Today I was meditating on things spiritual, specifically the spiritual awakening. One of the things this program offers us is the freedom to believe in what makes sense to us. And, as Appendix II in the BB suggests in its final quote, to achieve a spiritual awakening, we need an open mind.
I have known and read from the book Spiritual Awakenings that we can work these 12 Steps with all kinds of concepts. From atheists, agnostics, and even gardens as a higher power. All of them sober for many years and benefiting from being members in this program.
Does that mean that they’re cut off from a spiritual way of life? Apparently not. I’ve heard personally many concepts, which I have to say startled me, but have never really troubled me. Some have had real spiritual awakenings, which to me were real spiritual experiences, which opened not just their minds, but their hearts.
The words “God as we understand Him” are said to be the five words which “saved” AA. Opening the door to all, who suffer from this disease of alcoholism. I know many, who have told me their backgrounds in growing up, where either they suffered disappointments in what they were taught to believe, or were never offered any beliefs at all in their families.
It always amazes me to think that here we are in this program, with a common primary purpose to stay sober and help another alcoholic to achieve sobriety, and all of us are doing the same thing, without arguments or debates on this subject. For the most part that is. Like my sponsor always told me, AA is not a debating society.
All of us are required to avoid the trap of spiritual pride. Bill W. himself wrote about how he drove many an alcoholic away in the beginning, when he attempted to get them to believe as he did. He said that he always regretted that and that it was his spiritual pride and arrogance that he was suffering from. Our task is not to preach or try to teach the new man or woman. They can believe anything they want, as long as it makes sense to them. We leave that up to them.
Any of us can have a spiritual awakening as a result of these Steps. A restoration to sanity from the insanity of alcohol. As the BB says, being placed in a position of neutrality, as far as alcohol is concerned. That part of the book is right after the 9th Step, where we’ve stopped fighting everyone and everything, including alcohol. But it may occur anytime. It did for me five days before I went to my first meeting.
I know that I have had several spiritual awakenings, even though I didn’t realize them at the time. They came as a result of surrendering and accepting a number of things during my sobriety. And they always brought about changes within me.
Enough of my thoughts on this matter. They came about as I was thinking about the words “higher power”, “God”, and “spiritual awakenings”. And of course, sobriety.