Recoveries Anonymous

How can R.A. be open to anyone with any problem or behavior?

Our experience is that most of our problems and behaviors result from normal instinctive drives being carried to insane extremes.

For example, eating, drinking, taking an everyday risk, feeling a normal range of emotions, etc. are natural, essential behaviors. When someone becomes an overeater, alcoholic, gambler, or depressed, etc. these normal drives are taken to insane extremes. They eat large amounts of food, drink large amounts of alcohol, bet large amounts of money, or feel suicidal.

These insane physical and mental extremes not only hurt us but hurt others as well. However, as it says in the Big Book on page 64, "We have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically."

This tells us that our problems and behaviors, whether mental or physical, are the symptoms of a spiritual illness—a sort of spiritual insanity.

To sum up, our common problem is a spiritual malady that causes normal instinctive drives to go to insane extremes. This results in all of our various symptoms—our various problems and behaviors.

How can R.A. work for any problem or behavior?

The goal of our program is to help you receive the promise of the Second Step and come "to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity."

We do this by thoroughly following the pioneers' path. We work all Twelve Steps using the pioneers' original "clear-cut directions" from the Multilith Big Book.

The original Twelfth Step says that you will have "a spiritual experience as the result of this course of action." This spiritual experience will heal your spiritual malady.

Then, as the Big Book, on page 84 promises, your "sanity will have returned"; you will begin to "react sanely and normally" in every area of your life; the insane extremes of your problems and behaviors will be "removed."

What is different about being restored to sanity?

Having our sanity restored is very different from the "white knuckle, one day at a time" abstinence or sobriety that is often the goal in other programs.

In the Multilith Big Book, on page 38, the pioneers describe the difference this way, "And you have ceased fighting anything or anyone—even alcohol. For by this time your sanity will have returned. You will seldom be interested in liquor. If tempted, you will recoil from it as you would from a hot flame. You will react sanely and normally. You will find this has happened automatically. You will see that your new attitude toward liquor has been given you without any thought or effort on your part. It just comes! That is the miracle of it. You are not fighting it, neither are you avoiding temptation. You feel as though you had been placed in a position of neutrality. You feel safe and protected. You have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for you. You are neither cocky nor are you afraid. That is our experience. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition."

This paragraph is from R.A.'s Annotated Copy of the Multilith Big Book. If you have not already downloaded a copy, we urge you to do so. In the Big Book the corresponding paragraph starts on the bottom of page 84.

Getting Started:

The first thing to do to start working the R.A. program is to pray; even if you do not believe in God, or in the power of prayer—pray! Second, use the "Suggestions For The Daily Quiet Time," on page 6 of R.A.'s Newcomer Guide. For examples of how to follow these suggestions, refer to "An Example Of The Daily Quiet Time," on page 8 of R.A.'s Newcomer Guide. Even if you already devote a part of your day to religious observance, or to prayer and meditation, follow these suggestions in addition. Some people call "The Daily Quiet Time," "The Morning Quiet Time." However, experience has shown that the time of day you do it is not important. Some of us even split it into morning and evening sessions. What is important is to fully work all Twelve Steps. This means to consistently make having a "Daily Quiet Time" a priority in your day.

Getting Results:

As you pray and meditate, as you take the actions needed to work all Twelve Steps, it is important that you also try to start behaving sanely and normally. For example, if you are eating, drinking, gambling, smoking, spending, working, using, abusing, feeling depressed, dependent, etc., to a harmful extreme—pray! If someone is hurting you—pray! Especially at the moment of temptation—pray! Ask God to do for you what you have that used to baffle you. Pray for this so that you can bear witness to those you would help of God's power, love, and way of life. However, you won't know God's answer unless you also try to behave sanely. This is very different from the self–reliant, self–centered trying that didn't work in the past, because you are now throwing the responsibility for success upon God. Trust in this process. Trust that God is helping you. Keep on in this way, no matter how many times it may seem to fail. If you persist you will find, as you work all Twelve Steps, that you will, sooner or later, start reacting sanely and normally; and, if you continue to work this program each day for the rest of your life, you will find that your restoration to sanity—your recovery, will be permanent.

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