If we examine every disturbance we have, great or small, we will find at the root of it some unhealthy dependency and its consequent unhealthy demand."
Bill Wilson

Our Stories

Add your own 11th Step prayer story.
Open to the Promises of Recover (click to read entire story)
1 year 12 weeks ago

Welcome! My name is Jim M and I am a recovering addict and alcoholic from St. Louis. It feels great to be posting a bit of experience, strength and hope on this new website and hope that it becomes a safe place for people to share their 11th Step experiences with others so we can learn and grow. I took an Introductory Workshop to Centering Prayer in 1996 when I was ten years sober and knew intuitively that the practice was what I had been looking for to experience spirituality on a deeper level and to be open to the promises of recovery.

Can and Will (click to read entie story)
1 year 12 weeks ago

I grew up in a world of "should" and "can't." The journey to "may, can, and will" has been long in terms of chronology. I started placing my behind on a cushion each morning nearly 20 years ago. The journey has been counter intuitive - the action which has produced the most change is non-action and the thinking that has made the most difference has been no-thinking. But in terms of distance the journey is incredibly short. Where has it lead me? Most recently to the observation that I was companioning Sisyphus in his journey up the hill.

Coming down from Snowmass Mountain (click to read entire story)
1 year 12 weeks ago

This was the seventh year we've had this all 12 step, 10 days, silent retreat and the past few years have been a turning point for me in being able to hold the silence.  We do a lot of meditation time.  Together in a group, 3 and a half hour of sits a day.  I wish I could put my finger on exactly what happened during that time or know for sure that this or that shift took place but I really don't know any of that.

 

Spiritual lag (click to read entire story)
1 year 13 weeks ago

I just returned from St Benedict  Monastery after spending 9 days in silence with my 12 step brothers and sisters.

This was my 7th retreat there in 7 years.

This time the silence was filled with fury and groans for the first 3 days until I finally surrendered and was lost to depths never experienced before. Words are powerless to describe such experience but I can somewhat measure the depth and width of what happens in silence by the way I (dis) function on "re-entry" from the retreat; this year was informative in that regard.