What Are The Spiritual Tools Of AA

Meetings

We go to A.A. meetings to understand how the program works, to share our experiences, strength, and hope with others, and to do what we couldn't do alone with the help of the fellowship.

Literature

Our primary tool and literature is the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book. Recommended reading includes the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, as well as A.A. pamphlets, which are available at this meeting.

Service

Our personal program grows as a result of our service. In A.A., service is given. Leading a meeting, making coffee, changing seats, being a sponsor, or clearing ashtrays are all examples of service. Service is action, and action is the key to this program's success.

History

A.A. in the St. Joseph river valley saw a period of significant expansion in the late 1970s and early 1980s, resulting in a large influx of newcomers and the establishment of numerous new meetings. Bill Peters, Don Helvey, and Marcel “Ben” Benson, as well as two other men who were relatively new to the program, Chainsaw Clint Becker and Jan N., got together and put together a short piece called the A.A. Tools of Recovery, summarizing the seven most important things they felt these newcomers to the program needed to know. Clint earned his moniker from an incident that occurred while he was still drinking. Benson was a Frenchman. He was working as a tree trimmer at the time, and when his wife became enraged and locked him out of the house, he used a chainsaw to rip the door out.

What are spiritual tools?

But there's another, even more effective way to employ the items in your toolbox: as preventative medication on a daily basis. Instead of always starting a new diet or exercise regimen, think of it as keeping in shape (for the most part).

In practical terms, the tools in your toolbox make up your “Wellness Workout” — simple things you can do most days (note: “most”) that will have a major influence on all aspects of your life – emotionally, psychologically, physically, spiritually, and even financially.

The beauty is that each of the tools mentioned here supercharges the others, making them significantly more powerful. Consider this: relying just on cardio to be in shape is excellent, but it will only go you so far. So, as you continue reading, consider this: What if you meditated or journaled outside? What if you included mindfulness into your creative endeavors? What if you took thirty seconds to notice how your body feels as the sun warms it?

After decades of doing all of these things, I came to the realization that it was by integrating the numerous techniques that I was able to improve my life. Scientifically, this is partly due to the influence each activity has on my brain — quieting down certain areas while ramping up others – all of which result in less stress, greater calm, better health, and the clarity I needed to design my life exactly the way I wanted – and keep doing so.

What are the spiritual steps of AA?

Acceptance, hope, faith, courage, honesty, patience, humility, willingness, brotherly-love, integrity, self-discipline, and service are the 12 spiritual principles of recovery.

What are the 3 legacies of AA?

The Three Legacies of Alcoholics Anonymous are Recovery, Unity, and Service, which are embodied by the Steps, Traditions, and Concepts when taken together.

Recovery has provided us with a second chance at happiness and freedom, as well as the opportunity to live useful and productive lives. Recovery is made up of the 12 steps and the Big Book, and it is the program's entire foundation. In the foreword to the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Bill W. writes: “The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are a set of spiritual principles that, when followed as a way of life, can help people overcome their drinking addiction and become happy and helpful members of society.”

Unity has provided us with a community of people who share our common problem and who provide us with the love and support we need to be sober. The 12 Traditions of AA describe the concepts that promote the fellowship's unity at the group level. ” The 12 Traditions of AA apply to the Fellowship's own life. They describe how AA maintains its unity and interacts with the world around it, as well as how it lives and evolves.” AA co-founder Bill W.

Service allows us to carry out our principal goal of “delivering the message to the still-suffering alcoholic.” The 12 Concepts, which are included in the General Service Manual and the appendix of the Big Book of AA, provide the foundation for service in AA. “The basic service that the AA Fellowship provides is our Twelfth Step – delivering the word; this is our main goal and purpose for being. As a result, AA is more than a set of principles; it is a functioning society of alcoholics. We must deliver the message, or we will perish, and others who have not been told the truth will perish.” The AA Service Manual, from AA's Legacy of Service

” The Three Legacies – Recovery, Unity, and Service – provided to the entire membership of AA by its founders (Bill W. and Dr. Bob) and their fellow old-timers are the solution to our Alcoholism/Addiction. There are 12 guiding Spiritual concepts in each legacy, for a total of 36.”

What are the 4 absolutes?

The Oxford Group assisted many people with many difficulties before Bill Wilson and his colleagues created the book Alcoholics Anonymous and discovered a cure to their chronic alcoholism.

The Oxford Group attempted to improve members by teaching a spiritual growth method that was comparable to Alcoholics Anonymous' 12 Steps: inventory, admitting mistakes, making amends, praying and meditating, and spreading the gospel.

The Oxford Group was created in 1921 by Lutheran clergyman Frank Buchman as a Christian organization. The organization was then dubbed Moral Re-arrangement as they declared that their goal was to provide their members a moral rearrangement.

This is pretty similar to what Roland Hazard was told by Carl Jung. During the 1930s, Roland's rich family employed the best psychiatrist in the world. Roland learned what it took for a persistent alcoholic to get sober from Jung.

“They appear to be characterized by massive emotional shifts and rearrangements. Ideas, feelings, and attitudes that were once leading factors in these men's life are suddenly put aside, and a whole new set of conceptions and reasons take their place.”

The most significant distinction between the two organizations is that Alcoholics Anonymous, while founded on Christian values, is not affiliated with any religion. And, to be honest, relying alone on the Four Absolutes is unlikely to help many chronic relapsers.

Instead, A.A. focuses on spiritual concepts that will change how an alcoholic views life, thinks, behaves, and interacts with others. It does not claim to know what or who God is; rather, it asserts that a greater force exists.

You can create a new design for living by removing what is preventing you from connecting with a higher power. ‘The' “Moral re-arrangement” occurs as a result of following the procedures.

What are the 4 Absolutes

The Four Absolutes can be beneficial to a recovering alcoholic. They can help you figure out if you're treating others the way you should, as well as guiding your meditation and prayer.

The Four Absolutes, on the other hand, can be nearly impossible to follow for someone seeking a spiritual experience and a moral reorientation, especially if they are a frequent relapser.

“In the early days, before the Steps, the four absolutes, as we called them, were the only yardsticks we had.” I believe absolutes are still valid and can be incredibly useful. I've discovered that when a question occurs, I want to do the right thing, but the answer isn't obvious. If I verify my decision carefully against the yardsticks of extreme honesty, total unselfishness, pure purity, and absolute love, and it checks out quite well, then my answer can't be that far out of the way.”

These concepts were employed by the Oxford Group to make judgments based on God-consciousness. Let's take a look at how they're used by both groups.

On Honestly

Being honest, on the other hand, is a revolutionary trait among alcoholics. Honesty isn't something that happens. So many alcoholics lie and manipulate that it becomes second nature to them.

This is not to argue that alcoholics are inherently nasty or bad individuals. They suffer from a condition that forces them to consume alcohol at all costs. It becomes necessary to lie, manipulate, and take advantage of others.

On Unselfishness

Alcoholics are, by definition, self-centered. Their mental, physical, and spiritual health are all aberrant. An alcoholic is compelled to drink as a result of this disorder. They have no choice but to use alcohol.

As a result, they will drink regardless of the circumstances. Even if their child begs them to quit drinking, or if they are in difficulty at work or in court, they will continue to drink.

This is one of the key characteristics that the 12 Steps address; it takes you from being selfish and just thinking about oneself to being selfless and caring about others “I'm trying to fit into the flow of life.”

The Oxford Groups pose the following question: “What effect will this have on the other guy?”

This is a difficult issue to answer for an alcoholic who can't manage how much they drink or stay sober. It's also one that isn't considered during a binge, spree, or relapse.

On Purity

The first 164 pages of the Big Book include no mention of purity. “Is it right or not?” asks the Oxford Group.

Perhaps this is why Alcoholics Anonymous hasn't adopted it: chronic alcoholics can't tell the difference between what's true and what's not. They consider their boozy lifestyle to be normal.

It's incomprehensible to believe that an alcoholic can make the best option. Addicts have a three-fold dilemma that makes it impossible for them to make the best decision possible.

On Love

In chronic alcoholic partnerships, the action of consistent love is missing. Chronic alcoholics are, once again, dishonest and self-centered. It's difficult to find love.

You will be able to care for others, be more tolerant, and wish to be of service to others if you follow the stages, have a spiritual awakening, and have a “moral rearrangement.”

What are the spiritual principles behind each of the 12 steps?

When one's challenges are overwhelmed by dread and anguish, the path to release from one's struggles is rarely evident. COVID-19 has caused great consternation, making this path appear hazy and dangerous. Let's clear some space for ourselves.

Spiritual principles lay out a road for us to live lives devoid of unnecessary suffering, with the fortitude and resilience to face the grief and terror that are unavoidable parts of life. At RCA, we use the 12 Step Model of addiction treatment to help patients work through the internal chaos and discover the strength they need to rise above and overcome their challenges.

While the 12 Step Model can assist those suffering from addiction discover the calm and power they need to heal, the principles that underpin it can be applied to any condition. Even in these moments of worry and anxiety, applying the principles can help to alleviate stress and promote overall wellbeing.

These principles, combined with a regular practice of pausing and thinking on them, can help us cope with anything life throws at us.

The Serenity Prayer is a prevalent theme in many recovery circles as a method to pause and allow oneself to return to the present moment and the serenity that is alight inside them, whether or not they recognize it at the time.

Let's make a version of this to think about and express (or even simply read) when we're feeling powerless in the face of the world's current conditions:

Please give me the peace of mind to accept the things I can't change, such as Nature's course.

Grant me the courage to make the changes I can, such as living by spiritual values and taking care of my health, despite how tough it may appear.

And give me the insight to recognize the difference, to understand that I have no control over my choices and that Love will guide me through any experience I may have.

Keep in mind what your life's mission is. It is not to be subjected to interminable suffering and to be at the mercy of life's events. It is to be free, to live in Love rather than fear, and to know that this experience is possible and available to you at any time and in any place, regardless of anything may obstruct your way. It is constantly present within you. Take your time to locate it, and you'll be able to bear nearly any “how” if you do.

What does the AA triangle stand for?

The triangle represents AA's Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service, while the circle represents the entire world of AA. We have discovered liberation from our fatal fixation in our glorious new world. Perhaps it's no coincidence that we chose this particular emblem. The circle encircling the triangle was thought by ancient priests and seers to be a means of warding off evil spirits, and AA's circle and triangle of Recovery, Unity, and Service has undoubtedly meant all of that to us and much more.”

The AA Fellowship has long been associated with the Circle and Triangle symbol. It was selected as the Fellowship's official symbol during the International Convention in St. Louis in 1955, and it has been frequently used since then.

The three-part answer – Unity, Recovery, and Service – to a three-part disease – Physical, Mental, and Spiritual – is represented by the equilateral triangle in AA, while the circle represents AA as a whole. The intellect should be circular and open, while the body should be triangular and stable. The circle represents peace and perfection, as well as the source of limitless possibilities. They represent the ideal connection of mind and body when they are together.

Although AA began to phase out the use of the circle and triangle on all conference-approved literature in the early 1990s, it is still commonly considered as the fellowship's “unofficial” logo. It's used to mark AA meeting locations and on AA coins to indicate how long someone have been sober.

How many spiritual principles are there in AA?

The spiritual principles are known in the AA rooms as the Twelve Steps. The 36 principles are divided into three categories: Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts. There have been numerous alternative spiritual virtue lists released by other AA's over the years that refer to the Twelve Steps.

When were the AA concepts written?

Bill W., A.A.'s co-founder, wrote the Twelve Concepts for World Service, which were endorsed by the General Service Conference of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1962. The Concepts are an interpretation of AA's world service structure as it evolved throughout the course of the organization's early history and experience. The Concepts are summarized as follows:

• The collective conscience of our entire Fellowship should always bear final responsibility and ultimate authority for A.A. world services.
• For practically every practical purpose, the A.A. General Service Conference has become the active voice and effective conscience of our entire society in its global activities.
• We should provide each element of A.A.—the Conference, the General Service Board and its service corporations, staffs, committees, and executives—with a traditional “Right of Decision” to ensure successful leadership.
• We should maintain a traditional “Right of Participation” at all responsible levels, providing a voting representation that is proportional to the responsibility that each must bear.
• A traditional “Right of Appeal” should prevail throughout our system, allowing minority opinions to be heard and personal concerns to be carefully considered.
• The Conference recognizes that the trustee members of the Conference, serving as the General Service Board, should take the lead and take active responsibility in most world service problems.
• The General Service Board's Charter and Bylaws are legal documents that give the trustees the authority to administer and execute world service issues. The Conference Charter is not a legal document; its final effectiveness is determined by tradition and the A.A. purse.
• The trustees are in charge of overall policy and financial planning and administration. They have custodial control over the independently incorporated and continuously active services, which they exercise through their authority to nominate all of the entities' directors.
• Good service leadership at all levels is critical to our long-term success and safety. The trustees must assume primary world service leadership, which was previously held by the founders.
• Every service obligation should be accompanied by an equal service authority, the scope of which should be clearly stated.
• The trustees should have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives, staffs, and consultants on hand at all times. Composition, qualifications, induction methods, as well as rights and responsibilities, will always be major concerns.
• The Conference shall uphold the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that it maintains sufficient operating funds and reserves; that it places no member in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it makes all major decisions through discussion, vote, and, whenever possible, substantial unanimity; and that its actions are never personally punitive or an incitement to public disorder.