Big Book Study

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Big Book Study - Post #28

Good Morning everyone!

Although it seems like we're running through the Steps, keep in mind
that in this chapter alone we cover steps 5 through 10 -- a mere 16
pages for 6 steps. No wonder this chapter is called Into Action!

We are at page 84, paragraph 2, and the beginning of Step 10.

"This thought brings us to Step Ten, which suggests we continue to
take personal inventory and continue to set right any new mistakes
as we go along." So, in Step 10, we continue the process of
housecleaning/amends that we have embarked on in the Step 4 through
9 process. "We have entered the world of the Spirit." We have had a
spiritual awakening or experience. "Our next function is to grow
in understanding and effectiveness." (Makes you wonder about all
those people who say "This thing works but I don't know how")

This is the first of the continuing growth steps. In the past, Steps
10, 11, and 12 were called Maintenance Steps. Although maintenance
is part of the idea we really need continued growth through Steps
10 - 12. "It should continue for our lifetime." A daily 10th Step,
an integral part of our lives - that's the idea. "Continue to watch
for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear." Sounds like a
4th Step doesn't it? "When these crop up we ask God at once to remove
them." Sounds like what we have done in Steps 6 and 7. "We discuss
them with someone immediately (Step 5, right?) and make amends
quickly if we have harmed anyone." That sounds like our actions in
Steps 8 and 9 to me. What is our code? "Love and tolerance is our
code."

In this short paragraph outlining the 10th Step we have touched upon
Steps 4 through 9. We are continuing the process on a daily basis
that we began when we did Steps 4 through 9. If we are thorough in
our 10th Step there is likely to be no need to repeat any of Steps 4
through 9.

Another group of promises, the Step Ten Promises, appears at the
bottom of Page 84 - last paragraph: "And we have ceased fighting
anything or anyone- even alcohol. For by this time sanity will have
returned." Can we hide behind "insanity" any longer? Still "sick?"
Are we "crazy?" No, not in respect to alcohol. We have been restored
to sanity and are no longer the victim of the mental obsession that
dooms us to drink. That is a miracle to me! "If tempted, we recoil
from it as from a hot flame. We react sanely and normally, and we
will find that this has happened automatically. ... We are not
fighting it, neither are we avoiding temptation. ... Instead, the
problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. ... This is how
we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition." It sounds
to me that we shouldn't be fighting booze if we have gone through
this process. Are we white knuckling it? Then, perhaps, we haven't
practiced the program as presented. Are we thinking about a drink
frequently? Are we tempted to drink? We must go back and review what
we have done; there is a flaw somewhere. Have we been entirely
honest? "Have we tried to make mortar without sand? ... Have we held
on to some of the worst items in stock?"

Some of the greatest miracles of sobriety are made possible through
the practice and application of the 12 Step process in our lives. It
is these miracles that separates Alcoholics Anonymous from
everything else out there. These miracles are possible for each and
every one of us. But these same miracles are only possible by
following the program as presented in the Big Book. Once we decide
to "work our own program" we cannot expect the benefits of this
message.

With our next post we'll continue our discussion on Step 10 on page
85, paragraph 1.

Have a great day everyone!

Jim