The
primary objective of Back to Basics is to provide
the recovery community with meeting formats that are
historically accurate and replicate those used in the 1940' and
1950's when A.A. experienced a 50-75% recovery rate from
alcoholism. After
many years of research and numerous old-timer interviews, we
reintroduced the Beginners' Meetings in 1997.
In five years, these meetings have changed the lives of
more than one hundred thousand individuals suffering from
alcoholism, drug addiction and/or obsessive/compulsive
disorders.
But,
Back to Basics is more than Beginners' Meetings.
It is a complete program of recovery that includes,
Closed Discussion Meetings ("Big Book" Studies),
Guidance Meetings (a carryover from the Oxford Group Meetings of
the 1930's), and Open Speaker Meetings (based on the 10/10/40
format). These
meetings provide a safe, structured environment in which
participants study the Twelve Step "design for
living," practice the spiritual principles upon which
"original" program was based, and experience the
"psychic change" sufficient to recover from their
addictions and afflictions.
Presently,
the Back to Basics program consists of four
meeting formats from the 1940's:
Friday:
8:00--9:30 pm
Beginners' Meeting: In
these four one-hour sessions, newcomers TAKE all Twelve
Steps and experience the miracle of recovery.
Thursday: 8:009:30 pm
Closed Discussion
Meeting: These
are "Big Book" studies during which attendees talk
over, in detail, the passages from the "Big Book" that
are used to conduct the Beginners' Meetings.
These discussions help solidify the newcomer's spiritual
awakening and expand his or her knowledge of the "basic
text" for recovery.
Sunday: 7:008:00 pm
Eleventh Step "Guidance" Meeting:
In these meetings, participants practice "prayer
and meditation."
They get quiet, listen to the "One who has all
power," write down what they hear, and then share their written
guidance with the other members of the Group.
Saturday: 8:009:00 pm
Open Speaker Meeting (10/10/40 Format):
These meetings provide those who have had their
lives changed by the Twelve Steps with the opportunity to share
"what it was like" (10 minutes), "what
happened" (10 minutes), and "what is like now"
(40 minutes).
Join
us for the Back to Basics series of meetings held every week at
the East Brainerd Club.
For
more information, contact Martha L. (432) 320-9909
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