Hi Everyone!

Thank you for your participation and sharing during our meeting this week.

The telephone conference numbers for our group are:

Telephone conference number: (712) 775-7031 Access Code: 397-681-282

Playback recording number is: (712) 775-7029 Access Code: 397-681-282#

Playback reference number: 27

Here is the link for the MP3 of our meeting. Participants can also download the meeting directly from the conference line. The link will only be available for a limited time.

To listen to past recorded meetings, please go to the Recordings tab on the blog.

Our meetings are stored on MediaFire, a cloud storage service.

As a reminder, our group takes place on Sunday mornings at 5:30 AM EST.

Please join us as we “trudge the Road of Happy Destiny.” (AA Big Book 164:3)

THIS WEEK, we read and discussed the chapter The Discussion in The Unpopular Guide to Step 5.   I am really enjoying this booklet and so glad that we are able to read it together and share our ideas.

The chapter was based on the following quote from the AA Big Book:  This is perhaps difficult – especially discussing our defects with another person …. We will be more reconciled to discussing ourselves with another person when we see good reasons why we should do so …. [T]he great necessity for discussing ourselves with someone …. (pp. 72-74)

There were some wonderful questions asked!

We discussed how the authors of the booklet suggest that for our discussion of our “life story” the qualities of the person is more important than their qualifications. It is not necessary to share our 5^th Step with our sponsors, or, even another person in program.

Instead, it is more important that whoever listens to our 5^th Step is someone who is wise and humble enough to listen and who can contribute to the discussion from his or her own life experience.

 Judy asked: “how is it that we could do our 5^th Step with a non-program person?” 

In the early days of program, there was not the availability of what are now called “sponsors” or people who were experienced in program.

What is most important is:

…. We explain to our partner what we are about to do and why we have to do it. He should realize that we are engaged upon a life-and-death errand. Most people approached in this way will be glad to help; they will be honored by our confidence. (AA Big Book pp 75:1)

We discussed how important it is to be listened to, and allow our own inner wisdom or guidance to emerge.

Elisheva captured this so beautifully when she said, “The more I share and reveal my inner world, the more I am able to change my outer world.”

Aidel asked: “how do we just listen and avoid giving advice?”

Ossnath suggested that role of advice is woven within the Steps 6, 7, 8, and 9, that follow the 5^th Step.  In Step 5, we ask:

“Have you ever done to someone else what this person did to you?” (The Realization section.)

“Are you willing to forgive the person that you feel resentful towards?”

“How would God have you be?”

In Step 6 we ask, “Are you willing to let God remove your defects of character?”

In Steps 8 and 9, we ask, “Do you think you owe an amends?”

“How can you make this right?”

Those are the moments where we can make helpful suggestions, based on our own personal experience, for the other person.

We also read and shared briefly on a chapter, “Reading The Book – Seven Things To Do” by Richmond Walker, the author of the 24 Hours A Day book. This article was an excerpt from the book Stepping Stones To Recovery by Bill Pittman.

In order to recovery, R. Walker states there are 7 things to do:

1. Admit I am an alcoholic
2. Realize I must spend the rest of my life without liquor
3. Be absolutely honest with myself.
4. Turn to a Higher Power for help.
5. Live one day at a time.
6. Come to meeting regularly.
7. Work with other alcoholics.

This is a wonderful and helpful list!  I liked it so much, that I made a picture of it.

Next week is our Steel On Steel Group, so there will be no recording. I will email the group the conference line numbers.

Following the Steel On Steel Meeting, we will read the next story in the AA Big Book.

As a group, we discussed reading the book, “Drop The Rock” to further explore our study of Steps 6 and 7.

The original “Drop The Rock” was based on a talk by Sandy B. Please click on the link if you are interested in listening to the original talk.

Thank you all for sharing your experience, strength and hope. I am so grateful to be sharing this journey with all of you!

“Together we can do what we can never do alone.”

In love and service,

Shira