Csaba - Step 6  

(excerpt) - 6.0.  

I would like to share with you how I took Step 6, which states:

6. WE WERE ENTIRELY READY TO HAVE GOD REMOVE ALL THESE DEFECTS OF CHARACTER FROM US.  

But how? The Big Book states on page 71:

“Upon returning home, let us find a place where we can quietly spend an hour, thoroughly reflecting on all we have done. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank God that we now know Him better. We take this book from the shelf and open it to the Twelve Steps. We carefully read through the first five steps, asking ourselves whether we have missed anything, because we are now laying the groundwork for finally feeling like truly free people. Did we do a sufficiently reliable job? Is everything in its place? Did we hold back on anything? Did we leave out something important?  
If we can answer these questions satisfactorily, we will focus our attention on Step Six. We have emphasized that willingness is essential. Are we now ready for God to remove from us everything we have acknowledged as objectionable? Can He remove everything – every single defect? If we still cling to something and do not want to let it go, we ask God to help us overcome ourselves.”

This is no small task. Many say that Step Six is just about saying, “I am ready!” For me, it wasn’t that simple. I studied Step Six in our 12/12 book several times, and eventually, I took the following steps:

1. I believed that God can free me from everything I have acknowledged as objectionable.
2. I realized that I do not need to love my character defects, and I decided not to cling to them.
3. I recognized that sometimes I enjoy negative emotions and thoughts. I made a list of them.
4. I acknowledged my ego manifestations (labeling, judging, dramatizing).
5. I listed my self-centered needs (validation, attention, understanding, love).
6. I listed my external identifications (past, life story, family, education, work).
7. I listed my internal convictions (belief system, political beliefs, opinions).

I will elaborate on these points next.


Guide for Preparing Step 6:  

6. I am entirely ready to have God remove my defects of character.  

As an introduction to the step work:

- Review Step Six in our 12/12 book!  
- Attend meetings where Step Six is discussed!  
- Talk to your sponsor about Step Six!

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Csaba - Step 6  

(excerpt) - 6.1.  

6.1. I BELIEVE THAT GOD CAN FREE ME FROM EVERYTHING I HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED AS OBJECTIONABLE.

“Are we now ready for God to remove from us everything we have acknowledged as objectionable?” asks the Big Book in connection with Step Six. To answer this, I broke the question down into parts:

1. Do I recognize the objectionable? – This is the subject of Step Four. In inventorying my faults, I tried to identify the objectionable elements in my behavior, speech, emotions, thoughts, and mindset.
2. Do I acknowledge my faults? – This was Step Five: I admitted my faults’ true nature (my self-centered thinking) to God, myself, and another person.
3. Do I cling to my faults, or am I ready to let them go? – This is Step Six itself.
4. Can I rely on God for the release? – This will be Step Seven.

To be able to take Step Seven and rely on God for the release of my faults, I must reach a new level of faith in Step Six. I must believe that God can free me from any of my character defects. The 12 Steps and 12 Traditions book provided clear guidance on this matter on page 64:

“Of course, when asked the often-debated question of whether God can – and will under certain circumstances – free us from our character defects, almost every A.A. member answers without hesitation in the affirmative. For us, this is by no means a theory, but one of the most significant facts of our lives, usually substantiated in this manner:

>> I lost, no denying that. My willpower was helpless against alcohol. Neither a change of environment, nor my family’s attempts, nor the efforts of friends, doctors, or clergy worked. I simply could not stop drinking, and it seemed that all human assistance was in vain. But when I became willing to have a thorough housecleaning and asked for the Higher Power as I understood it to remove my defects, the compulsion to drink vanished. It was simply uprooted from me. <<

If we have already been granted complete freedom from the obsession to drink, why should we not be able to achieve complete freedom from all other difficulties or defects along the same path?”

I firmly believe that God can free me from any of my defects. There are no exceptions. No excuses. No loopholes...

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Guide for Step 6.1:  
6.1. I believe that God can free me from everything I have acknowledged as objectionable.  
Write down (reflect on) whether:

- Can you recognize the objectionable elements in your behavior, speech, emotions, thoughts, and mindset? Is the inventory process working for you?  
- Do you acknowledge your faults? To God? To yourself? To others?  
- Do you cling to your faults, or are you ready to let them go?  
- Can God free anyone from any character defect?  
- Is it possible that God can free you from any of your character defects?

Practice the following (or something similar):

- My God, I believe that you can free me from any of my character defects.

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Csaba - Step 6  

(excerpt) - 6.2.  

6.2. I REALIZED THAT I DO NOT NEED TO LOVE MY CHARACTER DEFECTS, AND I DECIDED NOT TO CLING TO THEM.

On page 67 of our 12 Steps and 12 Traditions book, it states:

“We must recognize that we genuinely enjoy some of our defects. We truly love them.

- Who hasn’t felt a bit – perhaps much – superior to someone else?
- Isn’t it true that we like to hide greed behind the mask of ambition?
- It seems absurd to love lust. Yet how many people carry love on their lips and truly believe what they say, but deep down nurture lust?
- Self-justifying anger can also be enjoyable. Perverse as it may be, we find satisfaction in having many burdens because it gives us a sense of superiority.
- If our gluttony is not destructive, we have a fine expression for it: “We are comforting ourselves.”
- How often do we work hard just so we can laze around afterward, but we call this “resting”? 

I have observed that such “justifications” are always the tricks of the ego to prevent me from changing. The ego tries to convince me that I am fine as I am because I will never be perfect. I shouldn’t even want to be.

This is as much a trap for me as when I smoked, and after a few unsuccessful attempts to quit, I began to think that I actually loved smoking. The ego was also fighting against change there. To maintain its self-esteem, it had to convince me that I loved being a “smoker.” But I didn’t love it. Yet I almost believed it...

The book describes this phenomenon as well:

“Many will immediately ask: ‘How can we accept Step Six in every respect? Isn’t that perfection?’ This sounds like a tricky question, but in reality, it is not. We can only absolutely perfect the First Step – in which we have fully admitted our powerlessness over alcohol. The other Steps present us with the IDEAL OF PERFECTION. Goals we look up to; a standard against which we measure our progress. In this light, Step Six is still challenging, but by no means impossible. The only urgent thing is to begin and to persevere.”

Well, then I will get started!

---

Guide for Step 6.2:  

6.2. I know that I do not need to love my character defects, and I decide that I will not cling to them.  

Write down (reflect on) whether:

- Have you ever felt superior to others?  
- Have you ever mistaken your desire for possession or greed for diligence?  
- Have you ever flattered someone just to get what you wanted?  
- Do you enjoy plotting revenge against others in your thoughts?  
- Do you tend to consider your binges as self-indulgence?  
- Do you label your shopping sprees as recreation?  
- Do you deceive yourself about your substance use as self-medication?  
- Does “good” hinder you from being “perfect”?  
- What character defects have you clung to until now?  
- Why did Jesus say, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect”?

---

Csaba - Step 6  

(excerpt) - 6.3.  

6.3. I RECOGNIZED THAT SOMETIMES I ENJOYED NEGATIVE EMOTIONS AND THOUGHTS. I MADE A LIST OF THEM.


"We must recognize that we actually enjoy some of our faults. We truly love them," writes the step book. So, I will start making a list. When have I sometimes recognized that I love my faults? When have I enjoyed negative emotions or thoughts?

For example, when I was sharing my past—let’s say at a meeting—and my “funny” drinking stories pleased others. This filled me with a good feeling. I felt special. Or when I thought that I had ruined my environment (my marriage, my relationships with my mother, my children) with my drinking, and I had made my own life hopeless, I sometimes found comfort in deeply immersing myself in that guilt and self-pity. How unfortunate I am! And just waiting for a miracle... Perhaps someone will come to help... Especially a doctor. Or maybe two! Or when I replayed in my mind the ugliest relapses, lamenting why I had lifted the first glass. And I hoped that somehow those slip-ups could be undone.

Or when I thought about the future with fear and felt a tingling in my stomach from stress, I believed this was "the zest of life." Of course, this immediately made me think of the craving to drink... Or when I resented someone because, for example, I was disappointed in them—that they behaved differently than I expected—then the various images of "sweet revenge" filled my mind for a long time. I played in my inner projector what I would do (to them) and how they would find out who I really am! And it filled me with a good feeling how strong I am... Or when I had long overdue obligations I had voluntarily taken on, but I just procrastinated, thinking, "Don’t they know how much other stuff I have to do! After all, I am such an important person that I don’t have time for these trivial matters!" Or when I envied others because they had something that I didn’t, I imagined how they would lose that something, and I secretly reveled in their future suffering. After all, they don’t deserve it. That thing should belong to me. Or when, in a vain manner, I thought I was better than others, it also filled me with a good feeling. Because I’m smarter. Because I’m stronger. Because I’m cleverer. Actually... oh, no...

Or when something was not going well in my life (or in others'), I could complain about someone, like the government, an office, a party, or a group of people. It was easy to find sympathetic companions for this since who doesn’t hate the higher powers or those of a different kind? Or when I saw others in front of me who were "less valuable" than me because, for example, they were fatter or dumber, it felt good to judge them. Or just by their appearance: "Look how silly they dressed!" Or when I firmly believed that certain things were indeed expected from others. And when they didn’t meet these expectations, I immediately cried "sin" and wanted "punishment." I also played different types of punishment in my mind. And I reveled in it. Or anytime I thought that I was separate from others, that I wasn’t like them because I am SPECIAL, that was the voice of the ego. And I felt this was a reward. But it wasn’t.

And when I imagined that it would be like this or like that, and I had figured out the course of the world, that also filled me with a good feeling. Especially when I was reading online half-truths like "Never give up!"

After all this, I must be completely ready to let go of the following emotions and thoughts in Step 7:

- my dark past
- guilt
- self-pity
- lamentation
- fear
- stress
- resentment
- disappointments
- aggression
- procrastination
- envy
- vanity
- complaining
- judgment
- expectations
- selfishness
- my own will

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Guide for Step 6.3:

6.3 I recognize when I sometimes enjoy negative emotions and thoughts. I will make a list of them.

Write down (think about it):

- What negative emotions and thoughts are still poisoning your soul?
- For example, do you still occasionally feel shame, guilt, self-pity, lamentation, fear, stress, longing, resentment, anger, a desire for revenge, expectation, pride, envy, vanity, jealousy, or malice?
- Do these feelings sometimes provide you with secret satisfaction? Do you enjoy one or another?
- Do you sometimes enjoy being better than others?

Make a list for yourself as follows:

I am willing (in Step 7) to let go of the following emotions and thoughts:

- shame
- guilt
- self-pity
- etc.

Csaba - Step 6 (Excerpt) - 6.4.  

6.4, I RECOGNIZED MY EGO MANIFESTATIONS

Previously, I listed the negative feelings and thoughts that could hinder my spiritual development, as I sometimes enjoy them. Moving forward, I pondered what my main character flaws are that I need to rid myself of. I read this in the Big Book (more than once):  
"Selfishness—self-centeredness! We think this is the root of all our troubles. [...] We think that our troubles are actually caused by us; they stem from within us.  
The alcoholic is perhaps the most extreme example of self-will run riot, though he generally doesn’t see it that way. We, alcoholics, must get rid of this egocentrism above all else. We are compelled to; otherwise, it will finish us off! God enables the release."  
In Step 6, I therefore need to understand the nature of my ego so that I can let it go and entrust it to God. To this end, I read Chapter 6 of the Step Book several times.  
Moreover, I studied the teachings of Buddha and Jesus. I read Tolle and Hawkins, Tepperwein and De Mello, Balogh Béla and The Course in Miracles, Karen Casey, Osho, Gunagriha, and the Bhagavad Gita. So, everything that is spiritual and about the ego. In the end, I came to the following conclusion:  
The central thought of the ego is separation. Whenever I thought that I was separate from others, that I am not like others because I am SPECIAL, that was the voice of the ego. Of course, I am special in my own way, but then everyone else is too. Or if others are not special, then I am not either. I can choose...

And what are the main manifestations of the ego that often speaks in my mind? From my experience, the following:

LABELING  
The ego constantly qualifies: this is "this," that is "that." This is "good," this is "bad." It does all of this with a sense of moral superiority. Adam and Eve practiced this in Paradise after eating from the "tree of knowledge of good and evil." They were expelled from there. Thus began the suffering of the soul... But all of this is not God's work but the work of the ego!

JUDGING  
When I see others in front of me who are "less valuable" than I am, say, because they are fatter or dumber, it feels good to judge them: "Look at how stupid they are!" Or even just based on their appearance: "Look at how silly they are dressed!" The ego knows how to enhance itself by devaluing others. This is often mistakenly called self-esteem.

DRAMATIZING  
The ego constantly dramatizes. Sometimes it chews over the past, sometimes it worries about the future. It is constantly projecting, watching movies in its mind. It bombards with imaginary dialogues and possible future scenarios, all of which threaten with terrible dangers. The essence is that it does not want to be in the present. Because there, it simply does not exist...

EXPECTATIONS  
When I think that certain things are indeed expected of others, that is also the voice of the ego. And when others do not meet these expectations, the ego immediately cries "sin" and wants "retribution." And it plays out various forms of retribution on the mind's projector. At the same time, behind every expectation lies the desire to control others. We expect certain behaviors from others so that we can be sure about the future.

ENTITLEMENTS  
The ego tries to convince me that there are things that I am "entitled" to, and these things are "important." For example, that I should be understood, that I should be acknowledged, or that I should be loved. The ego presents these as basic "human" needs, whereas they are simply self-centered needs that I can give up at any time if I ask for God's help.

In the next step section, I will delve a bit more into these...

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Guide for Step 6.4:  

6.4, I recognize my ego manifestations.  

Write down (reflect on) the following:

- In what ways are you special? How do you differ from others?
- Are others special too? Or do they just think so?
- Do you often label and qualify others? Is this "like this," or is it "like that?"
- Do you tend to judge others in your mind or have a negative opinion about them?
- Do you often dramatize? Do you panic over small things? Do you believe in the end of the world?
- Do you still have expectations of others (especially in your personal life)?
- Do you believe in the legitimacy of basic human needs? What are they?
- What do you think you are "entitled" to?

Csaba - Step 6 (Excerpt) - 6.5.  

6.5, I LISTED MY SELF-CENTERED NEEDS  


In the previous section, I wrote about the realization that the ego tries to convince me that there are things I am "entitled" to, and that these things are "important." The ego frames these as basic "human" needs, when in fact they are simply ego-driven desires that I can let go of at any time if I ask for God's help. What did I find?

OPINION  
My "opinion" naturally reflects the truth, so it is "important" for everyone to know it. Moreover, I generally understand things better, so I often know more than others. It feels good when someone asks for my opinion, as it shows that "I" am better.

UNDERSTANDING  
It is important that everyone understands exactly what I want (to say, achieve, realize) and that everyone behaves understandingly towards me when I am struggling with significant problems in my life. After all, "I" am special, and my ideas are special, and my problems are also special.

ATTENTION  
If I am not paid attention to, it feels as if I am being disregarded, as if I am "nothing." Yet, "I" am not just anyone. I deserve special attention because what I say or do is "important." If they do not pay attention to me, they will not do what I suggest or what is expected.

TRUTH  
Since I am smart and experienced (I have been trained in the school of life), it is natural that the truth is what I think. Many times, I do not understand why others have not reached the point where I am. I cannot allow them to stray; I must enlighten them about reality so that they can praise my great intellect. If someone disagrees, I must either convince or defeat them in a debate.

LOVE  
It is undeniable that "I" must be loved. I deserve love. It feels good when people have a positive attitude towards me and express their love. What would a person be without love? I demand to be loved because "I" am such an important person in the world that it must be obvious to everyone. And how could I love others back if they do not love me?

VALIDATION  
Given my great intellect and experience, I "deserve" a good job, a good salary, social status, prestige, recognition, rewards, money, property, and power. The more I desire these things, the more I deserve them; after all, if I want it, I should get it. Otherwise, the world is wrong, just as it is...

MIND, INTELLIGENCE  
I already have more intelligence than others, but as I grow older, this will only increase. There are people who have better memory, learn languages more easily, and memorize melodies and lyrics faster, but this can only be some random injustice. Those with higher IQs than mine are probably cheats or psychopaths.

SUPERIORITY  
Of course, "I" am more than others. I progress faster and achieve more. I know better and do it more professionally. I have more things. More people love me; more people pay attention to my opinion. At least it should be this way. After all, I am "me," not someone else.

GOODNESS  
"I" know what is good. I also know what is good for me; I know what would be good for others and for the world. I cannot allow the world to deteriorate. I must fight for the good things to prevail and for others not to do foolish or bad things. The wrongdoers must be punished to learn from it!

VICTORY  
"I" am the winner! At least most of the time. Or sometimes. It’s a shame it’s not more often... Winning is such a good thing! After all, if I am better, then I must win. This shows that I am the better one. If the other wins, it’s just a temporary coincidence. Next time, I will show them who the ace is!

HAPPINESS  
I "deserve" happiness. I must be happy. Always. Continuously. If not, it can only mean that "there is a disturbance in the force." It must be fixed immediately. There needs to be something to fix it. It’s a shame I can’t drink because that would fix it right away. I need to do something to be happy immediately...

WILL  
Human will exists so that things happen as "I" want them to. My will is especially important because I am special and important. Much more special and much more important than others. Therefore, I want everything to be as I want it. And I also want it to be this way...


So: These things are, on the one hand, not important, and on the other hand, they are not entitled to me. Therefore, I am willing to let go of those ego-driven desires of mine:

- to be asked
- to be understood
- to be acknowledged
- to be loved
- to be right
- to succeed
- to be smarter
- to be more
- to be good
- to win
- to be happy
- to want anything.

In Step 7, I will regularly practice these releases. I will follow the example of St. Francis of Assisi, who prayed as follows (see Step Workbook, page 101!):

"Lord, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; not so much to be understood as to understand; not so much to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive. It is in pardoning that we are pardoned. And it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen."

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Guide for Step 6.5:  

6.5, I list my ego-centric needs.  

Write down (reflect on) whether:

- Are there things that are important to you? Do you often use the word "important"?
- Why is it important for others to know your opinion? Do you have special knowledge?
- Why is it important for others to be understanding towards you? Do you have special problems?
- Why is it important for others to pay attention to you? Do you have special suggestions?
- Is it important that you are always right? How special is your truth?
- Is it important that others love you? Is it more important than your ability to love others?
- Do you want to succeed in the world? And if so, are you on the right track?
- In what ways are you more than others? Intelligence? Skill? Strength? Persistence? Anything else?

Make a list for yourself as follows:  

I am willing to (in Step 7) let go of those ego-centric needs of mine:

- to be consoled,
- to be understood,
- to be loved,
- etc.

Csaba - Step 6  

(excerpt) - 6.6.  

6.6, I HAVE LISTED MY EXTERNAL IDENTIFICATIONS


I continued to dissect the ego in my mind. I realized that it generates false thoughts because its self-image is distorted. It completely lacks spirituality and identification with the Higher Self. Instead, the ego defines itself and tries to boost its self-esteem by identifying with all sorts of external and internal factors, thereby increasing its SEPARATENESS, or its separation from others. First, I reflected on the external factors. Here’s what I concluded:

MY LIFE STORY  
"The essence of everything is its story" – this is what I learned (or something similar) from dialectical materialism. And indeed: I am exactly where I am because I did this and that in the past. So I cannot be anything other than what follows from my past, says the ego. But this is a false statement. The ego wants to know the future at all costs, so it projects the past. Yet between the two lies the present, the only reality where I can do anything, even good things. I don’t have to identify with my past; I can easily identify with my Higher Power, which is referred to in several spiritual texts simply as: Presence. In AA, we refer to it as: Just for today!

MY UPBRINGING  
The ego falsely claims: You are what you were raised to be! If I believe that, then yes. As long as I believed it, it indeed was so. My parents, guardians, teachers, bosses, the media, and who knows what other influences programmed a lot of nonsense into me. For example, "Be strong!" and "Others want to harm you!" and "You are guilty!" and such. But these bad programs can all be reprogrammed with the help of the New Program.

MY SCHOOLS, MY KNOWLEDGE  
I have always been proud of the schools I attended. Physics specialization in high school. Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Eötvös Loránd University! And that I have three degrees. I am not only an engineer but also an economist and a sociologist. Plus, I have a language exam. I can also program. And I have about half a dozen other higher-level certificates. This is who I am! says the ego. Yet without the help of AA, I could not manage to stop drinking. Even though I received medical help (an implant), still! But the Higher Power is stronger than the ego. I just have to let go of the illusion that I am identical with my education.

MY ABILITIES  
I have a lot of good abilities. I can do various things. For example, I am good at sports. I drive well. I play the guitar well. I sing well. I speak well. I am good at... I can be proud of all these. However, if any of them were to cease or disappear, would that mean I am no longer me? For example, just because I haven’t played the guitar lately, should I feel bad? Should I feel diminished? That’s what the ego says. God says otherwise.

MY JOB  
I have worked in various positions. Societal expectations (and the ego) say I should continuously move up the ladder. If you do a "lower" or less qualified job, that’s a step backward. Well, I have also broken with this misconception through the program. Currently, I am doing a job that I would have considered unthinkable even three years ago. But now I no longer say, "I am this," but rather, "I am engaged in this."

MY RELATIONSHIPS  
Naturally, our relationships greatly impact our lives. Yet I don’t believe I should identify with the circles I frequent. If I thought so, I would keep myself away from certain groups because I would fear being "sucked in" by the environment. But now I don’t have to do that; I can understand any community if I want to and connect with them mentally or physically.

MY APPEARANCE  
For a long time, I identified with my external appearance. I considered it an important aspect of my life that I am shorter than average, but stronger than average, that I have a belly but am not going bald, and that I tan poorly, even though I don’t like being pale. Looking in the mirror, I saw "myself." I thought, "This is how I am; I cannot be otherwise!" But I can be any way I want. The question is whether I want to be different. Because then I would be like that, not this. In reality, external appearance has no significance.

MY FAMILY, MY NATIONALITY  
I was born the child of my father and mother. Half Swabian and half Hungarian. Then I got to know their parents. And then I was three-quarters German and only a quarter Hungarian. Then I learned who their parents were, and then I was only a very small part Hungarian but one-eighth Turkish and one-eighth Bulgarian. Then I was proud of the part of my relatives who had "achieved something" in life, and I looked down on the part who had fallen. As if I had anything to do with them. These were also false identifications.

MY ILLNESSES  
I have inherited and acquired illnesses that will never go away. For example, my nearsightedness, my alcohol sensitivity, or my lumbago. However, instead of attributing too much importance to these, I have learned to live with them. For example, I don’t care that I see vaguely at a distance. It doesn’t cause a problem. Or, for example, I wash my face with one hand in the morning while supporting myself on the sink with the other, so that my back doesn’t go out. There’s no problem with that either. Or, for example, I don’t bring alcohol into my system so that my brain doesn’t freak out. There’s nothing wrong with that either.

MY ACHIEVEMENTS  
For a long time, I thought I should be proud of my achievements. At work, for example, I put my professional certificates, praises, my powerlifting results, bodybuilding pictures, marathon running results, and photos on the wall. Oh, and my children's photos. Colleagues humorously called it the "ego wall." I thought I needed this to boost my self-esteem, which had been destroyed by alcoholism. But I don’t need it.

MY POSSESSIONS  
Like many others, for a long time, I measured a person's worth by what they had. Big house, big person. Small car, small person. I am a "panel" person; he is a "single-family house" person. I am a "Trabanto" person; he is a "Mercedes" person. I don’t think that way anymore. I don’t have as many problems anymore.

MY PHYSICAL BODY  
One of the biggest misconceptions of the ego is that it identifies with the physical body. It thinks that this is a constant, something separate from the world, in which it can define itself. However, the body is not constant; it is constantly changing, just like the world itself. It is now a cliché that the cells of the body completely replace themselves approximately every seven years, so this body is no longer the same body. The body is not even separate. It constantly interacts and "communicates" with the world. To say nothing else: it exchanges substances, which is also called metabolism.

There is no sharp boundary between Me and the Other. And now I am not just thinking about sex. For example, if I smell someone, it means that a piece of their body has touched the mucous membrane in my nose. The latest research has also shown that brain waves affect others from a great distance. So the disconnection is a flawed and untenable pursuit of the ego.

In other words, the essence is: I am not the body!


In Step 7, I will practice the following daily:

I AM NOT IDENTICAL TO:

• my life story
• my upbringing
• my education
• my knowledge
• my abilities
• my job
• my relationships
• my appearance
• my family tree
• my nationality
• my illnesses
• my achievements
• my possessions
• my physical body

In the next sharing, I will also present the internal factors...

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Guide for Step 6.6:

6.6. I will list my external identifications.

Write down (think about) how:

• How special is your life story?
• Is your upbringing important to you? Who raised you to be who you are?
• Is your education important to you? Yours or others'?
• Do you have any special abilities? What are you better at than others?
• What about your external appearance? Are you prettier than others? Or the opposite?
• What significant achievements have you accomplished in your life? In sports, work, or other areas?
• Do you have possessions you are proud of?
• How much do you identify with your own body? Do you believe you are your body?

Make a list for yourself in the following way:
I am not identical to:

• my life story
• my upbringing
• my education
• etc.
• etc.
• my physical body

Csaba - Step 6

(excerpt) - 6.7.

6.7. I HAVE LISTED MY INTERNAL BELIEFS

Continuing the dissection of the ego working in my mind, I reflected on the internal factors with which it identifies itself, thereby increasing its SEPARATENESS, or separation from others. Here are my conclusions:

MY BELIEF SYSTEM
I believe this, I believe that. I do not believe this, I do not believe that. I believe in one God. Not like the poor atheists. I am already a believer, and sometimes I am proud of that. That “I” have come to faith. You are still suffering... (So my ego is spiritual too!)

MY POLITICAL VIEWS
I am liberal. That is what moves the world forward. I fight in the good camp. Conservatives only hinder progress. Nationalists especially. Not to mention fascists. Poor fools. They do not understand the flow of the world. But I do...

MY SOCIAL STATUS
I move in circles that you could only dream of. Among my acquaintances, there are many business owners, company executives, parliamentary representatives, ministry people, mayors, bankers, new rich golfers. I belong to the elite. - says the ego.

MY REACTIONS
How I react to things really shows who I am. After all, my subconscious reactions come from deep within, containing all the “programs” of my life so far. These manifestations are truly sincere. At least the ego thinks so, because it does not want change.

MY MEMORIES
My entire life is contained in my memories. This is me. I was like this, and I will remain like this. Memories cannot be erased or changed. And they shouldn’t be! After all, what remains of me? - asks the ego.

MY EMOTIONS
I cannot control my emotions. If I am angry, I am angry. If I am sad, then I am sad. This is who I am. I can’t help it. This is me!

MY OPINION
I know what is right. I have an opinion on everything that reflects the truth. I have to share it with others since their opinions are often incorrect. I cannot allow them to wander in the world. I need to enlighten them about the truth.

MY THOUGHTS
I think, therefore I am. I am what I think. I am the one who thinks these thoughts. Who else would think what I think but me? And what I think is, of course, the truth. After all, I see the world clearly. Why would I think I see it incorrectly when I see it with my own eyes? Others do not see the world through my eyes, so they see it incorrectly. I must share my thoughts with everyone so that the truth spreads!

---

In Step 7, I will therefore practice daily:

I AM NOT IDENTICAL TO:


• my belief system  
• my political views  
• my social status  
• my reactions  
• my memories  
• my emotions  
• my opinion  
• my thoughts  

And now:  

I am fully ready for God to free me from my character flaws.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Guide for Step 6.7:  

6.7. I will list my internal beliefs.  

Write down (think about) how:

• How special is your belief system?  
• Is it important what one’s political views are?  
• Do you observe your own and others' social status?  
• Do you have individual reactions to the events in the world? Are you proud of them?  
• Do you cherish your memories? For example, do you look at old photos?  
• Do you acknowledge your emotional outbursts with the thought: "this is me"?  
• Do you consider your own thoughts important? Do you have many individual thoughts?  

Make a list for yourself in the following way:  

I am not identical to:

• my belief system  
• my political views  
• my social status  
• etc.  
• etc.  
• my thoughts  

1. Are you ready for God to free you from everything you recognize as objectionable?  
2. Do you still cling to certain character flaws?  
3. Can you recognize negative emotions and thoughts?  
4. Can you identify your ego's manifestations (labeling, judging, dramatizing, selfishness)?  
5. Can you list your self-centered needs (assertion, attention, understanding, love)?  
6. Do you recognize your external identification factors (past, life story, family, education, job)?  
7. Do you recognize your internal beliefs (belief system, political convictions, opinions)?