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Post by SaraLee on Jan 6, 2004 13:00:31 GMT -5
EOR offers several different types of meetings. Open Recovery Meetings welcome all recovery people to talk about how they are working their program in recovery, be it Al Anon, Nar Anon or AA. The Al Anon meetings are for friends and family who live with or have a family member or friend who is an alcoholic, and the Al Anon meetings strive to focus on how we, as friends and family members, work the Al Anon program to help ourselves in recovery using Al Anon material, the steps and slogans.
As much as the basic programs over lap in Al Anon, Nar Anon and AA , and that often there are those with dual programs, there are also specific needs that members of each program need to focus on and it is important to use specific meetings for their intended purpose and not over lap recovery program sharing except at the Open Recovery Meetings.
Keeping the foucs on the recovery program intended helps new people better understand the program, the experience, strength and hope that other members are sharing and avoids confusion about what type of meeting they are attending. So please keep in mind that there is a time and place for all our shares, but please keep the sharing appropriate to the type of meeting you attend. SaraLee
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Post by SunnyGirl on Jan 6, 2004 14:28:26 GMT -5
( ( ( ( SaraLee ) ) ) )
You make a great point! It is always easier for the meeting to flow, when everyone stays on the topic and are from the same program. But, due to the fact we have no "closed" meetings, it makes difficut.
Sometimes, during the ACOA meetings, I can't always relate to the topic and how it applies to me, growing up in an alcoholic home and I will share on how it applies to me in other ways. I don't know how this would be handled in a face to face meeting? If an alcoholic came to an Al-Anon meeting, even with a qualifier, and he shared his feelings from the AA point of view, would this disrupt the meeting?
Thanks for bringing this up ....... SG
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Post by SaraLee on Jan 6, 2004 15:48:13 GMT -5
Thanks SG. Since we have Open Meetings where everyone can share on all programs and we have specific Anon meetings dedicated to recovery in personal growth, my point was that if one is a dual programer it would best serve every one at a meeting to concentrate on the program at hand. In other words, if I was AA and Al Anon, and I was at an Al ANon meeting, it would best serve everyone to speak on how Al Anon tools have helped me rather than to talk about how I got sober in the program and if I was at an AA meeting, it would best serve everyone if I talked about how I got sober in the program.
I realize that open meetings mean open to all and it is not my intent to try and push people out, just wanted to share that if one is attending a meeting and they are a member of that program, it is best to concentrate on that particular program at that meeting. Thanks, SaraLee
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Post by Lin on Jan 6, 2004 17:12:12 GMT -5
Good point Saralee! Thanks for posting and Sg for replying.
At the f2f AlAnon meetings i attend we have a little cardboard sign on the table. It says to please leave other affiliations out of the meetings. I love to have people at our meetings both f2f and online who are "double winners' It's good to hear how they struggle and it also encouraging to hear that they have alot of time in the program. But there are many other ways they can share their wisdom than bringing up drinking days and getting sober or staying sober. They can relate by how they work a step, how they use a slogan, how they rely on their HP. Instead of saying, when i got in AA, they can say When I found recovery. Instead of saying using this slogan keeps me sober. They can say..using this slogan helps me maintain my serenity. ...or using this step helps me work my program. it's jsut careful wording that won't be stepping on anybody's toes.
At a former f2f meeting I attended for many years we had a man who was a double winner. He'd bring his Big book with him and sometimes read a paragraph from it. He'd sometimes quote something as an AA principle or mention doing this or that kept him sober. I had an open mind and listened...but I often wondered if a NEWCOMER in the room might be very confused and might leave that night and not return. I kept waiting for somebody to remind him of the little sign on the table about keeping the other program language out. But nobody did. So when an earlier meeting opened across town on a different night I made that my home group.
Open recovery meetings are awesome. Everybody talks about their recovery. They keep it on t he same topic but they relate it to their own program. It is like hearing the same story from both points of view. That's awesome!
I can see where most AlAnons don't "qualify" for an AA meeting and probably would do best not to share during an AA meeting. But if it is an open recovery meetings..say on the steps...I see no problem. We both work steps. We both have things to share that others might grow from hearing.
But an Aa person attending an AlAnon or an ACOA meeting and sharing??? YES! YES! Please do! The requirement for membership in AlAnon is to have a freind or family member who is an alcoholic. I'd guess if the AA member does not have a family member who is an alkie,,I'd BET they ahve a sponsor or good freinds who are! And Aa coming to ACOA and sharing? I'd bet many AA have one or both parents or even grandparents who were alcoholics of other dysfunction. So they QUALIFY and are quite welcome to attend, to listen, to share.
An AA came to teh ACOA meeting Sunday night and we were tickled to have this person there! The person also shared on topic and it was awesome!
I learn from hearing other programs share. But I also see where using the appropriate terms for the meeting would be best ,...especially if a newcomer was there.
Thanks for bringing this Up Saralee!
LIN
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Post by admin on Jan 7, 2004 14:06:10 GMT -5
good point:
to please leave other affiliations out of the meetings. Maybe this should be poot on the chat log in page so all can see before entering the chat room. hmmmmmmm
OK,, I will think of some thing and take care of this matter at hand. Ya' All have a good day and play nice ok.?
Love Kathleen
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Post by admin on Jan 7, 2004 14:39:49 GMT -5
EOR is asking all membership
to please leave other affiliations out of the meetings.
Please keep to the topic and structure of the recovery groups
Meeting you are attending! www.essence-of-recovery.com/page3.htmlOK, fix it have added this statement to the chat log in page and hope that all membership fallows this suggestion from our webmaster here at EOR. This was a good point made glad that you brought it up just got to love those SaraLee's. Kathleen M. webmaster EOR.
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Post by SunnyGirl on Jan 7, 2004 15:35:04 GMT -5
"and nobody doesn't like SaraLee" ;D
Guess I missed something when I first responded to your post. I agree, when it's an Al-Anon meeting we should wear our Al-Anon hats.... etc. etc. etc.
Hugs to each, SG
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Post by lala on Jan 15, 2004 12:38:15 GMT -5
im not even sure im doin this right but i wanted to comment on the quote what i said never changed anything but what they understood did that really hits home with me cuz i am in a relationship with another alcoholic in recovery. thank u
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Post by SunnyGirl on Jan 15, 2004 14:08:45 GMT -5
Hey LaLa....
Great to see you posting again, welcome back!
Peace on the journey..... SG
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