What are the twelve steps?

[Emptywineglass]

I have always heard about them, but don't know what they are..

[CarolD]

Here you are..

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ower-post.html

For me...
they are a blueprint for living in the joy of sobriety.

[aasharon90]

Hi Im Sharon and Im an Alcoholic.

By the Grace of my HP and people here
in SR i havent had a drink of alcohol
since 8-11-90. For that im truely grateful.


Today, let us begin a short study of The
Twelve Suggested Steps of A.A.

These Twelve Suggested Steps seem
to embody five principles.

The first step is the mem-
bership requirement step.

The second, third and eleventh steps
are the spiritual steps of the program.

The fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and
thenth are the personal inventory steps.

The eigth and nineth steps are the restitution
steps.

The twelfth step is the passing on of
the program, or helping others, step.

So the five principles are membership
requirement, spiritual basis, personal inventory,
restitution, and helping others.

[aasharon90]

Quoted:

I remember my sponsor's answer when I told him
that the Steps were "suggested". He replied that
they are "suggested" in the way, if you
were to jump out of an airplane with a parachute, it
is "suggested" that you pull the ripcord to save
your life. He pointed out that it was "suggested" I
practice the Twelve Steps, if I wanted to save my
life. So I try to remember daily that I have a whole
program of recovery based on all Twelve of the
"suggested" Steps.

[2dayzmuse]

It worked for me!

[michski]

Originally Posted by aasharon90

Quoted:

I remember my sponsor's answer when I told him
that the Steps were "suggested". He replied that
they are "suggested" in the way, if you
were to jump out of an airplane with a parachute, it
is "suggested" that you pull the ripcord to save
your life. .

That's a good one.. very true!

Regardless if you believe in the power of god or that of a sunset, the 12 Steps are an archypal spiritual program with which you get the opportunity to get to know yourself, deal with the wreckage of the past and get on with a life filled with making good choices for yourself instead of bad ones.

Welcome!

[StrongR2Day]

Well said, Michski!

[jlo34]

The 12 steps teach us so much about ourselves.

First, we learn that it is a WE program and we are not alone. Also that we are alcoholics (if we choose to believe we are such) and our lives have become unmanagable.

Second, we came to believe that a Power Greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity (sanity - soundness of mind).

Third, we made a decision to turn OUR will and OUR lives over to the care of God, as we understand Him.

There are 9 more steps, but as a new person to sobriety these are the most important to concentrate on right now. Going to lots of meetings and not drinking is really important as well.

Good luck on your journey,
Jen

[hector]

Thanks, Sharon, for your share on the five principles behind the steps. I think that what you've done is to define the steps rather than state the principles. I see the principles as follows:

Step One - Humility Step Two - Hope

Step Three - Trust Step Four - Honesty

Step Five - Openness Step Six - Willingness

Step Seven - Self-improvement Step Eight - Foregiveness

Step Nine - Discretion Step Ten - Watchfulness

Step Eleven - Spirituality Step Twelve - Helpfulness

As I started this post, I thought I had a list somewhere of the Principles. I couldn't find it. I made the above up as I went. I talked about the first three earlier tonight at a f2f meeting on step 2. Please feel free to edit or rewrite the above to your heart's content. I am an expert only on my own story. My point is that principles and definitions are different things. Thanks, Sharon, my friend, for your post.

[collinsmi]

Actions taken to provide recovery from alcoholism.

[jimhere]

"The Twelve Steps are a set of principals, spiritual in nature, which when practiced as a way of life, expel the alcoholic's obssession to drink and enable the sufferer to live happily and usefully whole."
-Bill Wilson

[CarolD]

Steps

AA's Twelve Steps are a group of principles,
spiritual in nature, which, if practiced as a way of life,
can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer
to become happily and usefully whole. . .
Many people, nonalcoholics, report
that as a result of the practice of AA's Twelve Steps,
they have been able to meet other difficulties of life.
They think that the Twelve Steps can mean more
than sobriety for problem drinkers.
They see in them a way to happy and effective living
for many, alcoholic or not.


Reprinted from Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, pp. 15-16, with permission of A.A. World Services, Inc.

[fraankie]

the 12 steps are to fill your "empty wine glass" (life)
with once you stop drinking


best
fraankie

[Sheryl85]

The forward of the 12 and 12 states: "A.A.'s Twelve Steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole."

After attending several Step Studies I transcribed the following definition beside each of the steps. Later I found the same information with further elaboration on each Step. I would like to share it with you...

Step 1: Honesty
After many years of denial, recovery can begin when with one simple admission of being powerless over alcohol -- for alcoholics and their friends and family.

Step 2: Faith
It seems to be a spiritual truth, that before a higher power can begin to operate, you must first believe that it can.

Step 3: Surrender
A lifetime of self-will run riot can come to a screeching halt, and change forever, by making a simple decision to turn it all over to a higher power.

Step 4: Soul Searching
There is a saying in the 12-step programs that recovery is a process, not an event. The same can be said for this step -- more will surely be revealed.

Step 5: Integrity
Probably the most difficult of all the steps to face, Step 5 is also the one that provides the greatest opportunity for growth.

Step 6: Acceptance
The key to Step 6 is acceptance -- accepting character defects exactly as they are and becoming entirely willing to let them go.

Step 7: Humility
The spiritual focus of Step 7 is humility, asking a higher power to do something that cannot be done by self-will or mere determination.

Step 8: Willingness
Making a list of those harmed before coming into recovery may sound simple. Becoming willing to actually make those amends is the difficult part.

Step 9: Forgiveness
Making amends may seem like a bitter pill to swallow, but for those serious about recovery it can be great medicine for the spirit and soul.

Step 10: Maintenance
Nobody likes to admit to being wrong. But it is absolutely necessary to maintain spiritual progress in recovery.

Step 11: Making Contact
The purpose of Step 11 is to discover the plan God as you understand Him has for your life.

Step 12: Service
For those in recovery programs, practicing Step 12 is simply "how it works."

I guess the description that I like the best (because it's simple) was given to me by my friend Ken S. who said:

Steps One through Three are the "Giving Up" Steps.
Steps Four through Six are the "Cleaning Up" Steps.
Steps Seven through Nine are the "Making Up" Steps.
And Steps Ten through Twelve are the "Keeping Up" Steps.

Hope I was able to give you something you could use. Thank you to all who have shared... I have found this so enjoyable.

[Chy]

This is what helped me make sense of it in early recovery.. yup I was digging in the basement again! LOL!

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...-newcomer.html (12 Steps to the Newcomer)