SpiƕƌƱƲal AwaƎƈƫƦnƊ

The term “spiritual experience” and “spiritual awakening” are used many Ɵmes in this book which, upon careful reading, shows that the personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism has manifested itself among us in many different forms. Alcoholics Anonymous, Appendix II – Spiritual Experience. I have heard that the greatest promise in the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous can be found in Step 12, “ Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps ”. Although I have heard this sentence read out in many meeƟngs from my Ɵme in A.A., it took me some years to fully listen to this, the message of Alcoholics Anonymous. I know I am a slow learner. I have also found that my understanding of the spiritual awakenings and experiences I have had has invariably come in hindsight. Before I came to A.A., I was not seeking a spiritual awakening, or so I thought. I was using alcohol to help me cope with the monotony and tedium of life. I was completely delusional about everything. And yet today I can see that the night of my last drunk, I did have a spiritual experience of some sort. I am not religious, but, on that fateful night in my drunken haze, before passing out, I had reached a point of desperaƟon and I reached out to something – God, the Universe. I just simply said, “help me”. Within twenty-four hours I was in a meeƟng of Alcoholics Anonymous, having been gently twelŌh stepped by a kind of family member. I could not see this as a spiritual experience at the Ɵme, nor for at least three or four years. In hindsight, I can also see that I had a spiritual awakening whilst wriƟng my fourth

step. I remember my sponsor preparing me for Step 4 and wanƟng me to pay parƟcular aƩenƟon to “ Where had we been selfish, dishonest, self-seeking and frightened ” in my inventory. When I came to this part, I started to see how my behavior and acƟons had led to circumstances and situaƟons where I had taken resentment. For me, this was a clear example in my recovery of a spiritual awakening as the veils started to liŌ and I could slowly start to see and understand about how I conducted myself. This did not turn me into a saint, I just started to begin to understand where I was coming from. AŌer I had completed my fiŌh step with my sponsor, I remember driving back to my serviced apartment and feeling very much like how it is described in the Big Book in “Into AcƟon”. I had had a definite spiritual experience as the result of taking Step 5. This is the first spiritual experience or awakening that I had noƟced in my recovery, all others prior to this took some Ɵme for me to see them for what they were.

I have heard and read accounts by members of A.A. where they had described their white light, burning bush spiritual experiences. Mine felt more like the educaƟon variety described in Appendix II. But I am not jealous. I am aware that I have had a vital spiritual experience powerful

enough to remove the obsession to drink and experiences if I remain willing to from me. This is a real and tangible conƟnue on this spiritual path, keep demonstraƟon of a spiritual awakening for working the 12 Steps and pracƟce these me and I am grateful it has happened. I am principles in all of my affairs. also aware that it is only conƟngent on my spiritual condiƟon and that I have a daily An old-Ɵmer once said in a meeƟng, “ I got reprieve. my spiritual experiences through ‘ass-mosis’, by siƫng my ass down in enough meeƟngs Today, I can see that I have had a spiritual of Alcoholics Anonymous and in working awakening as the result of the 12 Steps of these steps ”. I can relate to this today. Alcoholics Anonymous and that I can conƟnue to have more spiritual awakenings Simon A.