“potted, adjective: slang: drunk” (Merriam-Webster)
“Ideas, emotions, and attitudes which were once the guiding forces of the lives of these men are suddenly cast to one side, and a completely new set of conceptions and motives begin to dominate them.” (Chapter 2)
“He was on a different footing. His roots grasped a new soil.” (Chapter 1)
“Giving, rather than getting, will become the guiding principle.” (Chapter 9)
“Suggest how important it is that he place the welfare of other people ahead of his own.” (Chapter 7)
“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. Seemingly he could not drink even if he would. God had restored his sanity.” (Chapter 4)
“Perhaps he could handle, say, three drinks—no more! Fear gripped him. He was on thin ice. Again it was the old, insidious insanity—that first drink. With a shiver, he turned away and walked down the lobby to the church directory. Music and gay chatter still floated to him from the bar. But what about his responsibilities—his family and the men who would die because they would not know how to get well, ah—yes, those other alcoholics? There must be many such in this town. He would phone a clergyman. His sanity returned and he thanked God.” (Chapter 11)
The order here is very interesting:
- The insanity (the belief a drink is safe) returns.
- He takes programmed action (smart feet walking away from danger).
- A thought occurs to him about the welfare of others.
- He takes further programmed action (seeking out an alcoholic to help).
- Sanity returns.
- He says a prayer of gratitude.
The programmed action takes place before the return of sanity and even before the thanking of God.
This can happen only if the individual is ‘dominated’ by a new set of ‘conceptions and motives’ (‘a new soil’, ‘giving, rather than getting’, ‘place the welfare of other people ahead of his own’).
It cannot be invoked as an act of the will, which is why instructing people what to do in such situations, namely to invoke the will to do (a) not (b), will always ultimately fail: either the programming kicks in or it does not.
Once the new system is in place, once the individual is re-potted in ‘new soil’, all of this is automatic.
To amplify, it is no good giving people instructions what to do ‘if the insanity returns’, because, in that situation, the person is insane. Only domination by a new set of conceptions and motives will do the job.
In order to help someone who is at risk of the insanity, returning, therefore, what is needed is not little tips, tip-lets, but the following injunctions (Chapter 1):
“It meant destruction of self-centeredness. I must turn in all things to the Father of Light who presides over us all.” (Bill’s Story)
“There I humbly offered myself to God, as I then understood Him, to do with me as He would. I placed myself unreservedly under His care and direction. I admitted for the first time that of myself I was nothing; that without Him I was lost. I ruthlessly faced my sins and became willing to have my new-found Friend take them away, root and branch. I have not had a drink since.” (Bill’s Story)
... and everything that flows from these.
The above is my experience, too.