11th step
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Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 1,861
11th step
I have found alot of outside literature helpful in my meditation work. Here is an Oxford Group book called the Philosophy of Courage ( page 39)
I find it difficult to sit quietly. I find that by directing my thoughts on a topic and contemplating it, I get more results. It becomes a combination 10/11 step.
Your thoughts on step 11???
GOD AS PATIENCE OR CREATIVITY
We will suppose that I welcome the sickness in the hope that it leads to help,
and that I allow the ferment to go on working in me. There begins then a strange and unending process of growth which is also a voyage of exploration. It is in this process that are verified the various notions which have been held about God and which I am offering here as my definition of God. First, then, I notice that the power operating in me is not a power over anything or anyone. So far is it from being overbearing or from forcing me to anything, that I rather feel that I myself am a force against it. Once more, the consciousness of God provokes the consciousness of myself, and I am conscious of myself as a power of resistance or obstruction. Nothing happens to me through God’s power without my consent. If I give my consent, what happens to me comes about step by step. My consent begins by my accepting the self-sickness or feeling of dissatisfaction instead of running away from it or suppressing it. I feel then that I am a mass of rottenness.
But, however readily and sincerely I acknowledge the whole of me as rotten, what emerges of this rottenness clearly into my consciousness is one detail only at a time. At any particular moment I see this or that definite act of selfishness or cowardice or insincerity. Looking back over the “readings” thus made of my character over a period of some length, I notice that they are in a definite order, each coming only when I was ready to profit from it and preparing the way for its successor even as the way for it was paved by its predecessor. The order is not the same as I should have chosen myself if I had sat down to take myself in hand by the light of Psychology. There is a supreme and unexpected wisdom in it. It resembles the order observed in
the growth of anything—plant or animal—and experienced in any planning of an enterprise or composing of a poem, play, painting. I am reminded of the fact that growth and “creative” work have been particularly associated with God and that poetically He has been called both the Gardener and the Garden, He who makes things to grow and that in which they grow
All these things—the waiting instead of forcing, the gradualness and the
wisdom—I sum up by saying that the power which is God is patience.
It is patience in the etymological sense of the word also, that of bearing or
suffering. For of the rottenness which I feel myself to be there is not a single item which that power does not take on, as it were, to bear or suffer it. The bearing or suffering is a positive thing. It is a healing and changing. This healing and changing is, I see, what real forgiveness means. I feel it also to be the, supreme function of love.
We will suppose that I welcome the sickness in the hope that it leads to help,
and that I allow the ferment to go on working in me. There begins then a strange and unending process of growth which is also a voyage of exploration. It is in this process that are verified the various notions which have been held about God and which I am offering here as my definition of God. First, then, I notice that the power operating in me is not a power over anything or anyone. So far is it from being overbearing or from forcing me to anything, that I rather feel that I myself am a force against it. Once more, the consciousness of God provokes the consciousness of myself, and I am conscious of myself as a power of resistance or obstruction. Nothing happens to me through God’s power without my consent. If I give my consent, what happens to me comes about step by step. My consent begins by my accepting the self-sickness or feeling of dissatisfaction instead of running away from it or suppressing it. I feel then that I am a mass of rottenness.
But, however readily and sincerely I acknowledge the whole of me as rotten, what emerges of this rottenness clearly into my consciousness is one detail only at a time. At any particular moment I see this or that definite act of selfishness or cowardice or insincerity. Looking back over the “readings” thus made of my character over a period of some length, I notice that they are in a definite order, each coming only when I was ready to profit from it and preparing the way for its successor even as the way for it was paved by its predecessor. The order is not the same as I should have chosen myself if I had sat down to take myself in hand by the light of Psychology. There is a supreme and unexpected wisdom in it. It resembles the order observed in
the growth of anything—plant or animal—and experienced in any planning of an enterprise or composing of a poem, play, painting. I am reminded of the fact that growth and “creative” work have been particularly associated with God and that poetically He has been called both the Gardener and the Garden, He who makes things to grow and that in which they grow
All these things—the waiting instead of forcing, the gradualness and the
wisdom—I sum up by saying that the power which is God is patience.
It is patience in the etymological sense of the word also, that of bearing or
suffering. For of the rottenness which I feel myself to be there is not a single item which that power does not take on, as it were, to bear or suffer it. The bearing or suffering is a positive thing. It is a healing and changing. This healing and changing is, I see, what real forgiveness means. I feel it also to be the, supreme function of love.
Your thoughts on step 11???
Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 700
I'm a creature of habit.. and being not too good with words and with the aim of keeping it simple.. I just printed out what it says in the Big Book and use that. I close it out with the 3rd step prayer. That way I'm making a decision to work the steps the rest of the day.
I've learned its not so much what I say or do.. its the action of doing it.
The step itself and the way its worded.. The word "only" really has been sticking out to me lately. A bold way of saying .. Keep it simple.
Nice topic
Andy
I've learned its not so much what I say or do.. its the action of doing it.
The step itself and the way its worded.. The word "only" really has been sticking out to me lately. A bold way of saying .. Keep it simple.
Nice topic
Andy
Adjusting my Sails
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,021
It has taken me a long time to pray "only" for his his will because I have my own. I really didn't see how that was even possible at first. I still have a hard time praying "only" for his will but it is in my every prayer.
Conscious contact with God allowing knowledge of His will for me is the single most important thing for me today. When I am able to carry out his will my life is for the better.
What I have learned inside and outside of AA, in other readings, in and out of Church, the steps. They are all tools to get me to this point with the exception of step 12. In step 12 I experience his will for me.
Thank you Steve. This step is essencial to my every day life.
Conscious contact with God allowing knowledge of His will for me is the single most important thing for me today. When I am able to carry out his will my life is for the better.
What I have learned inside and outside of AA, in other readings, in and out of Church, the steps. They are all tools to get me to this point with the exception of step 12. In step 12 I experience his will for me.
Thank you Steve. This step is essencial to my every day life.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: in the present moment
Posts: 2,060
Conscious Contact with God returned to me after I took steps 1, 2 + 3. Surrendered to the concept that I alone am powerless over alcohol. Came to believe it was possible to live a better way because there was a Higher power who created me for a better life, and decided to turn my entire life in that direction, to God.
For me, silent sitting is the most direct pathway, to listen to, God consciousness. Daily Reflection is also essential, to see my growth and progress.
Love is another path to God Consciousness, to accept opportunities.
Receiving Grace and Blessings from all sources confirm God's presence in my world. Prayers light the pathway even more......
Praying only for knowledge of His will and the power to carry that out....
"knowledge of His will" is something I sense internally. I now have intuitions that work.
"and the power to carry that out" is something I also must guard and be careful with. My human power is God given, but it has to be replenished, nourished and protected. In the drinking past, I squandered all of my power in wrong relations, excessive accumulations, ego-driven ambitions. Today I keep it simple. REAL simple.
On a practical or mechanical level: i sit daily for at minimum 30 minutes, often much longer. I do also work with others, because i need to open myself up to more..I strive less, have little worldly ambition. I am pretty happy, too.
For me, silent sitting is the most direct pathway, to listen to, God consciousness. Daily Reflection is also essential, to see my growth and progress.
Love is another path to God Consciousness, to accept opportunities.
Receiving Grace and Blessings from all sources confirm God's presence in my world. Prayers light the pathway even more......
Praying only for knowledge of His will and the power to carry that out....
"knowledge of His will" is something I sense internally. I now have intuitions that work.
"and the power to carry that out" is something I also must guard and be careful with. My human power is God given, but it has to be replenished, nourished and protected. In the drinking past, I squandered all of my power in wrong relations, excessive accumulations, ego-driven ambitions. Today I keep it simple. REAL simple.
On a practical or mechanical level: i sit daily for at minimum 30 minutes, often much longer. I do also work with others, because i need to open myself up to more..I strive less, have little worldly ambition. I am pretty happy, too.
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,697
Sitting quietly is HARD! Or am I alone in this?
I went to a meditation teacher - and I thought I had to feel peaceful while sitting quietly - but my mind's natural thing is to try to grab onto anything it can, memories, hopes, sounds, distractions. What I CAN do - is bring my thoughts back to nothing and eventually I hit a state where I can just observe these distractions with no attachment to them....A car horn honks, I hear it recognize it, and let it flow out...
I think there is endless information, help available on the 11th step...from many many sources.
I went to a meditation teacher - and I thought I had to feel peaceful while sitting quietly - but my mind's natural thing is to try to grab onto anything it can, memories, hopes, sounds, distractions. What I CAN do - is bring my thoughts back to nothing and eventually I hit a state where I can just observe these distractions with no attachment to them....A car horn honks, I hear it recognize it, and let it flow out...
I think there is endless information, help available on the 11th step...from many many sources.
It`s ok to stay sober
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Central NC
Posts: 20,909
whew!
I love this topic and the replies
I believe the hardest thing I have done on a constant daily basis is to sit still and be quite.
I like to sit quietly and think about things sometimes.Other times I like to sit as quietly as possible and try to quieten my mind as much as possible and see what happens.Sometimes I have focused my attention on one object and try to focus all my attention on it.In less than one minute I find some other things drift in to try and disturb it.The longer I try to sit quietly,the better it gets
at one time a friend and myself used the old oxford Group phamplet "How to Listen to God" and we did it for 4 or 5 yrs.It helped me a lot to slow my head down and separate those old known self will thoughts from the good Godly thoughts.That works!
I still use pages 86-88 as a foundation for step 11.
If I don`t practice,I never will get better at it.
Steve like you mentioned above,I find steps 10-11 flow together for me.They just flow....
I love this topic and the replies
I believe the hardest thing I have done on a constant daily basis is to sit still and be quite.
I like to sit quietly and think about things sometimes.Other times I like to sit as quietly as possible and try to quieten my mind as much as possible and see what happens.Sometimes I have focused my attention on one object and try to focus all my attention on it.In less than one minute I find some other things drift in to try and disturb it.The longer I try to sit quietly,the better it gets
at one time a friend and myself used the old oxford Group phamplet "How to Listen to God" and we did it for 4 or 5 yrs.It helped me a lot to slow my head down and separate those old known self will thoughts from the good Godly thoughts.That works!
I still use pages 86-88 as a foundation for step 11.
If I don`t practice,I never will get better at it.
Steve like you mentioned above,I find steps 10-11 flow together for me.They just flow....
Retired Pro Drunk
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Posts: 901
IMHO, any activity (active or passive) that brings my HP's influence in my life to the front of my mind is prayer.
I don't have to be quiet. I don't have to be on my knees. I don't have to be reciting any specific text. I can be doing anything or nothing at all.
It wasn't until I figured this out that I was able to get in touch with my HP.
I don't have to be quiet. I don't have to be on my knees. I don't have to be reciting any specific text. I can be doing anything or nothing at all.
It wasn't until I figured this out that I was able to get in touch with my HP.
Follow Directions!
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
Prayer & meditation, I alternate many times, pray & meditate, meditate & pray. I meditate sometimes about what I prayed and other times I pray about what has come to me in meditation. What I need to do is work at both more often.......
Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 464
Every time I sit, it is sitting meditation. I want to sit quietly and peacefully, I sit with stability and peace. Anytime you move your feet and touch the ground, anytime you go from one place to another, you can practice walking meditation. ~ Thích Nhất Hạnh
Prayer can ( and in my case has often) become rote- the meaningless recitation of words that amount to nothing. I used to treat prayer like it was a magical charm, as if I said it just right magic would happen. The prayer of St Francis gives me a direction I should move, and the quote I posted turns prayer and meditation into more of a verb. Good stuff here
Prayer can ( and in my case has often) become rote- the meaningless recitation of words that amount to nothing. I used to treat prayer like it was a magical charm, as if I said it just right magic would happen. The prayer of St Francis gives me a direction I should move, and the quote I posted turns prayer and meditation into more of a verb. Good stuff here
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