AA members will usually emphasize to newcomers that only problem drinkers themselves, individually, can determine whether or not they are in fact alcoholics. He tells Access Hollywood’s Zuri Hall his amazing story of survival. As in many harms done, I found that it just wasn’t “I” who had it all twisted up.
After getting to know its principles, you may want to try the program, or include it as part of your post-rehab aftercare plan. The 12 Principles of AA is essentially the work of AA’s founders, but early in AA’s history, the organization listed six principles, many of which were influenced by the founders’ experience with The Oxford Group. By 1939 and the publication of The Big Book, Wilson and Smith revised their principles, expanding them to reflect their work and its progress. AA is, of course, heavily focused on principles of Christianity, but many of today’s groups have modernized the tenets to reflect a more diverse audience. Even so, the 12 Principles of AA have remained its central guiding influence.
Should I Work on Step Eight Alone?
Are you taking the step to clear your conscience at the expense of another person? I cannot go back and change the past, but I can take responsibility for my actions. Each day I ask my Higher Power for the strength to help me stay sober and live responsibly and with honesty.
This was a good start for me but there were still a lot of “I’s” as I experienced this step. As with all the steps I have found for me, that as time moves on they reveal more and more to me. The more I practiced this step the more I found out how much healing comes from it and https://ecosoberhouse.com/ not just for me. Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) addresses compulsions related to relationships, referred to as codependency. But step 12 also calls for members to put the spiritual growth they have found to work—not only within the fellowship but in all aspects of their lives.
What Do You Say When Making Amends? – The Step 9 Amends Letter
Step 2 is about finding faith in some higher power, and the accompanying principle of hope means that you should never give up that faith, even when you suffer a setback. Founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Robert Smith, Alcoholics Anonymous has grown to include worldwide chapters, each devoted to helping people end living amends their dependence on alcohol. Wilson, who was struggling with alcoholism, originally sought out help from a Christian organization, The Oxford Group. It would be nice if the above outcomes were universal—but they aren’t (of course). Making amends won’t necessarily play out like the ending of a Hallmark movie.
I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me, but if not, I understand. The spiritual purpose of making amends is to find inner peace, freedom, release, and rebirth. While this step involves a direct exchange with another person, its goal has everything to do with healing and addiction recovery on the part of the person making the amends. But, as difficult as it is, completing this step can provide an immense sense of relief and newfound hope for the future. At the heart of this step is the need for forgiveness and restoration—forgiving yourself, forgiving others, and making amends.
The Value of the Principles of AA
In step 4, you made a catalog of your past, and in step 6, you admitted them and released yourself from the guilt and shame. In step 8, you ask God, or another higher power, for forgiveness. The way to carry this principle forward is to always remind yourself that you’re at the mercy of a higher power, and you don’t come first. This virtue is easy to understand when it comes to practicing it on a daily basis. In recovery, not every moment will be positive, but if you keep that hope and faith alive, you’ll come back out on the other side. The main text of Alcoholics Anonymous, or “The Big Book” as AA members call it, goes step by step through 12 distinct phases, each crucial in achieving sustainable recovery from addiction.
- Step 9 is another one of the 12 steps, that initially appears most difficult, but the rewards of putting this principle into practice can be immense.
- When you make amends, you acknowledge and align your values to your actions by admitting wrongdoing and then living by your principles.
- As you go through the 12 steps, remember that addiction recovery is a lifelong journey that requires work and dedication.
- The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines amends as “compensation for a loss or injury”.
- Making amends requires the individual to correct their mistake.
We want to convey our heartfelt remorse but worry that our words will fall short. Of all the 12 steps, Step 9 is often referred to as particularly challenging. Understanding why will require taking a closer look at what Step 9 is, its goals, and its possible outcomes. We’ll also include a Step 9 amends letter for anyone who wants to implement this step but isn’t sure how to.
