Steps By The Big Book

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Steps by the Big Book typical session outline


I ON YOUR OWN: STUDY – What did the Big Book authors say?

• READ - Individually, and with your sponsor or other group members, study the suggested readings for the Step you are working on.

• WRITE - We suggest one or two 15-20 minute writing sessions per day.
  • • Write of your own experience working the Step under consideration. Respond to the issues the readings raise for you.
    • Reflect on the focus points in each session and think about writing on three or four, or all of them, as you see fit.
    • Cross off the bulleted focus and reflection comments as you come to them. Try reading them out loud to help make them stick.
    • Consider completing the worksheets intended to build on what the Big Book says about the practice of each Step.

• TALK - Meet with one or more other members of the group or with your sponsor or both to discuss the readings and your written reflections on them.

• PRACTICE DAILY MEDITATION / PRAYER - Strive to develop a daily practice of quiet centering before reading and writing. Use whatever meditations or prayers are meaningful to you. [See p.13: 4 and Step 11, pp. 85-88]

II WITH THE GROUP: PRACTICE – What does the Big Book say to me about my own practice of this Step?

• Reflect together in depth about your own life practices of really doing the Step in question as illuminated by the Big Book.
• Share what you have written.

III DAILY PRACTICE OF 12 STEP PRINCIPLES


Consider your personal daily practice of the principles of the relevant Step.


IV TAKE THE STEP


Since the way people take the Steps in AA is highly personal, we leave it to individual members to decide when they have taken each Step. The Big Book has us consider, Is our [Step] work solid so far? Can we answerto our satisfaction? (75: 03-76: 1)
For group purposes, some observe completing each Step by joining hands and reciting the Step, along with selected meditations or prayers.