Publicado originalmente [en inglés] en 1967 con el título de The A.A. Way of Life [La manera de vivir de A.A.], este libro contiene materiales que reflejan la experiencia y el punto de vista personal del cofundador Bill W. Del texto de su prólogo: “En este volumen aparecen varios centenares de extractos de nuestra literatura que tratan de casi todo aspecto de nuestra manera de vivir de A.A. Se cree que este material puede ser de ayuda para la meditación individual y servir como estímulo para las discusiones de grupo, y además puede conducir a una lectura aun más amplia de nuestra literatura. Durante los pasados veinticinco años, he tenido el privilegio de escribir los siguientes libros acerca de A.A.: el texto de Alcohólicos Anónimos, Doce Pasos y Doce Tradiciones, Alcohólicos Anónimos llega a su mayoría de edad, y Los Doce Conceptos para el servicio mundial, este último como parte de nuestro ‘Manual del Tercer Legado’. [Ahora titulado El Manual de Servicio de A.A.] Muchos artículos han sido escritos para nuestra revista mensual, el A.A. Grapevine, y siempre he mantenido una nutrida correspondencia personal”.
Bill W., co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, deals with nearly every aspect of the A.A. way of life. From the humility, defined in A.A. as teachability, with the Twelve Steps especially admitting powerlessness over alcohol and even people, places and things to other aspects of how Bill viewed A.A. He expands on how a recovering alcoholic passes through a grieving process which often leads to depression and relates how he processed through and overcame this depression. Bill tells the story of Ebby, his A.A. sponsor, who worked closely with him and was the first to suggest that Bill choose his own concept of a Higher Power which paved the way for the Spiritual path in A.A. Drawing from many sources: letters and talks, the Grapevine,-A.A.'s monthly magazine-articles, the A.A. Service Manual, A.A. Comes of Age, Twelve Concepts for World Service, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book in A.A jargon), and A.A. Today; Bill covers a hundred concerns that an alcoholic seeking recovery from a life that has sent him to his destruction, or bottom as described in A.A.
I have been using this book to supplement for daily reflections for the past 8 months. It is a wonderful book with excerpts taken from The Big Book, Daily Reflections, the Grapevine, personal letters, and The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. Each page has a short reflection which usually serves as a quick, though timely reminder. I even used some of the quotes on my own Facebook as they are able to benefit virtually everyone (not just those suffering from addictions).
Bill Wilson's take on many topics associated with the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Wilson was a founder of the program which has improved the lives of many alcoholics and served as a model for helping folks, all over the world, with various compulsions.
a) Resolvemos vivir nuestra vida un día a la vez; sólo por 24 horas.
b) Diariamente pedimos orientación para ese día.
c) Oramos o meditamos cada noche, dando gracias por ese día.
d) Resolvemos obrar con la cabeza y renunciar a la cólera, sea cual fuere la situación que se presente.
e) Somos pacientes.
f) Nos conservamos en calma, tranquilos.
g) Ahora bien, lo que es más importante, si surge cualquier situación PEQUEÑA ordinaria, o bien GRANDES situaciones, las abordamos con tranquilidad y justicia, con la mente abierta, estamos así en completa armonía. Con los sencillos y reales principios de que A.A. nos ha enseñado y nos continuará enseñando.
Es decir, nuestra SOBRIEDAD es solamente una corrección de nuestros peores y más sobresalientes defectos. Nuestro modo de vivir cada día, conforme a los principios de A. A., corregirá también todas nuestras demás faltas menores, y eliminará paulatinamente, uno por uno, todos nuestros defectos de carácter que ocasionan descontentos, fricciones y estado de ánimo de rebeldía que nos conducen a la infelicidad, y de nuevo, directamente a nuestra máxima fuente de destrucción: la bebida.
HAGA PREGUNTAS
Ninguna pregunta concerniente a beber o dejar de beber es necia o intrascendente. El asunto es demasiado GRAVE. En A.A. aprendemos mediante preguntas y respuestas. Aprendemos mediante el intercambio de pensamientos y experiencias. Toda pregunta que podamos hacer nos ayuda y puede ayudar a los demás.
Dios me conceda Serenidad para aceptar las cosas que no puedo cambiar; Valor para cambiar las que sí puedo, y Sabiduria para distinguir la Diferencia.
I read this book almost every day for a year. I read two pages a day, advancing one page. Thus reading each page twice, not all of them but most.
This book is amazing. This strengthened my sobriety. It came out of a mushroom trip that showed me that I had been wanting to drink for a few months. I had to do something, doing daily readings was one of the answers.
Bill is a beautiful soul and a powerful writer. I am deeply grateful for what he and Dr. Bob gave to this world. This book shows Bill’s growth, his open mindedness, his patience, his commitment to the principles, his humility, and more. It’s not about him but dang he was great. The more I read from Bill the more I respect him. Gosh, this was a powerful book. Absolutely a reread
I’m not really a daily reflection kind of person. However, here you’ll find many 1 page “reflections” that touch pretty much every category of AA related things and the associated day to day life. I’ll keep the book on the shelf but probably won’t read it again.
Short insights from one of the founders of AA. After 35 years of sobriety, what these men figured out to save us lost cases really works. This let's you see though his eyes simple wisdom that works.
Love him or hate him, or somewhere in between, there are many great quotes and insights from Bill. I reference this text daily in my check ins and inventory.