Step Twelve

12. 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.

Key points:
  • The spiritual awakening could be described a shift to a new way of living:
    • Rising above the material
    • Establishing and living a relationship with a Higher Power
    • Obtaining direction and strength from that Higher Power
    • Implementing that direction in the material realm.
The actions of Step Twelve fall into two categories:
  • Carrying the message to alcoholics
  • Practising these principles in all our affairs.

Preparation

There is a lot of material in the Big Book on Step Twelve (Chapters Seven through Eleven plus Dr Bob's Nightmare, which I include as it has great material at the end on Step Twelve).

There are literally thousands of points that could be made about the content of these chapters, as they speak to the application of these principles in innumerable settings.

To prepare oneself for Step Twelve, there is nothing for it but to read these chapters and extract the useful information.

A good way of doing this is by extracting quotations and separating them out into:
  • Tips for how to carry the message to alcoholics
  • Tips for how to carry the message to people connected with alcoholics (family, professionals)
  • Tips for how to sponsor
  • Tips for how to run a group
  • Tips for how to grow the fellowship
  • Tips for early recovery
  • Tips for spouses, partners, and families
  • Tips on good relationships within the home or in a marriage or similar
  • Tips for how to practise the principles in other contexts
    • Religion
    • Work
    • Health
  • General spiritual principles (e.g. 'Giving, rather than getting, will become the guiding principle')
  • Anything else that you find useful.
It is important to read actively, asking:
  • What can I learn from this?
  • How could I apply this idea or principle in the context in question?
  • How could I apply this idea or principle more generally?
Note down anything you do not understand, have questions about, or find challenging.

Discuss with step buddies and / or a sponsor.

NB the Big Book was written in 1939. The world was different, and some values were different. The book is of course written in that historical and social context. There is much we would write differently if we were writing the book today. Some things have improved since 1939; but not everything. We are not here to condemn the book or its writers or to hold them up to our standards. We cannot change them and we cannot change what they wrote. Instead, we are here to learn from them, as they might be there to learn from us if they were still alive. So let's practise love and tolerance with the dead as well as the living. With a little imagination, any passage in these chapters can be applied to a contemporary setting, with its different ideas, values, structures, customs, practices, and modes of thought, speech, and action.

Commentaries

If you would like detailed paragraph-by-paragraph commentaries, try these:


There are lots of materials here as well.

Implementation

Now you've prepared and read, the job is to implement Step Twelve.

Here are some ways:

Carrying the message (including facilitating carrying the message)

  • Meetings
    • Go to meetings
    • Share about the problem, what actions you took, and what effect they had
    • Share about how you're applying the programme today
    • Get there early
    • Stay late
    • Talk to people before and after
    • In particular identify and talk to newcomers, visitors, and people who are in trouble
    • Get numbers
    • Contact people (although don't pester them)
    • Make it clear you're available for sponsorship
    • Volunteer to be a temporary sponsor (if your home group runs such a scheme)
    • Go to coffee or dinner afterwards
    • Go to social events
    • Take up a service assignment
  • Wider connections
    • Attend events and conferences, including overseas
    • Take part in online forums, groups, and events
  • Sponsorship
    • Sponsor anyone who asks, if it's appropriate and there's a fit, unless there are material reasons for redirecting them to someone more suitable
    • If you find the numbers of people overwhelming, find a sponsor who sponsors lots of people and get guidance on how to handle it
  • Writing
    • Write for AA publications
    • Write a blog
  • Service structure
    • Get a role in the service structure at Intergroup / Region / Area / District
    • Help organise AA social or service events
    • Work your way down from group level through the various layers as far as you can
  • Carrying the message outside
    • Take up a public information role in one of the many disciplines
    • Volunteer on phone lines
    • Volunteer on electronic helplines (chat or email)
    • Volunteer to do talks or take meetings into institutions and facilities
  • Take part in the Conference process as an informed member of your home group
  • Contribute financially to AA through Tradition Seven
How much time should you spend?
  • Carrying the message must be balanced with other activities
  • Efficiency and effectiveness are both important: can you achieve a lot by devoting the time available judiciously
  • The Big Book (page 19) talks about 'much of our spare time'
  • Most people could usually do more if they set their mind to it
  • Sometimes the job is not to do more but to be more effective in what one does
  • The sky is the limit

Practising these principles in all our affairs

  • Get a paid job or volunteer your time
  • If you lack the skills for either, study
  • Use these activities as opportunities for practising love and service
  • All other principles of the programme boil down to these
  • Play a constructive role in:
    • Family (if appropriate)
    • Friendship circles
    • Other social networks
    • A religious community (if appropriate)
    • The local community or society more broadly
Ultimately, the content of Step Twelve is down to you and your Higher Power. We can give you the principles; we can give you some ideas; we can share with you our comments on the Big Book, but you have to take the initiative.

What if I don't feel like it?

A surefire sign of a spiritual awakening is a burning desire to be of use to others. Anyone who has had a spiritual awakening is usually very enthusiastic about devoting every spare moment to being useful to the Higher Power by being useful to others. If that enthusiasm is lacking, usually something has been missed in the previous eleven Steps. Review the earlier Steps; review the Big Book; listen to people at meetings and on tapes; read what they write in blogs and other resources; read AA literature. All the way, ask: what have I missed? Ask the Higher Power to show you ... and you will be shown.

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