Has the message of hope, healing,and recovery been diluted?

Many of long-term A.A. members no longer attend meetings. I have spoken with several dozen of them. They all appeared to be disgusted and disillusioned with the proliferation of drug stories, the discussion of co-dependency, and of dysfunctional families, and with "psychobabble" heard at meetings.

These oldtimers are tired of hearing participants discussing their counselors and their therapists. Their "relationship sponsors," and their "inner child." The oldtimers most desire to hear about sponsorship, recovery, and the hope for a permanent solution to the problem of alcoholism. Many long term members, people no longer found at A.A. meetings, have "retired" from the "new program." Where have they gone?

There appeared to be a growing movement in A.A. in the 1990's. There is what has become known as "underground" meetings. They spring up around the country. They exist in New York, Denver, California, Boston, Wisconsin, and Florida - just to name a few. And we mention only the ones that have been discussed. Many others exist, but only their members, and those they choose to tell, know of their existence.

These "underground" meetings are not advertised; and attendance at them is by invitation only. One has to be "sponsored" into them, much the same as people had to be "sponsored" in the beginnings of A.A. These meetings are open for alcoholics and their families only.

The sharing that one hears at these meetings is related only to recovery from alcoholism. Speakers talk of the solution rather than of the problem. "War Stories" are usually not heard at these gatherings. Speakers tell how they got well and how they are staying on the path of recovery. Members talk to the newcomer with stories of experience, yes. But they also impart their strength and hope. For hope is what the still sick and suffering alcoholic needs to hear.

Participants in these meetings fellowship together and carry the message as it was given to them. Their numbers are growing, both in strength and in size. Their recovery rate is climbing to a point beyond that of the treatment centers and, unfortunately, that of A.A. meetings themselves.

When I came to A.A., each home group had two meetings a week: a speaker meeting, at which a person would talk about his recovery, and a Twelve Step meeting. The purpose of the Twelve Step meeting was to make sure that the new members could go through the Steps with the group's guidance.

New people had the opportunity to get the program and "old" people had the opprtunity to work with the new people.

Each person had a sponsor and was given so many weeks to work the Steps.

Many of our meetings today have become "discussion" meetings, where people simply discuss their problems -- like group therapy. At the same time, our recovery rate has fallen.

Avoid ALL discussion meetings.

2 nights/week study the book.

1 night/week Step Speaker meeting.
2-3 nights/week carrying the message on the firing line.
Would you rather talk about God, or experience God?
When you are starving to death, do you wanna talk about food, or get something to eat?
Feed your soul!

If he did not work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely die.

I've heard it said that it's hard to change the way an existing group conducts its meetings, that it's easier and more effective to start a new group. 

While I agree that it's hard to change, perhaps "change" is not so important as carrying the message.

When I go to discussion meetings now, I usually say something "when I first came to A.A., I attended many discussion meetings, mainly because there are so few step study and big book study meetings in the meeting schedule and I overlooked them.  Now, I find that the Big Book study meetings are some of the best that I attend; I get a lot from the meeting and the people who attend them." Then I often mention something like "and I've started going to the 5:30 meeting at the Alano Club - they have a really good meeting." 

    We have a Primary Purpose Big Book Study Group here in Nowra NSW Australia and we have got a format that is has been very successful.
1. We start the meeting with the first paragraph of the foreward to the first edition...from "We, of Alcoholics Anonymous are more then 100...." We then add" We are not an organisation.......afflicted"
2.We go around the room and each identify with our first name and "I am an alcoholic"...It is a closed meeting in line with Tradition 5 and AAs Singleness of Purpose statement. No-one identifies as alcoholic/addict at this meeting.
3.We began the first meeting with the Preface and each member read a couple of paragraphs and then shared their understanding and experience of what they had read or passed, then other members were asked to share.
4.We repeat this process until closing time (0ne and a half hrs and everyone groans and says ..."Already???")
5.In the closeing we read the last 2 paragraphs of page 164....and say the Serenity Prayer.
    I am there to deepen my knowledge of the basic text and we have 4 newcomers there who are growing at a rate of knots, 2 of my sponsees began the group in February this year and both of them were 12th stepped by the Joe and Charlie Cds and  Joes DVDs on the 12 steps. We realised the need for a study group and were sick of the war stories and continual living in the problem flavour of the meetings here.....One of the girls found the Primary Purpose website and we were off and running!!!!!

We met up with a marvelous man called Cliff B who has been a great support to us; bb164@aol.com Please email him for help too, he is wonderful.

If you are interested in reading some interesting articles you might like to check out this site; aaprimarypurpose.org  There are several formats there for meetings and also some articles that are really interesting.

The contributions from our meetings are directed towards the "Still Suffering" and we also copy Cds and give them to newcomers. All in all it is without doubt the BEST group I have belonged to in the 12/half years I have been sober..

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