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.
... work?
12&12 p.37,
Step Three
This brave philosophy,
wherein each man plays God, sounds good in the speaking, but it
still has to meet the acid test: how well does it actually work?
2.
... work.
12&12 p.90,
Step Ten
Before we ask what a spot-check inventory is, let's look at the kind of setting in which such an inventory can do its work.
3.
... work.
12&12 p.110,
Step Twelve
4.
... work.
12&12 p.110,
Step Twelve
5.
... work.
12&12 p.110,
Step Twelve
There are many opportunities even for
those of us who feel unable to speak at meetings or who are so situated that we cannot do much face-to-face Twelfth Step work.
6.
... work?
12&12 p.112,
Step Twelve
7.
... work.
12&12 p.112,
Step Twelve
8.
... work.
12&12 p.17,
Foreword
This present volume proposes to broaden and deepen the understanding of the Twelve Steps as first written in the earlier work.
9.
... work.
12&12 p.142,
Tradition Three
10.
... work.
12&12 p.151,
Tradition Five
11.
... work.
12&12 p.170,
Tradition Eight
12.
... work.
12&12 p.187,
Tradition Twelve
13.
... work.
BB p.8,
Bill's Story
My wife was at work.
14.
... work.
BB p.10,
Bill's Story
My intellectual heroes, the chemists, the
astronomers, even the
evolutionists, suggested vast laws and forces at work.
15.
... work.
BB p.15,
Bill's Story
It was fortunate, for my old business associates remained skeptical for a year and a
half, during which I found little work.
16.
... work.
BB p.19,
There Is A Solution
17.
... work.
BB p.22,
There Is A Solution
As matters grow worse, he begins to use a combination of high-powered sedative and liquor to quiet his nerves so he can go to work.
18.
... work.
BB p.52,
We Agnostics
Our ideas did not work.
19.
... work.
BB p.62,
How It Works
It didn't work.
20.
... work.
BB p.87,
Into Action
21.
... work.
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.
22.
... work.
BB p.119,
To Wives
23.
... work.
BB p.160,
A Vision For You
24.
... work.
BB p.173,
Doctor Bob's Nightmare
When I got the fog out of my brain, I decided that quitting school was very foolish and that I had better return and continue my work.
25.
... work.
BB p.176,
Doctor Bob's Nightmare
Occasionally, I would yield to the morning craving, but if I did, it would be only a few hours before I would be quite unfit for work.
26.
... work against
marriage partnership and compatible union.
12&12 p.117,
Step Twelve
When alcoholism strikes, very unnatural situations
may develop which work against marriage partnership and compatible union.
27.
... work against
their own deepest instinct.
12&12 p.64,
Step Six
28.
... work almost
frantically upon alcoholics arriving in ...
BB xvii,
Foreword to Second Edition
Hence the two men set to work almost frantically upon alcoholics arriving in
the ward of the Akron City Hospital.
29.
... work, and
even of their sleeping moments, ...
BB xxviii(xxvi),
The Doctor's Opinion
If any feel that as psychiatrists directing a hospital for
alcoholics we appear
somewhat sentimental, let them stand with us a while on the firing line, see the tragedies, the despairing wives, the little children; let the solving of these problems become a part of their daily work, and even of their sleeping moments, and the
most cynical will not wonder that we have accepted and encouraged
this movement.
30.
... work and
live together.
12&12 p.178,
Tradition Ten
31.
... work and
self-sacrifice for others, he could ...
BB p.15,
Bill's Story
For if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his spiritual life through work and self-sacrifice for others, he
could not survive the certain trials and low spots ahead.
32.
... work and
the chances it may afford ...
12&12 p.102,
Step Eleven
Perhaps we think of our day's work and the chances it may afford us to
be useful and helpful, or
of some special problem
that it may bring.
33.
... work; and
then he lowered the boom.
12&12 p.143,
Tradition Three
He paid a fine tribute to the Fellowship; he told how his
family had been reunited; he extolled the
virtue of honesty; he recalled the joys of Twelfth Step work; and then he lowered the boom.
34.
... work as
a salesman for the business ...
BB p.35,
More About Alcoholism
His family was re-assembled, and he began to
work as a salesman for the
business he had lost through drinking.
35.
... work as
individuals in these wider fields.
12&12 p.171,
Tradition Eight
We see that we have no right or need to discourage A.A.'s who wish to work as individuals in these wider fields.
36.
... work, as
such, needed to be publicized.
12&12 p.186,
Tradition Twelve
37.
... work at
Akron continued through the summer ...
BB xvii,
Foreword to Second Edition
38.
... work at
it.
BB p.86,
Into Action
39.
... work at
it very hard, either.
12&12 p.26,
Step Two
40.
... Work better.
Having a better time."
BB p.151,
A Vision For You
Now and then a serious drinker, being dry at the moment says, "I don't miss it at all. Feel better. Work better. Having a better time."
41.
... work, but
not its individual members.
12&12 p.182,
Tradition Eleven
Here was something rare in the world -- a society which said it wished to publicize its principles and its work, but not its individual members.
42.
... work during
these three years.
BB p.173,
Doctor Bob's Nightmare
43.
... work for.
12&12 p.45,
Step Four
This being so, we think it
logically follows that
sobriety -- first, last, and all the time -- is the
only thing we need to work for.
44.
... work for
humility as something to be ...
12&12 p.73,
Step Seven
To get completely away from our aversion to the
idea of being humble, to gain a vision of humility as the
avenue to true freedom of the human spirit, to be willing to
work for humility as something to be desired
for itself, takes most of
us a long, long time.
45.
... work for
me too."
BB xii,
Preface
If you have a drinking problem, we hope that you may
pause in reading one of the forty-two personal stories and think: "Yes, that happened to me"; or,
more important, "Yes, I've felt like that"; or, most important, "Yes, I believe this program can
work for me too."
46.
... work for
something new which does?
BB p.52,
We Agnostics
Is not our age characterized by the ease with which we discard old ideas for new, by the complete readiness with which we throw away the theory or gadget which does
not work for something new which does?
47.
... work for
them.
BB p.70,
How It Works
48.
... work for
them.
BB p.84,
Into Action
49.
... work for
us.
12&12 p.117,
Step Twelve
We A.A.'s cannot pretend to
offer full answers to age-old perplexities, but our
own experience does provide certain answers that work for us.
50.
... work for
us.
12&12 p.166,
Tradition Eight
We do not decry professionalism in other fields, but we accept the sober fact that it does not work for
us.
51.
... work forms
a group, another discovery is ...
12&12 p.130,
Tradition One
The moment this Twelfth
Step work forms a group, another discovery is made -- that most individuals cannot recover unless there is a group.
52.
... work full
time, and you're broke.
12&12 p.136,
Tradition Two
53.
... work grudgingly
and under half steam.
12&12 p.49,
Step Four
54.
... work hard
and have a knack of ...
BB p.140,
To Employers
55.
... work hard
and they play hard.
BB p.146,
To Employers
56.
... work hard
at the elimination of the ...
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.
57.
... work hard
with no better motive than ...
12&12 p.67,
Step Six
And how often we work hard with no better motive than to be secure and slothful later on -- only we call that
"retiring."
58.
... work, has
told us of his belief ...
BB p.162,
A Vision For You
We are greatly indebted
to the doctor in attendance there, for he, although it might prejudice his own work, has told us of his belief in ours.
59.
... work, he
can do this with an ...
BB p.162,
A Vision For You
Understanding our work, he can do this with an eye to
selecting those who are
willing and able to recover on a spiritual basis.
60.
... work, he
would surely drink again, and ...
BB p.15,
Bill's Story
61.
... work, his
wife gets a divorce and ...
BB p.38,
More About Alcoholism
62.
... work if
I could only believe as ...
BB p.47,
We Agnostics
63.
... work in
a department store, coming home ...
BB p.4,
Bill's Story
64.
... work in
a human heart which had ...
BB p.11,
Bill's Story
65.
... work in
every department of our lives.
BB p.116,
To Wives
66.
... work in
here?
12&12 p.136,
Tradition Two
67.
... work in
the very best sense of ...
12&12 p.110,
Step Twelve
68.
... work in
unity.
12&12 p.187,
Tradition Twelve
As we lay aside these very human aspirations, we believe
that each of us takes part in the weaving of a protective mantle which
covers our whole Society and under which we
may grow and work in unity.
69.
... work is
an avocation.
BB xiii,
Foreword to First Edition
70.
... work is
my business.
12&12 p.173,
Tradition Nine
Committees have instructed many an A.A. to stop working on a chronic backslider, only to be told: "How I do my Twelfth Step work is my business.
71.
... work is
necessary to maintain his sobriety.
BB p.146,
To Employers
72.
... work is
never to be paid for.
12&12 p.191,
Tradition Eight (Long)
73.
... work is
never to be paid for.
BB p.565(567),
Appendix I, The A.A. Tradition
74.
... work; it
was to make Twelfth Step ...
12&12 p.168,
Tradition Eight
75.
... work like
the devil and thank you ...
BB p.149,
To Employers
76.
... work long
beyond a reasonable period.
BB p.137,
To Employers
Because of the employee's special ability, or of his own strong personal attachment to him, the employer has sometimes
kept such a man at work long beyond a reasonable period.
77.
... work must
be done.
BB p.130,
The Family Afterward
78.
... work, nor
do we think its effectiveness ...
BB p.19,
There Is A Solution
None of us makes a sole vocation of this work, nor do we think its effectiveness would be increased if we did.
79.
... work of
a simple matter.
BB p.40,
More About Alcoholism
I had no trouble refusing drinks, and began to wonder if I had not
been making too hard work of a simple matter.
80.
... work of
another alcoholic has accomplished in ...
BB p.118,
To Wives
We do not like the thought
that the contents of a book or the work of another alcoholic has accomplished in a few weeks that for which we struggled for years.
81.
... work of
present-day staff members has no ...
12&12 p.169,
Tradition Eight (Note)
(*) The work of present-day staff members has no counterpart among the job categories of commercial organizations.
82.
... work on.
12&12 p.151,
Tradition Five
83.
... work on
a service plane, the alcoholic ...
BB p.98,
Working With Others
The minute we put our work on a service plane, the alcoholic commences to rely upon our assistance rather than upon God.
84.
... work on
alcohol.
12&12 p.63,
Step Six
85.
... work on
them, he might have deprived ...
BB p.96,
Working With Others
He often says that if he had
continued to work on
them, he might have deprived many others, who have since recovered, of their chance.
86.
... work on
Tuesday morning.
BB p.36,
More About Alcoholism
87.
... work, one
alcoholic with another, was vital ...
BB xvii,
Foreword to Second Edition
88.
... work only
with the group.
12&12 p.150,
Tradition Five
Every doctor concerned would at times wish he could devote himself to his chosen field rather than work only with the group.
89.
... work out.
12&12 p.181,
Tradition Eleven
90.
... work out
our solution on the spiritual ...
BB xxvi(xxiv),
The Doctor's Opinion
Though we work out our solution on the spiritual as well as an altruistic plane, we favor hospitalization
for the alcoholic who is very jittery or befogged.
91.
... work-outs should
be regarded as part of ...
BB p.117,
To Wives
These work-outs should be regarded as part of your education, for thus you will be learning to live.
92.
... work possible.
12&12 p.168,
Tradition Eight
93.
... work possible,
perhaps arranging for the coffee ...
12&12 p.110,
Step Twelve
We can be the ones who take on
the unspectacular but important tasks that make good Twelfth Step work possible, perhaps arranging for the
coffee and cake after the meetings, where so
many skeptical, suspicious newcomers
have found confidence
and comfort in the laughter and talk.
94.
... work, shocked
us.
12&12 p.184,
Tradition Twelve
95.
... work sixteen
hours a day.
BB p.146,
To Employers
96.
... work so
well.
BB p.93,
Working With Others
But he will be curious to
learn why his own convictions have not worked and why yours seem to work so well.
97.
... work solid
so far?
BB p.75,
Into Action
98.
... work spreads
and our numbers increase, we ...
BB p.144,
To Employers
As our work spreads and our
numbers increase, we hope your employees may be
put in personal contact with some of us.
99.
... Work staff,
says, "Alcoholics Anonymous is natural; ...
BB p.572(574),
Appendix V, The Religious View on A.A.
Edward Dowling, S.J.,(*) of the Queen's Work staff, says, "Alcoholics Anonymous is natural; it
is natural at the point
where nature comes closest to the supernatural, namely in
humiliations and in consequent humility.
100.
... work the
first nine Steps, we prepare ...
12&12 p.88,
Step Ten
101.
... work to
be restored financially, but he ...
BB p.123,
The Family Afterward
Father knows he is to blame; it may take him many seasons of hard work to be restored financially,
but he shouldn't be reproached.
102.
... work together?
BB xviii,
Foreword to Second Edition
The test that it faced was
this: Could these large numbers of erstwhile erratic alcoholics successfully meet and
work together?
103.
... work together
and hang together, else most ...
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.
104.
... work together
as groups became the prime ...
12&12 p.130,
Tradition One
105.
... work together
with harmony and good effect.
12&12 p.18,
Foreword
But it was by no means sure that such great numbers of yet erratic people could live and work together with harmony and good effect.
106.
... work took
me about Wall Street and ...
BB p.2,
Bill's Story
107.
... work toward
ourselves.
12&12 p.65,
Step Six
108.
... work twenty-four
hours a day in and ...
BB p.16,
Bill's Story
109.
... work we
sometimes carry the message to ...
12&12 p.111,
Step Twelve
By a great deal of ardent Twelfth Step work we sometimes carry the message to so many alcoholics that they place
us in a position of trust.
110.
... work, we
stay lazy.
12&12 p.49,
Step Four
111.
... work we
were great successes or dismal ...
12&12 p.47,
Step Four
112.
... work well.
BB p.63,
How It Works
Being all powerful, He provided what we needed, if
we kept close to Him and performed His work well.
113.
... work where
nothing else would.
12&12 p.116,
Step Twelve
We found that dependence upon His perfect justice, forgiveness, and love was
healthy, and that it would work where nothing else would.
114.
... work with
another alcoholic instead!
BB p.102,
Working With Others
115.
... work with
another alcoholic would save the ...
BB p.15,
Bill's Story
This sometimes nearly
drove me back to drink, but I soon found that when all other measures failed, work with another alcoholic would save the day.
116.
... work with
other alcoholics.
BB p.89,
Working With Others
Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as
intensive work with other alcoholics.
117.
... work with
other alcoholics.
BB xiv,
Foreword to First Edition
We shall be interested
to hear from those who are getting results from this
book, particularly
from those who have commenced work with other alcoholics.
118.
... work with
other alcoholics, he remains sober ...
BB p.570(572),
Appendix III, The Medical View on A.A.
Learning to depend upon a higher power and absorb himself in his work with other alcoholics, he remains sober day by day.
119.
... work with
other people to maintain his ...
BB p.119,
To Wives
120.
... work with
others.
BB p.14,
Bill's Story
121.
... work with
others as he had worked ...
BB p.14,
Bill's Story
122.
... work with
the alcoholic who suffers could ...
12&12 p.166,
Tradition Eight
Almost from the beginning, we have been positive that face-to-face work with the alcoholic who suffers
could be based only on the desire to help and be helped.
123.
... work with
you.
BB p.96,
Working With Others
124.
... work would
depend the answer for sufferers ...
12&12 p.150,
Tradition Five
Alcoholics Anonymous can be likened
to a group of physicians who might find a
cure for cancer, and upon whose concerted work would depend the answer for sufferers of this disease.
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.