Hier ein geniales Seminar über das 12-Schritte-Programm, das auch genauso für alle anderen Süchte angewendet werden kann. Die Probleme sind ja immer die gleichen:

Joe & Charlie Big Book Study
(Joe McQuany and Charlie Parmley -
englisch, als mp3 Downloads in 35 Kapiteln, Abschriften und Übersetzungen folgen hier in diesem Thread)

Joe & Charlie Big Book Study
(englisch, als youtube-Audio)

Das Seminar ist ein Erklären und Durcharbeiten der 12 Schritte, wie es im Original im "Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous" aufgeschrieben wurde. Zu jener Zeit -1939- war die Erfolgsquote bei mehr als 75%. Heutzutage ist die Erfolgquote bei weniger als 10%!! Laut Joe & Charlie liegt der Grund darin, dass die 12 Schritte heutzutage nicht so angewandt werden, wie sie gedacht waren.

Die Kapitel:
- AA-History - Die Geschichte der Anonymen Alkoholiker
- The Doctor's Opinion - Medizinische Hintergründe
- Bill's Story - Bills Geschichte
- There is a solution - Es gibt eine Lösung
- Spiritual Experience - Spirituelle Erfahrung oder spirituelles Erwachen
- More about alcoholism - Mehr über Alkoholismus
- We agnostics - Wir Agnostiker
- How it works - Wie es funktioniert
- Steps 3 to 12 - Schritt 3 bis 12
(Über Schritt 1 und 2 handeln die ersten Kapitel, es geht bei diesen beiden ersten Schritten um Erkenntnis und eine Entscheidung)

Mehr Abschriften und/oder Übersetzungen folgen!

"Also, ich denke, es ist sehr wichtig für uns. darüber nachzudenken. Diese Gruppe von Leuten, die keinen Namen hatten, die bekannt gewesen waren als "Der betrunkene Truppenteil der Oxford Gruppen" schrieb ein Buch und in dieses Buch stellten Sie ein Genesungs-Programm. Und sie nannten das Buch "Anonyme Alkoholiker". Dann, nachdem das Buch veröffentlicht war, entschlossen sie, sich selbst "Anonyme Alkoholiker" zu nenen. Das bedeutet damals 1939 waren das Programm im Buch "Anonyme Alkoholiker" und das Programm der Gemeinschaft der "Anonymen Alkoholiker" ganz genau gleich. Das Buch begann dann sich in den Vereinigten Staaten zu verbreiten.

Und die erste Person hier draußen in Kalifornien bekam ein Exemplar dieses Buches. Las es, befasste sich damit, tat, was da stand, genaß vom Alkoholismus. Eröffnete eine Gruppe, die "Anonyme Alkoholiker" genannt wurde. Die erste Person in Arkansas bekam ein Exemplar dieses Buches, las es, befasste sich damit, tat, was da stand, genaß, eröffnete eine Gruppe, die "Anonyme Alkoholiker" genannt wurde. Das Buch "Anonyme Alkoholiker" war der Auslöser für das Wachstum der Gemeinschaft. Als nun die Gemeinschaft anfing zu wachsen und größer und größer und größer wurde, begannen sie, etwas zu bemerken, was die ersten Hundert nicht gehabt hatten: Sie begannen, die enorme Kraft einer Gemeinschaft von Menschen zu bemerken, die einem gemeinsamen Problem entkommen waren. Nun - die ersten Einhundert hatten das nicht, sie hatten nur einhundert Leute und damit Basta. Doch die Gemeinschaft, wie sie da wuchs und größer und größer und größer wurde, und anfing, die Kraft von Gemeinschaft zu erfahren, da begann sie, die Notwendigkeit der Strenge des Programms aus dem Buch in Frage zu stellen.

Und sie sagten: "Meinst du, wir müssen wirklich unseren ganzen Willen und unser ganzes Leben Gott, wie wir Ihn verstehen, übergeben? Könnten wir ihm nicht das Trinken geben und den Rest behalten? Meinst du, wir müssen unsere ganze Lebensgeschichte mit einem anderen Menschen teilen? Zur Hölle, Gott kennt sie, wir kennen sie, warum dann jemand anderem davon erzählen." Sie begannen zu sagen: "Meinst du, wir müssen Gott alle unsere Charaktermängel entfernen lassen? Zur Hölle, wenn Gott das tatsächlich tut, dann bleibt ja keine Persönlichkeit mehr übrig!" Und sie fingen an, solche Dinge zu sagen, wie: "Meinst du, wir müssen allen Leuten, denen wir geschadet haben, Wiedergutmachung leisten?" Und sie fingen an, solche Dinge zu sagen, wie: "Also, vielleicht müssen wir ja gar nicht jedes kleine Detail davon machen. Vielleicht könnten wir manches davon nehmen und manches davon weglassen. Vielleicht können wir es im Buffet-Stil machen: Das nehmen, was wir wollen, und das weglassen, was wir nicht wollen" [...]

Und langsam, langsam, langsam begann sich das Programm in der Gemeinschaft zu verändern. Und als die Jahre vergingen, fing es an, sich mehr und mehr und mehr zu verändern. Und es fing an über "Bezugspersonen" zu sprechen, und es fing an über "bedeutsame Beziehungen" zu diskutieren, und sie fingen an, über "sexuelle Dysfunktion" zu sprechen, und sie fingen an, über dies zu sprechen und sie fingen an, über das zu sprechen. Und das Programm im Suchthilfe-Zentrum war nicht so wie das Programm im Buch der "Anonymen Alkoholiker". Natürlich wollten die neuen Leute, die nach der Suchthilfe-Klinik zu AA kamen, darüber sprechen, was sie wussten, darüber sprechen, was sie andernorts gelernt hatten. Und langsam langsam langsam begann sich das Programm in der Gemeinschaft zu verändern. Und als die Jahre vergingen, fing es an sich mehr und mehr und mehr zu ändern.

[...] Über was wir also an diesem Wochenende sprechen werden, ist nicht das Programm der Gemeinschaft der Anonymen Alkoholiker. Wir werden über das Programm im Buch der Anonymen Alkoholiker sprechen, das die ersten Einhundert benutzten und das nie geändert worden war. Das Programm in der Gemeinschaft der Anoymen Alkoholiker hat sich zweifellos geändert, das Programm im Buch hat sich nie geändert. Lasst uns zur römischen Ziffer 20 gehen. Lasst und anschauen, wie wirksam diese Sache immer gewesen ist, als das Programm im Buch und das Programm der Gemeinschaft noch das gleiche waren.

"[...] ...die öffentliche Anerkennung von AA wuchs sprunghaft. Dafür gab es zwei hauptsächliche Ursachen: die große Anzahl von Geheilten und von wiedervereinten Familien." Das machte also überall seinen Eindruck! "Von den Alkoholikern, die zu AA kamen und es wirklich versuchten, wurden 50% sofort trocken und blieben es auch. 25% wurden nach ein paar Rückfällen trocken und von dem Rest konnte man bei denen, die bei AA dabeiblieben, Fortschritte sehen. Es kamen auch Tausende zu ein paar AA-Treffen und beschlossen zuerst, dass sie das Programm nicht wollten. Aber eine große Anzahl von denen - ca. 2 von 3 - fingen nach einer Weile an zurückzukommen."

Wenn jetzt also meine Rechnung stimmt, dann blieben 75% dieser Leute, die in den frühen Tagen zu AA kamen und das Programm aus dem Buch durcharbeiteten, am Ende trocken. Ich weiß in meinem Gebiet nicht, wie es in eurem Gebiet ist, aber wir können nicht von 75% sprechen. Wie können nicht von 50% sprechen. Wir können nicht von 25% sprechen. Ich bezweifle, dass wir von 10% sprechen könnten! Ganz ehrlich. Und der Grund dafür ist, wie ich glaube, dass die Gemeinschaft der Anonymen Alkoholiker von dem Programm des Buches, das "Anonyme Alkoholiker" heißt, abgekommen ist."

___________________________________________________
“Now, I think this is very important for us to think about. This group of people who had been nameless, who had been known as the Drunk Squad of the Oxford Groups wrote a book and in that book they put their program of recovery. And they called the book “Alcoholics Anonymous”. Then after the book was published they then decided to call themselves “Alcoholics Anonymous”. Now, in 1939 the program in the book “Alcoholics Anonymous” and the program in the fellowship of “Alcoholics Anonymous” were exactly the same. The book then began to go out across the United States.

And the first person out here in California got a copy of this book. Read it, studied it, did what it said, recovered from alcoholism. Started a group called “Alcoholics Anonymous”. The first person in Arkansas got a copy of this book, read it, studied it, did what it said, recovered, started a group called “Alcoholics Anonymous”. Now, the growth of the fellowship began to come from the book “Alcoholics Anonymous”. Now, as the fellowship began to grow and became bigger and bigger and bigger, they began to notice one thing that the first one hundred didn't have: They began to notice the great power of a fellowship of people that have escaped from a common problem. Now, the first one hundred didn't have that, they only had one hundred people, period. But the fellowship as it grew and got bigger and bigger and bigger, and they began to experience the power of fellowship, they then began to question the need for the severity of the program in the book.

And they said: “Do you mean we really have to turn over all of our will and our life over to the care of God as we understand Him? Couldn't we give Him the drinking and keep the rest? Do you mean we have to share all of our life story with another human being? Hell, God knows about it, we know about it, why tell somebody else?” They began to say: “You mean we have to have God remove all of our character defects? Hell, we won't have any personality left if He does!” And they began to talk about: “Do you mean, we have to make amends to all those people we've harmed?” And they began to say such things as: “Well we don't maybe have to do every bit of that. Maybe we could take some of it and leave some of it. Maybe we can do it Caféteria-style: Pick what we want and leave that we don't want.” [...]

And slowly slowly slowly the program in the fellowship began to change. And as the years went by it began to change more and more and more. And it began to talk about “significant others”, and it began to discuss “meaningful relationships”, and they began to talk about “dysfunctional sex", and they began to talk about this and they began to talk about that. And the program in the treatment center wasn't like the program in the book of “Alcoholics Anonymous”. Well naturally the new people from the treatment centers coming into AA wanting to talk about what they knew, talk about what they had learned in other places. And slowly slowly slowly the program in the fellowship began to change. And as the years went by it began to change more and more and more.

[...] So what we're going to talk about this weekend is not the program of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous today. We're gonna talk about the program in the book of Alcoholics Anonymous that the first one hundred used, which has never been changed. Now the program in the fellowship has definitely changed, the program in the book has never changed. Let's go to Roman numeral 20. Let's see how effective this thing used to be, when the program in the book and the program in the fellowship were the same:

“[...] ...public acceptance of AA grew by leaps and bounds. For this there were two principal reasons: The large number of recoveries and reunited homes.” Now, these made their impressions everywhere. “Of alcoholics who came to AA and really tried 50% got sober at once and remained that way. 25% sobered up after some relapses and among the remainder those who stayed on with AA showed improvement. Other thousands came to a few AA-meetings and first decided, they didn't want the program. But great numbers of these - about 2 out of 3 - began to return as time passed.”

Now if my math is correct that's 75% of those people who came to AA in the early days and worked the program that's in the book, stayed sober eventually. I don't know in my area about what it's like in your area, but we can't talk about 75%. We can't talk about 50%. We can't talk about 25%. I doubt if we could talk about 10%! Truthfully. And the reason for this – I believe – is, that the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous got away from the program that's in the book called Alcoholics Anonymous.”

“We have emphasized willingness as being indispensable. Are we now ready to let God remove from us all the things which we admitted are objectionable? Can He now take them all everyone? If we still cling to something we are not willing to let go, we ask God to help us to be willing and that's all for step 6. […] Now surely surely in step 4 and 5 when we looked out into that 5th column and we saw that old selfish dishonest self-seeking frightened inconsiderate character that we had become. When we saw that those that caused us to do the things that hurt people - they in turn retaliate, we in turn resent, we're filled with guilt and remorse, that causes us to drink - then surely those things in the fifth column have now become objectionable to us. Are we ready to turn them lose? If we are we're through with step 6. The book recognizes though that self cannot always overcome self. […] Now you think when we see what they do to us we'd be more than willing to turn them lose – but sometimes we're not.

You know we human beings are funny people. Sometimes we would rather sit in today’s pain and suffering cause we kind of learned how to take care of that. Sometimes we'd rather sit into today's pain and suffering than take a chance on changing in the future cause we don't know what change will bring. You see, if I have to get rid of my selfishness and become unselfish then how am I gonna get what I want in the future? If I'm gonna have to get rid of my dishonesty and start operating honestly – how in the hell am I gonna make a living? I don't know nothing about honesty when I get here. If I'm gonna have to get rid of my self-seeking frightened character and start operating on courage – that scares the hell out of me! I don't know nothing about that! If I'm gonna have to start considering other people and their needs and their wants – then who's gonna take care of me?

Sometimes we would rather sit in today’s pain than take a chance on changing in the future. And the book recognized that and said “If you're not willing, you ask God to help you be willing.” And with God's help we become willing, we're through with [step] 6. When ready we say something like this: “My Creator, I'm now willing you should have all of me good and bad. I pray that you now remove from me every single defect of character […] that withstands my usefulness to you and my fellows. Grant me strength as I go out from here, to do your bidding. Amen.” We've then completed Step 7!

Now you're ready to have God remove 'em? If you are you're through with 6. Have you humbly asked him to take them away? If you have you've done Step 7. But I hope you don't make the mistake I did. I assumed that know that I'm ready and God being all powerful, all I've got to do is to turn to God and say “Ok, God, here I am, warts and all, [...] give me the 29-95 special [amerikanischer Veranstaltungs- und Gastroführer] and I'll never have to worry about this stuff again.” I found out it won't work that way.

God will do for me what I can't do for myself. I simply do not have the power to remove a character defect. Only God has that power. God will not do for me what I can do for myself! And what I can do for myself is find out the opposite of that character defect. And then with God's help and all the willpower I can muster, in every situation that comes up try to practice the opposite. Cause you see, God can't take away my selfishness and leave another hole in my head. It's gonna have to be replaced with the opposite which is unselfishness. And when I first got here my mind was a set of mental habits ingrained in about 40 years of living. The habitual thing for me was to react selfishly and the only way you brake a habit is to work against yourself. And if I ask God to take away selfishness and I start trying to practice unselfishness, slowly the old habit dies and a new habit takes its place. And over a period of years I have become an unselfish human being. I am not what I was, when I first got here.

If I want God to take away dishonesty then I must do my part which is to practice honesty in every situation that comes up, and God! that's hard for me to do! That is so alien to my nature. And I can't practice honesty without God's help, but with God's power, all the willpower I can muster I can force myself to be honest and slowly the old idea dies and a new one takes its place. The habitual thing for me today is to react to any situation with honesty.

If I want God to take away fear then I've got to kick myself in the butt and practice courage. If I want him to take away inconsideration then I must start considering other people and their needs and their wants and slowly the old idea dies and the new idea takes its place. The book says: We were reborn. I am not what I used to be.

Now, I am not completely unselfish, never will be. I'm not always completely honest. Sometimes I'm afraid and on other times I'm inconsiderate. But the majority of the time I'm an unselfish honest human being with courage, considering other people first. You know I think you and I are the luckiest people in the world. We have the opportunity through these two little steps right here to live two lifetimes in one lifetime. Most people out there are sick, most of them are going to the grave sick – not even knowing that they're sick. We not only know we're sick – we know what's wrong with us, we found it in Steps 4 and 5. And in 6 and 7 we can do something about it and we can change it and we become entirely different human beings. Most people don't get that opportunity!

Now, be careful, for God's sake be careful, cause if you really accept this as the correct thing, the right thing, then that means from this day on you are responsible for what you are. I can't blame it on Barbara any longer, can't blame it on mother and dad, I can't blame it on God and I can't blame it on society. If I stay selfish, dishonest, self-seeking, frightened and inconsiderate it's gotta be because that's the way I want to be. I no longer have the luxury of blaming it on others, cause I don't have to be that way.

And you know what I found out? I found out that if you become unselfish, people start to kind of liking you a little better then they did before. I found out that when you start becoming honest well, hell! you feel better about yourself. That's the way you build self-esteem, it's to do the right thing for a change. I found out when I practiced with courage, and I operate on courage instead of fear, I do things that make me feel better and I quit doing things that used to make me feel so bad. Oh, and I found out that there's real pleasure in considering other people first and giving to others before you take for yourself. I didn't know that! How in the hell could I know that, I never been that way before. This thing absolutely amazes me in what happens to us, and the simplicity of this thing if we just do what the book says.”