Spiritual Growth in A.A. and Other 12-Step Programs

The purpose of  this site is to help individuals in recovery grow spiritually. A.A. defines itself as a spiritual program. Within the book of Alcoholics Anonymous we find these important statements:

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

The point is, that we are willing to grow along spiritual lines.

Resentment is the “number one” offender. It destroys more alcoholics than anything else. From it stem all forms of spiritual disease, for we have been not only mentally and physically ill, we have been spiritually sick. When the spiritual malady is overcome, we straighten out mentally and physically.

We can laugh at those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of strength.

Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition.

The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it.

But here is the Dilemma

To have meaningful recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) one must gain spirituality, a subject that is often misunderstood. In AA we know that spirituality must have something to do with God and we are told that to grow spiritually we must apply in our life, the principles inherent to the 12-Step program.

The 12-Step program is a spiritual program where God is described in terms of  a power greater than ourselves, God as we understood Him, and God. 12-Step programs are not a religion as many people believe, rather they are a spiritual discipline that results in recovery. It is not their purpose to replace religion or to suggest that anyone should not pursue their own religious activities.

In fact, in the book of Alcoholics Anonymous, the writers urge us to be quick to see where religious people are right and make use of what they offer. This is excellent advice and proves itself to us once we overcome the fear and confusion that we bring with us into the program. That confusion and fear is often based upon a misunderstanding about God that we have in our individual belief systems.

There has been an incredible amount of A.A. historical research that now substantially proves that the Bible played a major role in the initial workings of A.A. The spiritual principles and other spiritual ideas and concepts found in A.A. have their roots in The Good Book. Our intent here is to help bring that fact into clearer focus for you as your own experience will prove out. We need to appreciate how and why the A.A. 12-Step Program actually works, as it is not magic. To do that we must gain a proper perspective of what the intent and meaning is of the phrase “God as we understood Him” that is found in the third step of the program.

On this website you will find truthful and practical answers about God and why the 12-Step program, when applied, helps us achieve meaningful spirituality. Published here are articles that discuss the important aspects of recovery and information about the book “Eternal Sobriety.”