my views on the Steps

[Wisconsin_Al]

Have others experienced seeing the Steps in other areas of life? I ask because I found myself in a position where I was defending the Steps to someone. I explained the way of living that a 12-step program offers.

My basic approach was to say there is nothing new to the 12-steps. These are principles laid down before by others, sometimes centuries ago, and that AA took these and structured a fellowship around them for drunks.

I explain I have not heard anything new in AA that I have not been told in the past by my parents, ministers, therapist, self help books, spiritualist, and naturalist and so on. It’s just that for me, I was only ready to listen when I came to my knees with my alcohol addiction and heard these principles around the AA table. Hearing others like me talk about what it was like, what happened, what it is like now and relate these to the Steps was enormous for me. These principles work for so many in and out of AA but for me they work best in AA.

I was recently with a therapist and was assigned “homework” (grin). She has me filling out a chart on feelings and reactions and then we dig into my responses. You know what? I realized something; she was having me do a 4th and 5th step. Exactly the same as a 4th and 5th? – No. Similar in approach and goal as the 4th and 5th? – Yes.

When it comes to the Steps I find some in AA who see these as uniquely AA while others dismiss them and that’s OK. But I see these as principles for life regardless of how you came to them.

Just my mini-share for this morning.

al

[mike_mass]

Al,

Thanks for sharing. I ponder the meanings of the steps also. I tend to look upon them as a book of wisdom, much like Proverbs. They instruct me how to live in peace with myself and others so that I avoid shameful behavior that might lead me to use again.

[laurie6781]

First I had to work the steps.....................then I had to learn to LIVE the step.

Today many many ODAATs later, this is how I live my life:

THE PRINCIPLES ARE THE STEPS


1. HONESTY
2. HOPE
3. FAITH
4. COURAGE
5. INTEGRITY
6. WILLINGNESS
7. HUMILITY
8. BROTHERLY LOVE
9. JUSTICE
10. PERSEVERANCE
11. SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
12. SERVICE


Hope that helps.

Love and hugs,

[Golfman]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Al

When it comes to the Steps I find some in AA who see these as uniquely AA while others dismiss them and that’s OK. But I see these as principles for life regardless of how you came to them.

Just my mini-share for this morning.

al

Al,

You're right. The steps of AA actually taken from the Bible. They are not unique to AA. What a wonderful world it would be if everyone lived by them. I'm very grateful I'm an alcoholic because AA taught me how to live through the 12 steps. I'd be lost without them.

[CarolD]

Hmmm...I strive to live by

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"

Yes..The Golden Rule from the Bible

I consider this daily living the AA Steps.

Geez! if I am doing this incorrectly
don't tell me at this point! *Grin*

[Barto]

... “do unto others before they do unto you,” right? Kinda’ like “it’s not whether you win or lose, it is how you look while playing the game that counts” – Paris Hilton? Okay, bad jokes aside.

Yes, I think the steps are broad basic principles, but so ordered are perfectly constructed to guide the alcoholic (and perhaps others) back to “God,” so that he (or she) may take his (or her) rightful place in society, that of being a part of, of being of maximum service to his (or her) fellows, which of course pays great dividends to the alcoholic (who having already been to hell, appreciates this seemingly revolutionary design for living).

I’ve heard the steps described as a stairway to heaven; steps that once taken, absolve the disease of self, that arrest the disease of the ego which has come to see itself as being separate, and so restore it to its rightful place (among others, as part of the greater whole, thereby with God).

This is how I like to look at the steps.

Oh yeah, and there is no need to get drunk in heaven. In fact I think it may be impossible.

[CarolD]

Oh yeah, and there is no need to get drunk in heaven. In fact I think it may be impossible.

Barto...that idea never entered my mind!
Interesting