aa Spoken Here Community Group
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I sometimes use this with my sponsees to give them some idea of the structure of the steps. Hope it is of help to some here. Any questions welcome!!
Step1 - The Problem - Powerlessness.
No problem can be solved until we know what the problem is. This is the first step in recovery. Our first goal is to find the exact nature of our problem. Our solution and recovery can be no better than our knowledge of the problem.
"We admitted we were powerless - that our lives had become unmanageable"
Step2 - The Solution - Power.
The second goal of the recovery programme is the solution. Now that we have found out where we are, we can establish where we need to go. If our problem is powerlessness our solution is to find Power.
"Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity"
Steps3 - 9 - The Programme of Action
These give us a step by step plan or how to get from where we are (Step1 -Powerless) to where we need to be (Step2 - Power).
Step10,11,12 - Growth
Once we have reached our solution of Power we need to ensure that we keep it. Steps 10, 11 and 12 give us instruction on how develop our contact with the Power we have found.
I use an example to show my sponsees why we need to work all of the steps.
Steps 1 is information we need to know it but it doesnt change anything.
Imagine I am driving to a meeting. I see a light flashing in my car. After some investigation I find out it is the fuel light. I have found out the exact nature of my problem - my car will soon have no Power. Happy that I now understand the problem I carry on driving. I run out of fuel.
Steps 2 is information we need to know it but it doesnt change anything.
Imagine as before that my car is about to run out of fuel. I have the smart idea that the solution to my problem is to stop and fill it up with fuel. Now I am very happy. I know both the problem and the solution. I carry on driving - guess what, my car runs out of fuel. I still have no Power.
Steps 3-9 we need to DO it, it changes everything.
This time I see the light flashing, realise my car is about to run out of fuel, decide to stop to fill it up (Step3) and actually stop to do so (Step4-9). At last I have taken some action. My car now has a new source of Power and I drive to the meeting.
Step10,11 and 12 we need to keep DOING it, it keeps everything changed.
If i think that filling up my car with fuel just the once will keep me going for ever I am mistaken. I need to ensure that my car always has enough fuel, otherwise I will soon be at a stop at the side of the road with no Power again. I must do what I need to do each day to ensure that I have enough Power to take me where I want to go.
As I say any comments and questions welcome.
Step1 - The Problem - Powerlessness.
No problem can be solved until we know what the problem is. This is the first step in recovery. Our first goal is to find the exact nature of our problem. Our solution and recovery can be no better than our knowledge of the problem.
"We admitted we were powerless - that our lives had become unmanageable"
Step2 - The Solution - Power.
The second goal of the recovery programme is the solution. Now that we have found out where we are, we can establish where we need to go. If our problem is powerlessness our solution is to find Power.
"Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity"
Steps3 - 9 - The Programme of Action
These give us a step by step plan or how to get from where we are (Step1 -Powerless) to where we need to be (Step2 - Power).
Step10,11,12 - Growth
Once we have reached our solution of Power we need to ensure that we keep it. Steps 10, 11 and 12 give us instruction on how develop our contact with the Power we have found.
I use an example to show my sponsees why we need to work all of the steps.
Steps 1 is information we need to know it but it doesnt change anything.
Imagine I am driving to a meeting. I see a light flashing in my car. After some investigation I find out it is the fuel light. I have found out the exact nature of my problem - my car will soon have no Power. Happy that I now understand the problem I carry on driving. I run out of fuel.
Steps 2 is information we need to know it but it doesnt change anything.
Imagine as before that my car is about to run out of fuel. I have the smart idea that the solution to my problem is to stop and fill it up with fuel. Now I am very happy. I know both the problem and the solution. I carry on driving - guess what, my car runs out of fuel. I still have no Power.
Steps 3-9 we need to DO it, it changes everything.
This time I see the light flashing, realise my car is about to run out of fuel, decide to stop to fill it up (Step3) and actually stop to do so (Step4-9). At last I have taken some action. My car now has a new source of Power and I drive to the meeting.
Step10,11 and 12 we need to keep DOING it, it keeps everything changed.
If i think that filling up my car with fuel just the once will keep me going for ever I am mistaken. I need to ensure that my car always has enough fuel, otherwise I will soon be at a stop at the side of the road with no Power again. I must do what I need to do each day to ensure that I have enough Power to take me where I want to go.
As I say any comments and questions welcome.
I have used a very modified version of that for meetings alone.
I picture the gas gauge,and when not enough meetings are gone to the tank gets low, and it is my firm belief that after the gauge reads below half tank it sails to empty fast!
After reading your whole post, Nicky, I believe I will try my mental pictures using the car running out of gas, more broadly!
Thank You!
Thanks, Kate
I also quite like the clarence snyder explanation - although not necessarily very big book:
step 1 - admission
steps 2-7 - submission
steps 8-9 - restitution
steps 10-12 - construction (i think that's the word he uses anyway)
A funny one I heard is from sandy beach regarding step 2.
He uses this analogy:
"I watched a TV program on how to pack a parachute and saw that it was fraught with danger and any slight misfold decreased the chances of it opening. So I thought fuck that, I am NEVER gonna stake my life on a parachute - no fecking way! So anyway, one day a plane starts to go down and a parachute is plonked on my back and I'm shoved out of the door. I'm falling away thinking, feck this, I'm right, I'm not going use this parachute and even if I hit the ground and die at least I can prove my point and die my way! Now what AA is trying to say, perhaps this is a fine opportunity to put your pride away and CHANGE YOUR MIND!" LMAO
Those words are not a direct quote, but it did tickle me somewhat.
I also love the Joe and Charlie car mechanic analogy for the steps (especially the earlier ones). It's really quite similar to yours Nicky. The formula that comes out of it is very nice:
Awareness of a problem + another's experience of a possible solution passed on and heeded + belief + decision + action + experience = faith.
This is it in short form:
Your car breaks down and you suspect it is serious engine trouble. A mate comes along and says - hey I know a really good mechanic that is reliable, cheap and does a fine job. You muse on this a while but you trust your mate so you think, feck it, why not give this mechanic a try? So you decide that's what you are gonna do. Then you actually call the guy up and hand your car over to him. You wait to see the results, and the car comes back running better than ever, darn good price, he's valleted the interior, polished the bodywork and thrown in a few extras. Now have you got faith in this guy for the future or what?
In other words, faith isn't necessarily something that gets switched on at will - it's a good one for people struggling with the God concept and who believe that they have to develop an unshakeable faith in God in step 2.
Joe and Charlie really nailed it for me with that one in the early days.
Im on the step 2 and still drinking ...sad I know I need help ...
I also like Joe and Charlies "cake recipe"...
ie if i follow the "clear cut directions" to bake the cake in the cook book... i will get the same cake in the picture i the book....
seems to be pretty simple eh.,.. but as soon as we point out the "clear cut directions" in the Big Book of AA... some bleeding heart FELLOWSHIPPING MIDDLE OF THE ROAD SOLUTION babies come along and say ...waaaahhhhhhhhhh waaaahhhhhhhh waaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
I wannna stat siiiiiickkkk.... plleeeeeeze let me staayyyy sssiiiiiiickkk !
keep up the GREAT posts Nicki... i love me..
sincerely,
botbotcoco
I love "em" not me....
rule 62 eh
lol
you might want to think of the newcomer. just a thought
I know what you mean botbot. It's not the newcomers that are the problem, it's those that have decided that their message does not have the necessary 'depth and weight' theirs is 'wait and death'!!
From my understanding of the history of AA, Bill W did his steps 1 and 2 whilst drinking. He stopped, relapsed again then did his third and the other steps (not in order as they are now interestingly enough have a look at page 13) and never drank again. We all have our paths...
A bit of Dutch courage for you 4th doesn't seem very advisable though I reckon...
Huw