12 Steps to Being Launched – Toronto June 2016 – Part 1 of 2 – 2016 – Peter M.

About This Speaker Tape

Peter M. 12 Steps To Being Launched - Toronto June 2016 - 2016

A Brooklyn native with a history of childhood trauma and a career that nearly swallowed his soul Peter M. breaks down the mechanics of the first seven steps. He describes the mind as a 'predator' and the soul as a 'broken pot' that a Higher Power uses to carry water. The narrative moves from the wreckage of a mother's suicide and early sexual abuse to the gritty reality of 2:00 AM rescue calls for drunks. Peter emphasizes that recovery isn't about reading the Big Book but working it—turning the pen into a 'spiritual translator' to uncover the 'shadow side' of the soul. He details the visceral experience of the fifth step the 'death of self' that felt like a physical meltdown and the transition from a life of self-reliance to one of total surrender where he now views himself as an agent for a Higher Power.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Peter M. defines the difference between being 'recovering' and 'recovered'.
• 4:15 Laughter: Discussion of 'crack pots' and the gritty reality of 2:00 AM rescue calls.
• 7:30 Peter shares the trauma of his mother's suicide when he was 14.
• 12:45 Detailed breakdown of Step 3 and the decision to turn the will over to a Higher Power.
• 18:20 The 'AA agent' metaphor: Higher Power as the principal and the alcoholic as the agent.
• 25:10 Step 4: Using the pen as a 'spiritual translator' and the struggle with the four-column inventory.
• 31:40 Raw account of childhood sexual abuse and the process of forgiving the abuser to get free.
• 38:15 Step 5: The anxiety of the 'fifth step' and the importance of not 'improvising' the script.
• 44:30 Funny story about lying to a sponsee, Carl C., about a test score and making amends for it.
• 52:10 Step 6 and 7: The 'death of self' experience and the physical sensation of a spiritual meltdown.
• 58:00 Final thoughts on living as a servant and the 'donkey' analogy for the recovery path.