PAST in Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions

From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)

passionate

passionately

passions

PAST occurs 40 times (Definition from Merriam-Webster Online)

pat

path

pathetic

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... past. 12&12 p.89, Step Ten

This doesn't mean we need to wander morbidly around in the past.

... past. 12&12 p.89, Step Ten

Our inventory enables us to settle with the past.

... past. 12&12 p.89, Step Ten

There's the one we take at day's end, when we review the happenings of the hours just past.

... past. BB p.10, Bill's Story

I could almost hear the sound of the preacher's voice as I sat, on still Sundays, way over there on the hillside; there was that proffered temperance pledge I never signed; my grandfather's good natured contempt of some church folk and their doings; his insistence that the spheres really had their music; but his denial of the preacher's right to tell him how he must listen; his fearlessness as he spoke of these things just before he died; these recollections welled up from the past.

... past. BB p.69, How It Works

We reviewed our own conduct over the years past.

... past. BB p.75, Into Action

We pocket our pride and go to it, illuminating every twist of character, every dark cranny of the past.

... past. BB p.76, Into Action

Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the past.

... past. BB p.77, Into Action

Simply we tell him that we will never get over drinking until we have done our utmost to straighten out the past.

... past. BB p.84, Into Action

We vigorously commenced this way of living as we cleaned up the past.

10.

... past. BB p.124, The Family Afterward

The family may be possessed by the idea that future happiness can be based only upon forgetfulness of the past.

11.

... past. BB p.132, The Family Afterward

For his sake, we do recount and almost relive the horrors of our past.

12.

... past. BB p.132, The Family Afterward

Outsiders are sometimes shocked when we burst into merriment over a seemingly tragic experience out of the past.

13.

... past? BB p.140, To Employers

If you concede that your employee is ill, can he be forgiven for what he has done in the past?

14.

... past. BB p.151, A Vision For You

Never could we recapture the great moments of the past.

15.

... past. BB p.164, A Vision For You

Clear away the wreckage of your past.

16.

... past absurdities be forgotten? BB p.140, To Employers

Can his past absurdities be forgotten?

17.

... past acts, and to take responsibility for ... 12&12 p.87, Step Nine

For the readiness to take the full consequences of our past acts, and to take responsibility for the well-being of others at the same time, is the very spirit of Step Nine.

18.

... past and present. 12&12 p.46, Step Four

This the sponsor promptly proves by talking freely and easily, and without exhibitionism, about his own defects, past and present.

19.

... past and present, what sex situations have ... 12&12 p.52, Step Four

Questioning directed to this end might run like this: Looking at both past and present, what sex situations have caused me anxiety, bitterness, frustration, or depression?

20.

... past and why you are now endeavoring ... BB p.94, Working With Others

Outline the program of action, explaining how you made a self-appraisal, how you straightened out your past and why you are now endeavoring to be helpful to him.

21.

... past as we now see it, being ... BB p.83, Into Action

We ought to sit down with the family and frankly analyze the past as we now see it, being very careful not to criticize them.

22.

... past associations, or his present choice. BB p.28, There Is A Solution

This should be an entirely personal affair which each one decides for himself in the light of past associations, or his present choice.

23.

... past, for the drinking career of almost ... BB p.123, The Family Afterward

Now and then the family will be plagued by spectres from the past, for the drinking career of almost every alcoholic has been marked by escapades, funny, humiliating, shameful or tragic.

24.

... past; here sat a miracle directly across ... BB p.11, Bill's Story

Never mind the musty past; here sat a miracle directly across the kitchen table.

25.

... past if we can. BB p.70, How It Works

We have listed the people we have hurt by our conduct, and are willing to straighten out the past if we can.

26.

... past is the greatest possession you have ... BB p.124, The Family Afterward

Cling to the thought that, in God's hands, the dark past is the greatest possession you have -- the key to life and happiness for others.

27.

... past life as it has affected other ... 12&12 p.79, Step Eight

Though in some cases we cannot make restitution at all, and in some cases action ought to be deferred, we should nevertheless make an accurate and really exhaustive survey of our past life as it has affected other people.

28.

... past may be of infinite value to ... BB p.124, The Family Afterward

This painful past may be of infinite value to other families still struggling with their problem.

29.

... past misdeeds so they become a blight, ... BB p.124, The Family Afterward

It is possible to dig up past misdeeds so they become a blight, a veritable plague.

30.

... past nor wish to shut the door ... BB p.83, Into Action

We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.

31.

... past occurrences should not be discussed. BB p.125, The Family Afterward

So we think that unless some good and useful purpose is to be served, past occurrences should not be discussed.

32.

... past performances. BB p.141, To Employers

You are willing to overlook his past performances.

33.

... past quarter-century has been the explosion of ... BB xxiii, Foreword to Fourth Edition

Display entire Foreword to Fourth Edition

Literature has played a major role in A.A.'s growth, and a striking phenomenon of the past quarter-century has been the explosion of translations of our basic literature into many languages and dialects.

34.

... past, they think father owes them more ... BB p.126, The Family Afterward

Having been neglected and misused in the past, they think father owes them more than they are getting.

35.

... past thus becomes the principal asset of ... BB p.124, The Family Afterward

The alcoholic's past thus becomes the principal asset of the family and frequently it is almost the only one!

36.

... past to good account. BB p.124, The Family Afterward

That is true only if one is willing to turn the past to good account.

37.

... past, we consider how, with our newfound ... 12&12 p.77, Step Eight

First, we take a look backward and try to discover where we have been at fault; next we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage we have done; and third, having thus cleaned away the debris of the past, we consider how, with our newfound knowledge of ourselves, we may develop the best possible relations with every human being we know.

38.

... past we have made decisions based on ... BB p.62, How It Works

Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt.

39.

... past will be forgotten and the fact ... BB p.147, To Employers

If you take it, your past will be forgotten and the fact that you went away for treatment will not be mentioned.

40.

... past wrongs, why all this concern for ... BB p.128, The Family Afterward

If he means to right his past wrongs, why all this concern for everyone in the world but his family?

Passages from the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous and the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions are reprinted with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc. The A.A. Preamble, copyright © The A.A. Grapevine, Inc., is reprinted with permission. Permission to reprint does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either Alcoholics Anonymous or The A.A. Grapevine, Inc.

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