12 Steps - A legitimate spiritual path

[Anton Rogachevski]

Disclaimer: It's a non profit, non religious fellowship. I only share as a fellow seeker who found something worthwhile. It's not a replacement for the deep spiritual work we do here in any way, but another perspective to investigate following Leo's principle of open mindedness.

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I would like to share my insights about the 12 steps method - I've been practicing it for over two years now, and have gained many tools and principles that I couldn't get elsewhere. First of all it's based on group meetings in which you mutually share insights about "recovery" - they say you should share about "Strength, wisdom, and hope.". The fact that you become part of a fellowship of people who share a common goal fulfills a deep human need for being a part of a tribe. This unity principle helps to seek compassion and understanding, learning to listen and not react or judge, and to see that all people are equal. (Anonymity principle)

Obviously it's not perfect, since it's based on gathering around a particular disorder, but it gets very quickly past that, into deep shadow work, cleaning and letting go of the past and embodying the principles in all aspects of life. Before I came there I've already been on the path of self actualization, but this program really gave me the missing 50% I needed to take my progress to the next level - to change entirely and to become a strong confident individual, and have a clean and healthy life.

The different fellowships that are based on this method are focusing on different disorders, since all people are different and have different hangups.

Here's a list with many of the types of programs available:

https://sobernation.com/list-of-12-step-programs/

I would recommend it especially if you have an addiction to food, alcohol, relationships (co-dependency), drugs, sex, and gambling, because these programs might be your only salvation, and that is from hard experience. But even if you are a simple seeker, you can read AA's big book (the basis of all the programs) which is free in their website. This program saved millions, and brought back happiness to their lives. As a diligent seeker I've researched many traditions and methods, but this is definitely unique and worth checking.

It's doesn't cost anything but a small pay of rent, coffee and buying literature without profits. So it's much more financially smart than going to a therapist or other available methods which cost a lot.


Twelve Steps

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.


Twelve Traditions

1. Our common welfare should come first; personal progress for the greatest number depends upon unity.

2. For our group purpose there is but one authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants—they do not govern.

3. The relatives of alcoholics, when gathered together for mutual aid, may call themselves an Al-Anon Family Group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation. The only requirement for membership is that there be a problem of alcoholism in a relative or friend.

4. Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting another group or Al-Anon or AA as a whole.

5. Each Al-Anon Family Group has but one purpose: to help families of alcoholics. We do this by practicing the Twelve Steps of AA ourselves, by encouraging and understanding our alcoholic relatives, and by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics.

6. Our Family Groups ought never endorse, finance or lend our name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary spiritual aim. Although a separate entity, we should always co-operate with Alcoholics Anonymous.

7. Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.

8. Al-Anon Twelfth Step work should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.

9. Our groups, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.

10. The Al-Anon Family Groups have no opinion on outside issues; hence our name ought never be drawn into public controversy.

11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, films, and TV. We need guard with special care the anonymity of all AA members.

12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles above personalities.

 

Edited December 7, 2018 by Anton Rogachevski