Our Favourite Alcoholics Anonymous Quotes

If you're interested in personal growth, overcoming challenges, and finding support on the journey to sobriety, you might find "Alcoholics Anonymous" (often referred to as the Big Book) to be an invaluable resource and source of inspiration. Let's explore this seminal text and uncover its themes of recovery, hope, and the power of community.

"Alcoholics Anonymous" is a foundational text of the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) program, first published in 1939. It stands as a testament to the transformative power of fellowship and the principles of recovery that have helped millions of individuals around the world achieve sobriety.

"The feeling of having shared in a common peril is one element in the powerful cement which binds us." – Narrator

This quote highlights the camaraderie and mutual support that is foundational in the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) community. The shared experiences of members create a bond that is crucial for individual and collective healing.

"We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable." – Step One

This is the first of the Twelve Steps and is crucial for beginning the journey of recovery. It speaks to the necessity of acknowledging one’s limitations and the problems that alcohol has created in one's life.

"Probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism." – Narrator

This line underscores the philosophy of AA that recovery often requires faith in a higher power, beyond human efforts alone, reflecting the spiritual foundation of the AA program.

"Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves." – Step Four

Step Four involves deep self-reflection and honesty, which are essential for personal growth and overcoming addiction. This process helps members understand deeper aspects of their character and behaviors.

"We are not saints. The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines." – Narrator

This quote emphasizes that perfection is not the goal in AA; rather, the focus is on continual personal and spiritual development, making recovery a journey rather than a destination.

"Faith without works is dead." – Narrator

A call to action within the spiritual framework of AA, this quote stresses the importance of putting one's newfound beliefs into practice through actions that support recovery and demonstrate change.

"Resentment is the 'number one' offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else." – Narrator

Highlighting the emotional challenges in recovery, this quote points to resentment as a major obstacle to sobriety, teaching members the importance of forgiveness and letting go of past grievances.

"When we are disturbed, it is because we find some person, place, thing, or situation—some fact of our life—unacceptable to us, and we can find no serenity until we accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment." – Narrator

This profound observation teaches acceptance, a key element in finding peace and maintaining sobriety, reinforcing that serenity comes from accepting things as they are, not as we wish them to be.

"Helping others is the foundation stone of your recovery." – Narrator

This principle is at the heart of AA's approach, where the act of helping others not only aids their recovery but also strengthens one's own sobriety, fostering a community of mutual support and care.

"Do not be discouraged. No one among us has been able to maintain anything like perfect adherence to these principles. We are not cured. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition." – Narrator

This quote offers comfort and realistic expectations to members, highlighting that recovery is an ongoing process and that setbacks are part of the journey, not failures.

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