The mystery of AA's success

How can one define the success of Alcoholics Anonymous?  Is an organisation founded on never-ending narrative. My story is that I drank and went....' etc

or are they indulging in magic and lots of religions employ magic, 'getting down on your knees and asking help from God.  I once was having tea in Peter Jones in Sloane Square at the bottom of

the Kings Road in Chelsea in London and although the setting was very civilised it became a little rancorous when this AA guru suggested that I get down on my knees and ask for help. What!

Kneeling itself has a chequered history, the Greeks and Romans thought it barbaric, and 'faith' that it 'will get better' might be viewed as the denial of a truth that exists in the present. Kneeling, holding hands at the end of meetings, 'faith', handing it over are all ancient wisdoms that are in essence a resort to magic. `Didn't previous rural communities get down on their knees and pray to the corn God for a good harvest.

I think AA is no more than Group Therapy, intellectually it is a nonsense but a very useful nonsense.

It's founder Bill W was an A one flake, He was an ardent spiritualist, going through life with AA’s Big Book in one hand, and a Ouija board in the other so as he could speak to the dead.  He was  serially unfaithful to his wife - hardly a good egg.  Wilson had a lifelong attraction towards mysticism and junk religion. We might term Oprah and her musing  as junk religion. AA emanated in America and America is an adolescent country. He took LSD to try and get the real 'spiritual' experience.

Bill W, in the end switched addictions from drinking to smoking and died from emphesymia. 

It  is the religion in AA that saves you, Jung believed, rather than the treatment that cures you.
I go along with Jung. 

Read Peter Cheevers short story: it is all about Bosco Redmond

'Not Even a Recall - Now Where is that  Revolver?'

published by Ether Books, download it on your Kindle