Topic for the week:
Big Book Study
When I was new, my sponsor at the time, bless her-I am forever grateful for her, but we didn’t go through the book together. I was given very little, just told to go to a lot of meetings. Only until I started listening to spiritual fit big book thumpers, not big book lawyers, but people in the program who genuinely get that the program is the book Alcoholics Anonymous-that fellowship is asset, but the textbook contains the Steps that brings me into a relationship with the only Power that will keep me sober and growing. That power is God, may you find Him now…as it states!
I do my sponsoring online and so we do not meet in person and I do not go through the book with them as they did back in the day. But, as I grow in my own spirit and sobriety, I am learning more and more about studying the book. Transmitting what I am learning in my own book study now, what was not transmitted to me from the fellowship in the beginning. This format has truly helped me to understand the Steps in correlation with the chapters in the Big Book. As I learn this way I am able to teach this way and become a more effective sponsor in the process.
Step 1 in the Big Book is:
- Doctors Opinion
- Bill’s Story
- There is a Solution
- More about Alcoholism
So essentially they took 4 Chapters to make sure I understood the allergy of alcoholism and identified with Bill’ Story so that I could properly diagnose myself. If based upon what I have read in these 4 chapters I conclude that I am in fact an alcoholic, then I can proceed to Step 2.
I couldn’t move into Step 2 if I didn’t fully concede that I am powerless over alcohol, that my life is unmanageable because of it.
Step 2:
We the Agnostics
Step 3:
How it Works (Pages 58-Bottom of 63
Step 4:
How it Works (Bottom of 63-71)
Step 5:
Into Action (Pages 72-Top 76)
Step 6 & 7:
Into Action (Top of 76-middle of 76)
Steps 8 & 9:
Into Action (middle of 76-middle of page 84)
Step 10:
Into Action (Middle of page 84-bottom of 85)
Step 11:
Into Action (Bottom of page 85-88)
Step 12
Working With Others (Entire Chapter)
I study our text daily. Not for inspiration per say, but as a structured daily outline. This works for me and how I learn and grow. How do you actively study our text? Do you do a big book study online or with your home group? Do you take you sponsees through the book? Has your sponsor taken you through the book? How do you personally grow in effectiveness in your 12th Step?
Thank you for letting me be a service!
Hilarie
4/8/14