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A
4th. Step - By the Book
of "Alcoholics Anonymous"
Alcoholics Anonymous - Copyright © 1939, 1955, 1976,
2001 by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
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The best method and directions for a complete and
thorough 4th. Step inventory may very well be found
in the basic text of Alcoholics Anonymous. :-)
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Of course I must add that this is only suggested by me.
( It was "suggested" to me by my sponsor, Jim R., in
1984 ) At that point in my sobriety ( about 15 months -
I had already attempted and completed not One, but Two,
4th. and 5th. Steps under the well intentioned
advisories of some other folks. Use this guide - and
that one - and this one is good too - and soon after,
there I sat alone with my kitchen table piled high with
guides, pamphlets, papers, and books. I managed to get
some stuff written - both times - and followed with the
5th. Step. Didn't hurt - didn't feel like it did much
good either. Then my newly found sponsor came to ask if
I had completed a 4th. Step - my answer being YES! of
course! - TWICE even! Then he inquired what I used as a
guide to which I explained about all those guidebooks
and pamphlets. He then suggested ( well... ) that I try
doing it by the "Big Book" only. As instructed by him -
which seemed far too simple to have life changing
results - HA! I was to learn otherwise. And so here it
is folks! - the simplest method I know - and I've not
found it necessary to do another 4th. Step nor pick up a
drink in many years :-) Perhaps it may work for you too.
If you are under professional supervision or care -
please consult them before attempting the 4th. Step
inventory.
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Please consult with your sponsor or counselor before
doing this.
( Suggest you commit to a specific start and completion
time and date - write it down - sign it - like a legal
contract - just suggested - not part of the inventory -
at the time - my sponsor also suggested... No incoming
or outgoing phone calls during the specified time frame.
If you work - go to work - go home - and back to the
task at hand - a 'recovery' meeting between OK. Keep
your focus only on completing this step. )
Get your "BIG BOOK" - plenty of blank white paper (
lined is OK ) :-)
and something to write with - that writes "black".
( that's what it says..."We placed them before us in
black and white." )
START
Open your "Big Book" to page 64.
Start reading at the second paragraph... Therefore, we
started...
Read only one sentence at a time.
Stop after reading each sentence. Ask yourself this
question:
Did the sentence ask anything of me?
If it does - Do it ! and don't add to it.
No extra points for creativity here!
For example: Do I honestly agree with or accept what has
just been said? Did it suggest a prayer? Write something
down? Make a list? Think? Consider? Seek out something
within myself ? There are sentences where nothing is
really 'asked' of you though the vast majority do ask or
infer some mental and/or written activity - even if only
acceptance of an idea or ideal.
Continue this process:
Reading 'One Sentence At A Time' and doing what it says
( and not doing what it doesn't say )
through to the end of the chapter.
If you've done all that the sentences ask or infer -
that's it - you're finished - congratulations!
"Nothing counted but thoroughness and honesty.
When we were finished we considered it carefully."
You should have 4 lists made.
Resentments - pg. 64 Faults - ( see note below ) pg. 67
Fears - pg. 68 Sex conduct ( "Whom had we hurt?" see
note below ) - pg. 69
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NOTE: I would also call your and your sponsor's /
counselor's attention to the line on page 76 - third
paragraph - "Eight and Nine. We have a list of all
persons we have harmed and to whom we are willing to
make amends. We made it when we took inventory. "
Refer back to page 67 - 3rd. Paragraph - Last line...
"We admitted our wrongs honestly and were willing to set
these matters straight."
and to:
Page 69 - 2nd. Paragraph - "Whom had we hurt?" ...
...We got this all down on paper and looked at it. ( End
of Paragraph )
Often people get to this place on page 76 and wonder
when they made this list.
There is in the line further down the page:
" We must be willing to make amends where we have done
harm,
provided that we do not bring about still more harm in
so doing."
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Helpful Hints
Keep a Dictionary at hand - use it - perhaps begin by
looking up the word ' definite'
as used on page 65 - sentence above the 3 columns.
At the bottom of page 65 it says "We went back through
our lives."
So... START at today and go 'back through [ your life
]'.
Don't let the 3 column thing scare you.
It's simply identifying who, why, and how or what it
affected in your life. Avoid thinking it more
complicated.
Keep it simple. It really is!
You can even use the 'multiple choice' like examples
above and beside the columns for the "Affects my:"
It's best if you have come to some true understanding
and appreciation of these examples.
Don't write something just for the sake of putting
something down.
Be prepared, if it were to be called upon, to talk to
someone in more detail
about whatever you write down in your 'Affects my:
column.
Consider: "When we saw our faults we listed them."
If you don't see them - yet - perhaps they're not there.
Don't get creative :-)
No need to make things any worse for impression and
approval points.
Just the facts - is just fine. :-)
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I'm simply sharing my experience and my opinion in hopes
that it may by chance help another.
Over 25 years of sobriety, a couple of little
dictionaries, and and a number of websites
- only makes me just one more garden variety 'hillbilly'
alcoholic.
There are no 'experts', graduate students, or PhD's in
AA.
I personally have no desire or need to be viewed by
others in such light.
I believe it is my obligation to pass on what I have
been so freely given
and to responsibly use any God given abilities and
opportunities to that end.
Most of my adult life, I've been viewed by others as
being too serious and/or too analytical.
Sometimes I am - sometimes I'm not. Sometimes life is
just too important to be taken seriously :-)
In the final 'analysis' - there's not much of anything
that makes much sense to me.
There's not much else to do, but live life and laugh
often. :-)
" Onward through the fog! "
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