More: Alcoholism (Continued)
J: As we were closing, looking at another illustration in your package. These illustrations are just to bring out the pictures painted in the Big Book. It talks about the solution. This contains the two elements of the solution. Over on the left hand side we'll notice the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous illustrated by the circles, in which the old
member who has recovered from alcoholism can support the new member.
It is through the old member, the new member looking at the old member, he gets hope. He can share experience strength and hope with the new member, and support the new member. While the new member is in the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, and while he's being supported by other people, he can come to believe.
By looking at them, and if he's willing, he can go over and investigate and (p. 25, par. 2)
'pick up a simple kit of spiritual tools.'
These are the recovery Steps. While he's in the fellowship, if he applies these Steps to his life, as a result of these Steps, he has a
(p. 25, par. 3) 'spiritual experience which revolutionizes his whole attitude toward life, toward his fellows, and toward God's
universe.'
(p. 567, par. 1) 'Then he has a personality change sufficient to recover from his alcoholism.'
We can see the two things in the solution is: the fellowship, which supports, and the spiritual
experience, which changes as a result of the Steps.
Now once the new member has taken these Steps, and he has recovered and has a personality change sufficient to recover, then he can come from that side back over to this side. Once he has recovered, then he becomes... an old member. He can support the next new
member.
So we can see it's just a circle that takes place, of the old supporting the new. Once the new becomes the old, then he can support the next new member. This is the solution to alcoholism.
