A Dozen Steps

The Fundamental Spiritual Awakening

by Mark on December 10th, 2006

Fair Warning - this may be somewhat excessive in a religious way for some.

I’m reading about Richmond Walker who was the author of the Twenty Four Hours A Day book. In the early days of AA “they” practiced a great deal of religion in such things as daily meditations etc. I find it extremely interesting and thought others might.

From Glenn F. Chestnut, “Practicing The Presence of God”

*Eternal Life

“Richmond Walker interpreted the words eternal life in what modern theologians call the Johannine sense. He believed that God had prepared a place for us in his heavenly realm after our death, but the phrase eternal life also referred, even more importantly, to our ability to participate here and now in the eternal life-force, the creative power which continuously brings life into being within this universe (Jan. 25):

‘I do not look upon this life as something to be struggled through, in order to get the rewards of the next life. I believe that the Kingdom of God is within us, and we can enjoy “eternal life” here and now.’

When we commune with God, and come in contact with his eternal divine calm, and come to rest in him, we ourselves participate in that eternal love and acceptance and peace (Mar. 17):

‘The eternal life is calmness and when a man enters into that, then he lives as an eternal being. Calmness is based on complete trust in God. Nothing in this world can separate you from the love of God.’

Where is the Kingdom of Heaven? The Kingdom of Heaven is within us and among us. Open your spiritual eyes, and see where you are, and where you can be.

This is the fundamental spiritual awakening produced by working the twelve step program. The good life can be here and now. I can feel at ease and simply at home in that grand harmony of life that extends through both earth and heaven. I can deal with trouble and disturbance and real fear and real grief without losing my head and feeling overwhelmed with blind panic. I can learn when to hang tight and when to let go. I can regain the quiet center of peace and calm within. I can regain my own soul.”

Something else at the very bottom of Glenn’s work;

*”In other words, you use your program so you can keep cool enough to continue making the best decisions that it is actually possible to make. You may feel hurt or frustration or disgust or grief, or a number of other very painful and unpleasant emotions. But you keep your inner sense of soul-balance. You don’t take out your frustrations on other people around you by attacking them, or playing blaming games (”It’s all your fault we’re in this situation,” and so on and so forth). If other people are behaving badly — selfishness, gross irresponsibility, totally egocentric attitudes — you try to work around it as best you can, and you keep your own side of the street swept clean, no matter what the other person is doing. You look for positive solutions, and try to move things that way as much as the other people and the situation itself will allow it. The fullness of serenity means keeping your soul-balance, keeping centered, even amidst that kind of emotional maelstrom.”

At last night’s meeting someone complained no less than a half dozen times that he’s been at too many meetings lately where all he’s heard is “don’t drink and come to meetings.” I understand the frustration. Yet, what is the point of repeating the complaint as many as six times in one sharing? I think he had to be heard. That’s an ego deal and might have been better said to a sponsor. What do you think? (I know! I know! That’s not in the book! Page 34, paragraph 3: “Whether such a person can quit upon a nonspiritual basis depends upon the extent to which he has already lost the power to choose whether he will drink or not.”)

{*© Copyright 2006 by Glenn Chestnut. From the Hindsfoot Foundation website at http://hindsfoot.org/ This material may be copied and reproduced by others subject to the restrictions given at http://hindsfoot.org/copyright.html}

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POSTED IN: The 12 Steps