Do Meetings Still Point To The Program?

Do Meetings Still Point To The Program?

Curious about how others handle their sobriety journey? This episode of Alcoholics Alive! takes a hard look at what AA meetings are actually doing for alcoholics today. Shank and Wayne, both recovered members, chew over a simple but loaded question: do meetings still point people to the AA programme, or have they drifted into something else?

You’ll hear them contrast a “three‑legacy group” centred on recovery, service and unity with meetings that feel more like group therapy or emotional support circles. They share experience of rooms where the focus is on the problem of the day, feelings, or even yoga and meditation bowls, rather than the book Alcoholics Anonymous and its clear-cut directions.

As Wayne puts it, many meetings seem “more tied to emotional support versus taking spiritual action.” Shank talks about prison meetings where visiting AA women firmly kept things on the solution: spiritual actions, the steps, and trust in God, not war stories about crimes or general life chaos. That structure gave her a clear idea of how to behave in AA and what the point of a meeting really is.

Both hosts stress that attending lots of meetings isn’t a substitute for actually taking the steps and living the programme. The “meeting shrapnel” segment adds some humour as they examine popular sayings like “The second mouse gets the cheese,” “If you spot it, you got it,” and “Normal is a setting on a washing machine.” Each line is weighed against AA principles, and each gets cheerfully scrapped when it doesn’t stand up to experience or the Big Book.

Their core message is straightforward: “Remember, there’s a lot more to Alcoholics Anonymous than just the meeting. So take the steps and be free.” If you’re wondering whether your own meeting time is pointing you towards genuine recovery or just keeping you busy, this conversation might prompt a closer look at how you’re using AA. What are your meetings really pointing you towards?