It takes only 4 hours to learn the 12 steps and a lifetime to practice them.
Through our own experience of working with others, many hopeless, suffering addicts lack the necessary power and time to “keep coming back” to meetings and somehow get sober or clean. Many chronic relapsers do not have the luxury of working the steps slowly — they need power NOW, they cannot wait months to a year to work the steps — they’re barely hanging on as it is and it’s just a question of how soon they’re going to pick up again.
That’s why, all across North America, there has been a revival of beginners’ classes where a suffering addict can take all 12 steps in a matter of a few hours. They can receive an intelligent presentation of “our way of life” and make the decision as to whether or not they wish to accept this life without reservation. Moreover, they can find a power greater than themselves quickly and be restored to sanity FAST by taking this very simple program.
Beginners’ Meetings were held throughout the U.S. and Canada during a period of time when A.A. witnessed 50-75 percent recovery rates from alcoholism. Newcomers quickly learned “How It Works”. They had conversion experiences, discovered a new way of living without alcohol or drugs and carried this message of hope to others. After completing the steps, newcomers, to ensure their own sobriety, helped others through the Steps and led the Beginners’ Meetings.
Ruth R., an old-timer in Miami Florida, who came into AA in 1953, gave some insight into the demise of the “Beginners’ Classes”.
Ruth recalled that the classes were discontinued in the mid-1950s as the result of the publication of the book “Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions” by Alcoholics Anonymous Publishing Inc. In the Miami area the “Twelve and Twelve” replaced both the “Big Book” and the “Little Red Book” and “Step Studies” replaced the “Beginners’ Classes”. In the process, the period for taking the Steps was expanded and modified from 4 weeks to somewhere in between 12 and 16 weeks. The Fourth Step inventory was modified and became a much more laborious and detailed procedure. What was originally conceived as a very simple program, which took a few hours to complete, evolved into a complicated and confusing undertaking requiring several months.
Studying the Steps is not the same as taking the Steps. In the “Beginners’ Classes” you take the steps. The Big Book says, “Here are the steps we took” not “here are the steps we read and talked about.” The AA pioneers proved that action, not knowledge, produced the spiritual awakening that resulted in recovery from alcoholism or addiction.
In the September 1945 issue of the Grapevine the Genesee Group in Rochester, NY explained their format for taking newcomers through the Steps. The title of the article was “Rochester Prepares Novices for Group Participation”. This is how they perceived the recovery process to operate most efficiently: “It has been our observation that bringing men [and woman] into the group indiscriminately and without adequate preliminary training and information can be a source of considerable grief and a cause of great harm to the general moral of the group itself. We feel that unless a man, after a course of instruction and an intelligent presentation of the case for the AA life, has accepted it without any reservation he should not be included in group membership. When the sponsors feel that a novice has a fair working knowledge of AA’s objectives and sufficient grasp of it’s fundamentals then he is brought to his first group meeting.
To show other addicts precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of the beginners’ meeting. Our format quotes extensively from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (4th Edition), our basic text for recovery. Our notes, commentary, and gender-neutral changes are formatted in italics.
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. 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. There are such unfortunates. They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average. (p. 58, A.A. 4h Edition)
Of alcoholics who came to A.A. and really tried, 50% got sober at once and remained that way; 25% sobered up after some relapses, and among the remainder, those who stayed on with A.A. showed improvement. Other thousands came to a few A.A. meetings and at first decided they didn’t want the program. But great numbers of these–about two out of three–began to return as time passed. (p. xx, A.A. 4th Edition)
Our primary purpose is to work the steps and teach others how to teach others how to work the steps. We connect suffering addicts to recovered addicts who guide newcomers through a personalized one on one study of the original, undiluted 12 step program described in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. We substitute terms and phrases related to alcoholism to include ANY obsessive, compulsive patterns such as drinking alcohol, using drugs, gambling, sex, self-harm or injury, food, anorexia, bulimia, sugar, smoking, co-dependency etc., anyone can certainly increase this list and all are welcome.
Download this FREE 12 Step workbook that guides the newcomer through all 12 steps.
This format is designed for 2 or more addicts working in pairs and can be conducted in one half day, four hour session or in four, one-hour sessions.
For further insights on step work it is suggested that everyone get a copy of the “Big Book”.
Yey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in. I see no good in dragging this out. Looks good to me.
I HAVE USED THESE SIMPLE INSTRUCTION TO TAKE 100s OF PEOPLE THROUGH THE 12 STEPS
Sadly, AA NY Office, has done what sells more books, rather than what actually quickly helps. Dr. Bob and Bill did the steps in very short order, over a weekend, then worked them for a lifetime. It works if you work it, not just if you take forever just to take the steps. All of it can be done by those with a “desire to stop drinking”. If no desire, don’t bother. Please experiment, hit your bottom and please don’t die before the miracle. Come back and tell us about your experience, strength and hope when you have such desire to stop. Then take these steps. Afterwards, step 10 is for you to constantly amend and gain the tools for “prompt admissions” of wrongdoing and harm to others. You will find that you can immediately work with others as well and that is the most selfish part of the program, that helps YOU.
The Short Form of AA’s 3d Tradition = The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop STOP DRINKING. However the Long Form = Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse no one who wishes to RECOVER. On Pg 59 of the BB, immediately before Step 1 there are 14 words which read: “Here are the steps we took which are suggested as a PROGRAM OF RECOVERY.” AA is not the place to bring a desire to stop drinking…it is the place to come to learn how to RECOVER from alcoholism. You might have also mentioned that prior to 1939 when the 1st ed of the BB was published, Dr. Bob & Bill used the 6 Steps of the Oxford Group for their prospects, but it usually took more than 1 afternoon to make restitution to all those they had harmed. Regards.
Is the big book sponsorship workbook aa approved literature?
The Big Book Sponsorship workbook is mostly instructions extrapolated from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. In that sense it is approved literature. However, in its form as a workbook the answer would be “no” it is NOT “Conference” approved literature by any 12 Step fellowship. It was written and formatted to be helpful to any and all addicts who seek a spiritual / moral solution to the their addiction pattern.
All of this discussion about “addiction” and not adhering to the Traditions reminds me of why the Washingtonians failed, “shoemaker stick to thy last”. We CAN’T be all things to all people.
Robert I suggest you read the following article with an open mind: https://bigbooksponsorship.org/articles-alcoholism-addiction-12-step-program-recovery/big-book-study/jaywalker-story-case-big-book-addictions/
I love this link. https://youtu.be/TT0aWZ9ksw8
You did a great job of presenting how the 1940’s AA members took newcomers through the steps immediately, then quickly helped them do the same with others.
Sebastian S.
Hi all! We know 12 steps works for all addictions no way I would have been able to quit smoking after sobering up without the one on one solution. I love this short form method ; I’m going to use it to help non addicts find power also. We’ve got great aid in these times where fear is being imposed on the world and separating people. Thank you
Truly Interested & willing to learn
I really like and agree with this article! I am a second time newcomer, and am finding meetings to not answer all my questions, I dont feel comfortable speaking up, and it seems like it might be the norm to go to meetings a while and search to find a sponsor (who is more like someone youre going into contract with and for someone like me, might be hard pressed to find) and then spend weeks doing the steps…. Well, I need help TODAY. I know we shouldn’t expect instant recovery and that growth can be slow for some, but it seems like there should be hope TODAY. It just doesnt seem right that it could be a long drawn out process. I get tempted to give up and if circumstances allowed it I might drink today and just push all this in the back of my head. *and this is after a month and a half of meetings and “recovery” and I’m only on step one im trying to do by myself in a workbook I purchased. Am considering if I should even go to meetings. Your article really hit home! I wish they still had newcomer meetings like that near me….if I ever fully grasp all this and do the steps I might try to initiate something like that in one of the clubhouses near me. Its a real need.
Starting a group for a trial run, possibly a new meeting. Looking forward to the experience. I’ll br facilitating, any input is welcomed and coveted.
So happy I stumbled across this, I cant wait to start the 12 steps. I recently am without a sponsor. I got to Step9 with my sponsor who has relapsed, then I relapsed, so I am going to start at Step 1 again, using your workbook. Cant wait :)
In our local clubs, offices and meetings in order to “Be of Service,” I requires 6 months to a year sobriety! I asked why and I am told, newcomers don’t show up, may take funds, drink or use. It seems like that is allowing one or more “forms of fear” keep us from our “Primary Purpose” and thus, failing to “Practice these Principles in ALL our affairs.” Then we wonder why the newcomers of today don’t stay!
Start your own. Ask someone with 6mo/1yr to “sponsor” you for the position you want.
I am in Emotions Anonymous and Have started and restarted the steps over half a dozen times. I was excited to find that this guide is for people like me. I am thankful that the guide is open to people in and out of EA. Following the guide, I finally took all 12 steps and am prepared to be a student of them for the rest of my life. It took me two days and a little help from friends in EA. I cannot tell you how wonderful the experience is and how much greater an understanding of the steps I have now. Thank you Thank you Thank you!
I would love to assist Sheona and those wishing for a different guide for addicts try to realize “alcohol” is a drug! BB says “Our liquor was but a symptom. So we had to get down to causes and conditions.” Alcohol/Drugs/smoking/gambling/food/sex are all (DRUGS) ways to escape but there is a solution; the 12 steps CAN and will work if you work them.
I agree with George. Alcoholics Anonymous has been fragmented and diluted by allowing other addictions and issues to be discussed in closed meetings. A ‘real’ alcoholic would have trouble identifying nowadays. Remember our commitment to singleness of purpose.
Written very well, and I especially liked the references to addicts and other issues.
It’s refreshing to see there actually ARE people out there who understand that our disease has very little to do with what we used to treat it with.
Thumbs up to you my friends. :)
This is a very well done guide. I would be more likely to use and recommend it if it followed AA’s Singleness of Purpose and did not include parenthetical references to addicts, compulsive behavior, users, etc. Better to do a separate guide for addicts.
The founders of A.A. WERE ADDICTS as well as alcoholics. That’s just being uninformed as well as judgmental….check your facts
I cleaned all that up but left the quotes of what pg it’s on. Then did a few “classes ” and had a good turnout!
huh, the AA stands for Alcoholics Anonymous, its been used for alcoholics and addicts ? so really , you are seriously on the wrong track. in fact its for alkies and addicts specifically.
I want to start a RECOVERY group in Eccles. U.K
Contact your intergroup office they will guide you through the process
Third Time though the steps but Need advice on step 4
Need to work steps expeditiously.
I need to figure out how to work quick and make them work rather than drawn out and compared to each other where they are. Time is not the major factor – I thought it was the doing g them – understanding them- making your life not hell – seeing a better way. Then you continue to work the steps as you as a person grows and develops vs burns and dies dealing with the same BS that got you into drinking to solve all the other as we call life. If I am wrong – tell me to go away. Okay tell me something because I am lost and miserable beyond jumping off point after 10 hrs in and out and then bday of 11-09-2018. Perhaps no hope
For Me
Hi C, hope you are well. lost and miserable sounds awful. And familiar. I did the steps twice. Wondered why I was still living in pain. Forget the promises, all I want is peace of mind. Peace, quiet in my head. I realised that for me I had not really done step 6 and 7. I thought it was all about step 4/5 confessing all your resentments and fears etc. Still all there so to speak. I had done the prayers and waited for magic. Nope. A speaker tape on youtube I listened to (Sandy B I think) mentioned someone had asked ‘ what would it be like if you could forgive every slight you had ever received, every hurt, could let go of every resentment” and for a moment I did that, I stopped and imagined. It felt peaceful. That felt exciting. I feel I have a way to move forward. Things pop into my head, hurts, anger.There’s some pretty big stuff from childhood. I forgive myself. This is where I am now. when something pops into my head I know it is something I have not forgiven someone. The pain is not worth it. For anyone else with a childhood similar to mine – first I realised that I never felt safe even in my own house, alone, locked doors etc. Then I cleared a space in the closet to hide in. well I couldn’t find an invisibility cloak or hide within a tree truck like I had done in my mind as a child, so next best thing. feeling safe freed me up to do some of these things. good luck. If this is of any use to you or anyone, great. Peace of mind for all.
Gibsonch575757@gmail.com
Yes i need help