Step 6 — Ready for Change – Free D. – FOTS – 2016

About This Speaker Tape

Brendan, Tanya, and Don lead a workshop on the 'Advanced P.' of Steps S. and Seven. Brendan maps out the shift from obvious rage to the subtle friction of superiority and the need for approval.

Tanya dismantles the mask of the 'achiever,' tracing how childhood shame and a crumbling marriage were hidden behind professional accolades until the behavior bled into her children. Don brings a distinct indigenous perspective, framing the steps as a journey back to harmony and describing the 'Red R.' versus the 'red line' of perfection. He details a concrete ritual of using tobacco ties and sage to surrender character defects to a fire.

The session concludes with floor shares on the 'furnace of affliction' and the realization that character defects are often just armor for deep-seated fear.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Brendan opens with readings from the Big Book on willingness and the 'Higher Power consciousness'.
• 4:15 Brendan discusses the paradox of not caring what people think while desperately needing their approval.
• 8:30 Brendan shares his history of rage and anger as a defense mechanism against vulnerability.
• 14:45 Tanya L. introduces the concept of humility and the danger of using program tools as weapons.
• 19:20 Tanya describes the 'bottomless end' of shame and the turning point involving her children.
• 26:10 Don C. introduces the Mohican Nation perspective and the 'Red Road' to harmony.
• 31:40 Don explains the 'cake in the oven' metaphor for the process of Step Six and Seven.
• 36:15 Don describes the 'committee' of character defects and how they work in teams.
• 42:00 Don details the ritual of tobacco ties, sage, and fire for removing defects.
• 48:30 Floor share: Mary discusses being 'refined in the furnace of affliction'.
• 54:10 Floor share: Herbert describes his experience with powerlessness and the Seventh Step prayer in a hospital.