Bill wilson was one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous. Bill ws article in the grapevine recovery farmhouse. Bill wilson s fourth legacy was emotional sobriety. Emotional sobriety unpacking bill wilsons letter part. He found that physical sobriety is not enough to ensure mental peace in recovery. Emotional sobriety the next frontier selected stories. Despite escaping his addiction and helping to establish aa, bill wilson suffered from bouts of depression.
Beyond 2012, was led by bruce damer and lorenzo hagerty. Eternal sobriety a spiritual site for the recovering. It was a letter that he had written to another old timer, mind you, an old timer, and it appeared in the grapevine and it was entitled the next frontier. Bill wilson s letter in this part of the introduction, berger highlights a letter to the aa grapevine in 1958 by bill wilson yes, our bill wilson one of the founding members of aa. Emotional sobriety ii paperback january 1, 2011 by aa grapevine author 4.
The phrase has been used in various twelve step groups to indicate the next stage of recovery. Emotional sobriety the next frontier selected stories from the aa grapevine aa grapevine on. Simpson was just an exfootball player, a commentator, and a car rental spokesperson. There must be at least a million stupid things that we can do to mess up recovery all of them selfdestructive. Only through his own painful, closely observed experience could bill w. The language of the heart contains lots of niche resource materialwhere bill explains exactly where the twelve steps came from primarily from the teachings of rev. I feel quite certain that this must have been something bill shared about in meetings but didnt write about it until he wrote the letter. Emotional sobriety the next frontier selected stories from the aa grapevine.
Emotional sobriety is a phrase coined by bill wilson founder of alcoholic anonymous in an essay, the next frontier. Based on the readily available reference material, bill wilson was the author of the chapter of the big book titled. The individual needs to also develop emotional sobriety. In this program, which was recorded live in santa clarita in 2018, these two pioneers define emotional sobriety and demonstrate how emotional dependency interferes with. Thus i think it can work out with emotional sobriety. Emotions produce euphoric and intoxicating effects. Emotional sobriety commenting that he had a bad episode of depression after 1955. When we are operating under the influence of our emotions verses the influence of our intelligence we are emotionally inebriate. Bill wilsons struggle with depression recovery from. Betty the lsd researcher and aa cofounder bill wilson. Some books 12 smart things to do when the booze and drugs are gone, 2008, allen berger, hazelden emotional sobriety. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. Bill wilsons letter in this part of the introduction, berger highlights a letter to the aa grapevine in 1958 by bill wilson yes, our bill wilson one of the founding members of aa. In 1956 bill wilson wrote a letter to a depressed friend offering him assistance in understanding depression.
But if were correct that the spiritual malady is the real problem, and drinking, drugs, selfpity, self centered fear, demands for. One was written by a young, optimistic bill wilson on the pink cloud of early sobriety. This specific recording took place on saturday morning, june 16th and consists of bruces deep dive into the mind of mckenna. Emotional sobriety i think that many oldsters who have put our aa booze cure to severe but successful tests still find they often lack.
This program is a recording of part of a live event at the esalen institute near big sur, california. The two principal versions of the 12 steps are markedly different in history and in spirit. In this collection of grapevine stories, sober women and men describe the transformations sobriety can bring as they practice the principles of aa in all aspects of their lives. Eternal sobriety chapter two aa a process that works in the book as bill sees it, on page 95, bill wilson, a cofounder of alcoholics anonymous said we are only operating a spiritual kindergarten in which people are enabled to get over drinking and find the grace to go on living to better effect. The next frontier emotional sobriety by bill below you will find the substance of a revealing letter which bill wrote several years ago to a close friend who also had troublesome depressions. Bill wrote that his basic flaw had always been dependency almost complete dependence on people or circumstances to supply me with prestige, security and the like. Many discover that happiness is a byproduct of giving without any demand for return. Some might think that it means being happy, joyous, and free, a common adage in 12step meetings, taken from aa literature. Erich fromm stated, mature love is union with the preservation of integrity. To better define emotional sobriety, i want to unpack a letter that bill wilson wrote to help a depressed friend.
The book pass it on pio 387391 has a fairly full discussion. Here are the creative, heartfelt insights of several dozen sober seekers whose artic. Emotional sobriety ada center for professional success. My stability came out of trying to give, not out of demanding that i receive. This may be the best and most complete retelling of his story, and the most personal about his relationship wit. Bill wilson s fight with depression the pamphlet that bill had published on niacin therapy was a collection of articles by several doctors who had done research in the area. It wasnt a question of those alcoholics giving me anything. Alcoholism12 step support emotional sobriety by bill wilson this is the substance of a revealing letter which bill wilson wrote several years ago to.
My former sponsor since moved out of state had a copy and i believe i saw one at the akron a. This book and its companion help define what emotional sobriety is. Bill originally wrote about emotional sobriety in a letter he sent to a depressed friend in 1956. He was 16 years sober at the time, and just about to turn 55. However, all roads to recovery are different, and so are addictions, even though everyone experiences some kind of struggle.
Emotional sobriety involves maintaining autonomy while maintaining togetherness. Website designed at homestead get a website and list your business. Bill asks us to note that this letter should occasion no concern as both bill and his friend are today in the cleared. He first mentioned emotional sobriety in the twelve and twelve when discussing the effect of. Bill s letter on emotional sobriety i think that many oldsters who have put our booze cure.
The next frontier alcoholics anonymous 12 step program 12 steps of aa akron ohio aa new york the big book of aa 2nd edition. Perhaps they will be the spearhead for the next major development in aa the development of much more real maturity and balance which is to say, humility in our relations with ourselves. He was telling us that emotional sobriety is our next frontier. Emotional sobriety unpacking bill wilsons letter part two. In january 1958, bill wrote a grapevine article titled the next frontier. In this letter bill suggests that emotional sobriety should be the next frontier that aa should pursue. The last page of the last story in the book alcoholics anonymous, 4th.
Berger expands on bill wilson s understanding of emotional sobriety. Unpacking bill wilsons 1956 letter on emotional sobriety. Archives, too, if memory serves correctly always questionable. The top 8 books on addiction and recovery sober nation. In fact, this was the first piece of literature that mentioned the concept of emotional sobriety.
Emotional sobriety is what stage ii recovery is all about. On the blog, my word like fire, author unknown, i found this reference to one of bill s lsd sessions with betty eisner. Sidney cohen, who participated in at least two of the lsd sessions bill experienced in the late 1950s at the veterans administration. It also created traditions issues within the fellowship and caused a bit of an uproar. In the first six months of my own sobriety, i worked hard with many alcoholics. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Bill wilson, emotional sobriety but if were correct that the spiritual malady is the real problem, and drinking, drugs, self. Allen berger, author of twelve stupid things that mess up recovery as they continue the process of. Emotional sobriety i kindle edition by aa grapevine inc. Perhaps they will be the spearhead for the next major development in aa, the development of much more real maturity and balance which is to say, humility in our relations with ourselves. This book is the best resource i know for understanding emotional. I think that many oldsters who have put our aa booze cure to severe but successful tests still find they often lack emotional sobriety.
Part two emotional sobriety monday, december 16, 2019 step eight. This broadcast is especially appropriate at this time when our nation and world tend to be emotionally dependent on our circumstances rather than. Bill wilson archives center for action and contemplation. He bases his work on bill wilson s concepts, outlined in his 1958 aa grapevine article titled the next frontier.
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