C
Cafeteria Style:
A
reference to a saying borrowed from Al-Anon, 'meetings are like
cafeterias; you can take what you like and leave the rest.' At least as
far as AA is concerned, there should be few exceptions to this
rule for those who wish to stay sober.
Came to Believe:
This
phrase is taken from AA's Second Step, 'Came to believe that a Power
greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.' It is sometimes
broken down this way, 'Came, Came to, Came to Believe.' First, we came
physically to AA meetings. After some time, we came to (our senses that
is) and gave up our alcoholic delusions. And finally, we came to
believe that we could be restored to sanity by a Higher Power.
Care of God:
The
phrase is taken from AA's Third Step in which we 'made a decision to
turn our wills and our lives over to the care of God as we understood
Him.' The Twelve and Twelve states, 'the effectiveness of the whole AA
program will rest upon how well and earnestly we have tried to come to
'a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as
we understood Him'.
Carry the
Message:
This
expression is taken from AA's Twelfth Step, 'Having had a spiritual
awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry the message
to the message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all
our affairs.' It is also mentioned in the Fifth Tradition, 'Each group
has but one primary purpose- to carry its message to the alcoholic who
still suffers.' It is the responsibility of each AA member to carry the
message of recovery to the alcoholic who still suffers. Helping another
alcoholic is one of the primary ways in which we stay sober.
Cash Register
Honesty:
A
technical kind of honesty that means we don't steal. It is often
compared to another, deeper kind of self-honesty and
honesty-with-others about who we are which is necessary for recovery.
Central Office:
A
local coordinating office for AA groups. It also acts as a point of
contact for the general public and as a clearinghouse for information
on AA meetings and activities. In some cities (like here in Houston),
it is called 'Intergroup.'
Chapter Five:
The
reference is to chapter 5, 'How it Works,' of the Big Book. Chapter 5
explains how AA works as a program of recovery. It lists the Twelve
Steps and discusses in detail the first four Steps. A portion of the
chapter is sometimes read after the preamble at the beginning of AA
meetings.
Character
Defects:
The
defects of character which we try to identify in our Fourth Step
inventory and which we try to eliminate as part of our recovery
program. In the 'searching and fearless moral inventory' that we
conduct in the Fourth Step, we identify a list of character defects in
ourselves. In the Fifth Step, we admit these defects to God, to
ourselves, and to another human being. In the Sixth through Tenth
Steps, we try to eliminate these defects with God's help and to make
amends for the things we have done wrong.
Chip System:
The
custom followed by some AA groups of handing out small medallions
called 'chips' to mark various anniversaries of AA member's sobriety
dates. Many AA members, especially newcomers, carry a chip with them as
a constant reminder of their commitment to stay sober.
Chips:
Small
medallions commemorating various lengths of sobriety; i.e., 1, 2, 3, 6
and 9 months; years and multiples of years. The first chip which is
usually given out to a newcomer is called a 'desire' chip. A desire
chip signifies the recipient's desire to stay sober for the next 24
hours.
Civilian:
AA
slang for a non-alcoholic.
Closed Meeting:
An
AA meeting that is 'closed' to nonalcoholics. Only alcoholics and those
who think they may have a problem with alcohol are allowed to attend.
Clubs:
(See
AA Clubs)
Conference-Approved
Literature:
Literature
that has been approved for publication by the AA General Service
Conference.
Confidentiality:
Whatever is said in an AA meeting is strictly confidential and
should not be repeated outside that meeting.
Conscious
Contact:
This
phrase is taken from AA's Eleventh Step, 'Sought through prayer and
meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood
Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to
carry that out.' Keeping in touch with our Higher Power through prayer
and meditation. Maintaining conscious contact with a Power greater than
ourselves is a key element in AA recovery. Prayer and meditation are
'our principal means of conscious contact with God.'
Constitutionally
Incapable of Being Honest:
This
phrase is taken from chapter 5 of the Big Book, 'Those who do not
recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to
this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally
incapable of being honest with themselves. There are such unfortunates.
They are not at fault; they seem to have been born that way. They are
naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which
demands rigorous honesty. Their chances are less than average.' The
ability to be honest with oneself is essential to recovery.
Contempt Prior
to Investigation:
This
phrase appears in a quotation of Herbert Spencer's contained in
appendix 2 of the Big Book, 'There is a principle which is a bar
against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which
cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance- that principle is
contempt prior to investigation.' The phase is often used as a warning
against being closed to new ideas. Open-mindedness is an essential part
of recovery.
Controlled
Drinking:
This
phrase refers to a person's decision to restrict the number of drinks
he or she has to some predetermined limit. It is sometimes used in
reference to alcoholics, but it does not apply to them. Alcoholics can
not control their drinking problem by limiting the number of drinks
they have as an alternative to abstinence. The Big Book states, 'We
alcoholics are men and women who have lost the ability to control our
drinking. We know that no real alcoholic ever recovers control.' It
goes on to say,'The idea that somehow, someday, he will control and
enjoy his drinking is the great obsession of every abnormal drinker.
The persistence of this illusion is astonishing. Many pursue it into
the gates of insanity or death.'
Courage to
Change:
A
phrase taken from the serenity prayer, 'God, grant me the serenity to
accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I
can, and the wisdom to know the difference.' Recovery is all about
change, and change is all about courage. That's why those in recovery
pray for the 'courage to change.' Courage is not the absence of fear,
but the overcoming of it. Fear is a natural part of the disease of
alcoholism; overcoming fear is a natural part of recovery. When we no
longer fear fear itself, we begin to recover.
Cross-Addiction
(a.k.a. Dual Addiction):
Being
dependent upon two different substances at the same time. AA welcomes
those who are cross-addicted as long as one of those substances is
alcohol. AA has a singleness of purpose- recovery from alcoholism. AA's
third tradition states, 'The only requirement for membership is a
desire to stop drinking.' Therefore, if you have a desire to stop
drinking, regardless of any other problems you may have, you are
welcome to join AA. Discussion at AA meetings, however, should be
limited to topics directly related to your alcoholism and nothing else.
Cross-Talk:
When
one AA member directly addresses another member during the sharing part
of an AA meeting and offers advice. In AA, we are expected to share our
experience, strength and hope with one another rather than offer advice
or instruction. Therefore, it is against AA customs to engage in
cross-talk during an AA meeting.
Cunning,
Baffling, Powerful!:
This
expression comes from chapter 5 of the Big Book, 'Remember that we deal
with alcohol- cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much
for us.' |