The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
I'm considering trying meetings. So I went to the website for my area and found many. However, I am hoping someone can clarify a few things for me.
What exactly is a 'newcomers' meeting? Do only newcomers attend? How do they work. It seems that it would be an uptight meeting if only newbies attend. I imagine most are reluctant to talk at first.
Also, some state that they are 'topic meetings.' So does that mean that every time they meet, there is a specific topic?
I'm recently divorced. I feel I'm going through some type of griefing process. But I'm so content at the same time; I truly enjoy the peace that I now have. I'm also experiencing a little guilt, which I know I should not feel.
I was thinking that perhaps a weekly meeting might keep me in check. I'm willing to try.
I've attended a few AA meetings in the past with my sister, who is a recovering A. So I've got some sense of what goes on.
Thanks in advance, Gail
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You have to go through the darkness to truly know the light. Lama Surya Das
Resentment is like taking poison & waiting for the other person to die. Malachy McCourt
In my experience newcomers meetings are not only attended by newcomers - that WOULD be a pretty interesting meeting. ;) I see a lot of "old-timers" at our local newcomers meeting, and I like to attend the newcomers meeting myself when my work schedule allows, and I've been going to Al-Anon meetings about two and a half years now. Typically, newcomers meetings are just set up so they focus on the first three steps or something similar. Great place to start if you're new to meetings.
Topic meetings typically follow a specific topic, but again, depending on the group, this could be different every single week. My home group could be considered a "topic" meeting as three weeks out of the month, we follow a specific format... first week of the month its the step or tradition of the month, second week is book study (we're on Discovering Choices right now) third week we use The Forum magazine... but we're never stringent.
I've always found that at ANY meeting in my area, we don't force people to stay to a specific subject. As far as we're all concerned, any discussion relating to recovery in the Al-Anon program is welcome, even if we're on a certain topic for the evening.
Aloha GM...Aloha pretty well summed it up on what you asked. I'll add that newcomers meetings allow the newcomers to be guided into the program to allow them to see how the program and meetings work; the protocol and format...after that the transition into all the other meetings is easy. Even newcomer meetings are topic meetings...the first three steps, what to expect, how we respond inside of the meeting and the like. We don't have leaders so we work by group conscience and only use CAL...Conference Approved Literature.
Somewhere along the line after step 3 and beyond you may find that some of your guilt is justified and the program will help you very well with that also.
I was taught early on to park my fear at the front door of the meeting and pick it up again if I wanted after the meeting was over and I was on my way out. It was also suggested that I get to 90 meetings in 90 days which for me went something like 102 in 90 days and then we had 439 meetings a month in the tri-valley area which showed how big a problem alcoholism really was. They said after 90 days if I felt Al-Anon wasn't for me I could pick up my miseries and try something else. As much as I felt that suggestion was less than heart felt, I never took the program up on it. I've tried alot of other stuff and never let go of what saved my life. I am grateful beyond words.
In the meantime there will be suggestions on how to do it, the sharing of experience of how others have done it, and then your own choice. I've done what has worked for others.
