AA Meetings

AA Meeting Organization

A basic opening, discussion and closing sequence can be as follows:

• Meeting called to order by chairperson
• Chairperson reads "AA Preamble," and leads the group in the Serenity Prayer
• Members chosen prior to the meeting read "How it Works," the "Twelve Traditions" and "The Promises"
• Chairperson asks any newcomers or first time attendees to introduce themselves by their first name. This is voluntary and members may abstain from any introductions.
• Readings of announcements related to AA
• Meeting begins with a basic theme, whether discussion, Big Book Study, Step Study or speaker.
• Conclusion
• "Pass the basket" for optional $1 donation from members
• Statement of Twelfth Tradition
• Lord's Prayer, usually said standing in a circle, heads bowed, holding hands. Some groups close the meeting with the Serenity Prayer

Philosophy

The basic tenet of any AA meeting is voluntary sharing. No pressure is put on newcomers to speak up or to share any of their experiences. The chairperson may ask a newcomer share an experience as a part of the meeting procedure. Anyone not wishing to speak or to share can reply with “No thanks”, or “Thanks – but I will pass tonight.” These refusals are taken at face value and are enough. There is no stigma for not speaking and no pressure applied to make the person open up.

Typically meetings include a routine question from the chairperson as to whether there are any newcomers or people from other meetings who would like to be introduced by their first name only. This is meant as an opportunity for those desiring to introduce themselves. It’s not a requirement, although it is usually a good idea for the newcomer's progress and comfort to just go ahead and introduce themselves. A typical introduction may go something like this: "My name is Bill and I think I am an alcoholic. This is my first AA meeting."

Open Sharing

All AA meetings and sessions operate on the premise of open sharing and discussion. It is good for newcomers to try to get over any personal fears and to start the process of opening up for themselves. No pressure is placed on any newcomers to join ongoing discussions or share a personal experience. It is in the newcomer’s best interest to try to join in and release personal experiences as early as possible.

Typically meetings and sharing are conducted in a round table fashion for smaller meetings, where the members may simply sit in a circle. Members then speak in turns, going around the circle. Larger meetings may require classroom-like methods of raising hands in order to speak or to contribute a comment to an ongoing discussion.

Meeting Types

Basic meetings usually fall into one of the following categories:

• Open or closed
• Mixed, men only, women only, youngsters’
• A Speaker, Big Book study, Step Study or Discussion
• Clubhouse or church related

Open or Closed

Open meetings are also accessible to AA member family and friends. There may be students or some other observers present. A closed meeting is restricted to members only. Closed meetings are generally reserved for those who consider themselves to be alcoholics but newcomers are always welcome.

Mixed or Other

Meetings may be a mixed group of men and women, or men or women only. Meeting schedules normally indicate this by codes [MO or WO].

Discussion Meeting

These center on a pre-determined discussion topic. The leader introduces a topic when the meeting opens. Members raise hands in order to indicate that they have something to share, introducing themselves by saying: "My name is so-and-so and I am an alcoholic," or, "I am a grateful recovering alcoholic," or "I am powerless over alcohol," etc. Identifying the alcohol problem is the norm, but not rigorously enforced.

Sharing

Sharing meetings usually begin with a reference to the topic or to previous speaker’s comments. Each member who speaks is free to change the subject or introduce a new topic. Anyone having a particularly hard time, especially if they are thinking seriously about drinking, is expected to bring this up regardless of what the original topic was or subsequent comments.

General Rules

• Meetings allow each member to share their experiences once during each session.
• No direct advice or telling another member what to think or how to behave is tolerated.
• Identification and empathy with the experiences of others is encouraged through members sharing similar experiences.
• Topics with some relation to alcohol or conflicts in living related to the Twelve Steps are encouraged.
• The normal discussion limit is 3 minutes or less.
• Personal experiences, feelings and struggles are encouraged; theoretical moralizing is discouraged.

Meeting Speakers

Speakers who agree to tell their stories of drinking and recovery are selected in advance. Speakers usually have a year or more of sobriety. A common format is to devote the entire meeting after the usual opening readings to the speaker's story. When the story is finished the meeting is wrapped up without formal discussion. Sometimes these are combined speaker-discussion meetings where a speaker talks for 15-30 minutes, followed by a group discussion of the themes raised.

Big Book and 12 Step Study Meetings

These are devoted to the study of the "Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous" or the "Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions" (Twelve and Twelve) written by Bill Wilson, a co-founder of AA. Participants bring their own copies of the book, but usually there are extras available. The typical meeting will involve reading some portion of the "Big Book" or the "Twelve and Twelve" with comments based upon an individual member's experience and perspective. The discussion leader may read a selected passage and then invite comments, or members may take turns reading a paragraph or two from a chosen section of the work, followed by a general discussion of the topics. Sharing that consists of personal experiences and applications is valued over theoretical and impersonal analysis. The usual etiquette is for members to remain silent until the speaker has finished.

Clubhouse and Church Meetings

AA clubhouses are sites specifically dedicated to AA meetings and usually have a large number of daily meetings, often at all hours. Clubhouse buildings may be owned, or consist of rented space. Clubhouse meetings typically include a wide spectrum of recovering alcoholics including those who are still drinking, relapsees, and people with decades of continuous sobriety. Often there are special beginners' or "First Step" meetings that are attended both by newcomers and those with long, continuous sobriety. Clubhouse meetings tend to be larger than church meetings, though this is not always the case.

Church meetings are at various local churches by special arrangement with the congregation, usually including a nominal rent payment from collections from the AA group at the each meeting's end. These meetings are not affiliated with the church, but simply reflect a tradition of churches providing AA with meeting space.

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