Mark S

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I always try to focus on the new person here at the Recovered Podcast.

As such, I want us to share our experience around these strange places called Alano Clubs

Don’t call them AA Clubs

Although, normal people probably do

First thing first

How do you pronounce Alano?

Let’s start at the beginning for the new person

What is an Alano Club?

What is the purpose of these clubs?

Where are they located?

How do you find them?

Where was your first?

What was your first experience?

Are clubs affiliated with any religious institution?

Do you need to be a member of the Alano club to attend meetings here?

Do Alano Clubs receive any city, state or federal funding?

Do I need to be an alcoholic or addict to visit?

What is the difference between AA and the Alano Club?

Is the Alano Club AA?

Do I have to pay to attend meetings?

Do you have to be a member of a 12 step fellowship to be an Alano member?

What is the relationship between Alano Clubs and the Traditions?

AA has no dues or fee, what about Alano Clubs?

What about outside group donations to an Alano club?

What about gambling at Clubs as a fundraiser?

What about material donations such as furniture from outside groups?

What about club directors, do they need to be AA members?

What happens if a director relapses?

Should a Club have AA in it’s name?

Why go to clubs?

What should someone expect at an Alano club?

Are clubs associated with AA?

What is the history of Alano Clubs?

Can AA function without clubs?

Can clubs function without AA?

Anna S. and Jose on 12 Hour Podcast – Recovered 503

By: Mark S

June 10, 2014

Call us with your feedback at 734-288-7510

While we are on hiatus, we are playing some material from our 12 Hour Podcast launched in 2013.

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Special App Owner Open Talk From Mark S – Recovered 502

By: Mark S

June 9, 2014

This Open Talk is exclusively for our Recovered App owners. Thanks for the support! If you upgrade to Premium, your contribution will help keep us on the web.

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Premium Open Talk From Megan B – Recovered 501

By: Mark S

June 8, 2014

Call 734-288-7510 and give us feedback.

This Open Talk is exclusively for our Premium Subscibers only. Thanks for the support! If you upgrade to Premium, your contribution will help keep us on the web.

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Andrew S. – Recovered 500

By: Mark S

June 4, 2014

Sober Life Mouthwash Website
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The Big Book
The 12 and 12
24 Hours a Day
In honor of our 500th episode, we are re-issuing the episode reflecting on the life of our late son Andrew S.

Special App Owner Open Talk from Garrett G – Recovered 499

By: Mark S

June 1, 2014

We will be on hiatus for the next couple of weeks. We will be publishing open Talks for both App Owners and Premium Subscibers.

This Open Talk is exclusively for our Recovered App owners. Thanks for the support! If you upgrade to Premium, your contribution will help keep us on the web.

In the Extras area of the App, we have a promotion flyer for the podcast. Just tap the lower case “e” located at the lower right hand of iPhone sceen and then tap PDF. Remember, in this same area of the app, we have the Big Book, the 12 and 12, along with a daily reader. Please support Sober Life Mouthwash, your support of this product supports the podcast.

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Charles C’s Open Talk – Recovered 498

By: Mark S

May 29, 2014

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The Orange Papers – Recovered 497

By: Mark S

May 28, 2014

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The Recovery Topic is The Orange Papers. We will study the words of the author and talk about what he has to say and what we can learn.

In the Introduction page of the website, the author writes “The Orange Papers is “an attempt to clarify my own thinking about A.A., and to explain to others why I felt that there was something wrong with people trying to shove Alcoholics Anonymous on patients”.

You thoughts on this purpose statement, specifically the word “shove”

What can we learn from this purpose statement?

The author was required to attend treatment. In the author’s words, “Most of the “course of treatment” consisted of compulsory attendance of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous 12-step meetings, and “group therapy” sessions where xeroxed copies of A.A. and N.A. literature was handed out and discussed by a 12-step true-believer group leader, someone who just assumed that of course everyone who recovers will do it at 12-step meetings.”

What can we learn from this?..

The author states, “I started out with a very positive view of Alcoholics Anonymous. Like most people, I had only heard good things about A.A., and thought that it was just a wonderful self-help group where alcoholics got together to give each other moral support and advice in quitting drinking.”

Your thoughts and what can we learn?

The author writes, “I mentioned the fact that a dozen years earlier, I had quit drinking, all on my own, and stayed quit for over three years. The counselor declared that I had not had a period of “recovery,””

Thoughts and what can we learn?

The author continues, “They (AA members) will always declare that you are not “in recovery” if you are not attending their Twelve-Step meetings and doing their Twelve Steps. You are “only abstaining” from drinking alcohol, or “only dry”, but not “sober”.

Thoughts and what can we learn?

p.164 vision for you

The author writes, “I came to the conclusion that Alcoholics Anonymous is really just a cult religion, one that passes off its proselytizing under the guise of alcoholism treatment, in just the same way as the Church of Scientology sells its cultish psycho-babble and techno-babble nonsense as self-improving psychotherapy.

Thoughts, what can we learn?

cult

kəlt/Submit

noun

a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.

“the cult of St. Olaf”

a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.

“a network of Satan-worshiping cults”

synonyms:sect, denomination, group, movement, church, persuasion, body, faction More

a misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing.

“a cult of personality surrounding the leaders”

synonyms:obsession with, fixation on, mania for, passion for, idolization of, devotion to, worship of, veneration of More

The author writes, “Bill Wilson talks at length about the need to be freed from ego, the need to be freed from “the bondage of self.” But Mr. Wilson’s methods are ineffective and harmful to people. He makes students wallow in guilt and shame, and grinds their faces in the mud.

Thoughts, what can we learn?

The author writes, “Wilson repeatedly declared that all alcoholics must be rid of selfishness: “Selfishness, self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.” But you will find out that what Wilson really means by that is that you must spend all of your time recruiting and indoctrinating new members for Alcoholics Anonymous.

Thoughts, what can we learn?

“Spiritual, not religious,” but it is really “Superstitious, not religious.”

Thoughts, what can we learn?

The author writes, “A.A. assures the students that they will get good results from working the program, if they are willing to go to any length to get sobriety, and if they really try, but the truth is that they almost invariably will not get the promised results. A.A. has a failure rate that ranges from 95% to 100%. “

Thoughts, what can we learn?

The author writes, “One young was having a problem with “giving herself completely” to the 12-step program, one of the resident true believers announced that the answer to all such problems is “Do The Twelve Steps, Get A Sponsor, and Read The Big Book.” Well, it didn’t work. She relapsed repeatedly, and they kicked her out of the program.

Thoughts, what can we learn?

The author writes, “I just can’t help but think that there must be some better way to handle such problems than a method that is obviously not working, the currently-used 12-step program. I can’t help but think that a lot of people might be better off if they got some other treatment or therapy besides cult religion and voodoo medicine.”

Thoughts, what can we learn?

Kylie O’s Open Talk – Recovered 496

By: Mark S

May 24, 2014

This Open Talk is exclusively for our Recovered App owners. Thanks for the support! If you upgrade to Premium, your contribution will help keep us on the web.

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Meeting Types – Recovered 495

By: Mark S

May 21, 2014

Tonight, we are going to talk about meetings. Specifically, meeting types.

Meetings are the foundation for a recovery program.

It’s where we learn about the program.

It’s likely the place we will meet our sponsor.

It’s a place to get phone numbers

It’s where we meet sober friends.

So Zach, let’s talk about the many different meeting formats

Let’s talk about the ones we have experienced.

the ones we like

the ones we don’t like

we may even talk about meetings we have heard about

Zach, your initial thoughts on this subject.

Cristie, how about you, what first came to your mind when you knew we would be talking about meeting formats.

there are some common elements

Speaker intro followed by opening prayer, usually the serenity prayer

The preamble -3. Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience,strength and hope …

“How it Works”

from here on, it’s a mixed bag

Traditions)

new members to introduce themselves by their first name only–

Ask any visitors to introduce themselves and say where they are from.

Make regular announcements about group business, events and announcements from The

Pass the basket(s). The secretary can say something like:

have no dues or fees in A.A.

introduce the speaker followed by discussion

announce the topic to the room and discussion

here in SE michigan, we break into small table discussions

meeting types such as:

lead discussion

big book

step study

We have phone calls,

Would you like to take a call?

Bronte Arrow Below

grape vine

12 & 12 study

Tradition Study

Meditation

Group Conscience

We have more calls,

want to take another call?

Barbara From oregon

read literature and share

crosstalk

meditation

group therapy

digs

open talk

standing, no chairs

smoking

eating

with kids

friends and family included

intervention meetings

with a therapist

with a specialist

one big room

small groups

outside

beach

mountains

at treatment centers

most unusual

most memorable

worst

best

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