Writing Assignment for December 18, 2008

Words:
vestiges
prejudice
antipathy

Writing:
1.In twelve step recovery fellowships we must surrender to win (Step 1) What does this mean to you? What has been your experience with surrendering and winning? What has been your experience with not surrendering?

2. Write on: “Why don’t you choose your own conception of God?” What is your conception of God? Do you like having the choice of choosing your own conception?

Writing Assignment for October 16, 2008

Words:
1. essentially
2. sensation
3. elusive
4. injurious
5. differentiate
6. impunity
7. succumbed
8. phenomenon

Writing assignment:
pg.4 Doctors opinion, last paragraph
To them, their alcoholic life seems the only normal one. They are
restless, irritable and discontented, unless they can again
experience the sense of ease and comfort which comes at once by
taking a few drinks………

Write about your experience with feeling restless, irritable and
discontented before you used your particular drug before you came
into recovery.

Write about your experience with feeling restless, irritable and
discontented after you entered recovery.

Write about letting go of feeling restless, irritable and
discontented and becoming joyful, contented, and serene, and what you
are willing to do to reach this goal.

Writing Assignment for September 11, 2008

Words:
1. anonymous
2. avocation
3. afflicted
4. helpful
5. estimate

Writing assignment: Bill W. had to go to treatment for his alcoholism three times before he was able to stay sober and contribute toothers. Write a brief history of your recovery journey up to this point. Write about what you have learned, from your recovery history, that you now need to do on a daily basis to stay sober.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What are the requirements to belong to this group?
This is an All Addictions Big Book Step Study workshop, so anyone
from any twelve step fellowship is welcome. There is no attendance
or sobriety/abstinence requirement. I will be asking all participants
to attend at least one Big Book step study meeting a week and do a
fifteen minute quiet time each day. I will give a weekly writing
assignment that will deepen their understanding of the pages I went
over in that weeks workshop. I will also give participants words from
that nights reading to look up in a dictionary. These assignment are
completely voluntary. I suggest that you read them to your fellowship
sponsor or get someone from the workshop with whom you can share them.

2. What constitutes a Big Book step study meeting?
There is an All Addictions Big Book step study meeting every Sunday
night at 8 p.m. EST, and every first Monday of the month at 2:30 p.m.
EST, on the phone bridge. The number is the same as our Thursday
workshop, refer to the sidebar on the website for the correct phone number and pin. You can go on
http://www.bigbookstepstudy.com and find a meeting that’s in your area.

2. What constitutes a quiet time?
I suggest starting with a prayer of your choice. Then read a piece of
recovery or spiritual literature. Write on what you’ve read, and then
meditate for at least five minutes on a word, phrase, or concept that
came from the reading.

3. What do I need in way of supplies?
You need a Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (any edition for the
first 164 pages are all the same), a three ring binder (notebook),
loose leaf paper, pen, and WILLINGNESS.

4. Are we an official twelve step group?

No, we are not affiliated with any twelve step fellowship. This is an independent act of service on my part (Stephanie-see bio). We are a group of twelve step people, who come together to study the steps as they are laid out in the Big Book of AA, and to develop and/or deepen our relationship with our Higher Power. This group has one facilitator for the entire twelve step process, which goes against how official twelve step groups work. To be an official twelve step group, there must be a singleness of purpose, not all addictions together, and there must be a rotation of service positions. This is why I ask you not to mention this group or our website at your specific fellowship meetings, IT BREAKS TRADITIONS, and puts us into controversy. Please use word of mouth, or after the meeting is over ask for permission to announce this workshop. I call it a workshop so no one will in anyway get us confused with a official twelve step meeting.

5. How long will this workshop last?
It takes about eight to nine months to go through steps one, two, and
three. We then take approximately 24 weeks to write our fourth step.
Then the next eight steps will take ten months. I would estimate it
will take two years to complete all twelve steps. This is an unusual
workshop because I go line by line, paragraph by paragraph. I dissect
each line, and then give my experience, strength and hope on the
principal or concept they are talking about. This workshop has depth
and weight, and is not for everyone who wants to skim over the
material and start writing their fourth step. I understand that
want/need and encourage you to find a Big Book step study sponsor and
read through steps 1, 2, 3 in a few hours and start writing. Many
people have successfully done the steps that way, and I see value to
it being done that way. I have chosen to do a workshop on the way I
was taken through the steps. My sponsor went over each page in detail
and answered my many questions, so I am going to give you a similar
experience that I had.

6. What if I miss a lot of the workshops for various reasons?
You now have the option of listening to the workshops on the website;
https://stephaniesbigbookstepstudy.wordpress.com. I do advise you to
listen to as many as you can before you come back. I don’t go over
material again on the workshops. I do give a make up on a Sunday
afternoon right before the group starts the fourth step. It will be
a three to four hour make up, but it is not as extensive as each week
on the workshop. That make up will be taped and will be offered on
the website and can be purchased as a CD.

7. What is the Set Aside Prayer?

“God please set aside everything I think I know about myself, the twelve steps, this book, the meetings, my disease. But most especially God, help me to set aside everything I think I know about YOU, so that I may have an open mind and a new experience with all these things, please let me see the truth.”

This prayer is to help us who have been in the halls of recovery for
some time, who have done the steps in other way, stay humble, and
teachable. This prayer is to help us realize that we need to be
always working on our relationship with our Higher Power through
working the twelve steps as they are laid out in the Big Book.

8. How do I listen to the conference call on my iPod?

1. In Stephanie’s blog where it says (for example): “MP3 file to download: » Week one-foreward to first edition,” RIGHT click on the link.
2. Choose “Save Target As”.
3. Save this into your “Music Transfer” Folder on your computer
4. Open iTunes
5. In iTunes click, on the top left, click “File” and then “Add File to Library”
6. You’ll see it’s now in iTunes (easiest way to see it is to click “Recently Added” section on the left hand side of iTunes and you’ll see it on top. You can move this to your iPod from there.

9. I can’t find the recording for this week, what do I do and how do I get a phone list?

If the recording is not up on the website there may be a technical delay. Please be patient with those that are doing this service. If you miss the call and would like to know what was discussed then call your step study fellows, this is always recommended even when the recording is posted. The phone list will be coming out soon. If you would like to be added or receive the list then email thrsbbss@gmail.com with your First name, Last Initial, time zone, phone number, and email address. If you would like to include your cell carrier, such as Sprint or Verizon, that is fine.

10. When I leave a comment on this website, what does it mean, “waiting on moderation?” And do we need to log in?

Your comment will be entered into a que so that the content can be reviewed before it shows on the website. This will ensure that all comments posted will be relevant to the topic of the All Addictions Big Book Step Study. Sharing comments of your experience, strength, and hope with others on this website is encouraged and appreciated.

11. Who do I share my writing assignment with?

Your writing assignment is to be shared with your specific fellowship sponsor. Additionally, when it is time for your fifth step you will share it with your specific fellowship sponsor. Stephanie is your step study sponsor (unless you have someone else you are working with) however you will work on your writing assignments with your fellowship sponsor.

12. Can I announce the conference call at my fellowship meetings?

NO. This is an All Addictions Big Book Step Study workshop. The sole purpose of this workshop is to study and experience the steps as they are laid out in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. We are not affiliated with any Twelve step fellowship. This workshop is facilitated by one person, who had completed the steps as they are laid out in the Big Book and wants to share her experience, strength and hope with others. Please do not announce this workshop at any specific fellowship meetings. IT BREAKS TRADITIONS.

Writing Assignment September 4, 2008

Look up these words:

1.recovered
2.seemingly
3.precisely
4.authentication

Question: What is your vision of being recovered from a seemingly
hopeless state of mind and body?

About the facilitator

My name is Stephanie W., from Pembroke, MA., and I will be your
facilitator for this workshop. By Gods grace and with the help of
many fellowships, I celebrated 31 years of recovery. Twelve years
ago, I started attending the Big Book step study meetings, and after
two years had finished writing my fourth step, gave it away to my
sponsor, and started making my amends. I then started to live my life
as instructed in pages 84-88 (steps 10 & 11). My thinking and life
changed so dramatically from doing this work, knew my purpose in
life was to help others recover through working these steps in the
Big Book. I started sponsoring two days after I did my fifth step,
and started a workshop in my home a few months later. I did a BBSS
workshop for six years for a food recovery fellowship and a workshop
for a Al-Anon group. I’ve done five BBSS weekend retreats, and a 14
month BBSS workshop on Mondays 2:30 p.m and Tuesdays 8 p.m. I will be
sharing with you more about myself as we progress in the workshop. My
past and my life now are an open book. If anything I have done is
helpful to my sponsoree’s, I have no trouble in revealing anything to
you. I will be considered your Big Book Step study sponsor, however I
strongly encourage you to have and share all your writings and
insights with your program sponsor. They, most likely, will be taking
your fifth step after we write it together. So, if you don’t have a
program sponsor, please make a concerted effort to find one and build
a relationship. This is deep, deep work, and you’ll need someone to
go to with your feelings and insights. I look forward to our journey
through the twelve steps together as they are laid out in the Big
Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Sincerely,

Your sister in recovery,

Stephanie

All Addictions Big Book Step Study Workshop will begin September 4, 2008

Welcome to the Thursday 8 p.m. (EST) All Addictions Big Book Step Study Workshop.

My name is Stephanie and I will be your facilitator/sponsor.

I will be going through the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous line by line, paragraph by paragraph. I will give you my take on what is being said and also share my own experience, strength and hope with the step being studied.

We are welcoming to all persons in any twelve step recovery fellowship. There is no sobriety or abstinence requirement to belong to the group, and no attendance requirement either. My hope is that you will find this workshop so helpful to your recovery, that you will not want to miss it. There will be weekly written assignments that are not mandatory, but they will be helpful for a fuller experience of the step being studied. You’ll get out of the workshop what you put into it. I will be asking for you to read your assignments if you so chose to. We all learn so much for each other’s sharing.

I will be taped each week, so if you miss the workshop you can listen to it at your convenience, though it is not a substitute for the actual workshop. You will not be taped, so if you don’t come to actual workshop, you’ll miss your group members sharing.

I will be posting a short note about any further thoughts our workshop each Friday on our Website. You’ll have a place to write a comment, question or a sharing about what you learned or got out of the workshop the night before. This will be open to everyone to write and respond to, along with myself. If you want to write a note, comment or question to me personally, send it to ks.bkl [at] verizon.net

I look forward to this recovery journey through the steps as they are laid out in the Big Book with all of you. I was a changed person when I completed the steps as they are laid out in the Big Book, and I pray that you too can experience the psychic change I experienced.

From your sister in recovery,

Stephanie

The phone number to join the conference is 712-432-3929/ PIN number is 7506210 #.

I am looking forward to working with you!!