1 00:00:01,600 --> 00:00:07,400 Recovery Radio 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,400 KMP300 3 00:00:11,040 --> 00:00:15,800 into the content of this episode. 4 00:00:17,039 --> 00:00:24,000 I had done uh the same exact content on 5 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:26,240 a podcast greater than yourself and I'm 6 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:29,359 going to play that here and it's about 7 00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:33,000 step three 8 00:00:29,359 --> 00:00:33,000 and um 9 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:38,960 say a little more leading into it than I 10 00:00:36,079 --> 00:00:42,559 did over there as we have been talking 11 00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:45,920 about steps one and steps two 12 00:00:42,559 --> 00:00:50,320 on this show. 13 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:54,280 So if we were making a cake, 14 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,280 steps one and steps two 15 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:59,760 are to my understanding kind of the 16 00:00:56,879 --> 00:01:01,120 gathering of ingredients. 17 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:02,640 You're going to need this much flour. 18 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:04,720 You're going to need this kind of pot. 19 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,159 You're going to need 20 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:09,360 this type of pan. You're going to need 21 00:01:06,159 --> 00:01:12,080 to heat the oven to this. But you're now 22 00:01:09,360 --> 00:01:15,600 we're going to start cooking 23 00:01:12,080 --> 00:01:18,880 how it works. 24 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:21,360 It starts with step three. Here in my 25 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:23,280 understanding begin the clear-cut 26 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:28,200 directions given showing how we 27 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:28,200 recovered that they promise on page 29. 28 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:33,560 So 29 00:01:36,320 --> 00:01:43,360 to summarize 30 00:01:39,439 --> 00:01:45,439 up to this point, there's no directions 31 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,280 on how to how to admit to your innermost 32 00:01:45,439 --> 00:01:50,960 self that you're an alcoholic. There's 33 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:53,119 no directions per se for step one. 34 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,640 So the authors tell stories and give 35 00:01:53,119 --> 00:01:56,640 illustrations 36 00:01:54,640 --> 00:02:00,000 and write about their understanding of 37 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:02,320 the alcoholic problem. The problem that 38 00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:05,320 the big book says gets removed, 39 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,320 disappears, 40 00:02:06,799 --> 00:02:12,800 we're ex problem drinkers. 41 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:15,440 It's a problem that the book says gets 42 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:18,480 solved. 43 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:21,120 And according to Dr. Silkworth, 44 00:02:18,480 --> 00:02:23,280 there are types of alcoholics entirely 45 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:27,480 normal in every respect except in the 46 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,480 effect liquor has upon them. 47 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:34,319 They often possess common sense and 48 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,400 willpower concerning everything except 49 00:02:34,319 --> 00:02:38,319 alcohol. 50 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:42,040 But in that respect, they are incredibly 51 00:02:38,319 --> 00:02:42,040 dishonest and selfish. 52 00:02:45,680 --> 00:02:51,480 It describes the alcoholic problem as a 53 00:02:47,599 --> 00:02:51,480 two-fold illness, 54 00:02:51,519 --> 00:02:56,080 a spiritual malady. 55 00:02:54,160 --> 00:02:58,640 It's gotten very intertwined with with 56 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:00,400 alcoholic problem because to solve the 57 00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:03,400 spiritual malady is the alcoholic 58 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,400 solution. 59 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,640 When the spiritual malady is overcome, 60 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:18,680 we straighten out mentally and 61 00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:18,680 physically. But we'll get to that. 62 00:03:19,599 --> 00:03:24,800 What they mean by that and our 63 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:27,599 understanding is 64 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:30,000 if you're spiritually fit, the main 65 00:03:27,599 --> 00:03:31,920 problem of the alcoholic, the crux of 66 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:34,319 the alcoholic problem, the insanity of 67 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:38,080 the first drink, 68 00:03:34,319 --> 00:03:39,920 is in an arrested state, 69 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:43,200 rendering the secondary part of the 70 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:46,159 alcoholic problem, the physical allergy, 71 00:03:43,200 --> 00:03:49,159 which is permanent and progressive, 72 00:03:46,159 --> 00:03:49,159 irrelevant. 73 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:59,000 I shouldn't say irrelevant 74 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,000 because if I start drinking again, 75 00:03:59,920 --> 00:04:03,599 my body will react as if I've been 76 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:05,360 drinking 77 00:04:03,599 --> 00:04:06,959 continuously. 78 00:04:05,360 --> 00:04:08,959 It's permanent and progressive. Once an 79 00:04:06,959 --> 00:04:11,959 alcoholic, always an alcoholic, not 80 00:04:08,959 --> 00:04:11,959 cured. 81 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:18,280 But 82 00:04:14,319 --> 00:04:18,280 so they talk about all that 83 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:27,919 And then they talk about 84 00:04:23,840 --> 00:04:29,600 problems for agnostics and atheists 85 00:04:27,919 --> 00:04:30,720 and they say, "Are you willing to 86 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:32,639 believe there's a power greater than 87 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:35,520 yourself that can solve this problem 88 00:04:32,639 --> 00:04:38,320 that can relieve you of your alcoholism 89 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:43,720 that can restore you to sanity?" 90 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:43,720 If you're willing to, that's enough. 91 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:49,120 That's enough. 92 00:04:46,240 --> 00:04:53,680 to get up to step three 93 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:57,759 into the solution how it works. So 94 00:04:53,680 --> 00:05:01,199 now I am going to play the recording 95 00:04:57,759 --> 00:05:05,479 that I had made and 96 00:05:01,199 --> 00:05:05,479 when it's all done I'll say good night. 97 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:10,960 I am going to go over the clear-cut 98 00:05:07,919 --> 00:05:12,560 directions given in the book Alcoholics 99 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:15,360 Anonymous 100 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:17,759 for step three. 101 00:05:15,360 --> 00:05:20,800 I sincerely hope what I'm about to share 102 00:05:17,759 --> 00:05:23,919 helps someone as it is the information 103 00:05:20,800 --> 00:05:26,080 and understanding that set me free many 104 00:05:23,919 --> 00:05:28,080 many years ago and has contributed 105 00:05:26,080 --> 00:05:30,560 greatly 106 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:35,520 to the profound incredible experience 107 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:38,080 I've been having starts on page 60 108 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:40,320 right after the A and C that we read in 109 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:43,199 so many meetings 110 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:44,960 the A and C a summary of steps one and 111 00:05:43,199 --> 00:05:47,960 two and a summary of everything in the 112 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:47,960 book. 113 00:05:48,240 --> 00:05:52,240 I'll start there. Our description of the 114 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:54,080 alcoholic, meaning they're done 115 00:05:52,240 --> 00:05:55,759 describing the alcoholic. They're not 116 00:05:54,080 --> 00:05:57,680 going to do it anymore. They'll touch 117 00:05:55,759 --> 00:06:01,360 upon it here and there, but they've 118 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:03,680 already described the alcoholic. 119 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,440 The chapter to the agnostic, we 120 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:07,039 agnostics 121 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:10,319 and our personal adventures before and 122 00:06:07,039 --> 00:06:12,000 after make clear three pertinent ideas. 123 00:06:10,319 --> 00:06:14,639 A, that we are alcoholic and could not 124 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,000 manage our own lives. B that probably no 125 00:06:14,639 --> 00:06:18,880 human power could have relieved our 126 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:21,440 alcoholism and C that God could relieve 127 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:24,880 our alcoholism and would relieve our 128 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:26,400 alcoholism if he were sought. 129 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,560 What it used to say right there in the 130 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:31,199 original manuscript was if you are not 131 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:32,720 convinced of these vital issues, 132 00:06:31,199 --> 00:06:36,000 you ought to reread the book up to this 133 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:37,759 point or else throw it away. 134 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:40,240 But 135 00:06:37,759 --> 00:06:42,319 they took that out 136 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:45,319 and instead start with the clearcut 137 00:06:42,319 --> 00:06:45,319 directions. 138 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:52,240 Being convinced, meaning being convinced 139 00:06:49,280 --> 00:06:54,960 of A, B, and C, meaning 140 00:06:52,240 --> 00:06:57,840 having done the first two steps, 141 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:59,520 we were at step three, which is that we 142 00:06:57,840 --> 00:07:01,840 decided to turn our will and our life 143 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:03,280 over to God as we understood him. Just 144 00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:06,800 what do we mean by that? And just what 145 00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:08,160 do we do? How do we do step three? And 146 00:07:06,800 --> 00:07:11,120 they're going to give us clear-cut 147 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:14,319 directions on how to do step three. 148 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:15,919 The first requirement 149 00:07:14,319 --> 00:07:17,440 requirement. 150 00:07:15,919 --> 00:07:19,680 I couldn't read when I got sober. I 151 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:21,759 looked up a lot of words. One of them 152 00:07:19,680 --> 00:07:24,880 was requirement because I started to 153 00:07:21,759 --> 00:07:27,680 discover when I looked up words, 154 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:30,479 it added so much power to what I was 155 00:07:27,680 --> 00:07:32,080 reading. Even though I thought maybe 156 00:07:30,479 --> 00:07:33,599 previously I had understood a word 157 00:07:32,080 --> 00:07:35,759 already, it made it so much more 158 00:07:33,599 --> 00:07:37,599 intense. Anyways, the first requirement, 159 00:07:35,759 --> 00:07:39,680 the first 160 00:07:37,599 --> 00:07:43,120 requirement means something necessary in 161 00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:46,319 order to proceed. So the first thing 162 00:07:43,120 --> 00:07:49,840 necessary in order to proceed is that we 163 00:07:46,319 --> 00:07:52,639 be convinced that any life 164 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:56,160 run on self-will can hardly be a 165 00:07:52,639 --> 00:08:00,000 success. any life, not just an 166 00:07:56,160 --> 00:08:03,039 alcoholic's life, any life. 167 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:05,520 Why? Because on that basis, on the basis 168 00:08:03,039 --> 00:08:06,960 of running a life on self-will, we're 169 00:08:05,520 --> 00:08:09,120 almost always in collision with 170 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:12,840 something or somebody, even if our 171 00:08:09,120 --> 00:08:12,840 motives kick ass. 172 00:08:16,639 --> 00:08:20,879 Most people try to live by 173 00:08:18,800 --> 00:08:23,599 self-propulsion. 174 00:08:20,879 --> 00:08:27,280 Most people, they're not just talking 175 00:08:23,599 --> 00:08:30,840 about alcoholics. Most people, any life, 176 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:30,840 and most people, 177 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:36,320 each person is like an actor who wants 178 00:08:33,760 --> 00:08:37,760 to run the whole show is forever trying 179 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,959 to arrange the lights, the ballet, the 180 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:41,200 scenery, and the rest of the players in 181 00:08:38,959 --> 00:08:42,800 his own way. If his arrangements would 182 00:08:41,200 --> 00:08:45,200 only stay put, if only people would do 183 00:08:42,800 --> 00:08:47,440 as he wished, the show 184 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,800 would be great. Everybody, including 185 00:08:47,440 --> 00:08:53,120 himself, would be pleased, and life 186 00:08:48,800 --> 00:08:56,800 would kick ass. life would be wonderful. 187 00:08:53,120 --> 00:08:58,560 So they just described the world as a 188 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,040 stage, 189 00:08:58,560 --> 00:09:02,320 the whole world. Remember our 190 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:04,240 description of the alcoholic? That's 191 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:06,640 done. Now they're just going to talk 192 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:09,680 about the human experience. 193 00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:11,839 They're going to describe what it 194 00:09:09,680 --> 00:09:14,640 is like for a human being to form a 195 00:09:11,839 --> 00:09:17,040 connection with God, which is why the 12 196 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:19,279 steps work in 197 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:22,839 every program because it's not about 198 00:09:19,279 --> 00:09:22,839 alcoholism anymore. 199 00:09:23,279 --> 00:09:30,480 So, they describe the whole world as a 200 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:32,640 stage and the people as actors and 201 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:34,640 they're saying most people are wearing 202 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:36,399 director's hats. 203 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:38,800 Most people 204 00:09:36,399 --> 00:09:42,839 are trying to arrange everything even 205 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:42,839 though they're simply actors 206 00:09:44,959 --> 00:09:49,920 and if everybody would just stay 207 00:09:47,680 --> 00:09:51,360 arranged then the show would be great. 208 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:53,040 And they're saying this is the source of 209 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:54,160 all the problems that there are. This is 210 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,720 the source of practically all the 211 00:09:54,160 --> 00:09:59,360 trouble that there ever has been and 212 00:09:56,720 --> 00:10:01,839 will be. Every squabble, war, divorce, 213 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:04,320 fight, you name it. It's because you got 214 00:10:01,839 --> 00:10:07,959 a bunch of actors. They all are playing 215 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,959 the role of director 216 00:10:08,080 --> 00:10:11,519 in trying to make these arrangements. 217 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:14,240 Our actor may be sometimes quite 218 00:10:11,519 --> 00:10:15,839 virtuous, good, kind, considerate, 219 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:18,240 patient, generous, even modest, and 220 00:10:15,839 --> 00:10:20,000 self-sacrificing. On the other hand, he 221 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:24,560 could be mean, egotistical, selfish, and 222 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:26,640 dishonest. But as with most humans, 223 00:10:24,560 --> 00:10:28,480 he is more likely to have varied traits. 224 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:30,399 In other words, whatever I have to do to 225 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,839 get my way, I'm going to do it. You 226 00:10:30,399 --> 00:10:33,680 respond to neness, I'm going to be super 227 00:10:31,839 --> 00:10:35,120 nice to you. You respond to somebody 228 00:10:33,680 --> 00:10:37,120 being a jerk, I'm going to be a total 229 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:39,120 dick to you. Whatever I have to do to 230 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:42,640 get things to go my way, I'm going to do 231 00:10:39,120 --> 00:10:45,760 it. And they're saying most human beings 232 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:48,240 behave this way. 233 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:51,040 It goes on. What usually happens? The 234 00:10:48,240 --> 00:10:53,120 show sucks. The show doesn't come off 235 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:55,920 very well. He begins to think life 236 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:58,000 doesn't treat him right. 237 00:10:55,920 --> 00:11:01,360 So, he decides to turn his will over to 238 00:10:58,000 --> 00:11:04,079 God. Just kidding. He decides to exert 239 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:05,680 himself more. He becomes on the next 240 00:11:04,079 --> 00:11:09,920 occasion still more demanding or 241 00:11:05,680 --> 00:11:11,920 gracious, nicer or meaner. 242 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:14,160 Whatever the case may be, still the play 243 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:16,240 does not suit him. Admitting he may be 244 00:11:14,160 --> 00:11:18,880 somewhat at fault, he is sure other 245 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:20,800 people are more to blame. This isn't 246 00:11:18,880 --> 00:11:23,040 just basic English. They've established 247 00:11:20,800 --> 00:11:24,959 a subject which is any life, most 248 00:11:23,040 --> 00:11:26,959 people, most humans. And they're still 249 00:11:24,959 --> 00:11:28,640 talking about that. 250 00:11:26,959 --> 00:11:30,640 They're not talking exclusively about 251 00:11:28,640 --> 00:11:35,079 the alcoholic. And this becomes so 252 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:35,079 important as the steps roll on. 253 00:11:36,959 --> 00:11:39,920 Admitting he may be somewhat at fault, 254 00:11:38,399 --> 00:11:42,160 he is sure that other people are more to 255 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:44,160 blame. He becomes angry. Indignant was 256 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,920 another word I looked up. It means I'm a 257 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:48,959 victim of something and I'm pissed about 258 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:51,920 it. You ruined it. You hurt me. You 259 00:11:48,959 --> 00:11:53,519 harmed me. I've been victimized. 260 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:56,000 It becomes angry, indignant, and 261 00:11:53,519 --> 00:11:57,279 self-pittitying. So, I'm pissed. I'm a 262 00:11:56,000 --> 00:12:01,120 victim. And I'm feeling sorry for 263 00:11:57,279 --> 00:12:03,440 myself. Why so far? Because I'm just an 264 00:12:01,120 --> 00:12:06,560 actor playing the role of God and no one 265 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:09,440 else is agreeing to my arrangements. So 266 00:12:06,560 --> 00:12:12,160 now I'm angry, indignant, and self-pity. 267 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:14,079 What is his basic trouble? 268 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:17,480 Is he not really a self-seeker even when 269 00:12:14,079 --> 00:12:17,480 trying to be kind? 270 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:23,680 I'll give you an example of that. 271 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:26,480 I'll give you an example of playing God 272 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:28,800 with pristine motives. Well, a quick 273 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:31,600 example is simply wanting somebody else 274 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:33,279 to get sober. 275 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:35,120 Motives are good. They'd be happy. I'd 276 00:12:33,279 --> 00:12:39,120 be happy. Everybody would be happy. 277 00:12:35,120 --> 00:12:41,680 Problem is, I I'm not God. 278 00:12:39,120 --> 00:12:44,320 And they might not get sober 279 00:12:41,680 --> 00:12:45,519 and 280 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,760 I'm going to be in collision with 281 00:12:45,519 --> 00:12:50,959 something or somebody even if my motives 282 00:12:47,760 --> 00:12:53,680 are good. Another example is there's my 283 00:12:50,959 --> 00:12:56,000 favorite one. I live right next to a 284 00:12:53,680 --> 00:12:57,600 meeting hall. So, 285 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:01,240 you know, here's an example of playing 286 00:12:57,600 --> 00:13:01,240 God with good motives. 287 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,880 I would love to go there and nobody's on 288 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:06,399 their phones during the meeting and 289 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,639 nobody gets up and walks in front of the 290 00:13:06,399 --> 00:13:12,720 leader and 291 00:13:08,639 --> 00:13:15,200 the newcomers feel free to share 292 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:18,160 whatever their problems are and then 293 00:13:15,200 --> 00:13:21,360 feel empowered by the people who offer 294 00:13:18,160 --> 00:13:23,600 them help. And 295 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:26,560 it'd be amazing. They'd be happy. I'd be 296 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:28,880 happy. everybody would be happy. But the 297 00:13:26,560 --> 00:13:30,720 problem is 298 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:32,000 that's normally not going to happen. So 299 00:13:30,720 --> 00:13:33,040 what will happen is I'll go to a meeting 300 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:34,639 and somebody will say, "How was the 301 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:37,639 meeting?" And I'll say, "Uh, it was 302 00:13:34,639 --> 00:13:37,639 okay. 303 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:42,079 I had an idea for how the meeting was 304 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:45,200 supposed to look and sound and go, but 305 00:13:42,079 --> 00:13:49,200 somebody ruined it." 306 00:13:45,200 --> 00:13:51,839 That is an example of self-propulsion 307 00:13:49,200 --> 00:13:53,760 with excellent motives. 308 00:13:51,839 --> 00:13:57,440 And they say that kind of life can't be 309 00:13:53,760 --> 00:13:58,959 called a success because essentially 310 00:13:57,440 --> 00:14:01,120 you're not going to be comfortable. 311 00:13:58,959 --> 00:14:02,399 You're not going to be happy. You're 312 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:06,279 going to be in collision with something 313 00:14:02,399 --> 00:14:06,279 or somebody usually. 314 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:11,760 So that's an example of self-seeking 315 00:14:08,800 --> 00:14:13,279 even when trying to be kind. 316 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:15,040 The next sentence I love. I could talk 317 00:14:13,279 --> 00:14:16,480 about it all day. Is he not a victim of 318 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:18,160 the delusion that he could rest 319 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:21,120 satisfaction and happiness out of this 320 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:23,760 world if he only manages well? I'm going 321 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:25,920 to break that down. Is he not a victim 322 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:27,760 of the delusion 323 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:30,079 uh belief system based on information 324 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:32,800 that's patently untrue that he could 325 00:14:30,079 --> 00:14:36,399 rest which when it's spelled with a W 326 00:14:32,800 --> 00:14:38,000 means wrestle force violently ring 327 00:14:36,399 --> 00:14:40,800 satisfaction and happiness out of this 328 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:44,800 world only if he manages things. In 329 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:48,560 other words, what they're saying is most 330 00:14:44,800 --> 00:14:50,639 human beings actually believe 331 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:54,480 based on information that's not true at 332 00:14:50,639 --> 00:14:58,480 all that the only way they can be happy 333 00:14:54,480 --> 00:15:00,560 and satisfied in life is if they control 334 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:02,800 manipulate 335 00:15:00,560 --> 00:15:05,120 the things and the people around them to 336 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:07,519 some degree. 337 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:09,839 They actually believe if they don't do 338 00:15:07,519 --> 00:15:12,000 that they can't be happy or satisfied. 339 00:15:09,839 --> 00:15:14,480 if they actually fuck off about other 340 00:15:12,000 --> 00:15:16,720 people's lives, 341 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:18,560 everything will fall apart 342 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:21,360 and they can't be happy. They're saying 343 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:25,079 most human beings 344 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:25,079 actually believe that. 345 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:28,720 Is it not evident to all the rest of the 346 00:15:27,519 --> 00:15:31,440 players that these are the things he 347 00:15:28,720 --> 00:15:34,240 wants? Self-explanatory. 348 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:36,160 And do not his actions make each of them 349 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:38,320 wish to retaliate, snatching all they 350 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:40,240 can get out of the show? 351 00:15:38,320 --> 00:15:42,240 Is he not even in his best moments a 352 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:45,040 producer of confusion rather than 353 00:15:42,240 --> 00:15:47,920 harmony? 354 00:15:45,040 --> 00:15:49,680 Before I read on, I want to summarize. 355 00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:52,079 How do you do the third step? It asked 356 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:53,279 on the page before. 357 00:15:52,079 --> 00:15:55,519 We're going to tell you exactly how to 358 00:15:53,279 --> 00:15:56,639 do the third step. 359 00:15:55,519 --> 00:15:58,560 You would imagine that they're going to 360 00:15:56,639 --> 00:16:00,240 talk about God. 361 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:02,800 But notice they haven't talked about 362 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:04,880 God. They've talked about exactly what 363 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:09,519 God is not. 364 00:16:04,880 --> 00:16:09,519 They've described what's not God's will. 365 00:16:09,839 --> 00:16:17,600 They've described the opposite of God 366 00:16:15,279 --> 00:16:19,279 and that's enough. 367 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,800 I used to think, well, we're going to 368 00:16:19,279 --> 00:16:22,560 tell you exactly how to do step three. 369 00:16:20,800 --> 00:16:24,160 We're going to describe the man in the 370 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:25,600 clouds with a beard and this and that. 371 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:27,440 And they don't do that. They say 372 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:31,519 instead, we're just going to tell you 373 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:34,839 what not to do, and from that a path 374 00:16:31,519 --> 00:16:34,839 will emerge. 375 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:43,040 And so far, all they've done is tried to 376 00:16:40,320 --> 00:16:45,920 help us meet this first requirement, 377 00:16:43,040 --> 00:16:49,680 which is that we be convinced that any 378 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:51,920 life run on self propulsion sucks and 379 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:56,240 can't be called a success because that 380 00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:59,120 person's going to be usually unhappy, 381 00:16:56,240 --> 00:17:00,720 wrestling with something even if their 382 00:16:59,120 --> 00:17:04,040 motives 383 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:04,040 are amazing. 384 00:17:05,199 --> 00:17:12,079 Okay. Who is this person? 385 00:17:08,799 --> 00:17:13,439 Our actor is selfcentered. Egocentric as 386 00:17:12,079 --> 00:17:16,079 people like to call it nowadays. 387 00:17:13,439 --> 00:17:19,039 Egocentric. My ego is at the center. I 388 00:17:16,079 --> 00:17:20,559 imagine a solar system and my ego is the 389 00:17:19,039 --> 00:17:23,280 sun. 390 00:17:20,559 --> 00:17:26,959 I'm at the center. What is in this for 391 00:17:23,280 --> 00:17:29,760 me? What's in this relationship for me? 392 00:17:26,959 --> 00:17:33,120 What's in this job for me? What's in 393 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:35,600 this exchange for me? What am I getting 394 00:17:33,120 --> 00:17:41,039 or not getting out of this marriage, 395 00:17:35,600 --> 00:17:43,919 friendship, meeting, job, interaction? 396 00:17:41,039 --> 00:17:46,559 I'm at the center. 397 00:17:43,919 --> 00:17:50,080 What am I getting or not getting? It's 398 00:17:46,559 --> 00:17:52,960 like there's a counter 399 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:55,520 at life and I'm a customer ringing the 400 00:17:52,960 --> 00:17:58,080 bell. Hello. 401 00:17:55,520 --> 00:18:01,440 Hello. Anybody going to help me? This is 402 00:17:58,080 --> 00:18:03,760 about me. I'm the customer here. 403 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:07,160 Ding, ding, ding. Hello. How's this 404 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:07,160 affecting me? 405 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:14,200 And now they're going to describe this 406 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:14,200 actor, this person. 407 00:18:15,120 --> 00:18:19,440 And this is fascinating because in 408 00:18:17,919 --> 00:18:22,240 describing this person, they're going to 409 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:24,960 give an example of this person 410 00:18:22,240 --> 00:18:28,160 from everything in the rainbow, 411 00:18:24,960 --> 00:18:30,160 from a priest to a criminal. They're 412 00:18:28,160 --> 00:18:32,559 going to say, "All these people are 413 00:18:30,160 --> 00:18:34,559 self-centered." 414 00:18:32,559 --> 00:18:37,919 They're about to describe a priest as 415 00:18:34,559 --> 00:18:39,200 self-centered. You ready for this? 416 00:18:37,919 --> 00:18:41,679 And they're going to throw us in there, 417 00:18:39,200 --> 00:18:43,679 too. 418 00:18:41,679 --> 00:18:45,600 Our actor is self-centered, egocentric, 419 00:18:43,679 --> 00:18:48,559 as people like to call it nowadays. He 420 00:18:45,600 --> 00:18:49,919 is like the retired businessman who sits 421 00:18:48,559 --> 00:18:51,600 around the Florida sunshine in the 422 00:18:49,919 --> 00:18:53,600 winter bitching about the sad state of 423 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:56,240 the nation. 424 00:18:53,600 --> 00:19:00,160 He's like the minister whose size over 425 00:18:56,240 --> 00:19:02,720 the sins of the 20th century. 426 00:19:00,160 --> 00:19:05,720 Who are they describing? A self-centered 427 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,720 actor. 428 00:19:05,840 --> 00:19:11,440 Politicians and reformers. 429 00:19:08,880 --> 00:19:14,240 Does this sound familiar? Who are sure 430 00:19:11,440 --> 00:19:18,240 all would be utopia, heaven on earth, if 431 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:19,840 the rest of the world would only behave. 432 00:19:18,240 --> 00:19:21,760 In other words, everything would be fine 433 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:24,799 if everybody else would get their shit 434 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:28,240 together. I don't have to. 435 00:19:24,799 --> 00:19:31,360 But they're sure all would be utopia if 436 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:33,840 everyone else would behave. 437 00:19:31,360 --> 00:19:37,520 The outlaw safe cracker. Crack on open 438 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:40,960 safes. Crook criminal 439 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:44,480 who thinks society has wronged him. 440 00:19:40,960 --> 00:19:48,679 The guy who steals from Wraid. 441 00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:48,679 Fuck Raid. They owe me. 442 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:53,280 and 443 00:19:50,400 --> 00:19:54,480 the alcoholic who's lost all and is 444 00:19:53,280 --> 00:19:56,240 locked up. Now, they're going to throw 445 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:59,039 us in there, too. So, they said, "Who is 446 00:19:56,240 --> 00:20:01,280 this self-centered person?" And then, as 447 00:19:59,039 --> 00:20:02,720 I said, they describe this person, and 448 00:20:01,280 --> 00:20:04,880 they give examples of everything in the 449 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:08,400 rainbow 450 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:09,679 from a minister to a criminal. And then 451 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:10,799 they throw us in there, too. You're not 452 00:20:09,679 --> 00:20:14,520 getting out of this. You guys are 453 00:20:10,799 --> 00:20:14,520 self-centered. Also, 454 00:20:15,120 --> 00:20:19,120 whatever our protestations, whatever 455 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:21,200 we're protesting, whatever our gripe is, 456 00:20:19,120 --> 00:20:23,520 whatever flag we're waving, whoever we 457 00:20:21,200 --> 00:20:25,440 are, 458 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:28,240 think about this. Think about everyone 459 00:20:25,440 --> 00:20:31,440 you know, alcoholic, drug addict, 460 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:33,600 non-alcoholic. Think about everyone you 461 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:36,159 know. 462 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:37,760 Are not most of us concerned with 463 00:20:36,159 --> 00:20:39,760 ourselves, 464 00:20:37,760 --> 00:20:42,400 our resentments, 465 00:20:39,760 --> 00:20:46,000 or our self-pity? 466 00:20:42,400 --> 00:20:50,440 Think about it. Aren't most people 467 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:50,440 mostly concerned with their own shit? 468 00:20:52,559 --> 00:20:56,720 Selfishness, self-centerness, that we 469 00:20:54,960 --> 00:20:58,400 think is the root of our troubles. 470 00:20:56,720 --> 00:21:01,600 They're still talking about any life. 471 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:03,520 most people, most humans 472 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:06,480 doesn't say it's the root of our 473 00:21:03,520 --> 00:21:08,480 problem. 474 00:21:06,480 --> 00:21:10,159 It doesn't say it's the root of our 475 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:12,320 disease. 476 00:21:10,159 --> 00:21:13,919 They're talking about the world. They're 477 00:21:12,320 --> 00:21:16,799 talking about most human beings and 478 00:21:13,919 --> 00:21:19,919 they're saying that's the root of all of 479 00:21:16,799 --> 00:21:21,840 our troubles. 480 00:21:19,919 --> 00:21:24,880 They describe almost the exact same 481 00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:27,919 thing in a later chapter 482 00:21:24,880 --> 00:21:29,520 on page 122 in the family afterward. 483 00:21:27,919 --> 00:21:31,360 They're not talking about alcoholics, 484 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:33,200 but they're describing the same scenario 485 00:21:31,360 --> 00:21:37,400 of a bunch of actors trying to run the 486 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:37,400 whole show. This is most people. 487 00:21:38,320 --> 00:21:41,760 Self-centerness that we think is the 488 00:21:39,760 --> 00:21:43,440 root of our troubles driven by a hundred 489 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:45,280 forms of fear, self-d delusion, 490 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,320 self-seeking, and self-pity. We step on 491 00:21:45,280 --> 00:21:48,080 the toes of our fellows and they 492 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:50,720 retaliate. 493 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:53,280 Sometimes they hurt us seemingly without 494 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:54,720 provocation, but we invariably find that 495 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:57,280 sometime in the past, we've made 496 00:21:54,720 --> 00:22:01,919 decisions based on self, which later 497 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:04,480 placed us in a position to be hurt. 498 00:22:01,919 --> 00:22:07,440 Now, a few things about the before this 499 00:22:04,480 --> 00:22:10,000 next paragraph before I read it. This 500 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:12,080 next paragraph contains a line that 501 00:22:10,000 --> 00:22:15,679 people like to 502 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:19,200 hang on to and and wear like a badge of 503 00:22:15,679 --> 00:22:21,919 honor. And it's taken out of context in 504 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:25,679 my view big time as are many things in 505 00:22:21,919 --> 00:22:27,039 this book. But I had the privilege of 506 00:22:25,679 --> 00:22:31,520 going through the book in a nonlinear 507 00:22:27,039 --> 00:22:33,280 way where we looked at the subject 508 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:35,200 instead of the step or the chapter. But 509 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,919 we went through the whole big book by 510 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:39,760 subject. Been doing it for many years. 511 00:22:37,919 --> 00:22:43,200 And what the book says about this 512 00:22:39,760 --> 00:22:45,919 subject is quite the opposite of what 513 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:48,960 it's going to sound like in a second. 514 00:22:45,919 --> 00:22:51,440 And uh I'll talk about it more in a 515 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:53,600 minute. So our troubles we think are 516 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:55,520 basically of our own making. Now they're 517 00:22:53,600 --> 00:22:57,679 going back to the alcoholic. They arise 518 00:22:55,520 --> 00:23:00,159 out of ourselves. And the alcoholic is 519 00:22:57,679 --> 00:23:04,360 an extreme example of self-willrun riot. 520 00:23:00,159 --> 00:23:04,360 Though he usually doesn't think so. 521 00:23:05,120 --> 00:23:09,600 So I hear people with years of sobriety 522 00:23:07,679 --> 00:23:10,960 saying I'm extreme example of self-wrun 523 00:23:09,600 --> 00:23:12,480 riot. I'm selfish. I'm selfish. I'm 524 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,880 selfish. I'm selfish. forgetting the 525 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:18,799 next two sentences and forgetting what 526 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:20,799 the rest of the book says about that, 527 00:23:18,799 --> 00:23:22,720 forgetting that Dr. Silkworth says there 528 00:23:20,799 --> 00:23:25,280 are types of alcoholics entirely normal 529 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:27,919 in every respect except in the effect 530 00:23:25,280 --> 00:23:29,600 liquor has upon them. 531 00:23:27,919 --> 00:23:32,159 They're often able, friendly, 532 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:35,200 intelligent people. And I just want to 533 00:23:32,159 --> 00:23:38,320 read one more thing before I go on and 534 00:23:35,200 --> 00:23:42,320 talk about it. 535 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:44,159 On page 21, going back, 536 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:46,400 it describes the real alcoholic. What 537 00:23:44,159 --> 00:23:50,960 about the real alcoholic? 538 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:53,280 And what it says is about halfway 539 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:56,159 through the last paragraph, 540 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:57,600 he's often perfectly sensible and well 541 00:23:56,159 --> 00:24:00,000 balanced. Remember, this is the real 542 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:01,760 alcoholic. Perfectly sensible and well 543 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:04,240 balanced concerning everything except 544 00:24:01,760 --> 00:24:08,919 liquor. But in that respect, he's 545 00:24:04,240 --> 00:24:08,919 incredibly dishonest and selfish. 546 00:24:10,400 --> 00:24:14,159 In essence, I learned that it might as 547 00:24:12,159 --> 00:24:16,480 well have said the practicing alcoholic 548 00:24:14,159 --> 00:24:18,480 is an extreme example. 549 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:22,559 An alcoholic who has not yet had a 550 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:26,679 psychic change or a spiritual awakening, 551 00:24:22,559 --> 00:24:26,679 but I'll stop there. 552 00:24:27,520 --> 00:24:30,400 So, our troubles we think are basically 553 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:31,840 of our own making. They arise out of 554 00:24:30,400 --> 00:24:33,440 ourselves. And the alcoholic is an 555 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:36,080 extreme example of self-fulrun riot, 556 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:38,720 though he usually doesn't think so. 557 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:40,000 Next, it says these two words. Let's say 558 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:41,919 you disagree with everything I just 559 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,120 said. Let's say you think the alcoholic 560 00:24:41,919 --> 00:24:44,960 is more fucked up than other people, 561 00:24:43,120 --> 00:24:46,640 more selfish than other people. Let's 562 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:48,559 say you believe that. That's fine. It 563 00:24:46,640 --> 00:24:50,640 doesn't matter. It doesn't matter 564 00:24:48,559 --> 00:24:53,039 because of the next 565 00:24:50,640 --> 00:24:55,520 few sentences and the rest of the book. 566 00:24:53,039 --> 00:24:57,600 It doesn't matter. 567 00:24:55,520 --> 00:25:00,960 This is the only time the big book uses 568 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:04,720 these words in the first 164 pages side 569 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:06,240 by side above everything. 570 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:09,039 only time in the clear-cut directions. 571 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:11,200 It says above everything. Meaning this 572 00:25:09,039 --> 00:25:13,440 is the plot. 573 00:25:11,200 --> 00:25:16,400 Meaning there's nothing more important 574 00:25:13,440 --> 00:25:19,360 than this. Meaning whatever bullshit you 575 00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:24,400 want to put on top of this, it's on top 576 00:25:19,360 --> 00:25:26,400 of that. This is it. Above everything, 577 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:29,279 we alcoholics 578 00:25:26,400 --> 00:25:34,679 must be rid of this selfishness. 579 00:25:29,279 --> 00:25:34,679 We must or it kills us. 580 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:42,720 Above everything, we alcoholics can't be 581 00:25:41,039 --> 00:25:45,039 mostly concerned with ourselves, our 582 00:25:42,720 --> 00:25:46,880 resentments, or our self-pity. Above 583 00:25:45,039 --> 00:25:48,000 everything. Well, I went to a meeting 584 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,480 today. Well, who'd you think about the 585 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:54,240 whole time? Well, I reached out to three 586 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:56,080 alcoholics. Well, who'd you talk about? 587 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:59,360 The plot 588 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:02,799 is to not be mostly concerned with 589 00:25:59,360 --> 00:26:05,520 ourselves anymore. The alcoholic 590 00:26:02,799 --> 00:26:07,679 has to or it kills us. The big book was 591 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:08,960 written for the lowbottom drinker. And 592 00:26:07,679 --> 00:26:10,960 one of the things I learned when I went 593 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:13,840 through the big book by subject is when 594 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:16,080 they talk about killing or dying or 595 00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:19,039 death, they're essentially talking about 596 00:26:16,080 --> 00:26:22,159 drinking. 597 00:26:19,039 --> 00:26:24,559 So, might as well say or could just as 598 00:26:22,159 --> 00:26:26,080 easily say 599 00:26:24,559 --> 00:26:28,240 above everything, we alcoholics must be 600 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:32,720 rid of selfishness. We must or we will 601 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:36,520 drink. above everything. 602 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:36,520 And here we go. Ready? 603 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:40,400 God makes that possible. God makes 604 00:26:39,039 --> 00:26:42,480 getting rid of this selfishness 605 00:26:40,400 --> 00:26:46,039 possible. 606 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:46,039 Can you believe it? 607 00:26:48,559 --> 00:26:53,200 I'll read something else real quick and 608 00:26:49,919 --> 00:26:54,799 then I'll come back to where I am. 609 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:56,720 It's not the only time it says it, but 610 00:26:54,799 --> 00:27:00,279 it's one time. 611 00:26:56,720 --> 00:27:00,279 It's kind of amazing. 612 00:27:00,559 --> 00:27:07,279 And it's on a page called 613 00:27:04,880 --> 00:27:09,120 71 very top first sentence. We hope you 614 00:27:07,279 --> 00:27:11,120 are convinced that God can remove 615 00:27:09,120 --> 00:27:13,679 whatever self-will has blocked you off 616 00:27:11,120 --> 00:27:16,840 from him. God can remove it. Can you 617 00:27:13,679 --> 00:27:16,840 believe it? 618 00:27:18,559 --> 00:27:23,840 So, not only can God remove whatever 619 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:26,799 self-will is blocking you, 620 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:28,400 but you have to let him. We must be rid 621 00:27:26,799 --> 00:27:31,279 of this selfishness above everything. 622 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:33,679 It's the plot. 623 00:27:31,279 --> 00:27:36,480 And there often seems no way of entirely 624 00:27:33,679 --> 00:27:38,320 getting rid of self without his aid. 625 00:27:36,480 --> 00:27:39,760 Many of us had moral and philosophical 626 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:41,039 convictions galore, but we could not 627 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:44,360 live up to them even though we would 628 00:27:41,039 --> 00:27:44,360 have liked to. 629 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:48,480 Neither could we reduce our 630 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:50,880 self-centerness much by wishing or 631 00:27:48,480 --> 00:27:53,600 trying on our own power. We had to have 632 00:27:50,880 --> 00:27:55,360 God's help. In other words, I can know 633 00:27:53,600 --> 00:27:56,799 that being of service is the answer. I 634 00:27:55,360 --> 00:27:58,320 could know that getting out of self is 635 00:27:56,799 --> 00:28:01,120 the answer. I could know this and it's 636 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:03,039 not enough. 637 00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:05,200 I need God's help to do this. So, I've 638 00:28:03,039 --> 00:28:10,080 got to do my part to get myself 639 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:12,320 unblocked from a higher power. 640 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:16,200 And that 641 00:28:12,320 --> 00:28:16,200 is the remaining steps. 642 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:22,399 We had to have God's help. 643 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,760 So, 644 00:28:22,399 --> 00:28:25,200 right there, I'll stop for a second and 645 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:28,880 summarize. 646 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:30,480 To summarize what I've read so far, 647 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:31,840 just how do we do the third step? What 648 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:33,520 do we mean? What do we do? It sounds 649 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:36,320 like you're going to throw your will 650 00:28:33,520 --> 00:28:37,760 into a lake somewhere, 651 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:40,000 but they haven't said anything of the 652 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:42,880 sort. Now, they're going to really get 653 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:45,600 into what that means. So far, all 654 00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:49,279 they've tried to do is show us that self 655 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:51,760 sucks for everyone. Most human beings 656 00:28:49,279 --> 00:28:54,240 run on self-propulsion. And that's why 657 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:55,520 most people, you know, are struggling 658 00:28:54,240 --> 00:28:57,919 with something, wrestling with 659 00:28:55,520 --> 00:29:00,799 something. Look around. Look at people 660 00:28:57,919 --> 00:29:03,760 on the road, in the store, in meetings, 661 00:29:00,799 --> 00:29:08,799 everywhere you go. Most people a little 662 00:29:03,760 --> 00:29:12,480 fidgety. Why? Because they have a plan 663 00:29:08,799 --> 00:29:15,679 and it's not going that way. 664 00:29:12,480 --> 00:29:17,279 That's the reason. 665 00:29:15,679 --> 00:29:19,840 That's it. 666 00:29:17,279 --> 00:29:21,440 Most people are unhappy because they 667 00:29:19,840 --> 00:29:25,600 know how things are supposed to look and 668 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:30,600 they're not looking that way. Period. 669 00:29:25,600 --> 00:29:30,600 They're actors with director's hats on. 670 00:29:30,880 --> 00:29:36,880 Now they're going to get into my 671 00:29:33,760 --> 00:29:39,360 perception of the first real clear-cut 672 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:41,919 direction. 673 00:29:39,360 --> 00:29:44,880 This is how and why of it. They've tried 674 00:29:41,919 --> 00:29:48,159 to help us meet the first requirement. 675 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:50,080 Now they're going to tell us what to do. 676 00:29:48,159 --> 00:29:53,080 First of all, we had to quit playing 677 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:53,080 God. 678 00:29:53,200 --> 00:29:56,880 Quit playing God. 679 00:29:55,440 --> 00:29:58,960 Well, I don't know. I don't understand 680 00:29:56,880 --> 00:30:00,960 God. Well, it's not you. Well, I don't 681 00:29:58,960 --> 00:30:02,399 know what to do. Well, don't play God. 682 00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:04,880 But I don't know what to do instead. Get 683 00:30:02,399 --> 00:30:08,720 out of God's chair. I don't know what 684 00:30:04,880 --> 00:30:11,440 else to do. It doesn't matter. 685 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:14,640 So far, all they've said about God is 686 00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:18,840 it's not you. 687 00:30:14,640 --> 00:30:18,840 And turns out that's enough. 688 00:30:19,440 --> 00:30:24,960 So first of all, we had to quit playing 689 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:26,799 God. It didn't work. 690 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:29,120 Next, we decided that hereafter 691 00:30:26,799 --> 00:30:31,200 hereafter in this drama of life, God was 692 00:30:29,120 --> 00:30:35,120 going to be our director. 693 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:37,120 He's the principal. We are his agents. 694 00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:39,039 So the relationship between a principal 695 00:30:37,120 --> 00:30:41,600 and an agent is pretty simple. The agent 696 00:30:39,039 --> 00:30:43,279 works for the principal, not the other 697 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:46,080 way around. 698 00:30:43,279 --> 00:30:48,159 The agent doesn't tell the principal how 699 00:30:46,080 --> 00:30:50,559 things are supposed to go, how things 700 00:30:48,159 --> 00:30:52,399 are supposed to look. 701 00:30:50,559 --> 00:30:54,960 If I worked for you, for example, if I 702 00:30:52,399 --> 00:30:56,559 were the agent, you were the principal, 703 00:30:54,960 --> 00:30:58,480 and you told me to do something, and I 704 00:30:56,559 --> 00:31:02,679 was like, "No, why should I have to do 705 00:30:58,480 --> 00:31:02,679 it? You'd fire me." 706 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:06,520 It's that simple. 707 00:31:07,520 --> 00:31:12,320 And they're asking us to 708 00:31:10,159 --> 00:31:14,559 make our relationship 709 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:19,200 with God as we understand God, which at 710 00:31:14,559 --> 00:31:21,120 this point we know minimally it's not us 711 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:23,120 like this. 712 00:31:21,120 --> 00:31:24,480 God is the principle. We're his agents. 713 00:31:23,120 --> 00:31:26,080 In other words, every time I'm in 714 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:28,640 complaining, 715 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:31,279 I have this role reversed. Every time 716 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:34,840 I'm complaining, I'm telling God he 717 00:31:31,279 --> 00:31:34,840 doesn't know what he's doing. 718 00:31:36,159 --> 00:31:40,640 They're asking us to flip this around. 719 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:42,080 He's the principal. We are his agents. 720 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:44,159 We work for him, not the other way 721 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:45,440 around. 722 00:31:44,159 --> 00:31:47,919 He is the father and we are his 723 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:50,159 children. Most good ideas are simple. 724 00:31:47,919 --> 00:31:52,559 And this concept that he's the principle 725 00:31:50,159 --> 00:31:55,279 and we are the agents 726 00:31:52,559 --> 00:31:57,039 was the keystone of the new and 727 00:31:55,279 --> 00:31:59,120 triumphant arch through which we passed 728 00:31:57,039 --> 00:32:01,200 to freedom. 729 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:03,120 In the big book, we build a spiritual 730 00:32:01,200 --> 00:32:04,960 structure. 731 00:32:03,120 --> 00:32:08,559 The first stone we put down is in step 732 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:11,200 two, the cornerstone. important because 733 00:32:08,559 --> 00:32:13,679 everything is built relative to it. It's 734 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:15,840 the first stone in construction. 735 00:32:13,679 --> 00:32:19,519 And this is the keystone. This idea that 736 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:22,320 I'm not God. I'm 737 00:32:19,519 --> 00:32:24,799 I'm an agent. 738 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:28,240 That idea is the keystone. The keystone 739 00:32:24,799 --> 00:32:31,200 is the stone that holds all of it 740 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:33,279 together. Without the keystone, you have 741 00:32:31,200 --> 00:32:36,240 rubble. 742 00:32:33,279 --> 00:32:38,720 You have pompei. 743 00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:41,360 You have nothing. 744 00:32:38,720 --> 00:32:44,960 I can do a perfect first step. I can do 745 00:32:41,360 --> 00:32:48,320 a perfect fifth step, 746 00:32:44,960 --> 00:32:50,640 but if my keystone's not there, 747 00:32:48,320 --> 00:32:52,000 I don't have an arch. 748 00:32:50,640 --> 00:32:54,399 And it says, "We're going to walk 749 00:32:52,000 --> 00:32:56,480 through this arch free 750 00:32:54,399 --> 00:32:58,480 of what they're specifically talking 751 00:32:56,480 --> 00:33:01,760 about, free 752 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:04,559 of the insanity of the first drink, but 753 00:33:01,760 --> 00:33:07,559 turns out we'll be free of essentially 754 00:33:04,559 --> 00:33:07,559 everything. 755 00:33:10,159 --> 00:33:14,320 What what the book doesn't say is what 756 00:33:12,399 --> 00:33:18,320 happens when we insincerely take this 757 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:20,320 position that God's in charge. But I 758 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:23,360 know what it is, so I'll just tell you. 759 00:33:20,320 --> 00:33:27,000 When we insincerely took this position, 760 00:33:23,360 --> 00:33:27,000 nothing really happened. 761 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:32,080 The steps seemed like tedious homework 762 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:34,399 assignments. 763 00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:38,200 We got more and more intolerant and 764 00:33:34,399 --> 00:33:38,200 resentful. Our 765 00:33:38,240 --> 00:33:43,279 attendance at meetings started to 766 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:45,519 flicker and eventually we were out. 767 00:33:43,279 --> 00:33:48,080 Or we just continued butting heads with 768 00:33:45,519 --> 00:33:51,080 people and things for years, even in 769 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:51,080 sobriety, 770 00:33:53,039 --> 00:33:58,480 still usually upset about something 771 00:33:56,559 --> 00:34:01,279 because we are still wearing the 772 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:02,720 director's hat. 773 00:34:01,279 --> 00:34:06,240 But our motives are good, so it doesn't 774 00:34:02,720 --> 00:34:06,240 matter. It does matter. 775 00:34:07,519 --> 00:34:12,000 still playing God. 776 00:34:10,399 --> 00:34:13,839 Maybe when we insincerely take this 777 00:34:12,000 --> 00:34:16,159 position, we just transfer playing God 778 00:34:13,839 --> 00:34:18,639 over into the fellowship of Ahei and we 779 00:34:16,159 --> 00:34:21,040 start running people's lives, 780 00:34:18,639 --> 00:34:25,040 being their director, 781 00:34:21,040 --> 00:34:28,839 saying it's all okay because 782 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:28,839 they're allowing me to. 783 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:34,599 But doesn't say any of that. 784 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:39,520 Instead, it says when we sincerely took 785 00:34:37,119 --> 00:34:42,240 such a position. Sincerely, I had looked 786 00:34:39,520 --> 00:34:47,079 up sincerely, too. It means 787 00:34:42,240 --> 00:34:47,079 with no intent to deceive. 788 00:34:47,280 --> 00:34:52,720 When we took this position that God's in 789 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:55,440 charge with no intent to deceive, 790 00:34:52,720 --> 00:34:59,159 remarkable things followed. All sorts of 791 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:59,159 remarkable things followed. 792 00:34:59,760 --> 00:35:06,960 So we took this position that we were 793 00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:09,119 the agents and not the principal 794 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:11,359 without any intent to deceive ourselves, 795 00:35:09,119 --> 00:35:13,760 our sponsor, 796 00:35:11,359 --> 00:35:17,040 people in the fellowship, our spouses, 797 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:19,280 our partners, children. No intent to 798 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:21,680 deceive. 799 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:23,760 Things happened that were so amazing 800 00:35:21,680 --> 00:35:24,880 they required a remark. Oh my god, 801 00:35:23,760 --> 00:35:27,440 you'll never believe what happened to 802 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:31,040 me. 803 00:35:27,440 --> 00:35:35,040 We had a new employer. 804 00:35:31,040 --> 00:35:37,359 I can talk about that sentence 805 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:41,320 and nothing else 806 00:35:37,359 --> 00:35:41,320 for a long time. 807 00:35:43,280 --> 00:35:47,079 If I have a new employer 808 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:57,200 that's God, then whoever is signing my 809 00:35:51,520 --> 00:36:00,000 checks is a potential customer. 810 00:35:57,200 --> 00:36:02,400 Everyone is a potential customer if God 811 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:04,880 is my employer. 812 00:36:02,400 --> 00:36:08,079 God doesn't 813 00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:10,960 have any office hours. God doesn't lay 814 00:36:08,079 --> 00:36:13,440 me off. God doesn't 815 00:36:10,960 --> 00:36:14,800 I work for God now. 816 00:36:13,440 --> 00:36:16,960 If I have a new employer and if I 817 00:36:14,800 --> 00:36:18,960 sincerely take this position being all 818 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:20,880 powerful, 819 00:36:18,960 --> 00:36:22,240 he provided what we needed if we kept 820 00:36:20,880 --> 00:36:24,560 close to him and performed his work 821 00:36:22,240 --> 00:36:27,440 well. In other words, he will pay our 822 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:28,720 way if we perform his work well. Well, 823 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:30,800 what's his work? We don't know yet, 824 00:36:28,720 --> 00:36:34,640 except don't play his part. That's all 825 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:37,119 we know so far. Quit playing God. That's 826 00:36:34,640 --> 00:36:38,560 not what I want you to do. 827 00:36:37,119 --> 00:36:43,720 I know, but I don't know what you want 828 00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:43,720 me to do. So far, don't play God. 829 00:36:44,640 --> 00:36:49,920 Established on such a footing, we became 830 00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:52,720 less and less interested in ourselves, 831 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:54,240 our little plans and designs. 832 00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:57,280 more and more became interested in 833 00:36:54,240 --> 00:36:58,400 seeing what we could contribute to life. 834 00:36:57,280 --> 00:37:01,280 Now I'm on the other side of the 835 00:36:58,400 --> 00:37:02,960 counter. How can I help you? What can I 836 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:05,359 add to this marriage? What can I add to 837 00:37:02,960 --> 00:37:07,440 this relationship? To this exchange, 838 00:37:05,359 --> 00:37:09,359 it's not about me getting or not getting 839 00:37:07,440 --> 00:37:11,280 something. Now, 840 00:37:09,359 --> 00:37:12,400 when we sincerely take this position, we 841 00:37:11,280 --> 00:37:15,880 jump on the other side of the counter 842 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:15,880 and we want to help. 843 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:24,240 as we felt new power flow in. New means 844 00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:26,800 I've never experienced it before. And 845 00:37:24,240 --> 00:37:29,440 it's this flow in, not trickle in, not 846 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:31,839 when we sincerely take this position, 847 00:37:29,440 --> 00:37:34,320 there's a new power we've never felt 848 00:37:31,839 --> 00:37:36,000 flowing in. And now it's what can I add 849 00:37:34,320 --> 00:37:37,920 to this meeting? What can I add to this 850 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:39,599 relationship? 851 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:43,320 What is your experience like with me? 852 00:37:39,599 --> 00:37:43,320 How can I make it better? 853 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:48,800 As we felt new power flow in, as we 854 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:50,800 enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered 855 00:37:48,800 --> 00:37:53,119 we could face life successfully. 856 00:37:50,800 --> 00:37:55,280 Remember at the beginning it said the 857 00:37:53,119 --> 00:37:57,520 first requirement is we be convinced 858 00:37:55,280 --> 00:38:00,000 that any life run in self-will can't be 859 00:37:57,520 --> 00:38:03,200 a success because that person's going to 860 00:38:00,000 --> 00:38:04,320 be usually unhappy in collision with 861 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:05,599 something or somebody. Now they're 862 00:38:04,320 --> 00:38:09,839 saying when we sincerely take this 863 00:38:05,599 --> 00:38:12,560 position, we can face life successfully. 864 00:38:09,839 --> 00:38:14,480 Because their definition of success 865 00:38:12,560 --> 00:38:16,000 is 866 00:38:14,480 --> 00:38:17,280 being comfortable in your skin and not 867 00:38:16,000 --> 00:38:19,680 being in collision with something or 868 00:38:17,280 --> 00:38:21,680 somebody 869 00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:25,000 usually 870 00:38:21,680 --> 00:38:25,000 that is successful. 871 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:29,040 And it doesn't matter what's going on 872 00:38:26,240 --> 00:38:31,280 around you. With this attitude, you 873 00:38:29,040 --> 00:38:34,240 don't require anything. 874 00:38:31,280 --> 00:38:36,400 You're there to help. 875 00:38:34,240 --> 00:38:38,160 So, as we felt new power flow in, as we 876 00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:39,839 enjoyed peace of mind, as we discovered 877 00:38:38,160 --> 00:38:41,599 we could face life successfully, we can 878 00:38:39,839 --> 00:38:43,359 go through life without being battered 879 00:38:41,599 --> 00:38:45,839 around like a pinball by the 880 00:38:43,359 --> 00:38:48,640 circumstances and events and the 881 00:38:45,839 --> 00:38:50,720 behavior of others. 882 00:38:48,640 --> 00:38:56,280 As we became conscious of his presence, 883 00:38:50,720 --> 00:38:56,280 we began to lose our fear of everything. 884 00:38:57,680 --> 00:39:02,640 When we sincerely took this position, we 885 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:05,040 started to lose our fear of today, 886 00:39:02,640 --> 00:39:09,160 tomorrow or the hereafter. 887 00:39:05,040 --> 00:39:09,160 We were now at step three. 888 00:39:09,599 --> 00:39:13,040 Many of us said to our maker as we 889 00:39:11,119 --> 00:39:17,520 understood him, now it says that you can 890 00:39:13,040 --> 00:39:19,200 have you can use any words you want. 891 00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,760 What it says in a couple paragraphs is 892 00:39:19,200 --> 00:39:23,839 it's important that we express the idea 893 00:39:21,760 --> 00:39:25,920 without any reservation, but the wording 894 00:39:23,839 --> 00:39:28,320 is up to us. When I first looked at 895 00:39:25,920 --> 00:39:31,280 this, there were way too many thy in 896 00:39:28,320 --> 00:39:32,640 there. But that's me. So, I had to make 897 00:39:31,280 --> 00:39:35,200 my own. And I'm just going to read you 898 00:39:32,640 --> 00:39:37,839 my own. You can have your own, too, 899 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:39,119 because it says you can. 900 00:39:37,839 --> 00:39:40,400 We are now at step three. Many of us 901 00:39:39,119 --> 00:39:42,000 said to our maker, as we understood him, 902 00:39:40,400 --> 00:39:43,839 "God, I offer myself to you so that you 903 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:46,560 could build with me and do with me 904 00:39:43,839 --> 00:39:50,160 whatever you want. Relieve me of the 905 00:39:46,560 --> 00:39:53,280 bondage of self so that I could do your 906 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:55,440 will even better. 907 00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:57,280 take away my difficulties. Not to not so 908 00:39:55,440 --> 00:39:59,760 I can kick my feet up and feel bitching, 909 00:39:57,280 --> 00:40:03,119 but take away my difficulties 910 00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:05,839 so that my overcoming of my difficulties 911 00:40:03,119 --> 00:40:08,240 will be seen and felt by everyone around 912 00:40:05,839 --> 00:40:09,920 me. They'll see God's love and God's way 913 00:40:08,240 --> 00:40:14,280 of life and that will help them. And 914 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:14,280 hopefully I could do that always. 915 00:40:15,359 --> 00:40:23,240 They'll see your power 916 00:40:18,160 --> 00:40:23,240 and how I navigate life. 917 00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:29,040 We thought well before taking this step, 918 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:31,119 making sure we are ready, that we could 919 00:40:29,040 --> 00:40:32,960 at last abandon ourselves utterly to 920 00:40:31,119 --> 00:40:34,240 him. 921 00:40:32,960 --> 00:40:37,280 Couple things I want to talk about in 922 00:40:34,240 --> 00:40:39,119 there. The word bondage, relieve me of 923 00:40:37,280 --> 00:40:42,240 the bondage of self. Bondage is, 924 00:40:39,119 --> 00:40:46,800 shackles, jail, prison, 925 00:40:42,240 --> 00:40:49,359 slavery, selfishness does not feel good 926 00:40:46,800 --> 00:40:52,000 for myself. I know when I'm into self 927 00:40:49,359 --> 00:40:54,880 because I'm uncomfortable. 928 00:40:52,000 --> 00:41:00,440 Usually I'm as as exactly as 929 00:40:54,880 --> 00:41:00,440 uncomfortable as I am into self. 930 00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:06,240 In other words, to the extent that I'm 931 00:41:04,319 --> 00:41:10,240 playing God, 932 00:41:06,240 --> 00:41:12,240 am I in discomfort? Generally speaking, 933 00:41:10,240 --> 00:41:13,839 not always, not with things like trauma 934 00:41:12,240 --> 00:41:15,680 and 935 00:41:13,839 --> 00:41:17,440 grief. 936 00:41:15,680 --> 00:41:21,680 There are exceptions, but generally 937 00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:23,599 speaking, that's it. 938 00:41:21,680 --> 00:41:25,599 So, it doesn't say, "Relieve me of the 939 00:41:23,599 --> 00:41:27,920 jacuzzi of self." It doesn't say, 940 00:41:25,599 --> 00:41:30,560 "Relieve me of the beachfront property 941 00:41:27,920 --> 00:41:34,000 of self." It's not comfortable. relieve 942 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:36,800 me of the bondage of self. 943 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:38,800 And then I like to take words out and 944 00:41:36,800 --> 00:41:41,359 replace them with other words. It adds 945 00:41:38,800 --> 00:41:43,200 power to the word that's there. And I 946 00:41:41,359 --> 00:41:44,640 want to do that in the last sentence. We 947 00:41:43,200 --> 00:41:47,200 thought well before taking the step, 948 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:49,599 making sure we were ready that we could 949 00:41:47,200 --> 00:41:52,599 at last abandon ourselves partially to 950 00:41:49,599 --> 00:41:52,599 him. 951 00:41:53,760 --> 00:41:58,440 No, it says utterly. 952 00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:05,280 that we could at last abandon ourselves 953 00:42:00,720 --> 00:42:07,760 somewhat to him in some areas to him. 954 00:42:05,280 --> 00:42:09,280 No, we thought well before taking the 955 00:42:07,760 --> 00:42:10,560 step making sure we were ready that we 956 00:42:09,280 --> 00:42:13,560 could at last abandon ourselves 957 00:42:10,560 --> 00:42:13,560 completely. 958 00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:21,680 We found it very desirable to take the 959 00:42:20,240 --> 00:42:23,520 spiritual step with an understanding 960 00:42:21,680 --> 00:42:25,920 person such as our wife, best friend or 961 00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:27,520 spiritual adviser. 962 00:42:25,920 --> 00:42:29,440 Self-explanatory. But it's better to 963 00:42:27,520 --> 00:42:31,760 meet God alone than with one who might 964 00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:34,079 misunderstand. The wording was of course 965 00:42:31,760 --> 00:42:36,720 quite optional. Like I said, so long as 966 00:42:34,079 --> 00:42:41,240 we express the idea, voicing it without 967 00:42:36,720 --> 00:42:41,240 reservation with no intent to deceive. 968 00:42:41,760 --> 00:42:46,319 This was only a beginning though if 969 00:42:43,520 --> 00:42:48,560 honestly and humbly made 970 00:42:46,319 --> 00:42:51,520 this decision. 971 00:42:48,560 --> 00:42:53,839 If we honestly made this decision, an 972 00:42:51,520 --> 00:42:58,079 effect, sometimes a very great effect 973 00:42:53,839 --> 00:42:58,079 was felt at once. 974 00:42:58,720 --> 00:43:04,800 Still in step three. 975 00:43:01,599 --> 00:43:08,480 Next we launched 976 00:43:04,800 --> 00:43:11,200 launched launched launched catapulted 977 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:13,359 forward with great momentum and purpose 978 00:43:11,200 --> 00:43:15,680 force. 979 00:43:13,359 --> 00:43:20,280 We launched on a course of vigorous 980 00:43:15,680 --> 00:43:20,280 vigorous spirited action. 981 00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:28,319 Doesn't say next we lolly gagged. Next, 982 00:43:23,839 --> 00:43:31,760 we sat in an inventory for six months. 983 00:43:28,319 --> 00:43:33,280 Next, we moved at a snail's pace. No, we 984 00:43:31,760 --> 00:43:35,119 launched 985 00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:38,319 on a course of vigorous action. And I 986 00:43:35,119 --> 00:43:41,960 have to tell you, I got sober, 987 00:43:38,319 --> 00:43:41,960 I made this decision 988 00:43:42,240 --> 00:43:47,520 decades ago, and I'm still on the course 989 00:43:44,480 --> 00:43:51,200 of vigorous action right now. Recording 990 00:43:47,520 --> 00:43:53,119 this at this moment 991 00:43:51,200 --> 00:43:55,200 is 992 00:43:53,119 --> 00:43:57,040 part of that course of vigorous action. 993 00:43:55,200 --> 00:43:59,680 I stay on this course of vigorous 994 00:43:57,040 --> 00:44:01,440 action. It doesn't end. There's no 995 00:43:59,680 --> 00:44:05,680 chapter that says, you know what, that 996 00:44:01,440 --> 00:44:07,440 was a lot. It's enough. Stop. 997 00:44:05,680 --> 00:44:09,760 Pause. 998 00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:12,400 Now meditate on money. Now get into your 999 00:44:09,760 --> 00:44:14,400 own shit. Now concentrate on the stuff 1000 00:44:12,400 --> 00:44:17,599 that you want to concentrate on. That 1001 00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:21,079 was a lot of spiritual crap. slow down. 1002 00:44:17,599 --> 00:44:21,079 It's not there. 1003 00:44:21,599 --> 00:44:25,839 Right after we make this decision and 1004 00:44:23,680 --> 00:44:28,720 express it without reservation and 1005 00:44:25,839 --> 00:44:31,200 decide to quit playing God and make a 1006 00:44:28,720 --> 00:44:33,839 decision that we are the agents and God 1007 00:44:31,200 --> 00:44:35,680 is the principle, we launch on a course 1008 00:44:33,839 --> 00:44:39,119 of vigorous action. The first part of 1009 00:44:35,680 --> 00:44:42,480 this course is a personal house cleaning 1010 00:44:39,119 --> 00:44:45,680 which many of us never attempted. 1011 00:44:42,480 --> 00:44:49,200 Though our decision step three 1012 00:44:45,680 --> 00:44:51,200 was a vital necessary for survival and 1013 00:44:49,200 --> 00:44:54,880 crucial step, it could have little 1014 00:44:51,200 --> 00:44:57,599 permanent effect unless at once followed 1015 00:44:54,880 --> 00:44:59,280 by a strenuous effort to face and to be 1016 00:44:57,599 --> 00:45:01,920 rid of the things in ourselves which 1017 00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:03,680 have been blocking us. 1018 00:45:01,920 --> 00:45:05,920 Remember, they're not talking about 1019 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:07,520 alcoholism anymore. 1020 00:45:05,920 --> 00:45:09,520 When they say our liquor was but a 1021 00:45:07,520 --> 00:45:11,599 symptom of what? Of us being blocked 1022 00:45:09,520 --> 00:45:14,319 from God. They're talking about the 1023 00:45:11,599 --> 00:45:16,480 human experience now. So, we had to get 1024 00:45:14,319 --> 00:45:18,240 down to causes and conditions. 1025 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:21,240 Therefore, we started upon a personal 1026 00:45:18,240 --> 00:45:21,240 inventory. 1027 00:45:21,680 --> 00:45:28,319 That is the clear-cut directions in step 1028 00:45:24,960 --> 00:45:31,319 three. So, to summarize what those are 1029 00:45:28,319 --> 00:45:31,319 beautiful 1030 00:45:31,839 --> 00:45:36,160 says, how do we do this? How do we do 1031 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:37,520 the third step? 1032 00:45:36,160 --> 00:45:39,760 And then they say, "We're going to tell 1033 00:45:37,520 --> 00:45:42,079 you exactly how to do it." But there's 1034 00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:43,680 one thing necessary in order to proceed. 1035 00:45:42,079 --> 00:45:46,960 And that is that we've got to be 1036 00:45:43,680 --> 00:45:49,680 convinced that self-propulsion that 1037 00:45:46,960 --> 00:45:52,079 playing the role of God doesn't work. If 1038 00:45:49,680 --> 00:45:54,640 we're not convinced that, the rest is 1039 00:45:52,079 --> 00:45:56,400 trash. 1040 00:45:54,640 --> 00:45:57,680 If I'm not convinced that my car needs 1041 00:45:56,400 --> 00:46:00,800 to go to the mechanic, I'm not going to 1042 00:45:57,680 --> 00:46:02,160 take the car to the mechanic. 1043 00:46:00,800 --> 00:46:04,560 It's not going to happen. I'm just not 1044 00:46:02,160 --> 00:46:06,960 going to do it. 1045 00:46:04,560 --> 00:46:10,480 So that's the first requirement in my 1046 00:46:06,960 --> 00:46:13,359 experience to be honest. 1047 00:46:10,480 --> 00:46:16,359 Meeting this first requirement is 1048 00:46:13,359 --> 00:46:16,359 rare. 1049 00:46:17,680 --> 00:46:22,319 It's rare, but that's the first 1050 00:46:19,760 --> 00:46:24,079 requirement. 1051 00:46:22,319 --> 00:46:26,560 Then they try to help us meet that 1052 00:46:24,079 --> 00:46:28,880 requirement by talking about 1053 00:46:26,560 --> 00:46:32,560 what spiritual sickness looks like for 1054 00:46:28,880 --> 00:46:34,400 everyone. Most people any life 1055 00:46:32,560 --> 00:46:36,480 run on self-will can hardly be a 1056 00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:39,200 success. 1057 00:46:36,480 --> 00:46:42,200 Selfishness is the root of all mankind's 1058 00:46:39,200 --> 00:46:42,200 troubles 1059 00:46:43,599 --> 00:46:49,839 by and large. 1060 00:46:46,720 --> 00:46:53,680 And then they say, "Then 1061 00:46:49,839 --> 00:46:56,000 we quit playing God 1062 00:46:53,680 --> 00:46:59,040 and we make this decision with no intent 1063 00:46:56,000 --> 00:47:01,760 to deceive that God is going to be in 1064 00:46:59,040 --> 00:47:04,560 charge, not us. The only thing that 1065 00:47:01,760 --> 00:47:07,359 matters now is 1066 00:47:04,560 --> 00:47:09,520 how can I help God? What can I do? What 1067 00:47:07,359 --> 00:47:11,280 would God have me do? I know what I want 1068 00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:12,960 to do, but what would God have me do 1069 00:47:11,280 --> 00:47:15,280 right here?" That's the only thing to 1070 00:47:12,960 --> 00:47:16,960 work on now. 1071 00:47:15,280 --> 00:47:19,280 says later in the book, this is the 1072 00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:22,960 proper use of the will. 1073 00:47:19,280 --> 00:47:24,560 So, we're not really throwing our will 1074 00:47:22,960 --> 00:47:26,240 in some lake somewhere when it says 1075 00:47:24,560 --> 00:47:29,040 we're going to turn it over. We're 1076 00:47:26,240 --> 00:47:32,720 actually trying to align our will with 1077 00:47:29,040 --> 00:47:36,960 what we think God's will is. And that is 1078 00:47:32,720 --> 00:47:38,880 where we focus all of our energy. 1079 00:47:36,960 --> 00:47:40,480 That's where we exert our will. Not 1080 00:47:38,880 --> 00:47:42,240 trying to change and control and 1081 00:47:40,480 --> 00:47:45,440 manipulate things around us, but trying 1082 00:47:42,240 --> 00:47:46,800 to keep it aligned with that. I'm on the 1083 00:47:45,440 --> 00:47:50,800 other side of the counter now. What can 1084 00:47:46,800 --> 00:47:54,319 I do to help? 1085 00:47:50,800 --> 00:47:56,400 Then we say it. We express it once we 1086 00:47:54,319 --> 00:48:00,720 thought well about it, making sure we're 1087 00:47:56,400 --> 00:48:02,560 utterly ready, completely ready. 1088 00:48:00,720 --> 00:48:08,000 And then 1089 00:48:02,560 --> 00:48:10,800 we started an inventory right away. 1090 00:48:08,000 --> 00:48:12,480 right away. And it promises us if we 1091 00:48:10,800 --> 00:48:14,319 don't 1092 00:48:12,480 --> 00:48:16,480 at once 1093 00:48:14,319 --> 00:48:18,480 launch on a course of vigorous action, 1094 00:48:16,480 --> 00:48:21,200 whatever experience we may have had from 1095 00:48:18,480 --> 00:48:24,960 step three will dissipate. 1096 00:48:21,200 --> 00:48:26,720 It will promises that. 1097 00:48:24,960 --> 00:48:28,640 So if you feel good after step three and 1098 00:48:26,720 --> 00:48:30,800 you don't launch on a course of vigorous 1099 00:48:28,640 --> 00:48:34,319 action, 1100 00:48:30,800 --> 00:48:39,680 the feeling will go away. 1101 00:48:34,319 --> 00:48:41,200 Step three is a wedding in a way. Any 1102 00:48:39,680 --> 00:48:43,680 windup monkey can have a beautiful 1103 00:48:41,200 --> 00:48:47,359 wedding. That's easy. People do it all 1104 00:48:43,680 --> 00:48:51,720 the time. But the marriage 1105 00:48:47,359 --> 00:48:51,720 is the remaining steps. 1106 00:48:52,480 --> 00:48:59,359 I made vows to my wife, for example, 1107 00:48:55,920 --> 00:49:02,160 and now I'm backing up those vows with 1108 00:48:59,359 --> 00:49:06,240 action every day. 1109 00:49:02,160 --> 00:49:10,079 that is just like this. 1110 00:49:06,240 --> 00:49:12,480 So quit playing God. 1111 00:49:10,079 --> 00:49:14,880 Doesn't say describe God. Doesn't say 1112 00:49:12,480 --> 00:49:16,559 you have to believe 1113 00:49:14,880 --> 00:49:17,920 anything specific. You have to be open 1114 00:49:16,559 --> 00:49:19,119 to the idea that there's a God and then 1115 00:49:17,920 --> 00:49:22,680 you have to get out of his chair and 1116 00:49:19,119 --> 00:49:22,680 then start writing. 1117 00:49:23,440 --> 00:49:29,440 There it is. I hope it helped someone. 1118 00:49:25,839 --> 00:49:31,040 We will continue next time. 1119 00:49:29,440 --> 00:49:32,800 I'm going to have a guest on here and 1120 00:49:31,040 --> 00:49:36,319 then I'm going to continue with this. 1121 00:49:32,800 --> 00:49:39,200 I'm have a guest next time who's having 1122 00:49:36,319 --> 00:49:43,079 a real experience from this 1123 00:49:39,200 --> 00:49:43,079 understanding of the steps.