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Big Book Study - Post #23

Good Morning, everyone!

We are at page 72 - Chapter 6 "Into Action" - and we're about to
embark on our discussion of the 5th Step!

"Having made our personal inventory, what shall we do about it? We
have been trying to get a new attitude, a new relationship with our
Creator, and to discover the obstacles in our path." Let's pause
here to ask ourselves what these obstacles are.

Looking at our 4th Step, last column, we discover that our defects
are what stand between us and *The Man Upstairs*. "This requires
action on our part, which, when completed, will mean that we have
admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being, the exact
nature of our DEFECTS." Didn't they mean "wrongs"? Reading through
the book we see that Bill tries not to repeat himself - something he
learned in school about writing. When he speaks of "defects of
character," "shortcomings," and "wrongs," he means the same thing -
they are synonymous.

We are about to begin Step 5 and it is important to note the mindset
of it. A former sponsor of mine would say to me how important it was
to "live my life as an open book." I had no idea what the man was
talking about. Step 5 is the first time for most of us to allow
anyone look into that "book." When we sit down with someone, usually
a sponsor, and go over Step 5 we are exposing our private selves to
someone else for the first time. The idea of Step 5 is to begin the
process of living in an open manner. This is the beginning of the
end of shame and guilt for these will shut us off from the sunlight
of the Spirit.

In paragraph 2 on page 72 we acknowledge that "In actual practice,
we usually find a solitary self-appraisal insufficient." The book is
emphatic about including someone else, in addition to God, in the
process. If we skip this vital step we may drink again. One of the
things that trips people up is the last sentence in that same
paragraph: "...until they told someone else ALL their life story."
Some of us have interpreted that as meaning that we have to write an
autobiography. Let's look at what is in the book and what was meant.

First, on the preceding page, we have been told we are on Step 5
already - our 4th Step inventory is complete. Second, the idea is to
reinforce the notion that it is a complete disclosure - that
withholding anything will jeopardize our sobriety. What we expose by
taking inventory in the manner as described in the previous chapter
is what makes a difference. Those things that have shut us off from
the "sunlight of the Spirit" is what is important. Again, the basic
point of "...ALL their life story" is that we should hold nothing
back once we begin the 5th Step process.

Reading through to the top of page 75 we discover one of the few
places that the basic text is actually dated. Remember, at the time
this book was originally written, that there were fewer than 100
alcoholics sober. It was quite possible not to find someone suitable
for a Fifth Step. Happily, with over 2 million members, we are most
likely to find someone within our fellowship to take this vital step
with.

In our next post we will start at the first paragraph on page 75 and
a thorough discussion of Step 5.

Have a great day!

Jim