Mark on Steps 4 and 5 — Removing Spiritual Blocks and the Phenomenon of Craving

About This Speaker Tape

The speaker provides a detailed instructional guide on navigating Steps 4 and 5 of the AA program, emphasizing that these steps are about removing spiritual blocks rather than performing therapy. He argues that rigorous honesty is the primary credential for recovery, warning that holding onto secrets or 'chunks of dishonesty' is the leading cause of relapse and the return of the spiritual malady.

Much of the talk is dedicated to the practical application of the resentment inventory. The speaker explains how to list people, institutions, and principles, and how to shift perspective from blaming others to identifying one's own character defects. He uses a live demonstration with a group member to show how viewing others as spiritually sick can reduce the emotional intensity of a resentment.

Finally, the speaker discusses the sacred nature of the Fifth Step, stressing absolute confidentiality and the importance of full disclosure. He shares personal experience regarding the 'uglies'—the deepest secrets—and asserts that total honesty in the Fifth Step is what allows an alcoholic to transition from recovering to recovered.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Introduction to the day's focus on Steps 4 and 5 and the use of the Big Book as the authoritative reference.
• 4:15 Breakdown of the three-part illness of alcoholism: physical craving, mental obsession, and spiritual malady.
• 10:30 Discussion on the definition of a 'recovered alcoholic' versus a 'recovering' one based on Big Book literature.
• 16:40 Explanation of Step 4 as a process of removing blocks to access the power of a Higher Power.
• 22:10 Analysis of resentment as the 'number one offender' and its fatal nature for the alcoholic.
• 27:50 Instruction on creating a resentment inventory with columns for cause and effects on self-esteem/security.
• 33:15 Live demonstration of the resentment prayer and identifying one's own faults in a conflict.
• 42:45 Guidelines for the sex inventory, emphasizing the avoidance of extremes and the role of a Higher Power as the final judge.
• 50:20 Discussion on 'harms'—identifying people hurt by the alcoholic who may not be tied to a specific resentment.
• 56:10 The importance of the Fifth Step, the necessity of confidentiality, and the danger of withholding secrets.