Big Book Basics
What is the Big Book?
This Step begins with admitting powerlessness over alcohol.
What is Step One?
This Tradition says the common welfare should come first.
What is Tradition One?
This phrase describes taking life one day at a time.
What is "One Day at a Time"?
Personal recovery stories are often grouped under this word: “strength, hope, and ___.”
What is Hope?
This part of the Big Book explains how the recovery program works in action.
What is "How it Works"?
This Step involves making a searching and fearless moral inventory.
What is Step Four?
This Tradition says AA has but one primary purpose.
What is Tradition Five?
This slogan reminds members to “keep it” this, instead of overcomplicating recovery.
What is simple?
In AA meetings, this word refers to the firsthand account of someone’s drinking and recovery journey.
What is a Share / Chair / Lead?
This Big Book chapter explains why many alcoholics cannot safely take even one drink.
What is "More About Alcoholism"?
This Step includes admitting to God, ourselves, and another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
What is Step Five?
This Tradition says each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.
What is Tradition Four?
This common AA idea suggests changing old behavior patterns by “acting as if.”
What is "Fake it till you Make it"?
In many AA stories, this painful turning point is the crisis that helps someone finally seek help.
What is a bottom or hitting bottom?
The chapter “We Agnostics” is aimed mainly at people who struggle with this issue.
What is belief in God / spiritual doubt / difficulty with faith?
This Step is about becoming entirely ready to have defects of character removed.
What is Step Six?
This Tradition says AA ought never be organized, but may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
What is Tradition Nine?
This phrase refers to emotional, spiritual, and behavioral growth rather than perfection.
What is "Progress, not Perfection"?
In many AA stories, this is the honest moment when a person stops blaming others and starts recognizing their own drinking problem.
What is acceptance?
In the Big Book, the chapter “Into Action” mainly focuses on this phase of recovery.
What is making amends and living the program through action?
This Step focuses on prayer and meditation to improve conscious contact with God as we understood Him.
What is Step Eleven?
This Tradition warns against endorsing, financing, or lending the AA name to outside enterprises.
What is Tradition Six?
This phrase describes surrendering self-will and accepting guidance from a Higher Power.
What is "Letting go and letting God"?
In many AA stories, this moment happens when someone hears another member speak and realizes, "That person thinks and drinks like I do."
What is identification?