"When the spiritual malady is overcome we straighten out mentally and physically."
Nowhere in the narrative of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous is it suggested that we have a three-fold disease. In fact they don't use the word "disease." They carefully chose the words "illness" or "malady."
At the opening of the narrative they speak to the fact that we may recover from a "seemingly hopeless state of mind and body" (if we are willing to go to any length to get what they have). The key word here is "seemingly." It means apparently. It only seems that we are in a state of hopelessness in the mind and body but indeed we are not. It only seems this way. It is was is apparent to us, and those about us. It really isn't so.
So why this talk of "three-fold?"
We have one problem. It's a disconnect from a Power greater than ourselves and most times it happens long before we pick up a drink. The appearance of hopelessness as its related to the mind and body are an extension of this severed connection to the Power.
The remedy? Fix the connection. Repair the divide between us and God. It's that simple.
How? We needn't worry about the how. We need only concern ourselves with the willingness required. Once we have this key we simply follow the directions outlined in the Big Book and the result will be had. A reconnect to that which we lost.
Once reconnected, once we experience a shift away from the bondage of self and place our trust and reliance on our New Friend those problems that we seem to have had with the mind and body are repaired. That which seemed to be the problem is straightened out.
God performs His Spiritual Surgery on us by His Grace as we haven't the power to effect any change upon ourselves. We haven't the needed power to repair the connection. What we have a willingness to meet the conditions that are set upon us by Him to meet Him. To seek Him.
The third pertinent idea tells us in a conditional manner that "God could and would if He were sought." There is a great deal of condition in this prediction. It is set forth with the word "if." If we seek Him, He can and will repair us, repair that "one-fold," which will repair the mind and body. If we don't seek Him? He can't and won't. It is this simple. So the next time you chant that line as they read How It Works at the opening of a meeting think to exactly what they are saying to you based on their experience. And remember that appearance of the mind and body as not being able to recover is an illusion.
Make a decision to do the work, write your fourth step, speak to the entirety of what is written. Make a pivot in that staircase of the twelve steps at steps six and seven and get out there and repair the damage you caused as you make amends. All of this action will teach and show you how to properly live the tenets of steps ten and eleven and will show you how to practice these principles in all your affairs while you carry this message.
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