Study the above diagram very carefully. Careful
and meticulous examination reveals that without the traditions,
the steps will not be successful.
The transition reads as follows:
With an honest desire, in an open
minded unity, for the willing expression of... The
Primary Purpose.
To see some of the challenges involved in
misunderstanding the system, consider a common pitfall:
Rather than having an honest desire, the expression
often begins with an honest despair. In other words, the desire
for recovery from any malady or condition usually begins with
the desire to be rid of pain. This, down through
the history of humanity, has never been enough of a positive
motivating
factor to enduce what Yung first described as a real psychic
change.
The desire to be rid of pain, and relieve
a state of despair, is enough of a motivating factor to
"get
a person through the door" of recovery, but is not enough
to enduce recovery. Without the first tradition concept, desire
for the primary purpose, recovery cannot commence.
It is only by virtue of the traditions,
the group whole, that a transmutation can occur. Dr.
David R. Hawkins, P.h.D., describes this phenomenon as "attractor
patterns" in the collective consciousness. It is by virtue
of the group experience, and group consciousness, that the
energy associated with the despair can be transmuted into a
glimmer of hope.
Another common pitfall involves the second
set of principles... Open-minded isolation rather than open-minded
unity. An individual, having achieved a state of honesty with
a wholehearted desire, develops a completely open mind but
henceforth does not engage in any group participation. Without
unity in life as a whole, there can be no super-consciousness,
and hence there shall be no psychic change.
Further study and careful analysis reveals
that the three concepts are iterative; very similiar, if not
in fact identical, with the Pythagorean metaphyical concepts
of geometry.
To illustrate, if any single concept is lost,
it has a cascading effect on the system as a whole. Honesty
leads to open-mindedness, and open-mindedness leads to willingness.
If at any point honesty is lost, so are both the open-mindedness
and willingness.
To illustrate the system further, If there
is no honest desire, there is no life in the present moment.
This is why the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous focused so
much energy on these two concepts: Honesty and Desire.
Without either, there is a state of hopelessness that cannot
be overcome by any means.
If there is no open-minded unity, there is
no peace. The ultimate transformation of any spiritual system
is the complete open-minded unity with the creator, divinity,
nature, or higher power. Such a state results in absolute serenity
regardless of external circumstances. While this is the ultimate
goal of any spiritual system, it may be equally applied to
any and all relationships ( unities ) in any individual's personal
and social world.
If there is no willing expression, there is
no love.
Please take a moment to Comment
on this Section:
Introduction to Practical Application
While the twelve step program is precisely
layed out as a system of recovery, anyone can utilize a very
quick metaphysical check to identify the exact nature of any
current problem. Any time one of the promises are out of balance,
i.e. Life in the Now, Serenity, or Love, then a simple mental
check can be peformed to identify the relational cause.
This is done by starting at the top of the
chart, and working down, until the core concept of the problem
is identified. Often times, a simple awareness of the real
problem is enough to gain enough clarity to begin to apply
a real solution.
Interesting 12 Step Program Notes, Quotes,
and Historic Information
"We can make some important observations from
the story of how the prototype organization, AA, came into
existence. Back in the 1930s alcoholism was accepted, as it
had been over the centuries, as a hopeless progressive disease
which had baffled medical science and religion as well. ( In
fact, the prevalence of alcoholism amongst the clergy itself
was alarmingly high.)..."
"...Rowland went back to Switzerland to see
Jung again and ask for further treatment. Jung humbly told
him that neither his science nor art could help him further,
but that throughout man's history-- rarely, but from time
to time-- some who had abandoned themselves completely to some
spiritual organization and surrended to God for help had recovered..."
"...Roland returned to the United States dejected,
but he followed Jung's advice and sought out an organization
of that time called the Oxford Groups... Through this means,
Roland in fact recovered... Ebby followed suit and recovered.
The pattern of one person helping another with the same problem
then extended from Ebby to his friend Bill W. ..."
"...The story of Bill W. is typical of individuals
who have been channels of great power: the principles they
convey in a brief career reorder the lives of millions over
long periods of time. Jesus Christ, for instance, taught for
only three short years... The highest calibrations of attractor
power fields which we have discovered have invariably been
associated with the teachings of the great spiritual master
of history.
"There is always a diminution from the calibrated
power of the energy field of the original teachings of the
great masters to their current practice in the form of organized
religion. Yet the original principles themsleves retain their
innate attractor power pattern; it is merely their expression
which has become weaker..."
- from David Hawkins, Power
vs. Force
Recommended Reading / Books on 12 Step
Programs
|
|
Title: The Big
Book: Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition
Publisher: Alcoholics Anonymous World Service
ISBN: 1893007170
The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous represents a
landmark in the history of civilization, and is the
first independently developed spiritual system
in the "new world".
|
More Choices: Twelve
Step Program Books, Recovery Books, 12 Step Spiritual Program
Book Selection
Please take a moment to Comment
on this Section:
Check back for our subsections which are currently
under development:
The 3 iterations of the 12 Steps of Alcoholics
Anonymous
The 3 iterations of the 12 Traditions Alcoholics Anonymous
The 3 iterations of the 12 Promises Alcoholics Anonymous
The Degredation of any organization: Alcoholics Anonymous
Scalar-IS:
Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, Twelve Promises