Step 2 [View All]

[xzyra]

"Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity"

This one is tough for a lot of people. I'll share first how my sponsor took me through this step. If you are agnostic or atheist, see the bottom of the post first.

It was suggested to me that I read Chapter 4, "We Agnostics" as a part of this step.

Then, I was to list all the characteristics that I wanted to give my higher power (which I sometimes choose to call "HP"). This was important for me. What sort of HP could I trust to restore me to sanity? It was *not* going to be the Catholic, punishing, unable-to-please grandfather-figure God of my youth. My list included these characteristics:

all-loving, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-forgiving, not as concerned about justice as about love. Kind, gentle, intimately concerned with my well-being and the well-being of the planet.

I was surprise to find that when I defined my HP in detail, I was more able to then make my head line up with my HP's will for me.


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For the agnostic/atheist struggling with this step
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I've heard it said at meetings that your Higher Power (HP) could be anything at first, your sponsor, a tree, a chair, a light bulb.

Let me say clearly: that is *total bullshit*. Your "higher power," by definition, cannot be something that you have power over.

It does not make any sense that your HP is something like a light bulb, tree, or chair -- because you obviously are more powerful than these. The tree can be cut down, the light bulb and chair smashed. You could fire or even kill your sponsor, so that one is out too.

Then there is the next level, your HP could be the AA group or nature.

These are at least metaphysically possible, so might work at first. I agree that the group or nature is more powerful than any other individual. Be aware, it is dangerous to make the group your HP, because the group could dis-band. Nature, as name for some concept of a higher power like The Creative Spirit, will work. But be sure to recognize that nature as a creative force is one thing -- a forest or the ocean is another. These might be bigger than you, might even be able to kill you, but they are merely physcial entities that really can't help you out personally.

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Thoughts? How did you all do step 2?