Steps 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 – Big Book Workshop 2019 – Part 1 of 6 – 2019 – Katie C.

About This Speaker Tape

Big Book Workshop 2019 - 2019

A conversation between Charlie P. and Katie C. that pivots from the technicalities of sponsorship boundaries to the gritty reality of the amends process. Charlie dissects the 'self' obsession that blocks the pipeline to a Higher Power using the image of 'spiritual triage' to get newcomers unblocked quickly before their ego rebuilds. Katie shares the wreckage of her untreated alcoholism including a story about blowing out the valve stems of a school bus while driving too fast for a group of boys and the long delayed process of making amends to her stepmother and a former boss. The dialogue emphasizes that direct amends are not 'living amends'—which they dismiss as a convenient excuse—but a necessary often uncomfortable confrontation with the past to stop the 'vaporization' of the spirit.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Katie C. discusses sponsorship boundaries and the 'camps' she is willing to sponsor.
• 5:45 Charlie P. discusses the 'high road' and the danger of AA becoming mere theory.
• 12:10 Discussion on the sexual inventory and shaping a sane ideal for the future.
• 18:30 Charlie explains the 'pipeline' between the self and the Higher Power and the need for 'spiritual triage'.
• 24:15 Laughter: Story about Jamie and the 19-year-old resentment.
• 31:00 Detailed breakdown of the 'hour at the end of the fifth step' and its implications.
• 38:45 Charlie's take on the 'terrible meetings' and why they are necessary for growth.
• 45:20 Discussion on Step 6 and 7: identifying what is objectionable and the willingness to let go.
• 55:10 Charlie's critique of 'living amends' versus direct amends.
• 1:05:00 Katie C. shares the story of the school bus valve stems and the 15-year delay in making amends to David.
• 1:18:00 Katie describes the emotional process of making amends to her stepmother, Evelyn.
• 1:30:00 Analysis of a specific amends letter focusing on 100% responsibility.