From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)
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to display the full page from the Big Book1.
... must!"
12&12 p.129,
Tradition One
2.
Must A.A.'s
spend most of their waking ...
12&12 p.89,
Step Ten
Must A.A.'s spend most of their waking hours drearily rehashing their sins of omission or commission?
3.
... must abide
by its suggestions.
BB p.144,
To Employers
When the man is presented
with this volume it is best
that no one tell him he must abide by its suggestions.
4.
... must acquire
an immediate and overwhelming "God-consciousness" ...
BB p.567(569),
Appendix II, Spiritual Experience
Though it was not our intention to create such an impression, many alcoholics have nevertheless concluded that in order to
recover they must acquire an immediate and
overwhelming "God-consciousness" followed at once by a vast change in feeling and outlook.
5.
... must act,
for the more you hurry ...
BB p.113,
To Wives
Wait until repeated stumbling convinces him he must act, for the more you hurry him the longer his recovery may be delayed.
6.
... must admit
that we have loved but ...
12&12 p.92,
Step Ten
Most of us must admit that we
have loved but a few; that we
have been quite indifferent to the many so
long as none of them gave us trouble; and as for
the remainder -- well, we
have really disliked or
hated them.
7.
... must admit
we have made little impression ...
BB xxix(xxvii),
The Doctor's Opinion
Though the aggregate of
recoveries resulting from psychiatric effort is considerable, we physicians must admit we have made little impression upon the problem as a whole.
8.
... must always
stay poor.
12&12 p.165,
Tradition Seven
9.
... must, and
of course, will want to ...
BB p.74,
Into Action
Those of us belonging to
a religious denomination which requires confession
must, and of course, will want to go to the properly appointed authority whose duty it is to receive it.
10.
... must, and
ultimately because we love the ...
12&12 p.174,
Tradition Nine
So we of A.A. do obey spiritual principles,
first because we must, and ultimately because we love the kind of life such obedience brings.
11.
... must apologize
as though your husband were ...
BB p.115,
To Wives
You will no longer be self-conscious or feel that you
must apologize as though your husband were a
weak character.
12.
... must ask
about their behavior respecting financial ...
12&12 p.51,
Step Four
Also of importance for
most alcoholics are the questions they must ask about their behavior respecting financial
and emotional security.
13.
... must avoid
moving pictures which show drinking ...
BB p.101,
Working With Others
People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we
must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn't think or be reminded about alcohol at
all.
14.
... must avoid
quick-tempered criticism and furious, power-driven ...
12&12 p.91,
Step Ten
15.
... must avoid
those dangers of great wealth, ...
12&12 p.175,
Tradition Nine
A.A. has to function, but at
the same time it must avoid those dangers of great wealth, prestige, and entrenched power which necessarily tempt other societies.
16.
... must be
a heavy penalty, it was ...
12&12 p.143,
Tradition Three
17.
... must be
accompanied by self sacrifice and ...
BB p.93,
Working With Others
18.
... must be
an angle somewhere."
12&12 p.132,
Tradition Two
When told that our Society
has no president having authority to govern it, no treasurer who can compel the payment of any dues, no
board of directors who
can cast an erring member into outer darkness, when indeed no A.A. can give another a directive and enforce obedience, our friends gasp and exclaim, "This simply can't be. There must be
an angle somewhere."
19.
... must be
answered by people who know.
12&12 p.168,
Tradition Eight
Sacks of letters on every conceivable A.A. problem ranging from a lonely-heart Eskimo to the growing pains of thousands of groups must be answered by people who know.
20.
... must be
careful not to drift into ...
BB p.86,
Into Action
But we must be careful not
to drift into worry, remorse or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our usefulness
to others.
21.
... must be
convinced of his new status ...
BB p.135,
The Family Afterward
22.
... must be
dealt with to prevent a ...
12&12 p.73,
Step Seven
Still goaded by sheer necessity, we reluctantly come to grips with those serious character flaws that made problem drinkers of us in
the first place, flaws which must be dealt with to prevent a retreat into alcoholism
once again.
23.
... must be
discussed, let's try to avoid ...
12&12 p.86,
Step Nine
And even in those cases where such a matter must be discussed, let's try to avoid harming third parties, whoever they may
be.
24.
... must be
done.
BB p.130,
The Family Afterward
25.
... must be
done if any results are ...
BB p.99,
Working With Others
In many homes this is a difficult thing to do, but
it must be done if any results are to be expected.
26.
... must be
entirely honest with somebody if ...
BB p.73,
Into Action
27.
... must be
grounded in a power greater ...
BB xxviii(xxvi),
The Doctor's Opinion
In nearly all cases, their
ideals must be grounded in a power greater than themselves,
if they are to re-create their
lives.
28.
... must be
hard on ourself, but always ...
BB p.74,
Into Action
29.
... must be
honest if he would live ...
BB p.146,
To Employers
30.
... must be
hope of the same result ...
12&12 p.76,
Step Seven
If that degree of humility could enable us to
find the grace by which such a deadly obsession could be banished, then there must be
hope of the same result respecting any other problem we could possibly
have.
31.
... must be
in the nature of sudden ...
BB p.567(569),
Appendix II, Spiritual Experience
Yet it is true that our first printing gave many readers the impression
that these personality changes, or religious experiences, must be in
the nature of sudden and
spectacular upheavals.
32.
... must be
intolerably damaging.
12&12 p.38,
Step Three
This very form of faulty dependence has caused many a rebellious alcoholic
to conclude that dependence of any sort must be intolerably damaging.
33.
... must be
made or engagement kept.
BB p.21,
There Is A Solution
He has a positive genius
for getting tight at exactly the wrong moment, particularly
when some important decision must be made or engagement kept.
34.
... must be
many such in this town.
BB p.154,
A Vision For You
35.
... must be
mastered, but how?
BB p.66,
How It Works
36.
... must be
met and decisions made, and ...
12&12 p.102,
Step Eleven
As the day goes on, we can pause where situations
must be met and decisions made, and renew the simple request: "Thy will, not mine, be done."
37.
... must be
no reservation of any kind, ...
BB p.33,
More About Alcoholism
If we are planning to stop
drinking, there must be no reservation of any kind, nor any lurking notion that someday we will be immune to alcohol.
38.
... must be
nuts!"
12&12 p.174,
Tradition Nine
They must be nuts!"
39.
... must be
on a better basis, since ...
BB p.99,
Working With Others
If their old relationship is to be resumed it must be on a better basis, since the former did not work.
40.
... must be
on guard not to embarrass ...
BB p.115,
To Wives
41.
... must be
quite as careful when we ...
12&12 p.91,
Step Ten
We must be quite as careful when we begin to achieve some measure of importance and material
success.
42.
... must be
remembered that I had read ...
BB p.180,
Doctor Bob's Nightmare
It must be remembered
that I had read a great deal and talked to everyone who knew, or thought they knew anything about the subject
of alcoholism.
43.
... must be
rid of this selfishness.
BB p.62,
How It Works
44.
... must be
silenced whenever these could damage ...
12&12 p.130,
Tradition One
He learns that the clamor
of desires and ambitions within him must be silenced whenever these could damage
the group.
45.
... must be
sure to remember that we ...
12&12 p.84,
Step Nine
While we may be quite willing to reveal the very worst, we must be sure to remember that we cannot buy
our own peace of mind at the expense of others.
46.
... must be
weak."
BB p.20,
There Is A Solution
47.
... must be
willing to grow toward it.
BB p.69,
How It Works
48.
... must be
willing to make amends where ...
BB p.69,
How It Works
We must be willing to make amends where we have done harm, provided that we do not bring about still more harm in so doing.
49.
... must become
the head of the house, ...
12&12 p.118,
Step Twelve
50.
... must believe
-- that the body of the ...
BB xxvi(xxiv),
The Doctor's Opinion
In this statement he confirms what we who have suffered alcoholic torture must believe -- that the body of
the alcoholic is quite
as abnormal as his mind.
51.
... must, but
later he discovers a way ...
12&12 p.130,
Tradition One
At first he goes along because he must, but later he discovers a way of life he really wants to live.
52.
... must carry
his message to another alcoholic.
BB xvi,
Foreword to Second Edition
53.
... must carry
the burden of avoiding them ...
BB p.117,
To Wives
54.
... must carry
the vision of God's will ...
BB p.85,
Into Action
55.
... must come
from a Higher Power.
BB p.43,
More About Alcoholism
56.
... must come
from within.
BB p.95,
Working With Others
57.
... must consist
of recognizing our deficiencies.
12&12 p.58,
Step Five
58.
... must continue
to live or most of ...
12&12 p.189,
Tradition One (Long)
59.
... must continue
to live or most of ...
BB p.563(565),
Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition
60.
... must decide
for himself.
BB p.144,
To Employers
61.
... must decide
for himself whether he wants ...
BB p.95,
Working With Others
62.
... must decide
these things.
BB p.90,
Working With Others
63.
... must discharge.
BB p.574,
Appendix VII, Twelve Concepts (Short Form)
IV. At all responsible levels, we ought to maintain a traditional
"Right of Participation," allowing a voting representation in reasonable proportion
to the responsibility that each must discharge.
64.
... must do
about his drinking.
BB p.111,
To Wives
65.
... must do
likewise with still others.
BB xxv(xxiii),
The Doctor's Opinion
As part of his rehabilitation he commenced to present his
conceptions to other
alcoholics, impressing upon them that
they must do likewise with
still others.
66.
... must eventually
conform to whatever tested principles ...
12&12 p.146,
Tradition Four
We saw that the group, exactly like the individual, must eventually conform to whatever tested principles would guarantee survival.
67.
... must ever
know.
12&12 p.56,
Step Five
68.
... must find
a spiritual basis of life ...
BB p.44,
We Agnostics
69.
... must find
a way out.
BB p.153,
A Vision For You
They will approach still other sick ones and fellowships of Alcoholics Anonymous
may spring up in each city and hamlet, havens for those who must find a way out.
70.
... must find
their real strength.
12&12 p.131,
Tradition One
Each needed to consider the others, and in
abiding faith they knew they must find their real strength.
71.
... must get
along without liquor, but how ...
BB p.152,
A Vision For You
72.
... must go
further and that means more ...
BB p.85,
Into Action
73.
... must go
with us constantly.
BB p.85,
Into Action
74.
... must have.
12&12 p.75,
Step Seven
A great turning point in our lives came when we sought for humility as something we
really wanted, rather than as something
we must have.
75.
... must have
been thoroughly scared by what ...
BB p.175,
Doctor Bob's Nightmare
I think I must have been thoroughly scared by what
had happened, or by the doctor, or probably both, so that I did not touch a
drink again until the country went dry.
76.
... must have
depth and weight.
BB xxviii(xxvi),
The Doctor's Opinion
77.
... must have
-- or else.
12&12 p.121,
Step Twelve
78.
... must have
some help, we know that ...
BB p.181,
Doctor Bob's Nightmare
But if you really and truly
want to quit drinking liquor for good and all, and sincerely
feel that you must have some
help, we know that we have an
answer for you.
79.
... must have
this thing."
BB p.29,
There Is A Solution
Our hope is that many alcoholic men and women, desperately in need, will see these pages, and we believe that it is only by fully disclosing ourselves and our problems that they will be persuaded to say, "Yes, I am one of them too; I must have this thing."
80.
Must he
renounce all this to save ...
12&12 p.25,
Step Two
81.
... must help
me!"
BB xxix(xxvii),
The Doctor's Opinion
You must help me!"
82.
... must help
other alcoholics if they would ...
BB p.159,
A Vision For You
Though they knew they must help other alcoholics if they
would remain sober, that motive became secondary.
83.
... must hide
their bottles if we go ...
BB p.101,
Working With Others
People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we
must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn't think or be reminded about alcohol at
all.
84.
... must hit
bottom first?
12&12 p.24,
Step One
85.
... must keep
sober, for there will be ...
BB p.82,
Into Action
86.
... must keep
spiritually active.
BB p.156,
A Vision For You
87.
... must know
in every detail where we ...
12&12 p.59,
Step Five
If the Creator gave us our
lives in the first place, then He must know in every detail where we have since gone
wrong.
88.
... must listen;
his fearlessness as he spoke ...
BB p.10,
Bill's Story
I could almost hear the sound of the preacher's voice as I sat, on still Sundays, way over there on the hillside; there was that proffered temperance
pledge I never signed; my grandfather's
good natured contempt of some church folk and their doings; his insistence that the spheres really had their music; but his denial of the
preacher's right to tell him how he must listen; his fearlessness as he spoke
of these things just before he died; these recollections welled
up from the past.
89.
... must lose
our fear of creditors no ...
BB p.78,
Into Action
We must lose our fear of creditors no matter how far we have to go, for we are liable to drink if we are afraid to face them.
90.
... must merit
our consideration."
BB p.569(571),
Appendix III, The Medical View on A.A.
Any therapeutic or philosophic procedure
which can prove a recovery rate of 50% to 60% must merit our consideration."
91.
... must necessarily
be assumed by the trustees.
BB p.575,
Appendix VII, Twelve Concepts (Short Form)
Primary world service leadership, once exercised by the founders, must necessarily be assumed
by the trustees.
92.
... must necessarily
do so if we were ...
12&12 p.107,
Step Twelve
In Step Two we saw that since we could not restore ourselves to sanity, some Higher Power must necessarily do so if we were to survive.
93.
... must never
compel anyone to pay anything, ...
12&12 p.141,
Tradition Three
Why did we dare to say, contrary to the experience of society
and government everywhere, that we would neither punish nor deprive any A.A. of membership, that we must never compel anyone to pay anything, believe anything, or conform to anything?
94.
... must never
drink.
BB p.570(572),
Appendix III, The Medical View on A.A.
95.
... must never,
no matter what the provocation, ...
12&12 p.176,
Tradition Ten
As by some deep instinct,
we A.A.'s have known from the
very beginning that we
must never, no matter what the provocation, publicly
take sides in any fight, even a worthy one.
96.
... must not
exaggerate our defects or theirs.
12&12 p.82,
Step Eight
97.
... must not
expect too much.
BB p.118,
To Wives
98.
... must not
go into bars; our friends ...
BB p.101,
Working With Others
People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we
must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn't think or be reminded about alcohol at
all.
99.
... must not
go where liquor is served; ...
BB p.100,
Working With Others
People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we
must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn't think or be reminded about alcohol at
all.
100.
... must not
have it in our homes; ...
BB p.101,
Working With Others
People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we
must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn't think or be reminded about alcohol at
all.
101.
... must not
miss.
BB p.89,
Working With Others
To watch people recover, to see them help others, to watch loneliness vanish, to see a fellowship grow up about you, to have a host of friends -- this is an experience you must not miss.
102.
... must not
shrink.
BB p.80,
Into Action
If we have obtained permission, have consulted with others, asked God to help and the drastic step is indicated we must not shrink.
103.
... must not
shrink at anything.
BB p.79,
Into Action
104.
... must not
use this as a mere ...
BB p.75,
Into Action
105.
... must now
depend upon Somebody or Something ...
12&12 p.39,
Step Three
106.
... must, or
it kills us!
BB p.62,
How It Works
We must, or it kills us!
107.
... must pay,
we would pay."
12&12 p.31,
Step Two
108.
... must quickly
assure you that A.A.'s tread ...
12&12 p.27,
Step Two
109.
... must realize
that dad, though marvelously improved, ...
BB p.127,
The Family Afterward
110.
... must recognize
now is that we exult ...
12&12 p.66,
Step Six
111.
... must redouble
his spiritual activities if he ...
BB p.120,
To Wives
Your husband will see at once that he must redouble his spiritual activities
if he expects to survive.
112.
... must remember
he did much to make ...
BB p.127,
The Family Afterward
We know there are difficult wives and families, but the man who is
getting over alcoholism must remember he did much to make them so.
113.
... must remember
that ten or twenty years ...
BB p.83,
Into Action
114.
... must remember
that your real reliance is ...
BB p.164,
A Vision For You
115.
... must say
that she may understand, but ...
BB p.81,
Into Action
In fairness we must say that she may understand,
but what are we going to do about a thing like that?
116.
... must see
the danger of over-concentration on ...
BB p.127,
The Family Afterward
117.
... must seem
to every newcomer that more ...
12&12 p.49,
Step Four
So when A.A. suggests a fearless moral inventory, it must seem to every newcomer that more is being asked of him than he can
do.
118.
... must shun
friends who drink; we must ...
BB p.101,
Working With Others
People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we
must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go to their houses; we mustn't think or be reminded about alcohol at
all.
119.
... must sometimes
feel his own inadequacy.
BB xxix(xxvii),
The Doctor's Opinion
Faced with this problem,
if a doctor is honest with
himself, he must sometimes feel his own inadequacy.
120.
... must start
life anew.
BB p.114,
To Wives
121.
... must still
maintain my independence.
12&12 p.36,
Step Three
But suppose that instinct still cries out, as it certainly will, "Yes, respecting alcohol, I guess I have to be
dependent upon A.A., but in all other matters I must still maintain my independence.
122.
... must stop.
BB p.141,
To Employers
123.
... must stop,
but I cannot!
BB xxix(xxvii),
The Doctor's Opinion
I must stop, but I cannot!
124.
... must surely
come from medical men who ...
BB xxv(xxiii),
The Doctor's Opinion
Convincing testimony must surely come from medical men who have had experience with the sufferings of our members and have witnessed our return to health.
125.
... must surely
get a warped yet definite ...
12&12 p.67,
Step Six
126.
... must survive
or the individual will not.
12&12 p.130,
Tradition One
127.
... must take
appreciative cognizance of this great ...
BB p.569(571),
Appendix III, The Medical View on A.A.
128.
... must take
the lead.
BB p.83,
Into Action
129.
... must try
to repair the damage immediately ...
BB p.99,
Working With Others
130.
... must try
with a will, or else ...
12&12 p.73,
Step Seven
But again we are driven on
by the inescapable conclusion which we draw
from A.A. experience, that
we surely must try with a will, or else fall by the wayside.
131.
... must turn
in all things to the ...
BB p.14,
Bill's Story
132.
... must undergo
a change of heart.
BB p.143,
To Employers
Though you are providing him with the best
possible medical attention, he should understand that he must undergo a change of heart.
133.
... must walk
day by day in the ...
BB p.100,
Working With Others
134.
... must work
together and hang together, else ...
BB p.561(563),
Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition
We alcoholics see that we
must work together and hang together, else most of us will finally die alone.
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.
Permission to reprint does not in any way imply affiliation with or
endorsement by either Alcoholics Anonymous or The A.A. Grapevine, Inc.
Copyright © 2005-2012, Recovery Press LLC; All Rights Reserved.