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Step 11

  Step 11 goes as follows: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve out conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only for the knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out.  Let’s break this step down.  First of all, it assumes that we have incorporated a period

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Step 12

Step 12 reads as follows: Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all of our affairs.  This step assumes that we have taken steps 1-11 already. The result of these first 11 steps is a spiritual awakening. 

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Creative Minds

There is a story in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous where a man thought he could have a drink of whiskey and milk!  Surely this would be a sensible combination.  Another woman who was pregnant thought that she could drink Kalua and vodka.  We come up with all sorts of creative ideas when it

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Mental Defense

  The Big Book states that we have no mental defense against the first drink (pg,41).  That defense must come from a Higher Power. I know for myself that I would do anything to keep the supply of drinks coming to me.  Actually, I never really tried to control and enjoy my drinking.  I tried

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Upon Awakening

Step 11 in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous pages 86-87 gives us some direction as how we are to begin our day.  We are to begin it with a period of prayer and meditation.  This is probably something we have never done before.  We may need to get up earlier than we are used

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When We Retire at Night

The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous on page 86 also gives us “going to sleep” suggestions.  It states that we are to constructively review our day.  It also states that we are not to venture off into morbid reflection.  We ask ourselves “were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid?”  “Were we kind and loving toward

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Fit Spiritual Condition

Once again, the holiday season is upon us.  It’s time for a lot of people to gather and share food and drink.  The Big Book of Alcoholics anonymous (page 102) states that we can go anywhere we choose as long as our motives for going are good.  We must also be in fit spiritual condition. 

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Drinking

The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous states on page 19 that “we feel that the elimination of our drinking is but a beginning.  A much more important demonstration of our principles lies before us in our respective homes, occupations and affairs.” This means that we need to apply what we have learned by taking the

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Step 10

“Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.”  This is step 10.  One of the implications here is that we are going to be “wrong” at times.  It also does not give us the luxury to wallow in this wrong.  We are to admit our wrong promptly and with an

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12 Step Meetings

You may be wondering what all these 12 Step meetings are all about.  If I choose a 12 Step modality for my recovery program, do I have to go to meetings?  What goes on at these meetings?  How often do I have to go to a meeting?  How much do they cost?  Where are they

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