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- Newsgroups: alt.recovery
- Path: sparky!uunet!world!crispops
- From: crispops@world.std.com (Dale A Smoak)
- Subject: 16 Steps
- Message-ID: <C04BA1.85x@world.std.com>
- Summary: An alternative to the 12 steps
- Keywords: recovery, addictions, higher power
- Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
- Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 09:49:13 GMT
- Lines: 82
-
- A program friend of mine gave me a copy of what follows, which I wish to
- post literally and without comment:
-
- ------------------------beginning of quoted text--------------------------
-
- 16 Steps for Discovery and Empowerment
- copyright Charlotte Kasl, 1991. Through the Voices of Many Women and Men
-
- 1) We admit/acknowledge we have the power to take charge of our lives and
- stop being dependent on substances or other people for our self-esteem and
- security.
- Alternative: We admit/acknowledge we were out of control with/powerless
- over _____________ but have the power to take charge of our lives and stop
- being dependent on substances or other people for our self-esteem and
- security.
-
- 2) We come to believe that God/Goddess/Universe/Great Spirit/Higher Power
- awakens the healing wisdom within us when we open ourselves to that power.
-
- 3) We make a decision to become our authentic selves and trust in the
- healing power of the truth.
-
- 4) We examine our beliefs, addictions, and dependent behavior in the
- context of living in a hierarchal, patriarchal culture.
-
- 5) We share with another person and the Universe all those things inside
- of us for which we feel shame and guilt.
-
- 6) We become willing to let go of shame, guilt and any behavior that
- prevents us from taking control of our lives and loving ourselves and others.
-
- 7) We appreciate and develop our strengths, talents, and intelligence,
- striving not to hide these qualities to protect other's egos.
-
- 8) We make a list of people we have harmed and people who have harmed us,
- and take steps to clear out negative energy by making amends and sharing
- our grievances in a respectful way.
-
- 9) We express gratitude to people who have been kind or loving to us, and
- remember to acknowledge our many blessings.
-
- 10) We learn to trust our reality and daily affirm that we see what we
- see, we know what we know and we feel what we feel. When we are right, we
- promptly admit it and refuse to back down.
-
- 11) We promptly admit to mistakes and make amends when appropriate, but we
- do not say we are sorry for things we have not done and we do not cover
- up, analyze or take responsibility for the shortcomings of others.
-
- 12) We seek out situations, jobs, and people that affirm our intelligence,
- perceptions, and self-worth and avoid situations or people who are
- hurtful, harmful, or demeaning to us.
-
- 13) We take steps to heal our physical bodies, organize our lives, reduce
- stress and have fun.
-
- 14) We seek to find our inward calling, and develop the will and wisdom to
- follow it.
-
- 15) We accept the ups and downs of life as natural events that give us
- lessons for growth.
-
- 16) We grow in awareness that we are sacred beings, interrelated with all
- living things and, when ready, take an active part in helping the planet
- become a better place for all life.
-
- **You are free to make copies of these steps as long as credit is
- given to: Charlotte Kasl, copyright 1991, *Many Roads, One Journey: Moving
- Beyond the 12 Steps*. Harper Collins 1992.
-
- Please let us know if you are using these steps in a group so we can
- keep a list. If you wish to adapt the steps, send a copy of the
- adaptation and a description of the setting where they will be used to:
- Many Roads, One Journey - PO Box 7073 - Minneapolis, MN 55407
-
- -------------------------end of quoted text-------------------------------
-
- My first exposure to this set of steps was three days ago. I was
- interested enough to buy the author's book, and I don't usually shop in
- bookstores' Recovery sections.
-
- --Dale crispops@world.std.com
-