Study Guide to the AA Big Book

AUTHOR’S PREFACE:  This is a Study Guide to the book Alcoholics Anonymous. It is dedicated to those who want recovery from alcoholism, but have difficulty with the word "God". Especially, as that word gets used by individuals who embrace traditional religious concepts of what it means to them. Be advised that other ideas and interpretations, which are consistent with the basic AA text, also have value and usefulness in the recovery process.

Should you choose to follow this Study Guide, you will be presented ideas which
this author has found to be consistent with the basic text of AA. However, some of those
ideas go beyond the limitations many traditional religions have in their interpretation of the word "God" and what that word means for them. Readers who are open minded (see
Appendix II) may discover new thinking about "a power greater than yourself".

The three-letter word "God" is generally used to communicate a concept of infinite
knowledge and power. Concepts, other than those utilized by traditional religion, do
exist. One fundamental idea of God, based upon the basic text of AA, (see pg 55), is
being offered in this Study Guide. Some individual alcoholics may find the approach is
useful in their personal recovery.

It is self-evident that no person is qualified to speak for God, nor for AA as a
whole. The vital spiritual experience, necessary for recovery from alcoholism, is intensely
personal to the individual alcoholic. That is precisely the point. A readers concept of
God need not follow traditional lines.

The experience of the first successfully sober members of AA tells us:
"Why don't you choose your own conception of God?" (AA page 12)

Regardless of whatever approach you choose for yourself, you can be assured that:
THERE IS A POWER FOR GOOD, AND YOU CAN UTILIZE IT IN YOUR LIFE.
~by Ken W.

EXCERPT FROM EBOOK

Most of my books are available as ebooks at:
http://www.amazon.com/Ken-Montrose/e/B001K8MG0S.
Thanks,

Ken Montrose

You can also find an online version of it here.

God Neutral 12 Steps

God Neutral 12 Steps

1. Drinking and drugs were bad for me.
2. I could not do it alone - something about the AA group helped me stay sober.
3. Having all the answers was not a help. I had to learn to listen and follow directions.
4. I had to stop blaming, rationalizing, excusing, and take responsibility, and to take a good look at my self.
5. My version of events was skewed, I needed to run it by someone a bit more objective.
6. I had all my life been doing things that hurt me, sabotaged my best efforts, my self esteem was warped, twisted, improperly inflated.
7. I had to look at these things, stop doing them, and work on my self esteem.
8. I had shame - I had to address it in order to move on, to own my part in things.
9. I had to make things right, by living soberly, and by owning my responsibility to people I had hurt. (appropriately, discretely, and not to those still raging and drinking) --- (I did not repay the sick leave I had taken because of hangovers though) I did a much better job at work though.
10. I had to learn to use the emergency brake. When I started to lie or get angry, how to slow down - shutting my mouth was usually a good start.
11. Came to understand that in the universe I am just a speck and to act accordingly.
12. Whew!! I do these things. I am a better person, I am happy, I can actually like the person I have become - sometimes people come to me for help and I sometimes have things to say that help them.