From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)
1.
... instincts.
12&12 p.49,
Step Four
Pride lures us into making demands upon ourselves or upon others which cannot be met without perverting or misusing
our God-given instincts.
2.
... instincts are
satisfied, there won't be much ...
12&12 p.71,
Step Seven
The theory seems to be that
once everybody's primary instincts are satisfied, there won't be much left to quarrel about.
3.
... instincts are
threatened.
12&12 p.52,
Step Four
It should be remembered that this kind of insecurity may arise in any area where instincts are threatened.
4.
... instincts can
produce anything from a cold ...
12&12 p.44,
Step Four
5.
... instincts cannot
be the sole end and ...
12&12 p.114,
Step Twelve
6.
... instincts first,
we have got the cart ...
12&12 p.114,
Step Twelve
If we place instincts first, we have got the cart before the horse; we shall be pulled backward into disillusionment.
7.
... instincts for
a purpose.
12&12 p.42,
Step Four
8.
... instincts for
sex, security, and society.
12&12 p.50,
Step Four
Using his best judgment of what has been right and what has been wrong,
he might make a rough survey of his conduct with
respect to his primary
instincts for sex, security, and society.
9.
... instincts for
sex, security, and society becomes ...
12&12 p.49,
Step Four
When the satisfaction of our instincts for sex, security, and society becomes the sole object of our lives, then pride steps in to justify our excesses.
10.
... instincts gone
astray, have been the primary ...
12&12 p.50,
Step Four
By now the newcomer has probably arrived at the following conclusions: that his character defects, representing instincts gone astray, have been the primary cause of his drinking and his failure
at life; that unless he is
now willing to work hard at the elimination of the worst
of these defects, both sobriety and peace of mind will still elude him; that all the
faulty foundation of
his life will have to be torn out and built anew on bedrock.
11.
... instincts, have
turned into physical and mental ...
12&12 p.42,
Step Four
When that happens, our great natural assets, the instincts, have turned into physical and mental liabilities.
12.
... instincts in
collision, which cause physical, mental, ...
12&12 p.80,
Step Eight
To define the word "harm" in a practical way, we might call it the result of instincts in collision, which cause physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual
damage to people.
13.
... instincts need
to undergo drastic revisions.
12&12 p.114,
Step Twelve
And as we grow spiritually, we find that
our old attitudes toward our instincts need to undergo drastic revisions.
14.
Instincts on
rampage balk at investigation.
12&12 p.44,
Step Four
15.
... instincts, so
necessary for our existence, often ...
12&12 p.42,
Step Four
16.
... instincts, there
can be no peace.
12&12 p.44,
Step Four
17.
... instincts to
help him to stay alive.
12&12 p.64,
Step Six
He did not design man to destroy himself by alcohol, but He did give man instincts to help him to stay alive.
18.
... instincts to
overreach themselves.
12&12 p.66,
Step Six
19.
... instincts, too.
12&12 p.44,
Step Four
In these ways we are set in conflict not only with ourselves, but with other
people who have instincts,
too.
20.
... instincts unreasonably
upon others, unhappiness follows.
12&12 p.44,
Step Four
21.
... instincts will
not be satisfied drives us ...
12&12 p.49,
Step Four
Unreasonable fear that
our instincts will not be satisfied drives us to covet the possessions of
others, to lust for sex and power, to become angry when our instinctive demands are
threatened, to be envious when the ambitions of others seem to be realized while ours are not.
Passages from the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous
and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
are reprinted with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.
The A.A. Preamble, copyright ©
The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., is reprinted with permission.
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