THE 12 AFTER 12 STEPS

Transcription

1 THE 12 AFTER 12 STEPS The principles we have set down are guides to progress. We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection. 1. We admit God has empowered us-that our lives are becoming manageable. 2. Come to believe that a power greater than ourselves is restoring us to sanity. 3. Continue to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand God. 4. Make a searching and selfless inventory of our spiritual experiences. 5. Admit to God, to ourselves, and to other human beings the exact nature of who we are. 6. Are entirely ready to have God enhance all these assets of character. 7. Humbly ask God s grace to transpire. 8. Make a list of all the things we can do to be helpful and become willing to do them. 9. Share what we value whenever possible, except when to do so would damage relationships. 10. Continue to take constructive inventory, and when we can be useful promptly express ourselves. 11. Seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand God, meditating on God s peace while we patiently remain in the moment. 12. Having been spiritually enlightened as a result of these steps, we share this message with others and practice these principles in all our affairs.

2 THE 12 AFTER 12 PREAMBLE We are people in recovery who strive to create a deeper, more integrated spiritual life. We have embraced a twelve step program and work it to the best of our ability. We enjoy a measure of stability and serenity in our daily lives. Now we are ready and willing to further our development so that we may continue this journey on the broad highway of life. These steps are intended to provide new tools for spiritual growth. We do not suggest that the 12 after 12 can or should replace the original 12 steps in any manner. We know they work. We bear witness to the miraculous. We see the promises fulfilled. And we hunger for more. In the first 12 steps we worked very hard to become honest with one another and made amends for our problematic behaviors. We became accountable. We began to dismantle the distortions of selfishness. In the 12 after 12, we shift our focus from the lens of disease and liability. We step firmly into our new sunlit lives, astonished. Our perspective is much richer now, and what once seemed a landscape of anguish is now transformed by gratitude into a vibrant world of blessings and possibilities. We desire to put our gifts and strengths to good, effective purpose. We invite you to join this community of ongoing work. Bring your experience, strength, and hope. Bring your honesty, open mind, and willingness. We see now that each of us is in possession of an abundance of beautiful attributes and legitimate capabilities. Though a compassionate reinterpretation of our essential selves, we begin to understand who we really are. Our awareness is ever expanding. We learn to honor our journey and embrace our struggles. We hope to remain open and to keep evolving.

3 STEP ONE We admit God has empowered us-that our lives are becoming manageable. At this stage in recovery, we acknowledge a significant transformation has truly taken place. Through the grace of God, we have come to recreate our very lives. As the chaos of active addiction and spiritual bankruptcy begins to recede, we gain a new sense of our own volition. We no longer see ourselves as victims of this disease, but, rather, fierce agents of radical change. We choose sobriety. We choose serenity. STEP TWO Come to believe that a power greater than ourselves is restoring us to sanity. When we first approached recovery, we struggled with the concept of a higher power. We were required to navigate through doubt that a loving God could and would come to our aid and help us to heal. Many of us were unable to understand ourselves as precious creations, loved by the creator who made us, and thus essentially worthy of salvation. We began with hope; hope that we could be helped by something, anything greater then ourselves. The allowance of hope strengthened into faith, an applied faith that we learned to manifest in thought and action. This practice of faith solidified into an active belief. Now we see God s work indisputably at hand in a very real way. We experience the miracle of a daily reprieve from the insanity of our disease. This reprieve serves as solid evidence of what God can and will do when we allow God to do it. STEP THREE Continue to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand God. We are engaged in the ongoing practice of aligning our individual wills with the divine will of God. It is only through a deliberate and sustained awareness that we learn to quiet the loud chatter of the ego long enough to receive direction from our higher power. We make a thousand tiny choices in any given day, and in these myriad decisions we are free to choose willingness again and again. We become increasingly reliant upon this connection with God. As we move into a more intimate relationship with our higher power, we come to integrate God into every aspect of our lives. We learn to work with God as co creator of our everyday reality. By taking action, we renew our decision to turn our will over to a power greater than ourselves.

4 STEP FOUR Make a searching and selfless inventory of our spiritual experiences. In step 4 of the 12 after 12, we introduce a new tool, similar to the moral inventory taken in the original 4 th step, although with a much different focus. In the original 4 th step, we use the red flag of resentment to examine our misperceptions and motivations. We embarked on an inward journey of self analysis. When we inventory our spiritual experiences, past and present, we identify the innate and God-given assets of character that make these experiences possible. We examine our part, the intrinsic strengths and gifts we bring to the table. We begin to comprehend our essential and authentic selves through this compassionate reinterpretation of who God truly created us to be. STEP FIVE Admit to God, to ourselves, and to other human beings the exact nature of who we are. After we have completed a thorough inventory of our spiritual experiences in step 4, we gain a more holistic perception of ourselves. While we may struggle with our defects of character and shortcomings for the rest of our lives, we cannot be defined simply by a list of our sins. We see now that each of us possesses an abundance of beautiful attributes and legitimate capabilities. While we may at times be driven by instincts that far exceed their intended purpose, not all of our natural desires are essentially selfish. Our spiritual experiences understood in the context of gratitude, illuminate our ability to be selfless, compassionate, and joyous. The admission of these capacities, to God, to ourselves, and to other human beings, raises our level of accountability to live up to our full potential.

5 STEP SIX Are entirely ready to have God enhance all these assets of character. We have admitted in step 5 to the truth of our more worthy aspects of self. We abandon limited objectives and move toward God s will for us. We are willing to work in full cooperation with God to abstain from ineffective behaviors and practice effective ones. God asks only that we try as best we know how to make progress in the building of character. For every identified defect of character, there exists also an amending asset. When we are ready to unabashedly claim these assets as intrinsic to who we are, we take full responsibility for them. It is our task to allow them to shine through us and manifest in the real world. STEP SEVEN Humbly ask God s grace to transpire. God s grace is a given, whether we are conscious of it or not. In the throes of our disease, we may have lost our ability to sense this grace. The tolls of addiction render us increasingly insensitive to the living presence of God in all things. Through the difficult process of coming to terms with our defects of character, which persistently interfere with the flow of divine energy, we minimize our barriers to receiving God s grace. Conversely, our assets of character are sacred gifts given us in service to the will of God. It is through these very attributes of love, joy, compassion, tolerance, humility, and faith that we become conduits of Grace. As human beings, we may never fully comprehend grace. Certainly, we do not deign to define or control it. We do, however, sense its mystery, elegance, and beauty. Through receptivity to the influence of Spirit, we experience an inexplicable and unmerited favor.

6 STEP EIGHT Make a list of all the things we can do to be helpful and become willing to do them. In the original 8 th and 9 th steps, we make a sincere effort to clear away the wreckage of the past through the process of amends. We take responsibility for the harm we have done to others and work to repair relationships. When we have thoroughly addressed past wrongs, we can now focus our energies on how we treat others in our present day lives. We seek to develop the best possible relations with every human being we know. We make living amends. In this 8 th step, we carefully consider how we can be of service to the people around us. Through a patient compassion and generosity of spirit, we pass on the gifts of this program, so freely given to us. When we open our hearts to true empathy, we discover a new capacity within us to be useful. We need only be willing to respond with love and tolerance to the suffering we encounter in the world and miracles follow. STEP NINE Share what we value whenever possible, except when to do so would damage relationships. Whole recovery is a transformative experience. We are required to make a thorough examination of our character, motivations, and values. We become increasingly aware of what is really important to us, those universal qualities that make life worth living. We can see, now, that these principles are not at all alien to our essential natures. They are, rather, constitutionally inherent in each and every one of us. We say: Faith without works is dead. It is, then, our most central task to transmit all we have learned and gained through recovery. Through the devoted practice of gratitude, we deconstruct the illusions of scarcity and embrace a reality of radical abundance. There is enough: we do not have to hoard our resources. Our cups are overfull. There is more than plenty to share with those in need. And when we share, we are, in turn, nourished by the experience of giving. Although we cannot, of course, be everything to everybody at all times, we can make wise decisions in the practice of generosity, decisions that honor our integrity. We want to avoid situations that compromise our own well being or cause us to neglect our most intimate relationships. We seek an astute and flexible balance that fosters both stability and devotion.

7 STEP TEN Continue to take constructive inventory, and when we can be useful promptly express ourselves. When we are able to view ourselves with compassion and tolerance, we are now capable of making a realistic, fair assessment of where we stand in the world. We can account for both assets and liabilities of character, our varied emotional states, and the decisions we make on a day to day basis. We learn to honor our journey, and embrace our struggles. Through constructive inventory, we grow in understanding and effectiveness. We gain a newfound clarity about ourselves and others. By virtue of this expanding awareness, we are enabled to make solid choices about how we want to participate in life. Authentic expression becomes natural to us. When we carry ourselves in alignment with our spiritual values and principles, we experience the grace of peace and serenity. STEP ELEVEN Seek through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand God, meditating on God s peace while we patiently remain in the moment. We have established conscious contact with God as we understand God and learn to allow God s will for us to serve as beacon and guide. We can discern, now, more clearly what is and isn t in alignment with divine wisdom and sense ourselves empowered to carry out constructive expression through our thoughts and actions. As we integrate prayer and meditation into our moment to moment consciousness, this contact will only become deeper, the communication intensified and strengthened through practice. The mind, alone, cannot apprehend peace. Our busy, jagged thoughts interfere with our capacity to experience serenity. Through prayer and meditation, we learn to quiet our consciousness, move from our tickertape thoughts to the spaciousness of the heart. We come to know a simplicity and humility, a tranquil place within us where we are receptive to God s abiding grace.

8 STEP TWELVE Having been spiritually enlightened as a result of these steps, we share this message with others and practice these principles in all our affairs. What does it mean to live a spiritual life? Our answers to this question may vary. As individuals, we travel distinct paths. When we come together in a voluntary community of shared principles, we are each in possession of a unique perspective, formed by our different life experiences. Every view point has validity. Our strength as a group stem from this very diversity. When we share our wisdom with one another, we serve as true allies and teachers. We share the message with each other in new ways all the time, acting as stewards of a living, breathing ethic. Enlightenment is not an absolute state. We are all so perfectly imperfect. We hope to remain open and to keep evolving. What then is the central message of the 12 after 12? We believe these are the underlining tenets: A) By the grace of God, we are now capable of living more spiritual lives. B) We are all inherently valuable and worthy of peace and serenity. C) When we bring our desires into alignment with God s intention, we allow our intrinsic abilities and authentic selves to thrive. D) Through devoted participation in our communities, we create opportunities to help heal ourselves and others. If we can live by these simple premises, we have made a good beginning. We have a foundation from which we can build. The real measure of how effectively we carry this message is in how we live our lives. We want to move toward a unity of sorts, a way of being that is in accord with what we say we believe. As we come to claim enlightenment, we become responsible to this path and everything it asks of us. We practice these principles in all our affairs.

9 The 12 After 12 Principles And Definitions 1) Empowerment: The process of gaining access and developing one's capacities with a view to participating actively in shaping one's own life. 2) Belief: A state or habit of mind in which trust or confidence is placed in some person or thing: Conviction of the truth of some statement or the reality of some being or phenomenon especially when based on examination of evidence. 3) Cooperation: To act or work with another or others: To associate with another or others for mutual benefit. 4) Insight: The power or act of seeing into a situation: The act or result of apprehending the inner nature of things or of seeing intuitively. 5) Truth: Sincerity in action, character, and utterance: A transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality. 6) Character: One of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual: The complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person: Moral excellence and firmness. 7) Grace: Unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification: Disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency: A virtue coming from God. 8) Helpfulness: Of service or assistance: Friendliness evidenced by a kindly and helpful disposition. 9) Generosity: Characterized by a noble or forbearing spirit: Liberal in giving: Marked by abundance or ample proportions. 10) Discernment: Showing insight and understanding: The quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure. 11) Peace: A state of tranquility or quiet: Freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions: Harmony in personal relations. 12) Devotion: The fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal: Commitment to some purpose.

10 Spiritual Experience We list those experiences, past and present, that we find to have a spiritual significance. What Happened? What specifically about this experience do we find to be of a spiritual nature? Affects My Identity, relationships, selfworth, security, serenity, etc.

11 How have we been honest, respectful and authentic? Our Part How have we been loving, joyous and compassionate? How have we been courageous, persevering and determined? How have we been humble, grateful and selfless? How have we been tolerant, accepting and patient? How have we been understanding, wise and intuitive?

12 10th Step Constructive Inventory Where am I in this present moment? Can I identify, honestly, my true emotions and current mental state? What is it that I want? What are my motivations? Are my motivations in alignment with my spiritual values and principles? How can I be useful and participate effectively in the world around me? How can I best express myself?