Aa Beyond Belief

In this episode Angela and John speak with Jackie S. about the power of pausing and meditation to bring mindfulness to our recover and how we can benefit from that. This episode was recorded as a live stream on our public YouTube channel and our private Facebook group. We stream an episode every Friday night at 7:00 pm Central Time.  

In this episode, Benn and John meet Bobby C. from Huntington Beach, California. Bobby has been sober since February 27, 1984 and participates in both AA as well as SMART Recovery meetings. Bobby shares his story which evolves into an interesting conversation about anonymity, secular recovery options, and recovery culture. 

Doug P. has been sober for over 25 years. He left AA approximately eight years ago because he was bored with all the god bit, but returned upon finding a secular AA meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia where he lives. This is his story.

In this episode, Angela and John talk about emotional sobriety while taking calls from listeners, and responding to comments in the YouTube chatroom. The term emotional sobriety originated from a letter that Bill W. wrote to a friend in 1953. Bill, sober for twenty years, was suffering from depression and was frustrated that the AA program didn't seem to help him with depression as it did for his drinking. Giving it some thought, he concluded that he needed emotional sobriety, which he defined as freedom from unhealthy dependencies on people and circumstances. 

This episode features a conversation with Bob K., author of Key Players in AA History. The conversation includes a discussion of AA co-founder Bill W., the first women in AA, and some of the common misunderstanding's of the AA founding mythology. We took calls from listeners who asked questions about the Steps, inconsistencies in the Big Book, and sponsorship.  Every Friday night at 7:00 PM Central, Angela and John host a live stream on the AA Beyond Belief YouTube Channel. We will have a topic to discuss and take questions from the chatroom in YouTube and from callers to our toll-number. 

Angela and John talk about platitudes, slogans, and common sayings heard in the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous. Are they useful? If so, which ones? Are any of them harmful or downright mean? This was recorded live on YouTube as part of our sober distancing series. We took calls, responded to comments in the chatroom and had an all around good time. 

Every Friday night at 7:00 PM Central, Angela and John live stream on the AA Beyond Belief YouTube Channel. You can participate by commenting in the live chat or calling in by phone. This episode featured a discussion of sponsorship and seeking outside professional help. The episode will be available in the next day or two on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode Angela, Benn, and John talk about emotional balance in the context of Step 10. This was recorded from our weekly Friday night live stream on YouTube. Bobby C., Jaren C., and Peter from Vermont called in with their comments.

This episode features a discussion about how the Covid 19 pandemic is affecting AA groups, and AA members. We talk about online meetings and other means of finding support when meeting in person isn't possible. This was a live stream on YouTube with listeners calling in to the show.

John H. from the We Agnostics Group in Washington DC makes another appearance on the podcast to talk about deprogramming from AA. The word “deprogramming” may seem strong, but for those of us who have spent some time in traditional AA, didn’t we have to unlearn a few things? I know that I did, and I’m still unlearning and relearning.

Angela B. provides an ICSAA update and talks about the One Big Tent Secular AA Conference to be held in Langley, British Columbia on May 16, 2020. Jamison M. joined in by phone to talk about starting a secular AA meeting in Lodi, New Jersey. It's an interesting story that involves help from a person of faith. Today, the group is thriving and providing a safe and secular space for people to support one another in their desire to stay sober. 

As storm Ciara tore its path across the United Kingdom, somewhere in London, Jeremy P. hunkered down and spoke with me for this podcast. A few weeks prior to recording this episode, Jeremy sent me a very thoughtful email about his difficulty identifying with many of the AA speakers he hears on various podcasts. He explained that this is keeping him from saying anything at the meetings he attends. His inclination is to introduce himself b saying, "my name is Jeremy, and I don't know what I am."  What makes an alcoholic, and if you're not sure, can you be a member of AA? That in part is what this podcast covers. 

In this episode, I spoke with Erik Haines , a public health advocate in Canada who has studied and written about how changing attitudes regarding addiction and recovery are impacting public policy, treatment options, and new modes of support for people recovering from addictions of all kinds.  

Jaren recently completed an ultra marathon, a 100 mile trek, and while running his thoughts took him back to when he was twenty-five years old and  went to his first AA meeting. The people in the room gave him hope because he could relate with them and they to him. At that first meeting, a man made him a promise that if he could stay sober one day at a time, he would have a wonderful life and do things he never thought possible. This promise continues to be realized in Jaren's life.  

Tom S. was the featured speaker on January 5, 2019. Originally from Alabama, Tom shared his story of addiction and recovery. After he spoke, an interesting discussion ensued on the topic of the primary purpose in AA and whether or not drug addicts are welcomed to attend AA meetings.

Angela and I concluded our series on the Twelve Steps by live streaming this episode on YouTube and taking calls. Glenn G. from Jacksonville called in and talked about his work with his Area to have a secular AA workshop at the Florida State convention. It was a fun conversation fitting for this step, which as far as I'm concerned is about enjoying life. 

PJ, originally from Ireland, migrated to Sydney in in 1989 and got sober in 1993. Having come from an Irish tradition of oral storytelling he naturally gravitated towards the wonderful Sydney AA storytellers, who shared their experience, strength, and hope. This has proven to be a mainstay of his sobriety with the tried and tested formula of sharing in a general way what we used to be like, what happened, and what we are like now

Lisa K. spoke at the KC Secular AA Speaker Meeting on December 8, 2018. Lisa shares her experience as an adoptee and how it impacted her alcoholism and recovery.

Angela and I had a nice conversation about Step 11, which in its traditional wording seems difficult for a secular person to even be interested in pursuing. However, for me and for Angela as well, this step wasn't about making a conscious contact with a god. I liked the way that Angela described this step. She sees it as "being about openness and taking the new space in our lives and putting something good there." 

John talks about starting a secular AA meeting from his own experience as well as what he has learned from others. After defining what makes an AA meeting "secular", he talks about why you might want to start a meeting, and how to go about finding a meeting place and getting the group registered with GSO.