What message do you think they were delivering to potential new people around aa versus the message that is delivered today in aa. In many bbss meetings, only members who have worked the 12 steps according to this structure are permitted to share. Saturday charlestown big book step study constitution. In caa, we use the big book of alcoholics anonymous.
The purpose of this study guide is to enable the student to better understand the information the authors of the book, alcoholics anonymous, intended to impart to each of us based on their experience and knowledge of alcoholism and. Step meeting an experienced aa member goes through all the twelve steps, along the big book, in 4 meetings the whole meeting in as many weeks. Pass the meeting record book around and ask members to sign their names with contact information, if they would like. This is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism. The format of this meeting is that i will read a paragraph from the big book that follows on, from where we left off last week. Aa the original way 12 step guide aa the original way group. The individual sections of this study guide material reflect ideas, emotions and attitudes you might hear from the. Oaapproved literature is the primary reference for working the steps. World directory of primary purpose groups big book study for a. However, numerous oa members have requested an oaapproved format for studying the steps. We, of alcoholics anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have recovered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. What two things has to happen for everyone in that town to have an opportunity to recover, if heshe can or will. The big book step study bbss format, based upon an aa meeting format. I am trying to live each day of my life to the fullest and enjoy everything that god has given me for today.
At a recent big book study meeting, listed in the when and where as. Let us open the meeting with a moment of silence to do with as you wish followed by the. Only oaapproved literature is displayed at this meeting. The format that was given to me is called the hyannis method. Starting work on the twelve steps, to fight such threats to sobriety as resentments, selfpity, and the tendency to dwell on the past or the future. The titled side also tells us what the book alcoholics anonymous is to members of the alcoholics anonymous fellowship. The original way group meeting format and literature is all published below in printable. This format may be used as part of a step study or as part of an oa meeting. It is a spiritual journey and the big book is our travel guide. In the case of big books, a number of meetings in the area give new members a copy to keep for their own use. Big book step instructions highlights certain instructions in. These meetings can be accessed go to thought and click on read more for how to accessfor free. Open meeting aa big book study alkies, addicts, alanons, overeaters, gamblers, or anyone is welcomebut they strictly follow the book, cover a page or two per meeting the leaders are strong bb folksand the discussions are only about what was just read.
The first edition appeared in april 1939, and in the following sixteen years, more than 300,000 copies went into circulation. The big book study movement is outside of the structure of. Aa meetings are usually opened by the chairperson reading a set format, such as a short welcome speech. List of big book step study bbss groups in the united states hyannis format meeting schedule. Chapter 3 more about alcoholism m ost of ushave been unwilling to admit we were real alcoholics. Aa big book with questions for discussion emotional. The person who is chairing the meeting chooses the story. Was i thinking of what i could pack into the stream of life. All references to the topics will be found in the first 164 pages of the book, alcoholics anonymous. Big book step study hyannis format does anyone else on the forum here follow the official big book step study hyannis format. Massachusetts aa big book step study meetings concord.
Helping others newcomers is the foundation stone of your recovery. Big book step instructions highlights certain instructions in the big book for taking the step for that month. Copyright alcoholics anonymous world services, inc. I thought itd be nice to have a place on this forum to meet others from around the country who follow the steps exactly as theyre written in the book alcoholics anonymous.
First the step of the month then the tradition of the month. The big book of alcoholics anonymous is the basic text of. Big book step study friends meeting house 103 marion rd, rt 6 7. Alcoholics anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other, that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
Your first aa meeting big book study guide helps us to examine the contents of virtually every sentence in the original text of the big book. There are many page references to help each person working the steps to easily refer back to aas major text. Other groups had already begun changing their formats, big book studies, and steps meetings are common place now. Welcome to a big book study meeting of alcoholics anonymous. Remember that in a study group, everyone is a learner. The program of alcoholics anonymous is not an intellectual challenge. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book. Thinking in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. This is followed by a series of readings by different people, usually the 12 steps the aa program is based on and maybe the 12 traditions or some other reading common to the aa program. First whatever chapter we are on and then a story from the back of the book. We meet together with regularity to study the aa big book together to learn now to.
The purpose of this study guide is to enable the student to better understand the information the authors of the book, alcoholics anonymous, intended to impart to each of us based on their experience and knowledge of alcoholism and their program of recovery. The big book of alcoholics anonymous is the basic text of alcoholics anonymous. Given current events we have moved to a virtual meeting only, until further notice. It may be helpful to point out what is at times a source of confusion for aa members. 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. Speaker meeting an aamember tells about his history of alcoholism, how everything went wrong gone to hell, how and when the turning point came, what happened. The primary purpose of this site is to carry the message contained within the big book of alcoholics anonymous. Let us open the meeting with a moment of silence to do with as you wish followed by the serenity prayer. I thought itd be nice to have a place on this forum to meet others from around the country who follow the steps exactly. This study material sticks closely to aas big book, alcoholics anonymous. The saturday morning big book step study meeting of alcoholics anonymous normally meets every saturday from 9 a.
Its not about being sponsoredits about sponsoring others that is a predictor. During any such meeting to study the aa big book, you would expect to encounter a wide variety of viewpoints on the portions under consideration. Friday wakefield big book step study congregational church 1 church st 7. But i will not have the benefit of contact with you who write this book. Big book step study hyannis format the primary purpose group. I started working the steps out of the big book in 1998, with a step study sponsor and a supportive big book group. I thought this revolutionary meeting format was the missing piece in my. No person likes to think he is bodily and mentally different from his fellows. A study guide for the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous. The big book study our chief responsibility to the.
The big book step study bbss format, based upon an aa meeting format originated in hyannis, mass. Meeting types and descriptions alcoholics anonymous in. Our notes, commentary, and genderinclusive changes are formatted in italics. Anyone who would like to start a meeting and use this literature is welcome to do so. Experience the big book is a guided, detailed study of the aa big book and 12 steps, by dr. This is the fellowship thats also mentioned on page 84, of the big book. The individual sections of this study guide material reflect ideas, emotions and attitudes you might hear from the mouth of that old timer over in the corner. Friday medford mens big book step study unitarian universalist church 147 high st 7. This format came from a group of men, who could not get sober by just going to open aa meetings. Massachusetts aa big book step study meetings concord nhbbss. Alcoholics anonymous getting back to basics big book step study hyannis format we are looking at adopting a new format for some of our meetings, it is called the hyannis format and is based on a format developed in hyannis, massachusetts by some recovered alcoholics.
We think this account of our experiences will help everyone to better understand. The text got this name because the first edition of the book had rather thick pages, making the book even thicker than its content would suggest. Pass the record book around a second time so members may write down contact information to call or write later. We find that if we change the word alcohol to cocaine and the word alcoholic to to cocaine addict, it fits us perfectly. His is the fourth edition of the book alcoholics anonymous. In the lower righthand corner it reads, this is the third edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. A similar statement is made in the middle of the fourth edition dust cover. Step meeting an experienced aamember goes through all the twelve steps, along the big book, in 4 meetings the whole meeting in as many weeks. Mu1 suggestions for leading beginners meeting alcoholics.
1044 1254 429 1230 1415 884 1138 46 946 582 156 522 3 1446 1072 73 213 651 1173 1483 311 474 952 1535 100 927 83 548 1211 1026 1612 1605 1304 1288 1495 1292 120 196 593 743 104