Alcoholics Anonymous Beginners & Refresher Class Sessions Prepared by Mike & Kathy L, West Orange, NJ Revision 1.0 May 5, For additional copies visit http://back.to/aabasics on the Internet ____________________________________________________________________________________ 7 these discussions. We’re hereto pass on the AA program as written and practiced by the early members. In order for this process to work during the next 2 days, certain guidelines will need to be followed by the people who are taking the steps and for those who are sponsoring people through the steps. Because many alcoholics have difficulties reading when newly sober, the leaders who taught these sessions in the s read to the newcomers out of the book. We will be doing the same. If you’ve brought your Big Book with you please follow along as we read. Sometimes we will be going through the material rather fast. If you are unable to follow along, it’s ok – just listen the best you can. Remember: we are hereto take the ACTIONS that the Big Book prescribes, not just to study the book. If you take the Steps as described in the Big Book, you will recover from alcoholism. It is our experience that this process works best when the sponsor and protege attend all of these sessions together. If you don’t have a sponsor or your sponsor is not herewith you, we have people here who can volunteer to help you this weekend. It is imperative that when writing your 4 th Step inventory you receive help and guidance from your sponsor and / or other members here that have been through the work. Many people try to do their 4 th Step by themselves and wonder why many weeks or months later they’re still not finished. It’s very dangerous to go it alone in spiritual matters. That’s why as part of our second session we’ll be starting our inventories together. We understand that this phase of our development can get quite personal. That’s why the 5 th Step will of course not betaken with the group (obviously) but should be completed between today and tomorrow morning to the best of your ability. We also realize that within one day most of us cannot write an extensive inventory. The idea here is to get down to the causes and conditions which blocks us from the Power that keeps us safe and protected from drinking alcohol. Within the next two days we’ll be able to uncover our darkest flaws. We’ll ask God for their removal and commence ways of restitution for the things we did because of those flaws. If this is your first time through the steps it will not be the last. It is our experience as well as the experience of the early members that repeated working of all the steps can keep us separated from alcohol permanently and bring us closer to God.
