AA Step 12

AA Step 12

Chapter 7 deals with how to work the 12th step in helping others out of their addictive behaviors.

Step 12 - Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these Steps, we tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in all our affairs (paraphrase).

The original draft of the Big Book said the result was a spiritual experience

"Practical experience shows that nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other alcoholics. It works when other activities fail."

Where do we find God? The awakening concept also clears up the question as to where and how do we find God. The answer, is, of course that God was within us from the very beginning. As to the where, the Big Book tells us at least twice exactly where God is:

With few exceptions our members find that they have tapped an unsuspected inner resource which they presently identify with their own conception of a Power greater than themselves. Most of us think this awareness of a Power greater than ourselves is the essence of spiritual experience.

Sometimes we had to search fearlessly, but He was there. He was as much a fact as we were. We found the Great Reality deep down within us. In the last analysis it is only there that He may be found. It was so with us.