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. An article by a renowned aa historian and archivist, writes about the principles of the 12 steps and where the 12 steps principles come from. Patience in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. Its words and interpretations are left up to the reader to use as they choose. According to the alcoholics anonymous big book, the only requirement to become a member of a. Eye opener thursday meeting format big book study chairpersons instructions for use in aa meetings hosted at.
Browse the directory of online meetings alcoholics anonymous. Meetings these are suggested topics from the big book of alcoholics anonymous, as a guide to selecting a meeting topic for discussion meetings. Apr 11, 2019 the following are the most common aa meetings. Alcoholism12 step support discussion topics for aa meeting hello all. What the big book really says by jay westbrook on december 29, 2014 in living in recovery, living with addiction alcoholics anonymous, and the myriad of other 12step programs, can be invaluable to the recovering alcoholic or addict. These meetings use a reading from the book alcoholics anonymous, commonly called the big book, to spark discussion. Toledo aa meetings schedule toledo aa meetings there are over 530 aa meetings in northwest, ohio, and southeast, michigan every week. The purpose of this study guide is to enable the student to better understand the information the authors of the book, alcoholics anonymous, intended to impart to each of us based on their experience and knowledge of alcoholism and their program of recovery. We believe and hope it contains all you will need to begin. I have provided a link in a couple of places on this page for your convenience, so you can get to the search page. It contains a number of materials that in theory can help potential patients in getting rid of an addiction.
In 1977, some members met in a tulsa, ok hotel room for a discussion of the big book. But my meeting format is chairs choice the chairperson chooses the topic and format of each meeting and i think that the topic has a part in how the meeting plays out. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. The reference pages are taken from the 4th edition of the big book of alcoholics anonymous. This months special section is on getting through tough times in sobriety. Browse the next available or search for the right one for you. Acceptance act as if action addictive personality adversity. If three drinks felt good, six drinks would be even better. Big book alcoholics anonymous is a must have app for those who want give up drinking alcohol. As an experienced aa member wellversed in the groups literature, he knows that all meetings deal with topics related to the big book. Time limit of 3 minutes per share with a 5 minute introduction to the step being discussed. How sad it is to see people spend their lives haunted by fear. Other groups read from the big book weekly and discuss each chapter as they go along. Readings from as bill sees it can inspire sharing on discussion topics.
Step study meetings are focused on studying the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous, the core of the program. One hour, closed, women only, literature meeting thursday 7. What is a topic for an aa meeting that goes deeper than. The whytehouse is, i hope, a way to find that special phrase or saying etc. Can anyone point me to a good long list of discussion topics for aa meetings. The individual sections of this study guide material reflect ideas, emotions and attitudes you might hear from the. Using the big book and the back to basics beginners meeting book, we share our experience, strength, and hope with each other to help others to recover from alcoholism. We meet every day at this time to stay connected with the fellowship. In the case of big books, a number of meetings in the area give new members a copy to keep for their own use.
The aa pioneers proved that action, not knowledge, produced the spiritual awakening that resulted in recovery from alcoholism. A member can be of any age, sex, religion, race or class. Smf56 suggested topics for discussion meetings alcoholics. Aa big book with questions for discussion hi everyone. The big book of alcoholics anonymous verywell mind. Ask if there are any newcomers with 30 days or less.
Aa promises the aa big book 12step promises of recovery. Taking a more positive view of fear can be helpful when dealing with it. The big book and aa deals mainly with providing a solution leading to a psycic change via the 12 steps and fellowship of aa. There are detailed instructions from both former alcoholics and professional narcologists. I know a large part of what makes a meeting good is the people who go, and we have a great group i wouldnt have made it my home group otherwise.
As the term suggests, meetings of this type are open to alcoholics and their families and to anyone interested in solving a personal drinking problem or helping someone else to solve such a problem. Read about what the alcoholics anonymous big book is and learn about the details of the 12step program. Closed meetings, open meetings, discussion meetings, lead meetings, big book meetings, 12 step meetings. And so can you, though you be but one man with this book in your hand. I lead a topic meeting weekly and really struggled with picking topics. 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. A personal story on page 407 called acceptance was the answer is also wellknown among aa membership. During any such meeting to study the aa big book, you would expect to encounter a wide variety of viewpoints on the portions under consideration. Alcoholics anonymous also known as the big book in recovery circles sets forth cornerstone concepts of recovery from alcoholism and tells the stories of men and women who have overcome the disease. The big book of alcoholics anonymous, also referred to as alcoholics anonymous. I particularly liked the suggestion to go to three basic aa meetings every week. Bs big book step study the focus is on some aspect of the 12 steps from the big book. This is a closed meeting of alcoholics anonymous, for alcoholics only. The most interesting meeting i went to as a newcomer was when they talked about how their lives had changed sisnce workign the 12 steps.
To read a pdf version of the fourth edition of alcoholics anonymous. Several pages may be read aloud by a volunteer or members may take turns reading a portion of the big book. There is then a discussion of how the pages have proven useful to each member. You are encouraged to read the reference pages and comment on the topic of acceptance. All references to the topics will be found in the first 164 pages of the book, alcoholics anonymous. Fear in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. Mental, spiritual and physical disease readings from as bill sees it can inspire sharing on discussion topics. 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. There is comfort in knowing you arent alone, that what youre feeling isnt unusual, and that there is a solution. The joy of life is squeezed out of them by fear of failure, criticism, betrayal, change, rejection, loneliness, poverty, growing old, getting sick, losing ones job, and saying what is on their mind. Home read the big book and twelve steps and twelve traditions. This is by no means an exhaustive list of meeting types, but it does give a general sense of the choices available.
The premise of the book describes the 12 step program that has been widely applied to other forms of. Enter through glass door, between madison and 5th ave. Ive found the material on the aa website as well as at the grapevine. The sbbb study guide is for those in recovery from the disease of addiction who wish to work the 12 steps by the big book, alcoholics anonymous. This app has it all aa topics with big book passages is the perfect tool for your sobriety. Mar 01, 2020 for signing in please call contact ideally 24 hours before the meeting at the latest. All meetings are located in building 3752, except the womens aa meeting each day a new beginning on saturday which is located in building 3810, rheinlandpfalz army library. The first step meetings i went to were entertaining, but i already knew how to drink. Most open meetings follow a more or less set pattern, although distinctive variations have developed in some areas. A blog about recovery from alcohol and the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous, personal shares.
Big book study meetings are generally closed and are specifically designed to help improve our understanding of the book, alcoholics anonymous. Includes icebreakers for sales meetings, team building, complete strangers, introducing a topic, staff meetings, groups over 20, outdoor settings, and more. Aa speakers amazing big book step study part 1 of 5. Literature suggested topics for discussion meetings smf56 suggested topics for discussion meetings printing a single copy of this item is permitted, in accordance with the a.
It is my hope that you will find this site useful to you and our friends of bill w. Aa meeting topics out of big book aa discussion meeting topics oxford, ms aa we, of alcoholics anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. My group sometimes reads from the original manuscript of the big book because many of us favor the more forceful language it uses. Is it ok to use nonconference approved literature in. If there is a newcomer attending for the first time, the group may change the topic to focus on the first three steps. I would pick a topic that sounded cool and unique, and get nothing but crickets. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and more concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either alcoholics.
It is explained in further detail in the first three chapters of the big book, and in the a. May 29, 2008 pity those who fear what they shouldnt and fear not what they should. About aa meetings alcoholics anonymous great britain. In addition to the five suggestions above, many groups report that their beginners meetings include discussions of these topics. Meeting types and descriptions alcoholics anonymous in. Have one of the members read how it works from chapter 5 of the big book. Aa big book with questions for discussion emotional. Meeting opens with selected reading from aa approved literature, followed by topic discussion of the steps. The big book has given me that comfort and the push to move forward. Honesty in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. To assist our next meeting, i thought i would post what we read today until the end of the chapter, with the questions from in 1 documen. 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.
Jan 03, 2018 alcoholics anonymous speakers aa speakers. Aa meetings open, closed, big book, 12x12, speaker. There are no membership dues or fees, thus the group relies on member donations for support to cover expenses. Big book studies are especially valuable for newcomers. On page 88, the authors of the big book wrote, it worksit really does. Big book workshop on aas 12 steps, as presented by dallas b. My 10 favorite lines from the big book of alcoholics. Instead of viewing this emotion as the enemy it can be seen as a helpful guide in life. Members meet periodically to discuss their problems and to provide support to other members.
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. If you are new and unfamiliar with the big book bb many of us change the words alcohol to food, alcoholic to compulsive overeater. Once we have this change, the problem no longer exsists for us provided we maintain our spritual condition. When aa isnt enough because the success of aa depends on the participants willingness to initiate change is his or her own life, the program cant really help those who arent yet ready to own up to their problem and take corrective action. Since the first edition appeared, in 1939, it has helped millions of men and women recover from alcoholism. 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. Step meetings, some groups will discuss the traditions so that, every thirteenth meeting the group focuses on a tradition. Some have objected to doing this because they say only aa approved books can be used in meetings. The book alcoholics anonymous, affectionately known by members as the big book, is the textbook for the original 12step recovery program now known by the same name. Certain topics and discussions support this purpose, but others have little or no bearing on sobriety and may even discourage wary newcomers from ever returning to an aa meeting. The alcoholics anonymous group chairperson is responsible for choosing discussion topics for a given meeting. These are suggested topics from the big book of alcoholics anonymous, as a guide to selecting a meeting topic for discussion meetings.
In addition to the five suggestions above, many groups report that their beginners meetings include discussions of these. This is the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. Im especially interested in topics for beginner meetings. Aa meeting topics in the big book and suggested topics for a. The 12 promises of aa begin on page 83 of the fourth edition of the big book. As of december 2009, 30,664,881 copies of the big book have been sold or otherwise distributed source aa gso ny. 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. The big book says, here are the steps we took not here are the steps we read and talked about. Some groups choose to read on the 1st meeting of the month. Apr 08, 2016 those individuals who belong alcoholics anonymous or to one of the other 12 step fellowships will be able to discuss their fears with a sponsor or in the meetings. Find a meeting meeting changes for your information all groups orientation other minnesota meetings smoking meetings directory listing policy minneapolis directory this directory is not to be used as a mailing list or for any form of solicitation or commercial venture. The big book, alcoholics anonymous some groups discuss one chapter from the big book each week. Hope in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. Here, youll find an online copy of the 12 steps that you can download to print, or to save on your.