Recovery-The Sacred Art: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice

by Rami Shapiro, Joan Borysenko PhD (Foreword by)

Overview

Deepen Your Capacity to Live Free from Addiction—and from Self and Selfishness

"Twelve Step recovery is much more than a way to escape the clutches of addictive behaviors. Twelve Step recovery is about freeing yourself from playing God, and since almost everyone is addicted to this game, Twelve Step recovery is something from which everyone can benefit."
—from the Introduction

In this hope-filled approach to spiritual and personal growth, the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are uniquely interpreted to speak to everyone seeking a freer and more God-centered life. This special rendering makes them relevant to those suffering from specific addictions—alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, sex, shopping—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 and shares anecdotes from many people working the Steps in a variety of settings. Drawing on the insights and practices of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Islam, he offers supplementary practices from different religious traditions to help you move more deeply into the universal spirituality of the Twelve Step system.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781683362524
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	05/01/2009
Series:	The Art of Spiritual Living
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	732,175
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.60(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Rami Shapiro, a renowned teacher of spirituality across faith traditions, is an award-winning storyteller, poet and essayist. He is author of The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Preparing to Practice, Recovery—The Sacred Art: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice and The Divine Feminine in Biblical Wisdom Literature: Selections Annotated & Explained (all SkyLight Paths), among other books.

Rami Shapiro is available to speak on the following topics:

• Writing—The Sacred Art: Beyond the Page to Spiritual Practice
• Stop Playing God: 12 Steps as Spiritual Practice
• Biblical Wisdom for Post-biblical Times: An Exploration of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Job
• The Sacred Art of Lovingkindness: Cultivating Compassion in Daily Life
• Hasidic Wisdom: An Exploration of Hasidic Storytelling, Theology and Contemplative Practice
• Saints and Sages: Biblical Prophets, Ancient Rabbis and the Building of a Just World

Joan Borysenko, PhD, a respected scientist and therapist, is president of Mind/Body Health Sciences, Inc. She is an internationally known speaker and consultant in health and spirituality, integrative medicine and the mind/body connection. She is the author of many books, including the New York Times bestsellers Minding the Body, Mending the Mind and The Power of the Mind to Heal.

Table of Contents

Foreword 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

Editorial Reviews

"Full of wisdom, expanding and deepening Twelve Step insight with the author's wide knowledge of world spiritual traditions.&rdquo
—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.&rdquo
—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.&rdquo
—Martine Batchelor, author, Let Go: A Buddhist Guide to Breaking Free of Habits

From the Publisher

Shapiro's book is far from the first, and will not be the last, to use the 12 steps of recovery as guides into spiritual practice. This one, however, works across faiths to fuse stories of recovery, personal experience, and examples from world religious traditions. Shapiro suggests that the 12 steps can lead to a deepened and more authentic spirituality. He movingly concludes with a reconsideration of the Book of Job, the lesson of which, he suggests is that "We don't submit, we surrender. We don't recant, we become calm. We don't despise, we wonder." Shapiro's book is a fine example of the subtle good works the 12 -step programs can do even after the worst effects of addiction are no longer apparent. VERDICT For the many in recovery, Christian and non-Christian alike.

Library Journal