To be doomed to an alcoholic death or to live on a spiritual basis are not always easy alternatives to face. Easy does it applies no matter how long one has been in a. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism generally known as the big book because of the thickness of the paper used in the first edition is a 1939 basic text, describing how to recover from alcoholism, primarily written by william g. Meeting types and descriptions alcoholics anonymous in. Since the first edition appeared, in 1939, it has helped millions of men and women recover from alcoholism.
The easy does it slogan is on the bottom of page 5 in the bb, btw. Sbbb refers to this steps by the big book workbook. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing, or situation some fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person. Physical realization has long been identified as a characteristic of great athletes. Rochester area alcoholics anonymous rochester area alcoholics anonymous. In order to be as helpful and inclusive as possible, some of these are repetitive as in turning it over and step three, which basically is turning it over, or in economic insecurity and money, which encompasses economic insecurity. Living sober port of spain intergroup posig of alcoholics. Here is a list of the opinions, perspectives, and slogans we often hear in rooms and what the 1st edition of our original basic text. For reasons that i believe have more to do with unfounded fear than anything else, there is an attitude among some in 12 step recovery that we have to be ready to work the steps, particularly the 4th step. Between these lines, it is easy to read our fear that large numbers of incoming people might break our anonymity wide open.
The book is published by alcoholics anonymous world services. This was the version of the big book distributed to friends and colleagues of aas founders before the first edition was printed. Todays aa meetings palm beach county intergroup of. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and more concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either. Aa speakers amazing big book step study part 1 of 5 duration. But not so with us in those last days of heavy drinking. Easy does it slogans resources for alcoholics anonymous. Easy in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12.
Copyright alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. These leathers are not the t h i n leathers found in commercially produced covers nor are they. The forward to printings of the aa big book, preceding the third edition, provide the reader with a sense of the changes that have occurred, since the beginning of aa. Easy in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12 traditions.
That was a time when a handful of alcoholics discovered a solution to their seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. With no financial resources, big hopes were placed on sales of the big book. The 12 promises of aa begin on page 83 of the fourth edition of the big book. It relies upon its deep understanding of spirituality and mindfulness to bring about serenity. The point is, there is no prescribed aa right way or wrong way. When one of us is in a dither to get something done or get somewhere in a hurry.
Big book step study this type of meeting focuses on specific material from the big book and the. This is a fairly comprehensive index to the big book, the basic text of the fellowship of alcoholics anonymous. Easy does it, written by the authors of the twelvestep prayer book, is a twelvestep meditation book that guides your intentions on a daily basis. Most people think of aa as a spiritual process with its main emphasis on giving it all up to god. Here is another example of a common misconception spread by wordofmouth. It works, if we have the proper attitude and work at it. Easy does it provokes daily reflection through its inspirational quotes, meditations, and aa slogans. It is about working on slowing down and taking life on lifes terms. But the big book says, selfishnessselfcenteredness.
Upon achieving step one the admission of powerlessness and step two agreeing that there is, in fact, a higher power, step three goes beyond words to actions. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism is often referred to in alcoholics anonymous meetings aa as the big book. Home read the big book and twelve steps and twelve traditions. Walk the talk big book discussion limited to 10 folks.
Alcoholics anonymous, from the title of its own book. The text got this name because the first edition of the book had rather thick pages, making the book even thicker than its content would suggest. Each of us uses what is best for himself or herselfwithout closing the door on other kinds of help we may find valuable at another time. There have been numerous reprints and revisions, in addition to translations into dozens of languages. Alcoholics anonymous quotes author of alcoholics anonymous. Reprinted from the book alcoholics anonymous the big book with permission of a. The ez big book of alcoholics anonymous is a pagebypage translation of the original alcoholics anonymous published by aa founder bill wilson in the 1930s. Being considerate of others in and out of aa being useful big book using the big book boredom with the program the bottom is where you stop digging you hit bottom when you stop digging.
The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism, is a collection of texts used by members of the alcoholics anonymous fellowship the book has undergone four revisions since william wilson, also known as bill w. It is the basic text of the fellowship of alcoholics anonymous, and has helped large numbers of alcoholic men and women, young and old, recover as of december 2009, 30,664,881 copies of the big book have been sold or otherwise. I found this, a reproduction of the 1938 original manuscript of alcoholics anonymous preface. The big book was originally published in 1939 by aa founders bill w. The second edition 1955 consisted of 1,150,000 copies. Working the steps in aa and other 12 step groups is where the addition to easy does it really makes sense but do it. It is a jokey reference that goes back to aas humble beginnings.
Easy does it economic insecurity ego egosmashing, easing god out. When the book was published in 1939 the aa fellowship was small and struggling. Home read the big book and twelve steps and twelve traditions alcoholics anonymous alcoholics anonymous this is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. It is intended to carry the aa message to modern readers who find the original big book hard to digest for any reason. Inner peace and contentment will disable any trauma, loneliness, or emotional pains in your recovery. Read this book 1 11th step meditation meeting 1 a baffled lot 1 a vision for you 1 basic text aa 1 bright promise womens aa 1 como park big book study 1 cottage grove aa cgaa in the park 9 defogged mens group 2 eagan burnsville savage aa 1 easy does it 1 eclectic electric candlelite big book boogaloo 1.
Home read the big book and twelve steps and twelve traditions alcoholics anonymous alcoholics anonymous this is the fourth edition of the. The language is genderneutral, and references to spirituality are more inclusive. The free version features the full text of the big book, prayers, personal stories, podcasts, meeting finder, and more. All covers are handmade from various types of leather. Most people think of aa as a spiritual process with its main emphasis on giving it all up to god or a higher power. Playing semantics with the 12 steps short form here. I have found that the process of discovering who i really am begins with knowing who i really dont want to be. Jul 20, 2010 does aa work because it s a form of cbt. Big book alcoholics anonymous chapter 4 we agnostics pages 44 57.
It is my hope that you will find this site useful to you and our friends of bill w. Getting help we are fortunate to have 24 hour 7 day a week coverage of our phone to allow anyone who needs help, to talk to a member of alcoholics anonymous. Wilson, one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous aa. It is joyous intimacy with friends and a feeling that life is good. With the appearance of the new book a great deal began to happen.
To read a pdf version of the fourth edition of alcoholics anonymous. The slogan easy does it is one way we aas remind each other that many of us have tendencies at times to overdo things, to rush heedlessly along, impatient with anything that slows us down. The big book the main 164 pages, prayers, personal stories, and more. Jun 03, 2015 this was the version of the big book distributed to friends and colleagues of aas founders before the first edition was printed. See our study edition for a far more comprehensive index in book form. Yet, we believe we can make some definite and valuable suggestions. Does alcoholics anonymous work because its a form of. A personal story on page 407 called acceptance was the answer is also wellknown among aa membership. The 164 and more book, ebook, and web site are all concordances which display passages from the big book alcoholics anonymous, the twelve steps and twelve traditions, and the a.
Aa does not focus on the substance of alcohol as the problem. We agnostics aa big book chapter 4 aa big book big book of aa alcoholics anonymous doctors opinion how it works aa preamble alcoholism recovery 4th edition 3rd edition 2nd edition alcohol allergy rehabilitation of alcoholics dr. This is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. This book is for members of all 12 step fellowships dedicated to a sane and manageable way of life, free of addictions, compulsions, and dependencies. It opens the door to the rest of the steps and allows a person to begin the process of selfreflection step four and admitting the nature of ones wrongdoings step five. The big book of alcoholics anonymous, also referred to as alcoholics anonymous. All references to the topics will be found in the first 164 pages of the book, alcoholics anonymous. The big book bb notations are to page and paragraph, as in 64. It is the basic text of the fellowship of alcoholics anonymous, and has helped large numbers of alcoholic men and women, young and old, recover.
We hear a lot of stuff said in meetings that cant be reconciled with the program as described in the big book of alcoholics anonymous. The whytehouse is, i hope, a way to find that special phrase or saying etc. It is simply being tuned into the secret of how recovery and life actually work. Simple in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. Others of us felt the need to postpone this until we had been sober a little while. I have provided a link in a couple of places on this page for your convenience, so you can get to the search page.
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