A word about A.A. Meetings…. Anyone can attend an Open Meeting, however Closed Meetings are restricted to those who have or think they may have a problem with alcohol. While in one sense all Meetings are the same, sharing the same formats, structure and purpose, Meetings can also be quite different from one another beyond whether they are Open or Closed – in terms of demographics, style, and emphasis. We encourage Newcomers to try lots of different Meetings. It is important to find Meetings where you feel both comfortable and welcome.
Where can I find a meeting?
You can search for meetings near you using the meeting list. If you need further help finding a meeting please call us at (416) 487-5591.
What is an open meeting?
Any member of the public can attend an Open Meeting. You do not have to be an alcoholic, nor have a drinking problem to attend an open meeting.
The Open Meeting has a chairperson, who conducts the progress of the meeting.Those who take part in the meeting have been chosen beforehand, so a newcomer need not feel intimidated.
Meetings in Toronto generally begin with a moment of silence, followed by The Serenity Prayer. The chairperson, or a person they designate, then reads a brief portion of ‘What Is AA?’ from the book Alcoholics Anonymous, briefly identifies themselves as an alcoholic, emphasizes the importance of anonymity, and may note that AA is a spiritual—rather than religious—program of recovery.
Someone then reads How it Works, someone else The Twelve Traditions, and, in the Toronto Area , Yesterday Today and Tomorrow is often read. Some groups may add additional readings such as The Promises. After some meeting business (the secretary’s announcements, handing out of chips to mark milestones in early sobriety), one or more people tell their story, which usually takes about 30 minutes. Each group is autonomous and may order the events in any way the group’s conscience sees fit. However, most open meetings generally last about an hour, although attendees are encouraged to stick around, have coffee and talk to people for a while afterwards.
Open meetings are a good place to get literature about AA, including the Beginner’s Pamphlet containing the famous “20 Questions,” other AA pamphlets, the city-wide list of meetings, and hard-cover publications such as “Alcoholics Anonymous” (The Big Book) and “12 Steps and 12 Traditions” (the “12 ‘n’ 12”).
What is a closed meeting?
Closed meetings are exclusively for those who admit they are alcoholics; and for those who think they may have a drinking problem.
Closed meetings may take many forms. The most common are 12-Step discussion meetings where attendees discuss the Steps, ask questions, or share how they’ve used each Step in their daily lives and what results they got when they did. Many “Step discussion” meetings will have multiple rooms with a “Step 1-2-3” room appropriate for beginners; and another rotating step room. Many groups read each step before discussing it and it’s often useful to have a copy of the book, “12 Steps and 12 Traditions,” available from many open meeting library tables throughout the city.
Other closed meeting formats include “Open Topic” discussions, where attendees may discuss the Steps, or raise any topic they feel may affect their sobriety. Here, too, the meeting is a mixture of questions and sharing of experiences.
“Big Book Study” discussion meetings focus on the contents of the book, “Alcoholics Anonymous” from which the organization takes its name. It’s useful to bring a dictionary to these meetings as well as a copy of the Big Book so you can read along.
What is a 12th step call?
A 12 step call is part of our program of recovery. It is the traditional way to help fellow alcoholics who are still suffering and those new to A.A.. When someone contacts AA, usually for the first time, they can be put in touch with someone who has been sober for a while who can accompany them to their first meeting, help explain how meetings are run and share their experience, strength and hope.
The GOD word in AA?
A.A. is not a religious organization. Alcoholics Anonymous has only one requirement for membership, and that is the desire to stop drinking. There is room in A.A. for people of all shades of belief and non-belief. Many members believe in some sort of god, and we have members who come from and practice all sorts of religions, but many are also atheist or agnostic. It’s important to remember that A.A. is not a religious organization; we have a simple idea that there is a power greater than us as individuals.
What we all have in common is that the program helps us find an inner strength that we were previously unaware of — where we differ is in how we identify the source. Some people have thought of the word “God” as standing for “good orderly direction,” or even “group of drunks,” but many of us believe that there is something bigger than ourselves that is helping us today. This power may lie within some person’s religious beliefs, or it can be completely separate from any religion. For example, one member looks at the sea and accepts that it is a power greater than him. We could ask ourselves, “Do I believe that somehow there is a power greater than myself? …Whatever you do, please don’t let someone else’s religious beliefs prevent you from finding the solution that is available to you through Alcoholics Anonymous.”
Taken from the pamphlet “The God Word” P-86_0825 on www.aa.org