When I had a
spiritual awakening, I discovered that most of the people around me had not had
one and were not interested in having one, either. People in meetings talked
about their negative feelings, and the events in the world around them that had
caused those feelings. Pages 60 to 63 taught me that my troubles were of my own
making. That was the beginning of the reversal of the upside-down thinking.
What didn't work was trying to
turn around those groups. I needed a new home.
How to start a new group, once
you've had a spiritual awakening:
- Find people who are on the same page, who have
recovered, and who want only to carry the message of AA to others
(Tradition V). The message of AA is the contents of the Big Book up to
page 164. Between three and five is good for this core membership.
- Hold a conscience meeting (Tradition II) to check
that the founders have the same vision: if there is any hint of anyone
wanting to create 'a safe place to share' or 'bring their pain' etc., you
are not on the same page. Reassess and regroup with a different
configuration of people.
- Once a first conscience meeting (Tradition II)
settles on a solid group purpose (Tradition V), you are on the way to
establishing a unified (Tradition I) spiritual entity (Tradition III).
- Hold a second conscience meeting in order to
establish day, time, location, and duration and to devise a format
which involves reading AA literature (the Big Book) and sharing experience
on precisely what has been read. You can use whatever format you like (Tradition
IV).
- Once this has been settled, draw up group
procedures, which should include limiting voting in group consciences to
group members, defined as those willing to do service (Concepts IV, X, and
XI). To avoid breaching the spirit of Tradition III and also the right of
participation (Concept IV), anyone who is an alcoholic who wishes to join
must be offered the opportunity to do service.
- The group procedures should also provide for monthly
business meetings to settle small matters and twice-yearly group
conscience meetings to settle large matters of policy. The group
conscience meetings should be limited to group members and should be held
at a time and place that prevents interlopers.
- The group procedures should also establish that
change take place only slowly: when changes are discussed at a group
conscience meeting, they should be voted on only at the following business
meeting, allowing for full private consideration over one month, say, and
with notice allowing those due to be absent to send in their views for
distribution.
- Ensure that any policy decisions are properly
informed by fact and consideration of the Traditions and Concepts.
- Make all policy decisions by discussion, vote, and
substantial unanimity (two-thirds, but ideally virtually unanimous).
- Make major changes only experimentally, allowing a
point of return (a 'restore point') should the experiment fail.
- See the Concepts for other decision-making
principles.
- Once the group procedures have been settled,
advertise more widely the fact that a new group is starting, and encourage
sponsees and other friends to come along and perform service. A few extra
members will be needed for Tradition VII purposes (rent and service). It
is important that the format and procedures be settled first, or it is
almost inevitable that the format will be watered down, and you'll end up
with just another ordinary group.
Once I had a base of a group
like this, I was secure. I could then visit other groups, sharing my
experience, but as a sometime visitor rather than a group member trying to
change things (Tradition IV). Anyone attracted to the solution can ask for
help, but the solution is not being forced on anyone not ready for it.