A Gift To Humanity Not Just Addicts
When I first read the Book of Alcoholics Anonymous (a.k.a. the Big Book), it didn’t make a great first impression.
Overly Christian, gender-specific and of its time (but then again, so is the bible), I took it as some old-fashioned ramblings of a reformed alcoholic and missed its life-transforming message.
But as my relapses got worse and addiction brought me crashing down onto my knees, I soon came into a state of reasonableness on the Big Book.
Accessing the Fourth Dimension
After years of countless attempts to stop relapsing, I realised my actual prejudice wasn’t with the Big Book.
It was the fact that I needed help in the first place and couldn’t stop the relapses myself.
However, circumstances gave me little choice: seek help or die.
So, I set aside all my previous judgments and ideas on the Big Book and was willing to read it with an open mind and heart.
The chronic relapsing quickly stopped when I finally did, but this was just the beginning.
The book revealed a practical way of living that, when sincerely followed, rocketed me into what the book describes as a ‘fourth dimension’ of living.
A Text For All Walks Of Life
So, how can a book written for alcoholics about alcoholism help the rest of humanity?
The Big Book was and still is a first of its kind.
First published in 1939, this book solved the drink problem but, more importantly, presented a solution that could be used for all addictions.
By simply changing the word alcohol for the addiction of your choice and alcoholic for the addict of your choice, the text fits and works perfectly.
It’s why over two hundred anonymous recovery groups worldwide have sprouted up over the last four decades, all using the Big Book’s ‘twelve steps’ methodology as the basis of their recovery program.
But what makes this book truly remarkable is its suggested way of living has its advantages for all, not just addicts!
It really is a gift for the benefit of humankind.
And why the text hasn’t been altered from its original writings.
Its spiritual message is entirely intact. Potent, profound and as powerful (if not more due to its all-inclusive stance on religion and sexuality) as some of the most spiritual texts ever written.
And that’s where the Big Book’s strength lies: it doesn’t discriminate.
It allows you to come as you are regardless of race, creed, colour, sect, denomination, political affiliation or sexual orientation.
And it gives you the freedom to choose, define and believe in a higher power of your own conception.
The Experience of Experiences
However, the Big Book does more than merely present information and knowledge on addiction and spirituality.
This book is designed to transmit an experience sufficient enough to enable the reader to change. That’s why the book was originally sent out in the post for addicts to simply ‘read and recover’.
In fact, the primary purpose of the twelve steps presented in the book is to have a spiritual awakening, as nothing can happen without it.
But for this spiritual awakening to happen, there are a few simple requirements.
The Cancer Of The Soul
‘The first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success.’ ~ The Big Book, page 60.
The Big Book says the root of the problem for all of us is selfishness and self-centeredness. From it grows all sorts of dis-ease.
Resentment, fear and dishonesty are its most common fruits.
In fact, the Big Book states that addiction is the end result of ‘self will run riot’, in other words, extreme selfishness and self-centeredness.
The real problem is our inability to face life on life’s terms. We want it our way.
As the Big Book says, we are:
Restless, irritable and discontented.
The Big Book refers to this as a spiritual malady, something common to all human beings, not just addicts.
The solution the Big Book, offers is to be other-centered and get out of this selfishness by serving others and letting something else in.
And that something else is a spiritual experience.
The Psyche Change
Burn the idea into the consciousness of every man that he can get well regardless of anyone. The only condition is that he trust in God and clean house. ~ Big Book, page 98
The Big Book clearly says that no human power can solve the addiction problem.
It states repeatedly throughout the book that only a spiritual experience can solve our problems.
But it isn’t solely referring to the addiction problem. The Big Book is also referring to our genuine human issues. Our struggles and dissatisfaction with life.
Addict or not, the Big Book confronts us with questions like:
- Why do we seemingly make heavy going of life?
- Despite our best efforts, why is living so unsatisfactory?
- And why are we confused and baffled by the seeming futility of existence?
Believing you can find a way to solve all your problems by applying more willpower and discipline using more tools, strategies, and information isn’t the spiritual experience that the Big Book is talking about.
This is you still in the driving seat running the show.
You can’t fix self with self.
Instead, we need to rely on something with more power than ourselves.
We need to let go of control so that something else can come in, and to do this, we must have faith.
‘Leap, and the net will appear’. ~ John Burroughs
The revolutionary choice we are being asked to make is to live our lives on faith, not on self.
This is the psyche change that the Big Book implores us to make.
Clearing A Path To Higher Consciousness
“Above everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this selfishness. We must, or it kills us!’ ~ The Big Book, page 62.
For the addict, the Big Book says there is no choice; we have to let go of our self-centeredness or else (after all, our lives hang on a slippery, greased tightrope..!).
Similarly, non-addicts have to let go of self-centeredness not because they face their mortality but because it distorts their view of life and blocks the true essence of who they really are.
The Big Book is about removing these blocks so that our true selves can come into full view.
It calls this true essence ‘the sunlight of the spirit’ and the blocks (our fears, resentments and dishonesty) ‘the clouds within us’.
All of this points to the same fundamental truth that deep down within us, there is a place that is pure radiant love unaffected by all of what we’ve been through.
It is the essence of who we are.
The Big Book refers to this essence throughout its pages as something coming or flowing through us.
It names this essence a power greater than ourselves and the steps help us clear a channel to this power.
The Big Book places us in a position for something else to happen to us but not by us. To come through us, but not without us.
It’s co-creation.
Our willingness is met with grace.
This is the spiritual experience that the Big Book offers.
What The World Needs Now
“A miracle is a shift in perspective based on love, not fear.” ~ Marianna Williamson.
Faith-based living is living with real courage, giving you the direction and peace you have always longed for.
But you must be convinced of the Big Book’s first requirement; ‘self-sufficiency’ did not work. It led to a ‘crushing self-imposed crisis’
Addiction is a condition that never goes away. But being in self is the human condition that always remains.
That’s why we have to do this program daily, not to keep sober and clean but to keep out of selfishness and self-centeredness.
And that is a blessing for all humanity.
So Why is It The Most Powerful Spiritual Book Eve Written?
“The Universe is saying: Allow me to flow through you unrestricted, and you will see the greatest magic you have ever seen.” ~ Klaus Joehle
The Big Book is about awakening to the truth and living on a spiritual basis in the flow of life.
Its design for living will bring you into conscious awareness of your role in life so you can use your gifts to be of maximum service to others.
Addict or not, willingness to believe is all you need to effect conscious contact with a power greater than you and build a practical spiritual life.
Deep down within all of us, the great reality is here.
The spiritual experience the Big Book describes is right where you are now.
It’s always been there.
May you have this experience now.
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Darren James 