The Big Book Is Primary

Alcoholics Anonymous and the book commonly called the Big Book have helped millions of people recover from alcoholism and addiction. This guide is written with deep respect for that history and with the understanding that:

• The 12 Steps as laid out in the Big Book are the core design for living.
• AA's program, as expressed in the Big Book, remains the primary spiritual path for those who choose it.
• The Sobertown™ Companion book does not change, replace, or revise the 12 Steps.

Wherever there is any question, we assume that the Big Book is king in matters of AA's program.

A Companion, Not a Replacement

The purpose of the Sobertown™ book is to offer additional explanations, examples, and practical suggestions that can help a person better understand and apply the 12 Steps in daily life. It is intended for people who are:

• Already involved in AA or another 12-Step fellowship, or
• Exploring the 12-Step approach and seeking clearer language and concrete actions.

This guide aims to clarify the spiritual ideas behind the Steps by describing the experience of obsession, compulsion, surrender, inventory, amends, and service in straightforward, modern language.

How to Use The Sobertown™ Book Alongside the 12 Steps

This book is meant to be used in ways that support, not replace, traditional Step work. You might use it:

• As a reading companion while you study the Big Book.
• As a way to prepare for or deepen conversations with a sponsor.
• To better understand what is meant by concepts like "surrender," "inventory," "restitution," and "spiritual awakening."
• To reflect on your own experiences of obsession, compulsion, and spiritual growth while you work the Steps.

This guide does not replace a sponsor. It is strongly suggested that anyone who uses this book also works with a sponsor or experienced member of AA (or another 12-Step fellowship) and follows the directions in the Big Book.

Respect for AA's Traditions

Alcoholics Anonymous has a set of Traditions that guide how AA as a whole relates to outside enterprises and literature. In keeping with the spirit of those Traditions:

• This book is not AA literature.
• This book is not affiliated with, approved by, or endorsed by Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc., or any AA entity.
• This book is one person's or one group's experience and understanding of spiritual principles that are similar to those found in the 12 Steps.

Readers are encouraged to keep coming back to AA meetings, to seek sponsorship, and to place the 12 Steps and the Big Book at the center of their recovery if they choose AA as their path.

For Members of Other 12-Step Fellowships

Many people in other 12-Step fellowships (such as those for other substances or behaviors) will also find this material useful. The same principle applies: this guide is meant to support and deepen your experience of the Steps as they are outlined in your fellowship's primary text, not to replace that text or those Steps.