The Transformation That Comes After the Ego Is Destroyed – Sandy B.

About This Speaker Tape

East Coast Convention - 2004

Sandy B. and Bob D. map out the intersection of personal wreckage and the historical architecture of recovery. Sandy B. traces his path from a childhood terror of a twenty-foot crucifix to the cockpit of a Marine Corps fighter plane where he flew missions during alcoholic withdrawals with one hand on the stick and the other on the ejection seat. Bob D. dismantles the illusion of the 'company drunk,' recounting a youth spent in a haze of false IDs and a diagnosis of alcoholism at nineteen. Together they pivot to the history of the fellowship contrasting the collapse of the Washingtonian Society—which lacked a spiritual foundation—with the 'hand of a Higher Power' that guided Bill W. and Dr. Bob. They discuss the necessity of desperation the role of Dr. Jung in stripping away human hope and the creation of the Big Book as a codification of spiritual principles designed to transform the heart rather than just stop the drinking.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Sandy B. opens with a humorous mix-up regarding the 10th Tradition.
• 2:15 Childhood trauma: Sandy B. describes his fear of the crucifix and the Catholic church.
• 6:40 The first drink: Sandy B. describes the 'transformation' of the room's eyes from hostile to friendly.
• 11:20 The cockpit: Sandy B. describes flying the Crusader during withdrawals and his ejection seat theory.
• 15:45 The 'nut ward': Sandy B. recounts his grand mal seizure and the AA group that talked their way into the mental ward.
• 19:30 Bob D. shares his early history, including being diagnosed as an alcoholic at nineteen.
• 25:10 The 'company drunk': Bob D. describes sleeping in broom closets and failing at corporate life.
• 31:40 History: Sandy B. discusses the Washingtonian Society and the danger of lacking a spiritual basis.
• 36:15 The role of Dr. Jung and Roland H. in the origins of the 12 Steps.
• 42:20 The meeting of Bill W. and Dr. Bob at the Firestone estate gatehouse.
• 48:10 Discussion on the writing of the Big Book and the 'we' vs 'I' in the steps.
• 54:30 Closing thoughts on the 'Cult of Self' in modern society versus the stability of the early days.