This program is a recording of part of a live event at the esalen institute near big sur, california. Bill asks us to note that this letter should occasion no concern as both bill and his friend are today in the cleared. Countless books will talk about addiction and recovery, and how sobriety has changed someones life memoirs, psychology books, and so on. Emotional sobriety the next frontier selected stories from the aa grapevine. Some might think that it means being happy, joyous, and free, a common adage in 12step meetings, taken from aa literature. In this letter bill suggests that emotional sobriety should be the next frontier that aa should pursue.
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. He was telling us that emotional sobriety is our next frontier. Despite escaping his addiction and helping to establish aa, bill wilson suffered from bouts of depression. 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. Bill wilson s fourth legacy was emotional sobriety. 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. The individual needs to also develop emotional sobriety.
But if were correct that the spiritual malady is the real problem, and drinking, drugs, selfpity, self centered fear, demands for. Sidney cohen, who participated in at least two of the lsd sessions bill experienced in the late 1950s at the veterans administration. In the first six months of my own sobriety, i worked hard with many alcoholics. This specific recording took place on saturday morning, june 16th and consists of bruces deep dive into the mind of mckenna. He was 16 years sober at the time, and just about to turn 55. 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. This broadcast is especially appropriate at this time when our nation and world tend to be emotionally dependent on our circumstances rather than. There must be at least a million stupid things that we can do to mess up recovery all of them selfdestructive.
Emotional sobriety is a phrase coined by bill wilson founder of alcoholic anonymous in an essay, the next frontier. Archives, too, if memory serves correctly always questionable. In fact, this was the first piece of literature that mentioned the concept of emotional sobriety. Emotional sobriety ada center for professional success.
Emotional sobriety is what stage ii recovery is all about. As it turns out, emotional sobriety is bill wilson s fourth legacy. In january 1958, bill wrote a grapevine article titled the next frontier. This book is the best resource i know for understanding emotional. 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. Emotions produce euphoric and intoxicating effects. Unpacking bill wilsons 1956 letter on emotional sobriety. Thus i think it can work out with emotional sobriety. Emotional sobriety by bill wilson alcoholics anonymous. 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.
Bill makes remarks about anne smith and other important root sources. Bill originally wrote about emotional sobriety in a letter he sent to a depressed friend in 1956. However, all roads to recovery are different, and so are addictions, even though everyone experiences some kind of struggle. On the blog, my word like fire, author unknown, i found this reference to one of bill s lsd sessions with betty eisner. 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. 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 and its companion help define what emotional sobriety is. He bases his work on bill wilson s concepts, outlined in his 1958 aa grapevine article titled the next frontier. Part two emotional sobriety monday, december 16, 2019 step eight. They can produce a sense of ease and comfort and contentment. Bill s letter on emotional sobriety i think that many oldsters who have put our booze cure. Many discover that happiness is a byproduct of giving without any demand for return.
Eternal sobriety a spiritual site for the recovering. Bill wilson archives center for action and contemplation. My former sponsor since moved out of state had a copy and i believe i saw one at the akron a. Website designed at homestead get a website and list your business. The phrase has been used in various twelve step groups to indicate the next stage of recovery. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Some books 12 smart things to do when the booze and drugs are gone, 2008, allen berger, hazelden emotional sobriety. Alcoholism12 step support emotional sobriety by bill wilson this is the substance of a revealing letter which bill wilson wrote several years ago to. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. I think that many oldsters who have put our aa booze cure to severe but successful tests still find they often lack emotional sobriety. This may be the best and most complete retelling of his story, and the most personal about his relationship wit. It wasnt a question of those alcoholics giving me anything. Based on the readily available reference material, bill wilson was the author of the chapter of the big book titled. Bill wilson was one of the founders of alcoholics anonymous.
Bill ws article in the grapevine recovery farmhouse. William griffith wilson november 26, 1895 january 24, 1971, also known as bill wilson or bill w. The next frontier alcoholics anonymous 12 step program 12 steps of aa akron ohio aa new york the big book of aa 2nd edition. In 1956 bill wilson wrote a letter to a depressed friend offering him assistance in understanding depression. Emotional sobriety the next frontier selected stories. To better define emotional sobriety, i want to unpack a letter that bill wilson wrote to help a depressed friend. Here are the creative, heartfelt insights of several dozen sober seekers whose artic. Simpson was just an exfootball player, a commentator, and a car rental spokesperson.
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. Berger expands on bill wilson s understanding of emotional sobriety. 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. The two principal versions of the 12 steps are markedly different in history and in spirit. The top 8 books on addiction and recovery sober nation. Emotional sobriety i kindle edition by aa grapevine inc. Emotional sobriety commenting that he had a bad episode of depression after 1955. My stability came out of trying to give, not out of demanding that i receive. The book pass it on pio 387391 has a fairly full discussion. Emotional sobriety involves maintaining autonomy while maintaining togetherness. Emotional sobriety unpacking bill wilsons letter part. The last page of the last story in the book alcoholics anonymous, 4th. One was written by a young, optimistic bill wilson on the pink cloud of early sobriety.
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. 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. Emotional sobriety unpacking bill wilsons letter part two. And bill talked about the issue of over dependence on other people. Emotional sobriety ii paperback january 1, 2011 by aa grapevine author 4. Betty the lsd researcher and aa cofounder bill wilson. 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 first mentioned emotional sobriety in the twelve and twelve when discussing the effect of. Emotional sobriety the next frontier selected stories from the aa grapevine aa grapevine on.
It also created traditions issues within the fellowship and caused a bit of an uproar. Allen berger, author of twelve stupid things that mess up recovery as they continue the process of. Emotional sobriety i think that many oldsters who have put our aa booze cure to severe but successful tests still find they often lack. Bill wilson, emotional sobriety but if were correct that the spiritual malady is the real problem, and drinking, drugs, self. Only through his own painful, closely observed experience could bill w. Bill wilsons struggle with depression recovery from. When we are operating under the influence of our emotions verses the influence of our intelligence we are emotionally inebriate. He found that physical sobriety is not enough to ensure mental peace in recovery.
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