The Discipline of Restitution
Restitution is the traditional name for the principle known as amends in AA. It is a spiritual discipline we practice through Steps 8, 9, and 10.
“Amends” appears 22 times in the Big Book and the 12&12, and “restitution” 5 times. Both texts also employ related terms like “correct,” “mend,” “repair,” and “reparation,” as well as expressions like “to set right” and “to straighten out.” To these, we can add such synonyms as amend, rectify, redress, remedy, and reform.
The concept of making amends adheres in the Latin root of the term, which means “fault.” In making amends we are acknowledging and admitting that we are at fault, that we have done wrong and caused harm as a result of our flaws, shortcomings, or defects.
Our first objective in doing this, the Big Book explains, is to mend or repair that harm: “Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the past (S9, p.76).” This is echoed by the 12&12, which explains that, after looking back and discovering where we’ve been at fault, “we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage (S8, p.77).”
The repairing involves helping the person to heal from the damage we inflicted, fostering reconciliation, and restoring relationships. These goals are affirmed in the 12&12, where we read that “[T]he 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” (S9, p.87, our emphasis).
Our second objective is to mend our ways, to reform ourselves, to heal from the damage in us. Making amends, suggests the Big Book (p.79), is part of our spiritual awakening. It is part of the process of undergoing a transforming spiritual experience that radically changes our character and emotional makeup. If we don’t change, we’ll continue to do harm. . . .
Excerpt from 07/29/18 post in “Practice These,” at http://PracticeThesePrinciplesTheBook...
For full post, including related quotes, references and resources, please click on link.
“Amends” appears 22 times in the Big Book and the 12&12, and “restitution” 5 times. Both texts also employ related terms like “correct,” “mend,” “repair,” and “reparation,” as well as expressions like “to set right” and “to straighten out.” To these, we can add such synonyms as amend, rectify, redress, remedy, and reform.
The concept of making amends adheres in the Latin root of the term, which means “fault.” In making amends we are acknowledging and admitting that we are at fault, that we have done wrong and caused harm as a result of our flaws, shortcomings, or defects.
Our first objective in doing this, the Big Book explains, is to mend or repair that harm: “Now we go out to our fellows and repair the damage done in the past (S9, p.76).” This is echoed by the 12&12, which explains that, after looking back and discovering where we’ve been at fault, “we make a vigorous attempt to repair the damage (S8, p.77).”
The repairing involves helping the person to heal from the damage we inflicted, fostering reconciliation, and restoring relationships. These goals are affirmed in the 12&12, where we read that “[T]he 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” (S9, p.87, our emphasis).
Our second objective is to mend our ways, to reform ourselves, to heal from the damage in us. Making amends, suggests the Big Book (p.79), is part of our spiritual awakening. It is part of the process of undergoing a transforming spiritual experience that radically changes our character and emotional makeup. If we don’t change, we’ll continue to do harm. . . .
Excerpt from 07/29/18 post in “Practice These,” at http://PracticeThesePrinciplesTheBook...
For full post, including related quotes, references and resources, please click on link.
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