Overeaters Anonymous (OA)

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Spiritual Awakening/ Step 12

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MichelleOnWheels
MichelleOnWheels Posts: 114 Member
in Social Groups
There is a point that I have heard emphasized about Step 12 A LOT. That point is "Having had a spiritual awakening as THE result of these steps..." Well...that irritates me every time. I would emphasize it differently. "Having had A spiritual awakening..." I have had many spiritual awakenings. The most profound, when I came into my faith, happened long before program. I had many others during the steps, before coming to step 12, and have had others since then. I am very much finished with other people telling me how and when the steps work and what that will look like. And I hope to not be a person who assigns that to others. Thanks for listening.

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  • sanddollar
    sanddollar Posts: 192 Member
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    I have had many spiritual awakenings in my life as well, but I cannot deny that for myself, I did have a significant spiritual awakening which was the direct result of going through all the steps of AA/OA. I hope that I have more in the future, either from living out the 12 steps or through other spiritual means. I don't think the people who wrote the steps are implying that this is the only spiritual awakening that counts.
  • MichelleOnWheels
    MichelleOnWheels Posts: 114 Member
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    I don't think they did either. That's part of why I was so frustrated about hearing it over and over. I got over it. :)
  • GrokRockStar
    GrokRockStar Posts: 2,938 Member
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    No one should be telling you what your “spiritual awakening” will look like, instead, they should only be sharing their own experiences, epiphanies, realizations, etc. as a result of working the steps. After all, OA, AA, NA, etc. are spiritual programs.

    I haven’t had the kind of spiritual awakening that Bill W. had, but as a result of working the steps, I am much better for it! And who knows, as I evolve in my recovery, I expect more realizations.

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