NEVER in Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions

From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)

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... never!'" 12&12 p.108, Step Twelve

We said to ourselves, "This I cannot do today, perhaps, but I can stop crying out 'No, never!'"

... never a decision. BB xxx(xxviii), The Doctor's Opinion

They are over-remorseful and make many resolutions, but never a decision.

... never apologize for God. BB p.68, How It Works

We never apologize for God.

... never apologize to anyone for depending upon ... BB p.68, How It Works

We never apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator.

... never argue this question. BB p.102, Working With Others

We never argue this question.

... never attempted. BB p.64, How It Works

Next we launched out on a course of vigorous action, the first step of which is a personal housecleaning, which many of us had never attempted.

Never avoid these responsibilities, but be sure ... BB p.97, Working With Others

Never avoid these responsibilities, but be sure you are doing the right thing if you assume them.

... never be able to make direct personal ... 12&12 p.83, Step Nine

There will be other cases where action ought to be deferred, and still others in which by the very nature of the situation we shall never be able to make direct personal contact at all.

... never be able to touch more than ... BB xxi, Foreword to Second Edition

Display entire Foreword to Second Edition

In all probability, we shall never be able to touch more than a fair fraction of the alcohol problem in all its ramifications.

10.

... never be angry. BB p.111, To Wives

The first principle of success is that you should never be angry.

11.

... never be discussed without his consent? BB p.143, To Employers

While on the subject of confidence, can you adopt the attitude that so far as you are concerned this will be a strictly personal matter, that his alcoholic derelictions, the treatment about to be undertaken, will never be discussed without his consent?

12.

... never be drawn into public controversy." 12&12 p.176, Tradition Ten

"Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy."

13.

... never be drawn into public controversy." 12&12 p.179, Tradition Ten

Thus was laid the cornerstone for Tradition Ten: "Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy."

14.

... never be drawn into public controversy. BB p.562(564), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

Ten -- Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

15.

... never be organized at all. 12&12 p.172, Tradition Nine

Today, we are able to say with assurance that Alcoholics Anonymous -- A.A. as a whole -- should never be organized at all.

16.

... never be organized; but we may create ... 12&12 p.172, Tradition Nine

"A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve."

17.

... never be organized; but we may create ... BB p.562(564), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

Nine -- A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

18.

... never be personally punitive nor an incitement ... BB p.575, Appendix VII, Twelve Concepts (Short Form)

XII. The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote, and, whenever possible, by substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government, and that, like the Society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.

19.

... never be the same again. 12&12 p.23, Step One

It was then discovered that when one alcoholic had planted in the mind of another the true nature of his malady, that person could never be the same again.

20.

... never become a professional? 12&12 p.137, Tradition Two

'Don't you realize,' he went on, 'that you can never become a professional?

21.

... never becomes the seat of perilous wealth ... BB p.575, Appendix VII, Twelve Concepts (Short Form)

22.

... never been able to understand people who ... BB p.42, More About Alcoholism

I had never been able to understand people who said that a problem had them hopelessly defeated.

23.

... never been any good in the first ... 12&12 p.119, Step Twelve

They may even begin to suspect it had never been any good in the first place.

24.

... never been, by any treatment with which ... BB xxx(xxviii), The Doctor's Opinion

It has never been, by any treatment with which we are familiar, permanently eradicated.

25.

... never been invented. BB p.115, To Wives

When your husband is bad, you become a trembling recluse, wishing the telephone had never been invented.

26.

... never been successful with an alcoholic of ... BB p.27, There Is A Solution

With many individuals the methods which I employed are successful, but I have never been successful with an alcoholic of your description."(*)

27.

... never before. 12&12 p.98, Step Eleven

It is to be hoped that every A.A. who has a religious connection which emphasizes meditation will return to the practice of that devotion as never before.

28.

... never before. 12&12 p.116, Step Twelve

When we persistently did this we gradually found that people were attracted to us as never before.

29.

... never before. 12&12 p.130, Tradition One

The struggle for wealth, power, and prestige was tearing humanity apart as never before.

30.

... never before been able to muster. BB xvi, Foreword to Second Edition

But when the broker gave him Dr. Silkworth's description of alcoholism and its hopelessness, the physician began to pursue the spiritual remedy for his malady with a willingness he had never before been able to muster.

31.

... never before possible. 12&12 p.16, Foreword

The second section of this volume, though designed for A.A.'s membership, will give such inquirers an inside view of A.A. never before possible.

32.

... never before that we could not lend ... 12&12 p.159, Tradition Six

We saw as never before that we could not lend the A.A. name to any cause other than our own.

33.

... never belittle a good doctor or psychiatrist. BB p.133, The Family Afterward

Try to remember that though God has wrought miracles among us, we should never belittle a good doctor or psychiatrist.

34.

... never better. BB p.30, More About Alcoholism

Over any considerable period we get worse, never better.

35.

... never came by confessing the sins of ... 12&12 p.56, Step Five

They always discovered that relief never came by confessing the sins of other people.

36.

... never come back for one reason or ... BB p.99, Working With Others

In some cases the wife will never come back for one reason or another.

37.

... never compel anyone to pay anything, believe ... 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?

38.

... never completed their housecleaning. BB p.73, Into Action

We think the reason is that they never completed their housecleaning.

39.

... never confided any more of what he ... 12&12 p.145, Tradition Three

Ed never confided any more of what he saw and felt in that hotel room.

40.

Never could we recapture the great moments ... BB p.151, A Vision For You

Never could we recapture the great moments of the past.

41.

... never criticize. BB p.89, Working With Others

So cooperate; never criticize.

42.

... never did A.A. a particle of harm. 12&12 p.178, Tradition Ten

Despite their din, our puny rows never did A.A. a particle of harm.

43.

Never did he trouble anyone with his ... 12&12 p.142, Tradition Three

Never did he trouble anyone with his other difficulty.

44.

... never do by ourselves. BB p.25, There Is A Solution

He has commenced to accomplish those things for us which we could never do by ourselves.

45.

... never drank again. BB p.158, A Vision For You

He never drank again.

46.

... never drink. BB p.570(572), Appendix III, The Medical View on A.A.

They know that they must never drink.

47.

... never drinking alone, never drinking in the ... BB p.31, More About Alcoholism

Here are some of the methods we have tried: Drinking beer only, limiting the number of drinks, never drinking alone, never drinking in the morning, drinking only at home, never having it in the house, never drinking during business hours, drinking only at parties, switching from scotch to brandy, drinking only natural wines, agreeing to resign if ever drunk on the job, taking a trip, not taking a trip, swearing off forever (with and without a solemn oath), taking more physical exercise, reading inspirational books, going to health farms and sanitariums, accepting voluntary commitment to asylums -- we could increase the list ad infinitum.

48.

... never drinking during business hours, drinking only ... BB p.31, More About Alcoholism

49.

... never drinking in the morning, drinking only ... BB p.31, More About Alcoholism

50.

... never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. ... 12&12 p.155, Tradition Six

"An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose."

51.

... never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. ... BB p.562(564), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

Six -- An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.

52.

... never even dreamed. 12&12 p.110, Step Twelve

His own character may still be gravely defective, but he somehow knows that God has enabled him to make a mighty beginning, and he senses that he stands at the edge of new mysteries, joys, and experiences of which he had never even dreamed.

53.

... never exclusive or forbidding to those who ... BB p.46, We Agnostics

To us, the Realm of Spirit is broad, roomy, all inclusive; never exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek.

54.

... never face up to. 12&12 p.113, Step Twelve

These were problems of life which we could never face up to.

55.

... never fail to make us feel elated. 12&12 p.92, Step Ten

For no people have ever loved personal triumphs more than we have loved them; we drank of success as of a wine which could never fail to make us feel elated.

56.

... never fails to whip up a hurricane, ... 12&12 p.168, Tradition Eight

Even the suggestion of such a thing never fails to whip up a hurricane, and we have discovered that hurricanes have a way of mauling with equal severity both the just and the unjust.

57.

... never financial security. BB p.105, To Wives

There was never financial security.

58.

... never fly? BB p.51, We Agnostics

Was it not true that the best mathematical minds had proved man could never fly?

59.

... never fly. BB p.53, We Agnostics

When others showed us that "God-sufficiency" worked with them, we began to feel like those who had insisted the Wrights would never fly.

60.

... never fly? BB p.55, We Agnostics

What about people who proved that man could never fly?

61.

... never force yourself upon him. BB p.90, Working With Others

If he does not want to see you, never force yourself upon him.

62.

Never forget that resentment is a deadly ... BB p.117, To Wives

Never forget that resentment is a deadly hazard to an alcoholic.

63.

... never fully right. BB p.83, Into Action

There may be some wrongs we can never fully right.

64.

... never fully support the office. 12&12 p.164, Tradition Seven

"Maybe," some said, "the groups will never fully support the office.

65.

... never gave the spiritual side of life ... BB p.50, We Agnostics

We never gave the spiritual side of life a fair hearing.

66.

... never get over drinking until we have ... BB p.77, Into Action

Simply we tell him that we will never get over drinking until we have done our utmost to straighten out the past.

67.

... never get up, but if our experience ... BB p.163, A Vision For You

Some of them may sink and perhaps never get up, but if our experience is a criterion, more than half of those approached will become fellows of Alcoholics Anonymous.

68.

... never getting it -- at least to our ... 12&12 p.57, Step Five

Either we were shy, and dared not draw near others, or we were apt to be noisy good fellows craving attention and companionship, but never getting it -- at least to our way of thinking.

69.

... never give up!" 12&12 p.66, Step Six

And we shall often tread on even more dangerous ground when we cry, "This I will never give up!"

70.

... never give up!" 12&12 p.69, Step Six

Perhaps we shall be obliged in some cases still to say, "This I cannot give up yet...," but we should not say to ourselves, "This I will never give up!"

71.

... never go into business. 12&12 p.190, Tradition Six (Long)

An A.A. group, as such, should never go into business.

72.

... never go into business. BB p.564(566), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

An A.A. group, as such, should never go into business.

73.

... never go so far as affiliation or ... BB p.564(566), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

While an A.A. group may cooperate with anyone, such cooperation ought never go so far as affiliation or endorsement, actual or implied.

74.

... never got folding money in those days. 12&12 p.163, Tradition Seven

Hats never got folding money in those days.

75.

... never govern; that each group was to ... BB xix, Foreword to Second Edition

It was thought that no alcoholic man or woman could be excluded from our Society; that our leaders might serve but never govern; that each group was to be autonomous and there was to be no professional class of therapy.

76.

... never grow new ones. BB p.30, More About Alcoholism

We are like men who have lost their legs; they never grow new ones.

77.

... never grows up. 12&12 p.43, Step Four

This weak one, failing to meet life's responsibilities with his own resources, never grows up.

78.

... never had another drink. BB xvii, Foreword to Second Edition

He never had another drink.

79.

... never had any faith at all, for ... 12&12 p.28, Step Two

Sometimes A.A. comes harder to those who have lost or rejected faith than to those who never had any faith at all, for they think they have tried faith and found it wanting.

80.

... never have a professional class. 12&12 p.166, Tradition Eight

Alcoholics Anonymous will never have a professional class.

81.

... never have enough. 12&12 p.49, Step Four

We eat, drink, and grab for more of everything than we need, fearing we shall never have enough.

82.

... never have grown as it has. 12&12 p.180, Tradition Eleven

Without its legions of well-wishers, A.A. could never have grown as it has.

83.

... never have held us together as we ... BB p.17, There Is A Solution

But that in itself would never have held us together as we are now joined.

84.

... never have I heard a heated religious, ... 12&12 p.176, Tradition Ten

It could almost be said that we were born with it, for, as one oldtimer recently declared, "Practically never have I heard a heated religious, political, or reform argument among A.A. members.

85.

... never have, instead of adjusting to the ... 12&12 p.67, Step Six

Else why would we consume such great amounts of time wishing for what we have not, rather than working for it, or angrily looking for attributes we shall never have, instead of adjusting to the fact, and accepting it?

86.

... never have much money again. BB p.123, The Family Afterward

Perhaps he will never have much money again.

87.

... never have to go through that again!" 12&12 p.73, Step Seven

I'll never have to go through that again!"

88.

... never having it in the house, never ... BB p.31, More About Alcoholism

89.

... never hesitate to go anywhere if you ... BB p.102, Working With Others

Your job now is to be at the place where you may be of maximum helpfulness to others, so never hesitate to go anywhere if you can be helpful.

90.

... never hurt anybody but ourselves. 12&12 p.79, Step Eight

We clung to the claim that when drinking we never hurt anybody but ourselves.

91.

... never knew we had. 12&12 p.59, Step Five

Possibly, too, we were still handicapped by many liabilities, great and small, we never knew we had.

92.

... never knowing how or when the men ... BB p.105, To Wives

We seldom had friends at our homes, never knowing how or when the men of the house would appear.

93.

... never known. BB p.14, Bill's Story

There was a sense of victory, followed by such a peace and serenity as I had never known.

94.

... never mind how twisted or violent you ... 12&12 p.139, Tradition Three

We aren't a bit afraid you'll harm us, never mind how twisted or violent you may be.

95.

Never mind the musty past; here sat ... BB p.11, Bill's Story

Never mind the musty past; here sat a miracle directly across the kitchen table.

96.

... never need to praise ourselves. 12&12 p.192, Tradition Eleven (Long)

There is never need to praise ourselves.

97.

... never need to praise ourselves. BB p.565(567), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

There is never need to praise ourselves.

98.

... never, never try to arrange a man's ... BB p.120, To Wives

We never, never try to arrange a man's life so as to shield him from temptation.

99.

... never, no matter what the provocation, publicly ... 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.

100.

... never occurred to him that perhaps he ... BB p.39, More About Alcoholism

It never occurred to him that perhaps he could not do so, in spite of his character and standing.

101.

... never occurred to us that we needed ... 12&12 p.47, Step Four

It never occurred to us that we needed to change ourselves to meet conditions, whatever they were.

102.

... never occurs in the average temperate drinker. BB xxviii(xxvi), The Doctor's Opinion

We believe, and so suggested a few years ago, that the action of alcohol on these chronic alcoholics is a manifestation of an allergy; that the phenomenon of craving is limited to this class and never occurs in the average temperate drinker.

103.

... never!" our minds close against the grace ... 12&12 p.69, Step Six

The moment we say, "No, never!" our minds close against the grace of God.

104.

... never perform acts of government, and that, ... BB p.575, Appendix VII, Twelve Concepts (Short Form)

105.

... never preceded. BB p.127, The Family Afterward

For us, material well-being always followed spiritual progress; it never preceded.

106.

... never quite alike, so each of us, ... 12&12 p.48, Step Four

Human beings are never quite alike, so each of us, when making an inventory, will need to determine what his individual character defects are.

107.

... never realize their predicament. BB p.92, Working With Others

Explain that many are doomed who never realize their predicament.

108.

... never really acquired the habit of accurate ... 12&12 p.89, Step Ten

The emphasis on inventory is heavy only because a great many of us have never really acquired the habit of accurate self-appraisal.

109.

... never really finish. 12&12 p.77, Step Eight

It is a task which we may perform with increasing skill, but never really finish.

110.

... never recovered on their own resources. 12&12 p.22, Step One

It was a statistical fact that alcoholics almost never recovered on their own resources.

111.

... never regain his position in society and ... BB p.26, There Is A Solution

In the doctor's judgment he was utterly hopeless; he could never regain his position in society and he would have to place himself under lock and key or hire a bodyguard if he expected to live long.

112.

... never returned. BB p.114, To Wives

The majority have never returned.

113.

... never returned; and at such times a ... BB p.57, We Agnostics

Save for a few brief moments of temptation the thought of drink has never returned; and at such times a great revulsion has risen up in him.

114.

... never safely use alcohol in any form ... BB xxviii(xxvi), The Doctor's Opinion

These allergic types can never safely use alcohol in any form at all; and once having formed the habit and found they cannot break it, once having lost their self-confidence, their reliance upon things human, their problems pile up on them and become astonishingly difficult to solve.

115.

... never saw a man so obstinate. 12&12 p.151, Tradition Five

I never saw a man so obstinate.

116.

... never see the light of day. BB p.73, Into Action

He hopes they will never see the light of day.

117.

... never seem to get on their feet ... 12&12 p.114, Step Twelve

Though the earning power of most A.A.'s is relatively high, we have some members who never seem to get on their feet moneywise, and still others who encounter heavy financial reverses.

118.

... never seen one single case recover, where ... BB p.27, There Is A Solution

I have never seen one single case recover, where that state of mind existed to the extent that it does in you."

119.

Never shall I forget their impassive faces, ... 12&12 p.137, Tradition Two

Never shall I forget their impassive faces, and the steady gaze they focused upon me.

120.

... never shall publicly." 12&12 p.176, Tradition Ten

So long as we don't argue these matters privately, it's a cinch we never shall publicly."

121.

... never signed; my grandfather's good natured contempt ... 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.

122.

Never since it began has Alcoholics Anonymous ... 12&12 p.176, Tradition Ten

Never since it began has Alcoholics Anonymous been divided by a major controversial issue.

123.

... never spoil us; that we shall forever ... 12&12 p.192, Tradition Twelve (Long)

This to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us; that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation of Him who presides over us all.

124.

... never spoil us; that we shall forever ... BB p.566(568), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

This to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us; that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation of Him who presides over us all.

125.

... never take advantage of the situation. BB p.146, To Employers

Being on a radically different basis of life, he will never take advantage of the situation.

126.

Never talk down to an alcoholic from ... BB p.95, Working With Others

Never talk down to an alcoholic from any moral or spiritual hilltop; simply lay out the kit of spiritual tools for his inspection.

127.

... never tell him what he must do ... BB p.111, To Wives

Our next thought is that you should never tell him what he must do about his drinking.

128.

... never thought of making honesty, tolerance, and ... 12&12 p.72, Step Seven

We never thought of making honesty, tolerance, and true love of man and God the daily basis of living.

129.

... never to be paid for. 12&12 p.191, Tradition Eight (Long)

But our usual A.A. Twelfth Step work is never to be paid for.

130.

... never to be paid for. BB p.565(567), Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition

But our usual A.A. "12 Step" work is never to be paid for.

131.

... never to be paid for, but those ... 12&12 p.171, Tradition Eight

Our Twelfth Step is never to be paid for, but those who labor in service for us are worthy of their hire.

132.

... never to drink again up to the ... BB xvi, Foreword to Second Edition

He sobered, never to drink again up to the moment of his death in 1950.

133.

... never to go so far as affiliation ... 12&12 p.190, Tradition Six (Long)

While an A.A. group may cooperate with anyone, such cooperation ought never to go so far as affiliation or endorsement, actual or implied.

134.

... never to name boards to govern us, ... 12&12 p.174, Tradition Nine

It is clear now that we ought never to name boards to govern us, but it is equally clear that we shall always need to authorize workers to serve us.

135.

... never to pray for our own selfish ... BB p.87, Into Action

We are careful never to pray for our own selfish ends.

136.

... never to show intolerance or hatred of ... BB p.103, Working With Others

We are careful never to show intolerance or hatred of drinking as an institution.

137.

... never took the first drink, thereby setting ... BB p.23, There Is A Solution

These observations would be academic and pointless if our friend never took the first drink, thereby setting the terrible cycle in motion.

138.

... never touch another drop but by nine ... BB p.158, A Vision For You

I've prayed to God on hangover mornings and sworn that I'd never touch another drop but by nine o'clock I'd be boiled as an owl."

139.

... never tried it enough." 12&12 p.97, Step Eleven

It has been well said that "almost the only scoffers at prayer are those who never tried it enough."

140.

... never try to arrange a man's life ... BB p.120, To Wives

We never, never try to arrange a man's life so as to shield him from temptation.

141.

... never trying to tell him what he ... BB p.78, Into Action

We are there to sweep off our side of the street, realizing that nothing worth while can be accomplished until we do so, never trying to tell him what he should do.

142.

... never wanted to deal with the fact ... 12&12 p.74, Step Seven

We never wanted to deal with the fact of suffering.

143.

Never was I to be critical of ... BB p.13, Bill's Story

Never was I to be critical of them.

144.

Never was I to pray for myself, ... BB p.13, Bill's Story

Never was I to pray for myself, except as my requests bore on my usefulness to others.

145.

Never was there enough of what we ... 12&12 p.71, Step Seven

Never was there enough of what we thought we wanted.

146.

... never were before. 12&12 p.62, Step Five

And even those who had faith already often become conscious of God as they never were before.

147.

... never will be a full answer to ... BB p.22, There Is A Solution

Perhaps there never will be a full answer to these questions.

148.

... never "You must!" 12&12 p.129, Tradition One

They repeatedly say "We ought..." but never "You must!"

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.

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