Alcoholic selftest using the big book this study of the book alcoholics anonymous was used as the foundation for this test. Dec 09, 2016 when participating in a 12step program, a sponsor will tell a newcomer that rigorous honesty is needed to recover from addiction. From there, it spreads gradually to every aspect of our lives. It begins with the honest admission that we have the disease and that we need help.
The book alcoholics anonymous, affectionately known by members as the big book, is the textbook for the original 12step recovery program now known by the same name. I could understand what was meant by the simple fact that to succeed in this program, an individual must be honest with himself. Nothing matters more to recovery than that rigorous honesty. It requires a valiant effort but through rigorous honesty, addicts. To me, rigorous honesty meant coming clean, and that was something i could never do, ever. The twelve step model has been utilized as a treatment for alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Join margie, marv, denver, dave and the montyman as they discuss cash register honesty vs rigorous honesty. Rigorous in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. No addiction without lies, no recovery without truth. Honesty is the first spiritual principle we begin practicing when we start working the program. May 15, 2019 in chapter five of the aa big book, we read, those who do not recover are incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Also, enjoy some covid19 parody songs and remember not to take yourself too seriously.
Readings from as bill sees it can inspire sharing on discussion topics. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest. Another great aa debate personal honesty soberrecovery. It started with my willingness to reach out and practice the rigorous honesty in the first step. In the years since, numerous words have been substituted for alcohol by individual. Theya are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty, their. How it works from pages 5860 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Online big book online twelve steps and twelve traditions online daily reflections original manuscript of the big book. Rigorous honesty is the most important tool we have in learning to live for today. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and more concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either alcoholics anonymous. Aug 24, 2009 rigorous honesty comes about as a process. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves. In chapter five of the aa big book, we read, those who do not recover are incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty.
The term rigorous honesty is used a lot in alcoholics anonymous, and in the 12 step recovery world generally. The 12step program emphasizes honesty as one of the indispensable tools of recovery and states that anyone can recover from substance abuse if they have the capacity to be honest. There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do. If you or anyone you know suffers from an addiction of any kind, then you know that these words are true. Purchase this entire big book recording in mp3 format to listen on your computer or phone. Aug 15, 2018 the term rigorous honesty is used a lot in alcoholics anonymous, and in the 12 step recovery world generally. For instance, i am a believer that our beloved big book was divinely inspired, but i. Ben franklin famously said, honesty is the best policy. Why honesty is so important to alcoholics and addicts in recovery. A program of rigorous honesty alcoholics anonymous. We admitted we were powerless over alcoholand that our lives had become unmanageable. This time highlight and mark the phrases that you can embrace, especially looking at. The big book of alcoholics anonymous verywell mind.
Rigorous honesty we talk about this life of recovery as being one of rigorous honesty. Our stories disclose in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now. The authors experience, confirmed time and again over the ensuing decades, taught them that people who cannot be honest with themselves have a poor chance of success even worse than folks with grave. Jun 09, 2015 without honesty, there is no recovery or perhaps only the type of survivalbased recovery that falls far short of fulfilling. Zoom meetings laurel recovery 368 main street laurel. How im learning to practice rigorous honesty in recovery the fix. As we attend meetings, talk with other alcoholics, attend meetings, read the big big book and the big book, attend meetings, pray and meditate and attend meetings, do our best to be as honest as we can that day, then tomorrow, when we attend a meeting we can be even more rigorously honest. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol that our lives had become unmanageable. One point that seems to emerge is the importance of. We discover we can go deep into the cave of truth and become more free and at ease. As mentioned before, the importance of honesty is mentioned multiple times in the big book alone. Honesty, openmindedness, willingness harmony place. The acronym how stands for h onesty, o penmindedness, and w illingness. Fourth dimension from page 25 in the big book freedom freedom from bondage friendship fun gifts of the program god as i understand him gossip gratitude greed, gluttony, having enough growth growth through pain guilt handling failure handling success happiness happy, joyous and free higher power holidays honesty rigorous honesty hope.
I continuously read from the preface to page 164 in my home group as well as a big book study i am involved in, so i started with the stories in the back, as well as all the appendices. Alcoholism12 step support rigorous honesty what does it mean to you. In aa, honesty begins with our admission of powerlessness and. In short, its making the commitment to be 100 percent honest all of the time. Its original intent was to make clear the need for people to really own and take responsibility for the reality of their lives, both internally and externally. And when doing a 12step program, the big book states, nothing counted but thoroughness and. To the big books assertion that this way of life demands rigorous honesty. Enough honesty as in the rigorous honesty described on page 58, of the book, alcoholics anonymous. Back from antisocial distancing, the take 12 recovery radio gang is in full force. What i believe to be true should be open to investigation.
Denialis a form of dishonestyit is lying to ones self. The turning point in my sobriety may have come much, much later, but the struggles we all share never seem to dissipate in spite of everything we have learned. In trying to make these arrange ments our actor may sometimes be quite virtuous. We admitted we were powerless over our addiction, that our lives had become unmanageable. I havent gained as much ground as id hoped on rigorous honesty. Appendix ii, spiritual experience, alcoholics anonymous, page 567568 this quote from the big book lays out what we need to start recovery and stay in recovery. Jun 11, 2011 we talk about this life of recovery as being one of rigorous honesty. God, grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a way of life which demands rigorous honesty. For definitions of words such as rigorous and honesty i believe in using the other book that my sponsor strongly suggested i keep next to my bb the dictionary.
The big book of aa says that the program demands rigorous honesty. Although honesty is difficult to practice, it is most rewarding. How it works 61 his arrangements would only stay put, if only people would do as he wished, the show would be great. The basic text of narcotics anonymous also refers to the importance of honesty. You can search the alcoholics anonymous big book for phrases, key words, etc. Other groups read from the big book weekly and discuss each chapter as they go along. These oldtimers in the meetings kept talking about rigorous honesty and what that meant. Importance of honesty in recovery great oaks recovery center. Without honesty, there is no recovery or perhaps only the type of survivalbased recovery that falls far short of fulfilling. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of. The original 1st step, as published in 1939 in the book alcoholics anonymous, reads. We try some honesty at first out of pure necessity.
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. It is difficult to remain active in addiction if one is rigorously honest. I was so full of desperation that i was willing to listen to anything they had to say. Two words kept jumping out at me every time i read chapter five in the big book. Honesty is printed 19 times in the book alcoholics anonymous and in the twelve steps and twelve traditions. Sep 26, 2017 willingness, honesty and open mindedness are the essentials of recovery. Reread and highlight chapter 4 in the big book, in a different color. Rigorous honesty means telling the truth when its easier to lie and. For instance, i am a believer that our beloved big book was divinely inspired, but i do not believe it is infallible. How it works the 12 steps to recovery the recovery zone.
They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. As a matter of fact, honesty is referred to three times on the first page of chapter five. There is a phrase in the big book of alcoholics anonymous chapter 5 which refers to alcohol as cunning, baffling, and powerful. How it works steps 14 i eating disorders anonymous. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and more concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either alcoholics. Aug 17, 2017 these oldtimers in the meetings kept talking about rigorous honesty and what that meant. I have to be willing to let someone else know exactly what i am thinking and feeling. My favorite part of the big book has always been the part of chapter five, how it works that is read at the opening of our meetings.
This time highlight and mark the phrases that you can embrace, especially looking at the synonyms, for. If you take a closer look at the 12 steps, you will find that honesty is a major part of the steps, and in order to truly work through. I have been hurt by beeing honest, i have seen others hurt by being honest, i have hurt other when being honest until i learnt 2 things. When participating in a 12step program, a sponsor will tell a newcomer that rigorous honesty is needed to recover from addiction. In fact, he may say almost anything if he has accepted our solution which, as you know, demands rigorous honesty. They lie about the big things and the small things to feel important. The critical importance of honesty is addressed three times in the first paragraph of the big book chapter that introduces the steps. He may, for example, reveal that he has padded his expense account or that he has planned to take your best customers away from you. Whats rigorous honesty and how can it benefit my recovery. I could see the importance of this, but it definitely upped the ante. Why honesty is so important to alcoholics and addicts in. No wonder that by the time we reach out for help, it can be hard, as the big book of alcoholics anonymous says, to differentiate the true from the false. The first step to correcting this situation is to get honest and admit that there is a real problem.
There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover. Twelve step workshop herbk 2017 updated 12122016 assignment 8 step two. Jul 17, 2019 the book alcoholics anonymous, affectionately known by members as the big book, is the textbook for the original 12step recovery program now known by the same name. Aug 22, 2016 no wonder that by the time we reach out for help, it can be hard, as the big book of alcoholics anonymous says, to differentiate the true from the false. True, you initially asked about rigorous honesty, and then when i answered with rigorous honestly, you asked me if i thought the decisions i made impacted others negatively or hurt others, which is you questioned my ethics, not if i was being honest with myself, but how my decisions directly or indirectly affected others.
Honesty in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. The 164 and more book, ebook, and web site are all concordances which display passages from the big book alcoholics anonymous, the twelve steps and twelve traditions, and the a. Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery. This meant i had to talk about what was really on my mind. Rigorous honesty also means that you are upfront with your thoughts and feelings even when there may be consequences for those actions. The big book, alcoholics anonymous some groups discuss one chapter from the big book each week. Mar, 2017 as mentioned before, the importance of honesty is mentioned multiple times in the big book alone.
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