Description
Book SynopsisRECOVERY - THE SACRED ART explores and employs the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous used in thousands of recovery groups throughout the world from a deeply spiritual perspective that draws upon the insights and practices of Christianity, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism and Islam. In this fresh approach to spiritual and personal growth, the Twelve Steps are uniquely revised to speak to everyone seeking a freer and more God-centred life. This special rendering makes them relevant to those suffering from specific addictions as well as the general addictions we wrestle with daily, such as anger, greed, and selfishness. Rami Shapiro describes his personal experience working the Twelve Steps as adapted by Overeaters Anonymous, shares anecdotes from many people working the Steps in a variety of settings, and offers supplementary practices from different religious traditions to help the reader move more deeply into the universal spirituality of the Twelve-Step system. Drawing on both Eastern and Western approaches to living a spiritually centred life, this is a hope-filled guidebook for all of us who want to deepen our capacity to live free from the addiction to both self and selfishness.
Trade Review"Full of wisdom, expanding and deepening Twelve Step insight with the author's wide knowledge of world spiritual traditions.” —Thomas Bien, author, Mindful Recovery, Finding the Center Within and Mindful Therapy "Immensely readable, charming, and profound.… Accessible and useful to everyone, not just addicts. Open this book armed with a notebook, pen and highlighter. You will return to Rami's wise words over and over again.” —Terry Taylor, author, A Spirituality for Brokenness: Discovering Your Deepest Self in Difficult Times “An important contribution to the literature on the Twelve Steps. Creatively adapts methods from different religious traditions to make the practice of the Twelve Steps even richer.” —Martine Batchelor, author, Let Go: A Buddhist Guide to Breaking Free of Habits
Table of ContentsForeword v Introduction: Addiction, Spirituality, and the Process of Uncovery ix A Note on Anonymity xxv Chapter One: The Gift of Powerlessness 1 Chapter Two: The Hope of Restoration 25 Chapter Three: Deciding to Be Free 39 Chapter Four: Searching the Ego 55 Chapter Five: Confessing Our Wrongs 73 Chapter Six: Defect Removal 91 Chapter Seven: Asking for Freedom 99 Chapter Eight: Naming the Harmed 111 Chapter Nine: Making Amends 125 Chapter Ten: Attending to the Moment 139 Chapter Eleven: Conscious Contact with God 149 Chapter Twelve: Carrying the Message 167 Chapter Thirteen: First Step, Last Step 183 The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous 189 Notes 190 Suggestions for Further Reading 194 Index of Practices 200
