroup and Region level. Later with my sponsor’s wonderful guidance, I was able, with others, to set up some more wonderful meetings in the Ealing area, the area of London, in which we lived.

This was all done, to help pass on the beautiful wonderful free, God given AA sober spiritual message that was so freely given to us. It was all done to help others particularly the wonderful newcomer.

We were blessed that Ealing happens to rhyme so beautifully with a number of words including healing, feeling, reeling, ceiling, and of course kneeling.

These were words that we were able to use in the naming of some of the new meetings that we were able, with God’s love, and the guidance of my sponsor, to humbly and happily start.

Meetings with names such as, ‘Great Feeling in Ealing,’ ‘Great Healing in Ealing,’ ‘No Longer Reeling in Ealing,’ ‘No Longer Looking at the Ceiling in Ealing,’ and of course ‘Great Kneeling in Ealing,’ were all gratefully started.

Titles or names that indicated how we now felt, and the sobriety, serenity and spirituality that AA had brought and was continuing to bring, and continues to bring into our lives.

I am so very, very grateful to AA for so, so many things. Not only for many years of sobriety, but for extra years of life, that I can only describe, as being happy, healthy, peaceful, blissful, joyous and free.

The ‘promises’ mentioned on Pages 83 and 84 of the Big Book, have all come true in my life. AA has also allowed me the great fantastic privilege of having my own beautiful connection with a God of my own concept or understanding.

I am so very grateful to all the lovely people I have met on my wonderful AA journey. These include of course my sponsor and all those lovely people I met on my first day, when I turned up knowing nothing, and who quickly got me involved in AA’s simple spiritual God given programme.

I find everyone and everything in AA wonderful and lovely. People all want to help, and they all want to pass on, this beautiful gift of sobriety to the newcomer.

I am also so very, very grateful for being alive, full of health, energy and vitality. I am also particularly grateful to AA for allowing me to find and develop this loving relationship with a God or a Higher Power of my own concept.

I still have the same wonderful sponsor, who has not only taken me through the steps, but with his guidance, I have also come to better appreciate and understand, the full spiritual beauty of our Big Book and Fellowship.

It has been said, that the Big Book, the spiritual source of our Fellowship, is truly our autobiography. In my own case I most certainly agree. It not only describes my drinking escapades, but also describes my mad self-centred, selfish, egotistical way of life, prior to AA.

I was a person who was basically only concerned with himself, who was invariably selfish, and self-centred. Of course when you put alcohol into such a person, he becomes even more selfish and self-centred, invoking even more retaliation from others.

The wonderful brilliant Big Book gives precise instructions, on how to get and keep sober. It so accurately describes what we are like when we arrive, and beautifully describes what will happen if we follow the twelve-step spiritual programme of recovery.

Each word in it, particularly in the first 164 pages, I can most certainly relate and agree with. They marvellously describe what I was like before I came to AA and what I am like now, since doing the twelve-step spiritual recovery programme.

I find it very difficult, in fact virtually impossible; to describe how blissful, serene and peaceful my life is now. Mere words cannot do justice to the feeling of calmness, joy, beauty, bliss, peace, and love that I have with me at all times.

Wonderful qualities that I could never have contemplated before coming to AA. This, all by doing the spiritual things suggested, and going through the steps, with the guidance of a sponsor, who also has a sponsor, who has a sponsor, etc, etc.

Of course the Big Book, on Page 25, describes much more effectively, how I feel, where it says, “We have found much of heaven and we had been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed.”

Wonderful words, which I didn’t fully comprehend at the start, but with which, like so many, many others, I am very happy to say, I am now in total agreement. Thank you God, thank you AA.

Our Big Book, particularly the first 164 pages, is phenomenal. Everything in it describes me. For instance, I could talk a lot about my drinking, we all could, but Page 8 describes in a few lines and words, graphically, how I was the day I arrived.

It says, “No words can tell of the loneliness and despair I found in that bitter morass of self-pity. Quicksand stretched around me in all directions. I had met my match. I had been overwhelmed. Alcohol was my master.”

When I think of the wonderful welcome, people gave this silly self-centred alcoholic person on that first day, I can only be so very, very grateful. I pray that I act and always will act, in a similar beautiful, spiritual, fashion.

After the meeting they kindly took me for tea. Somebody bought me my first Big Book. I am so very, very grateful, for what they did.As we talked over tea, I was able to quickly identify with them, and they with me.

They passed on some very, very, simple spiritual suggestions, just as it says should be done on Page 93 of the Big Book. “Even though your protégé may not have entirely admitted his condition, he has become very curious to know how you got well. Let him ask you that question, if he will.

Tell him exactly what happened to you.Stress the spiritual feature freely. If the man be agnostic or atheist, make it emphatic that he does not have to agree with your conception of God.

He can choose any conception he likes, provided it makes sense to him. The main thing is that he be willing to believe in a Power greater than himself and that he lives by spiritual principles.”

This is exactly what happened. I really couldn’t believe that the people I was with were alcoholics. They all looked so well.

I asked them what they did to be like that, and they told me. As it says above, and taken from Page 93, they did “Stress the spiritual feature freely.”

They told me they got on their knees each night to say thank you to a Power greater than themselves, for keeping them sober that day.

Each morning, they said, they also got on their knees, and asked that same Power to keep them sober that day, all so they could be of help to other alcoholics.

They stressed or suggested that I should take the same action. That night I did get on my knees and again next morning and have done it night and morning since,

Guess what, just as they said, I found it worked, I have not had or wanted a drink since starting to do it, over seventeen years ago. In that time, not only have I been sober, but a cheerfulness, a happiness, and a joy has come into my life, that I have never before experienced,

The Big Book sums it up so well, on Page 8, where it says, “I was soon to be catapulted into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence.

I was to know happiness, peace, and usefulness, in a way of life that is incredibly more wonderful as time passes.” This describes perfectly how I felt, and how I still feel all these years later.

I am so very, very grateful for the people I met on my first day, and what they told me. They made it very simple for me to understand. For the first time in my life I met people who understood me. Who had gone through the same life problems.

People who had used drink to ease their problems. Who were forced through pain to come to AA. Who were then shown AA’s ‘spiritual tools.’ All they wanted to do was pass them on to me, which they so successfully did that day.

They are always in my prayers, for what they said and did that day. They not only saved my life, but they started me on a path, that led to a new beautiful happy spiritual one. Thank you wonderful AA, thank you lovely God.

They also said, I need never drink again, nor need I ever have a bad day again, if I followed these simple spiritual suggestions. I thought this a bit over the top, particularly the later statement, but now several years later, I found both these statements to be true.

Things will happen, life is, but I have been shown the ‘spiritual tools,’ to keep my body and spirit, sober, happy, healthy, joyous and free, no matter what takes place.

I am so very, very grateful to them, to my sponsor, to AA, in fact to everyone I have met, for passing on the ‘spiritual tools,’ the twelve steps of our spiritual programme.

This has allowed me to not only realise the beauty of our spiritual programme of recovery, but also to realise the beauty of this God given life. I also know, that provided I do spiritual things every day, then the wonderful ‘spiritual tools’ of AA, allow me to remain sober, happy, healthy, joyous and free, continuously.

AA is certainly not ‘just one day at a time,’ or ‘don’t pick up the first drink, or, ‘just keep coming back,’ it is a spiritual programme of action born out by the wording on Page 85 of the Big Book.

This says, “It is easy to let up on the spiritual programme of action and rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. We are not cured of alcoholism.

What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all our of our activities. ‘How can I best serve Thee- Thy will (not mine) be done.”

That beautiful sentence, “What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.” sums up our spiritual programme perfectly.

It tells us that daily we have to do spiritual things to maintain our sobriety. Things that I once thought strange, but I now find very enjoyable and pleasant to do.

Things such as, getting on my knees each morning and night, writing daily gratitude lists, phoning newcomers, reading AA literature, particularly the ‘Big Book’, reading and putting into practice the contents on the ‘Just for Today’ card, saying the ‘Serenity Prayer,’ doing service, having ‘home groups,’ these are just some of the very enjoyable and humble spiritual things I am advised to do each wonderful day, to maintain my spiritual condition.

Thank you for reading this, I pray it helps you and wonderful AA to happily and healthily spiritually grow and glow. Everything I have written is what I have so freely learnt or been given, in the beautiful healing rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I do know that whatever I write, or whatever I do, can never ever repay what God, AA and the beautiful people in it have given me.

Thank you God, thank you AA, thank you everybody I’ve met in the rooms, you’re all in my prayers, as I feel certain that I am in yours. In fact the whole world is in my prayers these days, lots of love, God bless all, Dennis, (Ealing.)

I had thought of using an alias when writing this, but it was pointed out to me that it would be more beneficial to the newcomer if I used my own name. Therefore, I have used it, and if I can help in anyway, please let me know.

Thanks once again for reading this and anything else on this blog or website. Please feel free to use anything I write, as you please, or see fit.

Do always remember that everything written here comes from a very silly, stupid, self-centred, suicidal, alcoholic idiot, who turned up in AA over 17 years ago. A person, who had drunk for over thirty years. Somebody who was, completely and utterly beaten, and basically, saw no purpose to life.

Somebody, who had to surrender to the spiritual programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, and by doing the steps, found a new wonderful sober way of life, a way of life that includes having a lovely God of his own conception or understanding. Thank you lovely God and thank you lovely AA.

I was certainly looking for and needed help very badly, the day I arrived. By the beauty of God, and the beauty of AA and the beautiful people in it, I was not only given another chance to live, but to do it in a happy, healthy, joyous, free, and spiritual way. Thank you wonderful God, thank you lovely AA.

I’d like to think I’ve changed, in fact I know I have, and I know it really has nothing to do with me. It’s all because pain forced me to AA, where I was shown the spiritual things to do.

As it says on Page 25 of the Big Book, “When, therefore, we were approached by those in whom the problem had been solved, there was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet.”
In other words, I met people, who knew that I had to do the same spiritual things that they were doing, and by doing them daily, I would not only remain sober, but have the same wonderful spiritual experience mentioned in the Big Book,

How can I ever, ever stop being so very, very grateful, for the beautiful free gift of sobriety, and the spiritual awakening that has been so freely given to me through AA.

I should be dead, instead I am not only alive, but through doing AA’s twelve-step spiritual programme of recovery, “I have found much of heaven and I have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which I had not even dreamed.” to paraphrase Page 25 of the Big Book.

Again thank you God, thank you AA, and everyone in it, I will be eternally grateful, God bless you all, your all always in my prayers, lots of love and gratitude, Dennis. Saturday 30/03/13

WONDERFUL AA IN EALING 1996 to 2013

admin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 14:12:45 +0000

I love Alcoholics Anonymous. Not only has it allowed me stop drinking but it has brought a beauty and a joy into my life that I find impossible to describe.

I have very, very kindly, been asked, by the local AA archivist, to put together these few words to describe the growth of AA in Ealing from 1996 to today.

It has been a pleasure to do so, for I owe my life, my happy, healthy, beautiful, sober, spiritual life to AA, and all the lovely wonderful people in it.

AA has allowed me not only to be sober for over seventeen years, but also to be harmonious with God, with myself, with my lovely fellow men, and with the wonderful beautiful world around me.

Through what I have learnt, I have not only been able to be sober, but I have been able to cultivate or improve my love for a God of my own understanding, and through that relationship, my relationship with all of mankind.

I also realise that the beauty of God, that I have been allowed to find inside myself, is inside everyone, and that this beauty and this sober life that I have been given through AA, is available for everyone.

Through AA I am not only been given the gift of sobriety, but I am also given the gift, to freely pass it on to all the other wonderful terrific people that come to our wonderful |Fellowship.

AA is a spiritual programme of action. I did not know this, or that the word God would be used when I first arrived, but the people I met on my first day did. They introduced me to very simple spiritual actions, which I still do today.

They were simply following the beautiful advice on Page 93 of the Big Book in the chapter, ’Working with Others,’ where it says, “Stress the spiritual feature freely.”

From day one, as the good people I met on my first day suggested, I have got on my knees, night and morning, connecting, with my own concept of God or Higher Power, all to pass this gift on to others.

This is in line with Pages 12 and 13 of the Big Book. Page 12 says, “My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea. He said, “Why don’t you choose your own conception of God?”

Page 13, says, “Never was I to pray for myself, except as my requests bore on my usefulness to others.”

I quickly got a marvellous sponsor who took me through the marvellous steps, which lead to the ‘spiritual awakening’ mentioned in Step twelve.

The Big Book also mention this on Page 79, where it says, ”Reminding ourselves that we have decided to go to any lengths to find a spiritual experience,”

Alcoholics Anonymous is a beautiful daily spiritual programme of action, summed up beautifully on Page 85 where it says, “What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.”

What I understand this to mean is that daily I have to connect humbly and gratefully, with a God of my own concept.

I then have to take the gifts of sobriety, health, energy, joy beauty, life, light, purity and enthusiasm given freely to me by God, and try to pass them on to everyone I meet, greet or think about, in my every thought, word and deed.

When I arrived in AA I was off sick from work. I live in Ealing in London, and there were approximately 650 lovely meetings in London at the time, four of then in lovely Ealing

I was getting sick pay, and therefore, had money to buy a daily pass and travel all over London to meetings, attending over 200 in my first three months.

A lot of them were at lunchtime. My first meeting had been the fantastic 1pm meeting at Hynde Street, and I attended there virtually every day for my first eight weeks.

I found them all great, still do. At them I was learning so much.

I was hearing people share, or do chairs, and I was starting to realise, that leading the AA spiritual way of life not only meant that I was sober, but I was also happier and more comfortable than I had ever been before.

I started to feel that I was in harmony with God, the world and myself.

After about eight weeks, I returned to work, and although, I was still able to go to evening meetings, and meetings at any time of the day at the weekend, I had got a taste for lunchtime weekday meetings.

There was no lunchtime meetings in the lovely Ealing area at the time, and so we got one going at the lovely Ealing Green Methodist Church, on Tuesday the 7th January 1997.

This grew and grew, and after a few years, a lovely fantastic Friday lunchtime meeting was started at the same venue on 24/06/99. These marvellous meetings some time later moved to the wonderful Northfields Community Centre.

In Ealing at the start of 1996, there were four lovely fantastic meetings a week; on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings all at 7.30pm.

My first wonderful commitment was making tea at one of these; the wonderful Saturday night meeting then held at St Mary’s Church, South Ealing.

I also became a very grateful greeter at the marvellous Monday night meeting, then held at the lovely Haven Green Church, in Ealing Broadway.

I quickly realised that part of the reason I was feeling so well, was that not only was I doing the spiritual things suggested, but that because of my circumstances, I was able to go to meetings, virtually any time of the day, not only in London, but also in Berkshire, Surrey or Middlesex.

I could buy a travel card, or as I had a car, drive up to London or into the countryside to go to meetings. When I took the car, and was often able to take others with me.

We had lovely meetings before the meeting on the way to the venue, and of course lovely meetings after the meeting in the car on the way home.

Coming home, we often stopped for a picnic, or just stopped and looked at some sights, such as the Thames, Windsor Castle, or we would stop, to see the wonderful sun setting, or to gaze at a starlight night; all things that we could later put on our wonderful gratitude lists

In this I felt that I was privileged. I had the money to do this. Others often could not afford the cost of a travel ticket, or a car, and of course others, particularly women with children, could not afford the time it took to travel to some of these meetings, and so could only get to a few meetings a week.

My first meeting as mentioned was at lunchtime at Hynde Street, just off Oxford Street. I used to go there regularly for at least a year. There, I met lots of overseas visitors, particularly from the USA.

We talked about the beauty of AA. We all agreed that AA was the greatest, and the Big Book and the steps were the same in both countries.

However, the point was constantly made to me by visitors from the USA, that there was so many more meeting in the USA per population than in England.

I also later found out that there was many more meetings per population, in Ireland than in England

This was universal, whichever part of America they came from, not only did they say that there were more meetings, but also they were at virtually every hour of the day.

I thought this was great. I later found out for instance, that there are over 3,500 meetings in New York, a city virtually the same size as London, which today has approximately 700 meetings.

In New York, there are also at least 600 meetings held each week in Prisons and Educational Facilities, London holds 22.

Because of my circumstances and financial situation I was able to go to two, three or more meetings a day, particularly at weekends, an opportunity, which I felt everyone in AA should enjoy.

So an idea started to develop of aiming to have at least one meeting each night in the Ealing area, and with God’s love, and the enthusiasm and gratitude of the wonderful members, this happened.

A meeting was opened on Tuesday night at 19.30 on 14/03/98, closely followed by one on Thursday night also at 19.30 a few months later. Both these meetings now take place at Ealing Green Methodist Church.

There was then by mid 1998, a meeting each day in the Ealing area, apart from Sunday, and again with God’s love, and the enthusiasm of the members, one was started on Sunday the 22/10/00 at 10am at Northfields Community Centre.

This was for an hour. There was 11 there the first week, but now the average is 25 plus. There were also the two lunchtime meetings on Tuesday and Friday.

These all prospered, and with God’s love it was decided to start an early morning one hour meeting on Wednesday 8/7/03, just to see how it would go.

There were, and still are, early morning meetings in the centre of London. These, I was in my early days, able to attend and enjoy, and the thought arose, why shouldn’t there be early morning meetings in the lovely suburbs, as there are elsewhere in the world

At the first morning meeting, held at Ealing Green Methodist Church on 8/07/03, there were 17 people, and although it did not attract many for many years, those who went, always enjoyed and benefited from it.

As time went on, attempts were made to have more morning meetings, but we could not find an early morning venue. By divine providence, we came upon beautiful Bayham Road in West Ealing.

This was a lovely wonderful pleasant room, with reasonable rent, and the most beautiful bay windows. It also has and still has free parking.

We started an early morning meeting there on Monday 4/09/06, and a Friday morning meeting there four days later on 9/09/06. These were also like the wonderful Wednesday morning meeting, for an hour.

These went so well, thank God, that a Tuesday morning meeting was started there on 10/10/06 and a Thursday morning meeting two days later on 12/10/06, also for an hour. These were all at 7.30 am. Soon thereafter, the Wednesday morning moved from Ealing Green, to Bayham Road.

There were now, by late 2006, morning meetings each morning, Monday to Friday at Bayham Road at 7.30. These were all ticking along nicely and it was decided to open a Saturday morning meeting there at 9am.

This started on 2/02/08, and although there was only four at the first meeting, it now regularly attracts 20 to 30, in fact it was so successful, that a Sunday morning meeting, also for an hour, was started there on 29/02/08.

By early 2008, there were at least two meetings held each day in the Ealing area,

These were daily morning meetings at Bayham Road, 7.30 pm evening meetings Monday to Saturday, and a Sunday 10am meeting, plus lunchtime meetings on Tuesday and Friday, all ticking along nicely.

Again we were looking for more venues, particularly for more wonderful lunchtime meetings, and we then came across, wonderful Green Man Lane Community Centre, in West Ealing, thank God.

With the God given enthusiasm of the members, we were able to get three lunchtime one-hour meetings going there on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 1pm.

These started on 15/09/08, 17/09/08 and 18/09/08. They all continue to do well, so by September 2008, there were three wonderful meetings a day in the Ealing area.

These were daily morning meetings, daily lunchtime meetings, and evening meetings Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, plus a Sunday 10am morning meeting.

There were also meetings at 6pm on Tuesday and Friday evenings. The Tuesday meeting had opened at lovely Northfields Community centre on 30/12/04. There was about 10 the first night, but now it attracts 25 plus a week.

The Friday night meeting also started there soon after, but quickly moved to St John’s Church, Mattock lane. Again there was an average of 10 at the start, but 25 plus now. It was therefore decided to have 6pm meetings, on the other nights of the week.

Meetings on Monday, Thursday and Saturday nights at 6pm, were therefore started at Bayham Road, on 21/09/09, 24/09/09 and 26/09/09, again all for an hour, with a Wednesday 6pm meeting, also for an hour, starting at Green Man Lane on 30/09/09.

This Wednesday night meeting at Green Man Lane subsequently moved to Bayham Road.

So from late September 2009, there have been at least four meetings each day in the Ealing area.

Thank God, they all continue to prosper, all to help the newcomer, and, God willing, even more wonderful meetings will be started as and when the need arises.

Earlier an evening meeting had started at Bayham Road on Sunday 26/09/09, at 7pm, and also another Wednesday night meeting at 7.30pm was started on 22/10/10 at Green Man Lane. This is also now held at Bayham Road.

Towards the end of 2009, there were therefore 13 meetings a week at Bayham Road, there are now 15, all for an hour, all ticking along nicely.

Because of the small but lovely size of Bayham Road, basically a lovely meeting room, kitchen and toilet, and because there were a large number of other groups and societies using it, we were restricted in what we could keep overnight on the premises.

This meant that everything became communal. The teas etc, the literature, were all shared amongst the meetings, as they so frequently do in other places and countries.

This we felt was a great idea, and definitely contributed to the growth in meetings, the numbers attending, and the amount of recovery.

All the above meetings tick along nicely. At times all these meetings, at Bayham Road, Ealing Green, Green Man Lane, Mattock Lane, and Northfields Community Centre, have all required people putting their shoulders a bit harder to the wheel, as the need arises.

People have always been willing to do this. They put their shoulders willingly, lovingly and enthusiastically to the wheel, all to help the newcomer.

We all did this because we all realise this gift is beyond price, for it’s not only the gift of sobriety, the gift of life, it’s the gift of a beautiful happy spiritual life, and all we want to do is to try to help others obtain it.

As time has gone on, more and more people have come forward to do service, as more and more people have come to and remained in our fantastic Fellowship. God willing, this will beautifully and wonderfully continue.

It has not always worked out. We tried to get two morning meetings going at 10am on Tuesday and Thursday at Green Man Lane. These did not go so well, and after about 18 months they had to close.

God willing, in time there will be a range of meetings at 10am, and also afternoon meetings at say 3.30pm, as they have in cities in the USA, plus of course others at other times.

God willing this situation, will not only exist in Ealing but also in every Borough in London, and also every city in the country. All there, to help the wonderful newcomer on the road to recovery and to the wonderful sober, beautiful spiritual life on offer.

May we pray that every area of London, and every city in the country has at least four meetings a day, again all to pass on our wonderful beautiful spiritual message.

In the Ealing area, there has also been a tremendous growth in the number of Polish speaking meetings, there are now three in the area. There is even an English-speaking meeting at the wonderful Polish Church in Ealing Broadway, at 8pm on Mondays.

This started on the 14/06/10, and recently on Saturday night at Northfields Community Centre, a 9.30pm marvellous meditation meeting was started. This follows on from the marvellous 7.30pm meeting.

The position since 1996 has therefore, thank God, and the God given beauty, energy, and grateful enthusiasm of the members, been one of beautiful sober spiritual growth.

There were four wonderful lovely meetings in the Ealing W5 and W13 area in 1996. There are now 31, 24 of which are for an hour.

The total number of beautiful wonderful healing visits per week in 1996, was about 100 to 120, today there are approximately 400 to 450 beautiful wonderful healing visits being made each week.

God willing, they will all grow and glow, with even more people coming, and even more meetings arising as the need develops, all with the aim to help the beautiful newcomer, all with the aim to help pass on the wonderful fantastic sober gift and welcome, that we so gratefully received.

The reason that things have worked out so successfully, is because of the God given enthusiasm of the members, all so grateful, and all wanting to pass on this beautiful gift of sobriety, to our wonderful brothers and sisters.

It has also helped, that nearly all the new meetings were for an hour. Of the 31 weekly meetings now held in Ealing, 24 are for an hour.

This appears to be the length of time of meetings in the USA, Canada and Ireland, where they certainly have many more meetings per head of population than are held here. Could there be a coincidence ?

We have also, thank God, been given a number of wonderful fantastic venues in the area, all very reasonably priced. Daily we still want to do more, all to carry our lovely, beautiful spiritual message, to the wonderful newcomer.

Daily we pray that lovely AA does happily and healthily spiritually grow and glow, all to help the lovely wonderful newcomer.

Always realising how lovingly and beautifully we were received and welcomed, and always realising that as it says on Page 85 of the Big Book, “What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.”

I pray this give some small glimpse of how this all happened. I realise that it all came about because of the beauty of God, a word I could not even say when I arrived, and the wonderful, beautiful God given enthusiasm of the members.

I was very kindly asked to put this together by wonderful people in AA. It has been a joy to do so, and in no way whatever I write, or whatever I do, can ever, ever repay what AA has given or done for me.

It has been a joy, to be involved in it all.

Not only trying to pass on, the God given sobriety we have so gratefully been given, but, also, the joy, the happiness, the beauty, the health, the discipline and energy that has come into our lives, by following the wonderful spiritual programme of AA.

In my own case, I know that AA has not only saved my life, but has replaced it with a beautiful wonderful spiritual way of life, and an inner life, that I could not have envisaged. I was dying a horrendous painful death over 17 years ago.

Today, not only, have I been given all these extra years of life, but as the Big Book says on Page 25, “We have found much of heaven and we have been rocketed into a fourth dimension of existence of which we had not even dreamed.”

The above words, I find to be true. I am so very, very, very grateful, and yet these mere words cannot describe my very grateful gratitude, or what I have received.

I also realise that whatever I have done or do in AA can never, ever, repay the beauty, joy, health, energy, spirituality and happiness that has come into my life, through being part of it; being part of the most beautiful fantastic wonderful Fellowship in the world.

I thank dear lovely God for tremendous, wonderful AA, and for all the beautiful, wonderful people I have met in it, each one wonderful, and each one beautiful. They are all in my prayers, as I am sure I am in theirs.

Each day, I pray that, God willing, I can continue to daily pass on the beautiful gifts of sobriety and spirituality that I have been so freely given, to others, in my every thought, word and deed, to everyone I meet, greet, or think about.

Thanks for reading this, God bless you all, your all in my prayers, in fact the whole world these days is in my prayers, from a very grateful member who happens to live in beautiful Ealing, where living through God’s love, and the beauty of AA, is now a great feeling.

Thank you God, we love you ever so much, and are so very grateful, for this fantastic, fabulous, wonderful Alcoholics Anonymous, sober spiritual way of life, Dennis Friday 22 March 2013.

MY BEAUTIFUL AA JOURNEY

admin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:40:01 +0000

In March 1996, over 17 years ago, I went to my first AA meeting in London.

From that wonderful day, my way of looking at life completely changed in a beautiful way. I have not had or wanted a drink since.

I have recently been asked by AA’s local archivist to write a few words about my story, which I now gratefully and very, very humbly do.

When I arrived, I knew nothing about how AA so beautifully worked; I didn’t then realise that AA is a spiritual programme of recovery and action. I didn’t even know that the word God would be used.

That day I was completely beaten. I had drunk for over thirty years. On my journey to AA, I had tried suicide and had been in a mental hospital for a period.

The Big Book on Page 8 captures exactly how I felt when it says, ”Quicksand stretched around me in all directions. I had met my match. I had been overwhelmed. Alcohol was my master.”

At that meeting I found hope, I met people who wanted to pass on AA’s ‘simple kit of spiritual tools,’ (Page 25 of the Big Book.) to help me get and stay sober.

I had been to an AA meeting about seven years before in Peterborough. I was there for a week on a work course. I saw nothing in it, and went straight to the pub afterwards.

However, when I went to the above meeting in 1996, I thought all the people there were geniuses. Not only were they sober, they were happy, and they seemed to have a solution, not only to alcoholism, but on how to deal with life.

I was taken for a cup of tea afterwards. I didn’t want to go. I am so glad I did, In the Café I told them about my problems, and they gave me some idea of how AA worked.

Our wonderful Big Book says on Page 93, ”Stress the spiritual feature freely,” and these people did. They said I needed to find a Higher Power of my own understanding to help me get and keep sober.

They said, this could be something of my own concept. At the time, it seemed a strange idea, but it worked that day, and every day since.

The people I met, were only passing on the message contained on Page 12 of the Big Book, where it says, “ My friend suggested what then seemed a novel idea. He said, ‘Why don’t you choose your own conception of God?” They said that they had had to do it, and they had found it worked.

That first day, although I met lots of lovely people, I spent most of my time with two wonderful gentlemen. They each said that they got on their knees each night to say thank you to a power greater than themselves for keeping them sober that day.

They also said that each morning they also got on their knees, to ask this same power, to keep them sober that day, all so they could be of help to other alcoholics, to their families, and to the world.

This is in line with Page 13 of the wonderful Big Book, where it says, “Never was I to pray for myself, except as my requests bore on my usefulness to others.”

It all seemed a bit strange, but that night I did what they suggested. I did get humbly on my knees, and have got humbly and gratefully on my knees each morning and each night since then to talk/chat/pray to a God or Higher Power of my own concept, or understanding.

Each night before getting into bed, I gratefully kneel, and humbly thank God for keeping me sober that day.

Each morning I humbly, again on my knees, ask a God, of my own concept, a God, which I now realise is so loving and beautiful, to allow me to be sober that day, all so that I can be of help to other alcoholics.

This was against all preconceived ideas I had up until that time, but since doing it, over seventeen years ago, I’ve never had or wanted a drink.

When I came to AA in 1996, I was off work sick. I had a lot of physical problems, but it was not these that brought me to AA.

No it was the suicidal thoughts, the madness in my mind, the pain in my brain, and the realisation that alcohol no longer worked, that brought me to the meeting.

I live in a part of London, called Ealing, and because of my circumstances, I was able to get to lots of meetings. I attended something like at least 200 meetings, in my first three months. I found them all great, and learnt so much.

I mainly sat and listened. As I listened, I learnt more about my problem. Things like, “Our liquor was but a symptom.” ( Page 64 of the Big Book,) and also on Page 64, “Resentment is the “number one” offender.” As is often said, ‘listen to learn, and learn to listen,’ and I listened, and I learnt.

I was also constantly hearing about the spiritual solution, People were saying that by getting a sponsor and doing the steps, they were not only sober, but were enjoying life, in a ways they could never have envisaged.

I always think AA is the greatest spiritual university in the world, for people are talking about themselves and the spiritual things they are doing not only to keep themselves sober, but also to keep their spirit, happy, healthy, joyous and free.

In other words we are passing on the spiritual tools mentioned in the Big Book, all to help the newcomer find the beautiful solution, so freely given in the meetings.

I also find that the more we concentrate on the Big Book, not only do our own lives improve, but the wonderful newcomer gets the full benefit of our wonderful spiritual solution.

As I said above, I knew nothing about how AA worked when I arrived. I did not know that there were, steps, sponsors, sponsorship or service, or that it was a spiritual programme of recovery.

Thank God, I took spiritual advice from day one. I also quickly got a sponsor and under his guidance, he took me through the steps.

I obtained my sponsor, by asking God on my knees, to guide me to someone to take me through the steps. By a wonderful set of circumstances, I was taken to a meeting, where I heard my sponsor share.

He said that his life had been transformed by coming to AA, in his case in 1989. He appeared very happy and peaceful. He said he had a sponsor who had taken him through the steps.

He said, his sponsor, had given him a set of simple spiritual suggestions to do each day. He said that by doing these simple suggestions, not only was he sober, but also happy, joyous and free, and so he intended to do the same things each day, to maintain the same attitude.

He said that in doing spiritual suggestions each day, he not only maintained his sobriety, but was also very, very happy, healthy and peaceful.

I now realise that this is in line, with Page 85 of the Big Book, where it says, “We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.”

As I did the steps, I started to feel really well. Not only did all the promises come true or into my life, but the spiritual awakening promised in the Big Book also happened.

I just couldn’t describe how well I was feeling, it was beyond anything I could have imagined. Words fail me when I come to describe it, but I knew something was happening, and it was and continues to be, very, very, very beautiful.

The Big Book, on page 8 describes it far more adequately than anything I could, where it says, “I was soon to be catapulted into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence.

I was to know happiness, peace and usefulness, in a way of life that is incredibly more wonderful as time passes.”

I found doing steps four and five the most wonderful experience. I would recommend it to anyone.

To look back at the past with the guidance of my sponsor. At my resentments and defects of character, things I didn’t realise I had when I arrived, and realise that the problem wasn’t what had happened, but always how I reacted to it, or how my defects of character came into play.

It was so wonderful, to look back at my past, my secrets, my fears, my disappointments, things that held me down, things that were going to the grave with me, things and thoughts that made me drink.

I now realise with the benefit of the steps, that the things, or resentments that were going to the grave with me, were actually taking me to the grave, for these were the things that without knowing it, I drank on.

They would have led to my early painful death, without beautiful AA, the steps and sponsorship.Am I grateful, boy am I grateful, and everyday I thank God for AA, and all the wonderful beautiful people init, particularly my sponsor, and wise spiritual people that I met on my first day.

And yet when I arrived I didn’t think I had any resentments. how stupid of me, and yet I thought I was quite bright. I now realise that before i came to AA, I actually knew nothing about life and its purpose.

Wasn’t I stupid, wasn’t I silly, but boy I am so very glad that God gave me the opportunity, to become a friend of Billy.

I was told by my sponsor, I had 14 defects of character. Pride, self-pity, self-centredness, arrogance, sloth, dishonesty, lust, envy, jealousy, impatience, intolerance, selfishness, greed and gluttony.

They are basically an expanded version of the seven deadly sins, and the seven deadly sins are called deadly for a reason, the reason is that they will kill us if we don’t deal with them.

For our defects of character lead to resentments, and if we are not able to realise what they are, and control them through the spiritual tools of AA, then resentment will take over our lives, and that is very serious.

As the Big Book says on Page 64, “Resentment is the ‘number one’ offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else.“ Sad to say, but how very, very true. My defects of character and resentments, not only made me drink, but also to act so stupidly, selfishly, and self-centredly, in so many social situations.

When I finished step five I just felt so great. I had felt good since going to that first meeting, and later getting on my knees that first night.

However, after finishing step five, I felt even more wonderful, and that joy, that is inside me, that is inside us all, continues to grow and expand yearly, monthly, weekly, daily, hourly, minutely, secondly, as daily I try to improve my conscious contact with a God of my own understanding.

Of course the Big Book says it even more effectively, on Page 75, where it talks about step five; “Once we have taken this step, withholding nothing, we are delighted.

We can look the world in the eye. We can be alone at perfect peace and ease. Our fears fall from us. We begin to feel the nearness of our Creator.

We may have had certain spiritual beliefs, but now we begin to have a spiritual experience.

The feeling that the drink problem has disappeared will often come strongly. We feel we are on the Broad Highway walking hand in hand with the Spirit of the Universe.”

Wow what powerful words, I find them all to be true, and they become even more wonderful and beautiful each day, as daily I practice the wonderful spiritual programme of Alcoholics Anonymous.

This is of course also promised in the steps. Step eleven says, “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.”

So daily with my sponsor’s guidance, I seek to IMPROVE my conscious contact with Him, Her or It, and daily I see more of God’s beauty not only within myself, but within the world.

This is also of course mentioned in the Big Book on Page 161, where it says, “They had seen miracles, and one was to come to them. They had visioned the Great Reality – Their loving and All Powerful Creator.”

Life is, and a number of things have happened to me since I first arrived in AA. When I first I arrived I was very physically poorly, and after two years, I was eventually diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I had to take early retirement from my job on health grounds.

In 2006, I had to have a heart operation. However, while both these things were going on, even though I wasn’t so well physically, I felt absolutely wonderful in mind and spirit, because I was following the spiritual programme of AA, with my sponsor’s guidance.

Poorly as I was on occasions, I daily did the spiritual things suggested. I got on my knees morning and night, I had ‘home groups,’ I went to other regular meetings, I wrote daily gratitude lists, I daily read AA literature, and of course I phoned newcomers, and tried to help them as much as possible.

Today, I have never felt better or healthier, not only in mind and spirit, but also in body, but this is of course mentioned on Page 133, of the Big Book, where it says; “Now about health:

A body badly burned by alcohol does not often recover overnight nor do twisted thinking and depression vanish in a twinkling.

We are convinced that a spiritual mode of living is a most powerful health restorative.

We, who have recovered from serious drinking, are miracles of mental health.

But we have seen remarkable transformations in our bodies. Hardly one of our crowd now shows any mark of dissipation.”

I have also had three lovely girlfriends in my time in AA, relationships, that all ended amicably.

However, the most beautiful relationship that I have ever had, has happened whilst I have been in AA, and that of course has been with beautiful God or my lovely Higher Power, a relationship that continues to daily expand or grow.

Today I feel fantastic in mind, body and spirit, and I know this is all because of AA, and the spiritual programme of recovery, that I have so lovingly and freely been shown.

I still do the spiritual things that I have done since day one, I still have the same sponsor, and I still daily do the same super simple spiritual things that he suggested when I met first him.

I still get on my knees each morning and night, something I have done since my very first night in AA. I daily do service, write gratitude lists, make a few phone calls to other alcoholics, at least two of whom are newcomers.

I also daily read pages from the Big Book, and the AA book Reflections, and daily I read the ‘Just for Today’ card daily try to put its ideals into practice.

I also attend regular meetings, usually at least four a week, of which two are home groups, at which I do service. I love going to them. I have always enjoyed them, and have done service, even from my second day when I helped pick up the chairs.

After about three months in AA, I started to have regular ‘home groups,’ at which I got commitments.

As my time in AA went on, I did other service. Secretary, GSR, then service at Intergroup; first as PI Officer, then Share Rep, then Regional Delegate, and it was whilst involved at Region, that the fantastic North London Assembly was started.

I love AA, it has certainly saved my life, but not only that, it has given me a life, of which I could not have ever have imagined. All the promises, mentioned on Pages 83 and 84 of the Big Book, have come true for instance.

But the greatest thing that has happened to me is the spiritual awakening, mentioned in step twelve, which to me is the absolute certainty that a Power greater than me exists.

The world calls this power God. In AA this former agnostic, has most definitely learnt that God exists, that God is not separate from me, that it exists inside me, that it exists within us all.

It is absolutely wonderful to know that God exists, and that He/She/It is part of me, and part of everyone else thank you for allowing me to have this knowledge, dear wonderful God.

It is often referred to as the spirit or soul, and AA has allowed me to realise that I am one with it, or as it says on Page 161, “They had visioned the Great Reality – their loving and all Powerful Creator.”

Again I have to say wow. All I came to AA for, was to stop drinking or to stop my misery. I had no idea of the beautiful spiritual life that is on offer. I often feel that if people knew what was on offer, there would be lines of people a mile long waiting to come into the meetings.

I have read in the AA magazine SHARE, that in the USA, people are turning up at meetings, looking for the spiritual changes they see in their relations and friends, by coming to AA. Again wow.

Again, AA is certainly not just ‘one day at a time,’ or ‘just keep coming back,’ it is a daily spiritual programme of recovery, for as it beautifully says on Page 85 of the Big Book, “What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.”

This I understand to mean, is that daily we have to do spiritual things to keep ourselves sober. We have to be humble before a God of our own concept, and then to use the beautiful gifts of sobriety, health, energy, and joy that He/She/It gives us, all to help others.

My life has certainly changed in all areas for the better. I now lead a God centred spiritual life, which I find beautiful and remarkable.

I love living this way, but I also realise that it is essential that I live this way, for as the Big Book says Page 83, “The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it.”

Thank you God, thank you AA, thank you to everyone I have met in it, and thank you dear God for allowing me to meet people who willingly and freely passed on the simple spiritual message of recovery, or as it says on Page 25, “there was nothing left for us but to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet.”

Every day, I ask lovely God; if I may likewise, pass on the same beautiful, wonderful spiritual message, in the same beautiful wonderful simple fashion.

I also always realise that whatever I am allowed to do, will never ever, ever, repay the beauty, joy, health, happiness, purity. zest and enthusiasm for life that I have been given.

Thanks for reading this; I was kindly asked to open this website. It has been a joy to do, and I pray that it will help other wonderful people, and we are all wonderful people, on the beautiful, wonderful lovely AA sober spiritual path.

You’re all in my prayers, in fact the whole world these days is in my prayers, as, God willing, I am in yours, and may we pray that lovely AA, does happily and healthily spiritually grow and glow.

God bless AA everywhere, and everyone in it, in fact, God bless everyone everywhere, Dennis.

Dear All

admin — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:34:42 +0000

Dear All, In early 2013, I was very kindly asked by the AA archivist for our area to write something about my own AA journey, since arriving in the rooms in Spring 1996.

He also asked me to write some words about how Alcoholics Anonymous has developed in Ealing since that time.

To accompany the two documents, or Emails, I also wrote some words to explain, why they were written.

I was then asked by my sponsor to set up a website, this website, so that others could see what I had written, re AA development in Ealing, since 1996.

God willing, what happened, and what we so very, very gratefully did, will help others along the road of Happy Destiny.

All those involved, and there were many, know that AA has given us so much. Whatever we do, can never ever repay what we have been given.

We pray the original Emails and now this website, helps others along our beautiful spiritual sobriety road.

Thanks for reading this, God bless you, your in my prayers, and may we pray that lovely AA does happily, and healthily spiritually grow and glow, thanks and God bless, Dennis.

_________________________________

Dear All, I pray that whoever reads this, is happy, healthy, joyous and free, and enjoying all the beauty of this God given AA wonderful sober life.

I was recently asked, by the AA Archivist for our area, to write something about my own time in AA; and also to write something about how I have seen AA develop, in the Ealing area in that time.

I therefore attach two documents or Emails regarding this. I pray that they help in some way, to help beautiful life-saving lovely AA, to happily and healthily spiritually grow and glow, not only in Ealing, but elsewhere, everywhere.

Please remember that all these words are written by a man who seventeen years ago, was killing himself, not only with alcohol, but by his stupid, silly, selfish, self-centred, arrogant, agnostic, lustful, hedonistic approach to life.

I was a know-all, who actually knew nothing, who over 17 years ago turned up at an AA meeting, completely and utterly beaten. I was the lowest of the low.

I met people at my first meeting, who knew that AA is a spiritual programme of recovery; who stressed ‘the spiritual feature freely’ as mentioned on Page 93 of the Big Book.

They passed on to me spiritual ideas, that they were doing themselves, and that I started to put into practice my very first night in AA.

Ideas that I thought strange, but I now realise that they were all taken from the book Alcoholics Anonymous, our wonderful Big Book.

The Big Book, our God inspired spiritually healing book, that is the cornerstone of our fantastic fellowship, and guess what, they all worked.

Silly, silly, stupid me, but now a very humble and grateful me, has been doing these simple humble spiritual suggestions since that first day, and I have not had or wanted a drink in that period, thank God, thank AA.

Not only have I been sober all that time, but I am very, very glad to say that because of lovely God, AA, sponsorship, steps and service, I have continued to grow spiritually each day.

This is of course in line with step eleven, where through prayer and meditation, I am able to improve my spiritual connection, or conscious contact, with a God of my own concept.

It has been without a doubt the happiest, best, most beautiful and wonderful period of my life.

Through AA I have been able to establish a connection with a Higher power of my own concept. The world calls this power God, and the whole purpose of the Big Book, is to help the newcomer find such a connection.

This is outlined on Page 45 of the Big Book, where it says, “Our human resources as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient, they failed utterly. Lack of Power that was our dilemma.

We had to find a power by which we could live, and it had to be a Power greater than ourselves. Obviously. But where and how were we to find this Power?

Well, that’s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem.”

AA makes finding this Power so very, very simple, to find, to accept and understand. At my first meeting, I met people who knew what I had to do, to keep and stay sober.

As well as their great example, I also had this great fantastic tough teacher called pain.

This was a great teacher, for it made me very teachable, and it made me very willing to put into practice the simple spiritual things, I was being shown.

Pain made me sit up and take notice, and put into practice the very simple but very, very effective spiritual ideas being presented.

I am so very, very grateful, not only, for my sobriety, but for the beautiful spiritual experience that the Big Book promises; by completing our 12 step, ego deflating, spiritual programme of action.

Page 79 mentions this on Page 79, where it says, “Reminding ourselves that we have decided to go to any lengths to find a spiritual experience,

we ask that we be given strength and direction to do the right thing, no matter what the personal consequences may be.

We may lose our position or reputation or face jail, but we are willing. We have to be. We must not shrink at anything.”

It is there for all of us, but we do have to be humble, grateful and honest enough to go through with the simple 12 step spiritual programme of recovery.

Pain certainly made me very teachable and humble, and gave me the willingness to pick up the spiritual tools of recover, and with the guidance of a wonderful sponsor, do the steps.

I certainly was a silly, stupid self-centred, know-it-all idiot when I arrived.

Some people may say I still am, that is their right, but I now know that all my pain was necessary, for it made me listen to learn, and then put into practice the simple, but very, very effective spiritual action programme of AA.

Believe me, no one despised myself more than myself when I arrived, but thanks to the love of God, and the beauty of the AA spiritual programme of recovery, I have been allowed to change; and to have and enjoy the spiritual awakening promised in the Big Book.

I would also like to think, that because I have done these things, I am not now so silly, stupid or self-centred.

Because of AA, I am now able to say that I am not a body with a spirit, but a spirit with a body, a body that the world calls Dennis. This is a great fantastic, wonderful gift or thing to know.

I pray that the attached Emails, answers some, if not all the questions asked about how AA has developed in the Ealing area since 1996.

I also pray that it also leads to even more wonderful growth in AA, not only in Ealing, but everywhere, all so the beautiful newcomer can obtain the fantastic beautiful sober spiritual life on offer.

This beautiful gift that has been so freely given by lovely God, wonderful AA and its wonderful members, I must daily give away in my every thought, word and deed to everyone I meet, greet, or think about.

It is a joy to do it, and we do it with joy, humility, gratitude, strength, purity, clarity, understanding, brightness, enthusiasm, and confidence from our ever loving hearts.

We also realise that God gives us everything, and that we must make use of our health, enlightenment, knowledge, youth, beauty, fitness, tidiness, cleanliness, energy, vitality, suppleness and discipline, all to help the newcomer.

God also gives us lots of love, gratitude, wisdom, purity, clearness, wellness, sincerity, honesty and humility.

All these qualities and many more, are given by lovely God, to help us help the lovely wonderful newcomer, and then to use the same qualities to help our families, friends, and other members of society.

This is of course in line with the words on Page 83 of the Big Book, where it says, “The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it.”

Thank you lovely God, I am so very grateful, and so very, very appreciative of the new sober life you have given me, and also for the spiritual gifts and understanding, that you have allowed me to receive and be aware of.

I am also so very grateful, for the beautiful sober, spiritual life, available to us all, if we are humble enough and honest enough, ‘to pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet.’ (Page 25 of the Big Book.)

Thank you lovely God, thank you lovely tremendous, brilliant, wonderful AA. Mere words can never, ever, ever, express my gratitude to you lovely God, and to lovely wonderful, beautiful AA.

Thanks anyone for reading this, your in my prayers, as I am sure I am yours. Today in fact, the whole world is in my prayers.

May we also pray that lovely AA does happily and healthily spiritually grow and glow, all to help the newcomer, always realising that we were all at one time newcomers.

I daily remember, and am always so grateful for the beautiful and wonderful welcome I received. The people I met that first day are always in my prayers,

God bless all who read this, you’re all in my prayers, from a very, very grateful, humble, happy, healthy, joyous, pure and free, Dennis. Thanks God, I love you, we love you, lots of love, xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

PS Are we not blessed that AA was conceived in our lifetime.

Alcoholism has been a problem throughout the ages, and yet only since 1935, has there been an effective answer to the problem.

One that not only leads to sobriety, but includes a beautiful connection to God, the ‘promises,’ and the spiritual awakening mentioned in Step 12.

Thank you lovely God, all I can say in gratitude, is Wow, Wow, Wow, a million, billion, trillion Wows and more. Thanks we are all so very, very grateful, lots of love from all of us, on this Fantastic, Fabulous, Happy, Joyous & Free, Friday 22 March 2013.

Dennis (Ealing.)