DISCUSSION No. 1 - THE ADMISSION PHASE, Step 1
Step No. 1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol -- that our lives had become unmanageable.
This instruction is not a short-cut to A.A. It is an introduction -- a help -- a brief course in the fundamentals. See DISCLAIMER.
Back in the 1940's
1) You were sponsored through five classes, and completed 12 Steps right away; non-stop; out of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous - A.S.A.P.
2) You became an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous. In other words, before you ever went to a "Regular AA meeting"; you had a sponsor and would have completed the program of recover that is in the Big Book. You were a recovered alcoholic, contingent on the maintenance of your spiritual condition daily...
3) You sponsored newcomers through the classes, and did this a couple of times, carrying AA's message only; keeping it pure... The program that is written down in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous period...
4) You taught the classes. That's why it worked. That's why so many people got sobriety and kept sobriety. There is no better way to learn and keep this program than to teach it!!
In order to determine whether or not a person had drifted from "social drinking" into pathological drinking it is well to consider with the guidance of a sponsor, three questions, which each member may ask himself and answer for himself.
We must answer once and for all these three puzzling questions : What is an alcoholic? Who is an alcoholic? Am I an alcoholic?
To get the right answer the prospective member must start this course of instruction with:
1. A willingness to learn. We must not have the attitude that "you've got to show me."
2. An open mind. Forget any and all notions we already have. Set our opinions aside.
3. Complete honesty. It is possible - - not at all probable - - that we may fool somebody else. But we must be honest with ourselves, and it is a good time to start being honest with others.
For more information on Class / Discussion 1, refer to the Class Workbook or download the Study Guide. You can open this in iBooks or any PDF reader...