Steps Traditions Authority in the Rooms When I came into OA about thirty-three years ago, I was working for an important corporation. It just amazed me that OA meetings were so much more efficient and effective than corporate meetings. Corporate meetings, with all the power, resources, and experience at their disposal, should have been the better, but in my observation, here is what I’ve learned. Everyone … Read More
Service Tools & Concepts What Service Is From the very beginning of my time in the OA rooms, I heard that service is a Tool. However, I never thought about it as a way to connect to my Higher Power and preserve my abstinence until recently. I tended to think of service as a Tradition. It was, in my mind, a practice that was important to preserve … Read More
Meetings Tools & Concepts Language of Unity A number of years ago, my intergroup passed a motion supporting our belief that while meeting formats may differ, there is but one Overeaters Anonymous. Over the last few months, we had discussed as a group the “language of unity.” We agreed that what we call ourselves and each other can serve to unite or divide us. One of OA’s … Read More
Literature Tools & Concepts Recharging with a Good Read I carry Lifeline with me to medical appointments. I get so much out of the stories; I feel relaxed and don’t notice the time. I get into the stories and keep my mind off the other people in the room. I used to think about what the doctor’s staff should or shouldn’t do. Reading about recovery keeps me out of … Read More
Fellowship Recovery All Are Welcome Q. I keep hearing the term “food addict” when people introduce themselves at meetings. Is this okay today? I have always used the terms “compulsive eater,” or “compulsive overeater.” I personally do not care for the term “addict.” What is considered correct? A. The answer is there are no rules concerning how people introduce themselves at an OA meeting. Some … Read More
Steps Traditions Trigger Food Taboo Q. Why is mentioning a specific food or restaurant considered a trigger in an OA meeting? Is there an official OA stance on this subject? A. OA does not have an official stance, and mentioning or not mentioning trigger foods is not addressed in OA literature. Tradition Four gives groups the autonomy to make this decision for themselves, but the … Read More
Meetings Tools & Concepts A Better Understanding I have heard it said, “A meeting is a meeting,” but I don’t really think that’s true. For a meeting to be strong, it must have certain things about it to make it so: Is the meeting a welcoming place for both long timers and newcomers? Is the nature of our illness discussed? In my opinion, a strong meeting will … Read More
Meetings Tools & Concepts Scripting Strength About ten years ago, my home meeting was dealing with talkative, unruly, and sensitive newcomers. The meeting was beginning to feel unsafe. We regulars, being the people pleasers we are, considered just letting them talk without a time limit. Luckily, sanity ruled that out. We considered removing them from the meeting by having a special “newcomer time” in another space. … Read More
Meetings Tools & Concepts Multifaceted Meeting I love my Saturday Abington meeting because it is so strong. The following qualities all contribute to its strength: The meeting only uses OA-approved literature and material downloaded from the oa.org website. Newcomers and returning members are acknowledged and given a Serenity Prayer coin and newcomer literature or a Welcome Back, We Care! packet. Greeters make a point of talking … Read More
Meetings Tools & Concepts Meeting on the Menu After a twelve-year absence from OA, I began to admit that I was back in food obsession and my crazy thinking about food was my only tool for handling life. Even though I was down a little from my all-time high weight of 212 pounds (96 kg), I was hovering just below 200 pounds (91 kg), well above a healthy … Read More