Don’t Drink, and Change the Rest of Your Life – Grapevine Article December 1995 By Anonymous

STEP 12: Having bad a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs. “There are only two things you have to do to stay sober,” the old-timer with the gravel voice told me. “Don’t drink one day atContinue reading “Don’t Drink, and Change the Rest of Your Life – Grapevine Article December 1995 By Anonymous”

Our Problem Centers In The Mind – As Bill Sees It #130

We know that as long as the alcoholic keeps away from drink, he usually reacts much like other men. We are equally positive that once he takes any alcohol whatever into his system, something happens, in both the bodily and the mental sense, which makes it virtually impossible for him to stop. The experience ofContinue reading “Our Problem Centers In The Mind – As Bill Sees It #130”

Is This All There Is ? – Grapevine Article December 1979 By R.T.

AN AA FRIEND was describing what resulted from his being distracted during his boyhood assignment of bellows-pumping for the local church organ. By way of explanation: Bellows-pumping behind the scenes forced air through the pipes of the old pipe organ; without this air, no music was created, no matter how many keys the organist franticallyContinue reading “Is This All There Is ? – Grapevine Article December 1979 By R.T.”

The Shape Of Things To Come – Grapevine Article February 1961 By Bill W.

There is a timeless quality to what Bill W wrote that seems as relevant as AA approaches its 90th birthday as it was when he wrote this as the fellowship celebrated its 25 year anniversary. This relevance exists at both the personal recovery level and group collective. – Bruce M. AA’s FIRST quarter-century is nowContinue reading “The Shape Of Things To Come – Grapevine Article February 1961 By Bill W.”

The Professor and the Paradox – 2nd Edition Big Book Story By John B

Note – Excerpts regarding paradox from the end of this story were also posted as a Grapevine article entitled ‘The Four Paradoxes’ which you can access here. – Bruce M. Says he, “We A.A.’ s surrender to win; we give away to keep; we suffer to get well, and we die to live.” I amContinue reading “The Professor and the Paradox – 2nd Edition Big Book Story By John B”

Where Will Power Comes In – Grapevine Article May 1962 By Bill W

The following is Bill’s answer to a letter asking about the role of will power in staying sober. This article is also included in the book of Bill’s letters entitled “Language Of The Heart” There has always been a lot of confusion about this matter of exerting the will. When the Twelve Steps say “WeContinue reading “Where Will Power Comes In – Grapevine Article May 1962 By Bill W”

Peeling Back The Layers Of The Onion

Jacque has chosen a mashup of articles that explore how we often replace our dependency on alcohol with another unhealthy dependency. These articles show us how we can work Step 1 and the rest of the steps on these additional unhealthy dependencies which may be revealed. In the Twelve and Twelve, Bill W outlines healthyContinue reading “Peeling Back The Layers Of The Onion”

The Grateful Flow & Part X – Lessons For Living By Phil Stutz

I love Phil Stutz. His insights about getting us out of our comfort zone, facing our PUH … our pain, uncertainty and hard work … about the necessity of crossing PUH to find endless new possibilities and potential … the process he describes as a ‘reversal of desire’ moving from comfort and moving toward theContinue reading “The Grateful Flow & Part X – Lessons For Living By Phil Stutz”

Through The Darkest Days – Grapevine Article May 2005 By Roger W.

A sober decision leads to a career When I was five years sober, I was twenty-three years old and I had just been laid off from a seasonal job. I had a new wife, new child, and had put a college education on hold in order to take care of my family. I was learningContinue reading “Through The Darkest Days – Grapevine Article May 2005 By Roger W.”

The Fine Art Of Alibis – As Bill Sees It #279

The majority of A.A. members have suffered severely from self-justification during their drinking days. For most of us, self-justification was the maker of excuses for drinking and for all kinds of crazy and damaging conduct. We had made the invention of alibis a fine art. We had to drink because times were hard or timesContinue reading “The Fine Art Of Alibis – As Bill Sees It #279”