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such as these: "Pain is the touchstone of progress." . . .
"Fear no evil." . . . "This, too, will pass." . . . "This experience
can be turned to benefit."
These fragments of prayer bring far more than mere comfort.
They keep me on the track of right acceptance; they break up
my compulsive themes of guilt, depression, rebellion, and
pride; and sometimes they endow me with the courage to
change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the
difference.
GRAPEVINE, MARCH 1962
Guide to a Better Way
Almost none of us liked the self-searching, the leveling of
our pride, the confession of shortcomings which the Steps
require. But we saw that the program really worked in others,
and we had come to believe in the hopelessness of life as we
had been living it.
When, therefore, we were approached by those in whom the
problem had been solved, there was nothing left for us but to
pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet.
Implicit throughout A.A.'s Traditions is the confession that
our Fellowship has its sins. We admit that we have character
defects as a society and that these defects threaten us
continually. Our Traditions are a guide to better ways of
working and living, and they are to group survival and
harmony what A.A.'s Twelve Steps are to each member's
sobriety and peace of mind.
No Boundaries
Meditation is something which can always be further
developed. It has no boundaries, of width or height or depth.
Aided by such instruction and example as we can find, it is
essentially an individual adventure, something which each
one of us works out in his own way. But its object is always
the same: to improve our conscious contact with God, with
His grace, wisdom, and love.
And let's always remember that meditation is in reality
intensly practical. One of its first fruits is emotional balance.
With it we can broaden and deepen the channel between
ourselves and God as we understand Him.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 101-102
Start by Forgiving
The moment we ponder a twisted or broken relationship with
another person, our emotions go on the defensive. To
escape looking at the wrongs we have done another, we
resentfully focus on the wrong he has done us. Triumphantly
we seize upon his slightest misbehavior as the perfect
excusefor minimizing or forgetting our own.
Right here we need to fetch ourselves up sharply. Let's
remember that alcoholics are not only ones bedeviled by sick
emotions. In many instances we are really dealing with fellow
sufferers, people whose woes we have increased.
If we are about to ask forgiveness for ourselves, why
shouldn't we start out by forgiving them, one and all?
TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 78
Miraculous Power
Deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the
fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured by calamity, by
pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or other
it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and
miraculous demonstrations of that Power in human lives, are
facts as old as man himself.
"Faith may often be given through inspired teaching or a
convincing personal example of its fruits. It may sometimes
be had through reason. For instance, many clergymen
believe that St. Thomas Auinas actually proved God's
existence by sheer logic. But what can one do when all these
channels fail? This was my own grievous dilemma.
"It was only when I came fully to believe I was powerless
over alcohol, only when I appealed to a God who just might
exist, that I experienced a spiritual awakening. This freedomgiving experience came first, and then faith followed
afterward -- a gift indeed!"
Without Anger
Suppose A.A. falls under sharp public attack or heavy
ridicule, having little or no justification in fact. Our best
defense in these situations would be no defense whatever --
namely, complete silence at the public level. If in good humor
we let unreasonable critics alone, they are apt to subside the
more quickly. If their attacks persist and it is plain that they
are misinformed, it may be wise to communicate with them
privately in a temperate and informative way.
If, however, a given criticism of A.A. is partly or wholly
justified, it may be well to acknowledge this privately to the
critics, together with our thanks.
But under no conditions should we exhibit anger or any
punitive intent.
What we must recognize is that we exult in some of our
defects. Self-righteous anger can be very enjoyable. In a
perverse way we can actuallytake satisfaction from the fact
that many people annoy us; it brings a comfortable feeling of
superiority.
Relapses -- and the Group
An early fear was that of slips or relapses. At first nearly
every alcoholic we approached began to slip, if indeed he
sobered up at all. Others would stay dry six months or
maybe a year and then take a skid. This was always a
genuine catastrophe. We would all look at each other and
say, "Who next?"
Today, though slips are a very serious difficulty, as a group
we take them in stride. Fear has evaporated. Alcohol always
threatens the individual, but we know that it cannot destroy
the common welfare.

such as these: "Pain is the touchstone of progress." . . .

"Fear no evil." . . . "This, too, will pass." . . . "This experience

can be turned to benefit."

These fragments of prayer bring far more than mere comfort.

They keep me on the track of right acceptance; they break up

my compulsive themes of guilt, depression, rebellion, and

pride; and sometimes they endow me with the courage to

change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the

difference.

GRAPEVINE, MARCH 1962

Guide to a Better Way

Almost none of us liked the self-searching, the leveling of

our pride, the confession of shortcomings which the Steps

require. But we saw that the program really worked in others,

and we had come to believe in the hopelessness of life as we

had been living it.

When, therefore, we were approached by those in whom the

problem had been solved, there was nothing left for us but to

pick up the simple kit of spiritual tools laid at our feet.

Implicit throughout A.A.'s Traditions is the confession that

our Fellowship has its sins. We admit that we have character

defects as a society and that these defects threaten us

continually. Our Traditions are a guide to better ways of

working and living, and they are to group survival and

harmony what A.A.'s Twelve Steps are to each member's

sobriety and peace of mind.

No Boundaries

Meditation is something which can always be further

developed. It has no boundaries, of width or height or depth.

Aided by such instruction and example as we can find, it is

essentially an individual adventure, something which each

one of us works out in his own way. But its object is always

the same: to improve our conscious contact with God, with

His grace, wisdom, and love.

And let's always remember that meditation is in reality

intensly practical. One of its first fruits is emotional balance.

With it we can broaden and deepen the channel between

ourselves and God as we understand Him.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 101-102

Start by Forgiving

The moment we ponder a twisted or broken relationship with

another person, our emotions go on the defensive. To

escape looking at the wrongs we have done another, we

resentfully focus on the wrong he has done us. Triumphantly

we seize upon his slightest misbehavior as the perfect

excusefor minimizing or forgetting our own.

Right here we need to fetch ourselves up sharply. Let's

remember that alcoholics are not only ones bedeviled by sick

emotions. In many instances we are really dealing with fellow

sufferers, people whose woes we have increased.

If we are about to ask forgiveness for ourselves, why

shouldn't we start out by forgiving them, one and all?

TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 78

Miraculous Power

Deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the

fundamental idea of God. It may be obscured by calamity, by

pomp, by worship of other things, but in some form or other

it is there. For faith in a Power greater than ourselves, and

miraculous demonstrations of that Power in human lives, are

facts as old as man himself.

"Faith may often be given through inspired teaching or a

convincing personal example of its fruits. It may sometimes

be had through reason. For instance, many clergymen

believe that St. Thomas Auinas actually proved God's

existence by sheer logic. But what can one do when all these

channels fail? This was my own grievous dilemma.

"It was only when I came fully to believe I was powerless

over alcohol, only when I appealed to a God who just might

exist, that I experienced a spiritual awakening. This freedomgiving experience came first, and then faith followed

afterward -- a gift indeed!"

Without Anger

Suppose A.A. falls under sharp public attack or heavy

ridicule, having little or no justification in fact. Our best

defense in these situations would be no defense whatever --

namely, complete silence at the public level. If in good humor

we let unreasonable critics alone, they are apt to subside the

more quickly. If their attacks persist and it is plain that they

are misinformed, it may be wise to communicate with them

privately in a temperate and informative way.

If, however, a given criticism of A.A. is partly or wholly

justified, it may be well to acknowledge this privately to the

critics, together with our thanks.

But under no conditions should we exhibit anger or any

punitive intent.

What we must recognize is that we exult in some of our

defects. Self-righteous anger can be very enjoyable. In a

perverse way we can actuallytake satisfaction from the fact

that many people annoy us; it brings a comfortable feeling of

superiority.

Relapses -- and the Group

An early fear was that of slips or relapses. At first nearly

every alcoholic we approached began to slip, if indeed he

sobered up at all. Others would stay dry six months or

maybe a year and then take a skid. This was always a

genuine catastrophe. We would all look at each other and

say, "Who next?"

Today, though slips are a very serious difficulty, as a group

we take them in stride. Fear has evaporated. Alcohol always

threatens the individual, but we know that it cannot destroy

the common welfare.