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Miracles In Progress 12 Step Recovery Forums -> Al-Anon Family Group -> Al-Anon Family Group -> The 4 Absolutes
Post Info TOPIC: The 4 Absolutes
Tiger2006


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The 4 Absolutes
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Way back in the day, before the AA program had any steps, traditions or literature at all--and forget al anon!--there were the 4 absolutes. Based on The Oxford Group in England, the first group to attempt to takle alcholism as an individual disease, the foundation for the AA program--and for al anon--the 4 absolutes were as follows:

Today's thoughts from Hazelden are:

The Four Absolutes
by the Oxford Group, used by early AAs before the Twelve Steps were written

Absolute Honesty
Both with ourselves and with others, in word, deed, and thought.

Absolute Unselfishness
To be willing, wherever possible, to help others who need our help.

Absolute Love
You shall love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. And. . . you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

Absolute Purity
Purity of mind, of body, and of purpose.

You are reading from the book:

2911.jpg

The 12 Step Prayer Book Volume 2 by Bill P. and Lisa D.

I always think of these whenever I'm in a meditative "blah" needing a boost. An oldtimer explained these to me this way, drawing a pyramid as she went: at the foundation of any recovery is absolute honesty, because without it, we can't recover anything, let alone be in a relationship with anyone else. We then let the love of the program surround us with its absolute love, because as we're absolutely honest with ourselves, we see things about our selves, our lives and our situation that we'd rather not. As we come to terms with the disease, we see our motives for what they are, and we strive to be pure in all that we are. If we continue to work our program we become unsefish, diciplined human beings, wanting the best for all our bretherin, and carrying the message to those who suffer.
Food for thought. Have a good day!



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glad


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Thank you so much for posting this....you have no idea who you will touch when you share and how or why the touch will be needed. Thank you.

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charr


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Thank you Tiger,
I missed my second meeting monday, I let myself down.
Thank you all for this forum

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maresie


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When I read Susan Cheever's book on Bill W and the early beginnings of AA I fell absolutely in love with them not because of their legacy but because they were so incredibly human rather than someone to put on a pedastel.  I no longer idolize Bill or Lois but I know they absolutely did the best they could and they did it all despite Bill's alcoholism and Lois's codependence and all their flaws.  I believe it was Susan's book rather than the Big book (and the chonicles of what a labor the Big Book was is in there in Susan's book) that helped me to see that I could indeed be human, recoveirng from codependence and flawed but still valuable to others in the way both Bill W and Lois were.

Maresie.



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maresie
nmike


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Thanks Tiger. Life's lessons should be simple.

In support,
Nancy

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