Searching For A Better Way
Spiral Steps
Spiral Steps
I should have known that someone, somewhere had already adapted the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to make a more Pagan friendly recovery/support group! How cool is that!
My excitement at finding this is tempered by the fact that I do not think this organization, worthy though it is, is for me. The reason for that is that Alcoholics Anonymous has a primary purpose: recovery from alcoholism. Spiral Steps does not appear to share that central focus and I am not sure that I am comfortable leaving that focus behind.
On the other hand, one of the main things that Alcoholics Anonymous cites as its reason for being so effective is the idea of identification: one drunk can share with another drunk and they will be able to identify with each other's experiences. They share a common bond of suffering. Once that identification is made-"Hey, this guy drinks like I did!", then it is possible to begin work on recovery.
Spiral Steps has that common bond, but rather than a bond of suffering it is a bond of earth-based spirituality. I think that bond could work very well for establishing identification.
Spiral Steps also has the advantage of not carrying the patriarchical baggage and Christian overtones of Alcoholics Anonymous. That is a tremendous step forward. I do struggle in AA with the fact that the Divinity is always expressed as "him" and "God." I can imagine how women must struggle that everything is written from a male perspective.
On the other hand, I am willing to let go of that. It is what it is. AA was born in the 1930's and its literature reflects the values and assumptions of its time. I think that Bill W. did the best he could with what he had. I also believe his heart was in the right place.
In any case, I am excited to have found this link and will promptly put it in my links section. This is a great idea, but I am not yet comfortable enough in my own sobriety to pursue starting a Spiral Steps group here in Dallas.
I should have known that someone, somewhere had already adapted the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions to make a more Pagan friendly recovery/support group! How cool is that!
My excitement at finding this is tempered by the fact that I do not think this organization, worthy though it is, is for me. The reason for that is that Alcoholics Anonymous has a primary purpose: recovery from alcoholism. Spiral Steps does not appear to share that central focus and I am not sure that I am comfortable leaving that focus behind.
On the other hand, one of the main things that Alcoholics Anonymous cites as its reason for being so effective is the idea of identification: one drunk can share with another drunk and they will be able to identify with each other's experiences. They share a common bond of suffering. Once that identification is made-"Hey, this guy drinks like I did!", then it is possible to begin work on recovery.
Spiral Steps has that common bond, but rather than a bond of suffering it is a bond of earth-based spirituality. I think that bond could work very well for establishing identification.
Spiral Steps also has the advantage of not carrying the patriarchical baggage and Christian overtones of Alcoholics Anonymous. That is a tremendous step forward. I do struggle in AA with the fact that the Divinity is always expressed as "him" and "God." I can imagine how women must struggle that everything is written from a male perspective.
On the other hand, I am willing to let go of that. It is what it is. AA was born in the 1930's and its literature reflects the values and assumptions of its time. I think that Bill W. did the best he could with what he had. I also believe his heart was in the right place.
In any case, I am excited to have found this link and will promptly put it in my links section. This is a great idea, but I am not yet comfortable enough in my own sobriety to pursue starting a Spiral Steps group here in Dallas.
posted by Andy Ternay at 10:29 AM
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