What is Our Common Solution?

The feeling of having shared in a common peril is one element in the powerful cement which binds us. But that in itself would never have held us together as we are now joined.

The tremendous fact for every one of us is that we have discovered a common solution. We have a way out on which we can absolutely agree, and upon which we can join in brotherly and harmonious action. This is the great news this book carries to those who suffer from alcoholism.”

~ Alcoholics Anonymous, “The Big Book”, page 17

Our common solution, refers to us as alcoholics and addicts, whether we used alcohol, heroin, cocaine, meth, pot or pills, etc. I believe in identification in order to connect the common problem. However, even though our illness may present itself differently mentally and/or physically, we all suffer from the same spiritual malady.

According to the Big Book, “when the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.” That is, in fact, “our common solution.” As important and perhaps vital as it is to completely identify and relate personal experiences to same substances -- as stated on page 18 in the Big Book: “That the man who is making the approach has had the same difficulty, that he obviously knows what he is talking about…” -- my own personal experience and belief is that the solution, our common solution, truly is the same.

We treat the spiritual malady and get connected to a Power greater than ourselves and the mental obsession gets removed. Consequently, if we don’t put the chemical in, no matter what its shape or form, we do not have the physical allergic reaction.

Once we have reached a level of identification and conceded to our innermost selves that we have lost power, choice and control over a particular substance(s), and that we will always go back to it if our spiritual malady is not treated, then our recovery process becomes a journey beyond self. From selfishness, self-centeredness, and living in spiritual sickness, we become useful to God and our fellows, safe and protected, living in the world of the Spirit. As long as we continue to grow in understanding and effectiveness and pass on our experience to others, we find that we are all on the same journey – the spiritual life.

That is our common solution.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Self or Solution

When did “self” become the greatest and most popular discussion topic in meetings?

I believe that when “Love and tolerance” became say what you want and take our meeting hostage, we lost our primary purpose. Now in many meetings topics range from “who has a topic they want to share? To “This is what happened to me today.’
Meanwhile what about the guy or girl that has walked in by God’s grace to find a solution for his/her drinking or drug problem ? How is listening to your problems helping them find a solution to theirs ? What’s ironic is that a book was written 73 years ago containing a solution to alcoholism (also works quite well when followed for the real drug addict ). So we disregard the book with 73 years of proven success to share how bad it was or throw slogans around like “keep coming back’ and “don’t drink no matter what” that has no success for the “real addict/alcoholic’. The only thing this does is drive up the sales of more white chips and silver chips ! Oh, and helps to contribute to our already epidemic proportional death rate among addicted people who cant seem to recover. Could it be possible that more solution based meetings where the topic shared is one of hope out of the first 164 pages of the big book could lead to more real addicts and alcoholics finding a solution and rediscovering life instead of dying ?  Could more meetings where the primary purpose is still carrying the message that worked so well for so many years be the solution ? I believe so. How ? By changing formats in groups to focus on the “original” message that was carried when the big book was written. By teaching our newcomers that come in that if they want what we have, which is recovery from alcoholism/addiction,then they will follow directions to get it. If they don’t, then we will be here for them when they do.
  It is pretty clear that we cannot make anyone do things our way, that would still be playing God. However, as a group conscious who’s authority is a loving God, formats can be written so that meetings go back to sharing the solution and not “self”. There are many groups doing this and little by little changing the rate of recovery even if ever so slightly. The people that are of the hopeless variety and need a message of depth and weight will stay in these meetings because they are being fed and their spirit knows it. The hard drinkers and people that want to talk about their day will either be drawn to change and stay or leave and go back to the social club meetings. Either way the hopeless ones will find hope and the message will stay true. My home group was started with 4 members and had to move locations during the first year. It was an unpopular thing to keep the topic on the solution out of the big book and make sure people sharing adhered to the topic. We were not well received at first. We now have somewhere around 15 dedicated members and our regular meetings average in number around 25 to 40 people. It is amazing to see 80% of the people reading out of the big book and sharing their own experience and hope pertaining to it.
   We know it works. There is past experience and now recent experience across the country that confirms this. The question is, Who will take a stand and get in the trenches with those of who stand for what we believe in ? The tide is turning back toward solution based meetings. Alcoholics/addicts are getting “recovered”. We can be part of the solution or part of the problem. What is your choice to be ?
                                                                                        Thank’s, Glen ‘7/12’    
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