Peter M and Chris S – May 2022 Workshop – Part 2 of 7 – 2022 – Chris S.

About This Speaker Tape

Peter M and Chris S - May 2022 Workshop - 2022

A 33-year-old man arriving at the rooms with a $100 car and a terrible job Chris S. dissects the internal wreckage of the 'self.' He argues that alcoholism isn't just a drink problem but a spiritual malady rooted in a foundation of selfishness and self-centeredness that makes life untenable. Moving through the ABCs and the history of the Oxford Group he describes the 'parasite' of addiction—comparing it to a mind-controlling organism that forces a mouse to run toward a cat—and explains how the 12 Steps act as a surgical removal of these manifestations of self. He recounts his own history of 'group hopping' through New Jersey meetings from the high-society rooms of Basking Ridge to contentious business meetings that felt like root canals eventually finding a stability that only comes from the internal rearrangement of the spirit.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Chris S. opens with the spirit of the room and the personal nature of spiritual growth.
• 2:15 Discussion on Step 1: Powerlessness over the first drink and the 'dash' of unmanageability.
• 5:40 The ABCs: Admitting the failure of managing life from a foundation of selfishness.
• 8:10 History lesson: The Oxford Group, Frank B., and the early experiences of Bill W. and Dr. Bob.
• 13:20 The 'parasite' metaphor: How addiction controls the organism to its own detriment.
• 16:45 The 'continuum of recovery' described through the format of a Basking Ridge beginner's meeting.
• 21:10 Laughter: Story about 'group hopping' and leaving a home group like leaving insulin because a pharmacist was rude.
• 25:30 The 'Mr. B.' resentment example from the Big Book and the danger of fatal resentments.