The Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are inspired by a profound
intuition:  (1) the recognition of one's powerlessness to take even the first
step toward recovery from the addiction of alcoholism, and (2) the complete
turning of oneself over to a Power greater than oneself.  As the twelve steps
are not a one-time climb, neither is the process of Christian transformation
initiated and sustained by Centering prayer.  Both describe movement but not
in a straight line.  The movement is like a spiral ascent (or descent) in
which one's temptations and failures recycle.  Just as one in recovery is
continuously working the Twelve Step Program, so we keep beginning again in
the spiritual journey, but each time at a new level of trust in God.  Our
addictions and self-serving tendencies are gradually healed through the
practice of Centering Prayer and its effects in daily life.

#1.  Through reflection on the Gospel, the regular practice of Centering
prayer, and the failure of our best efforts, we come to realize that alone we
are powerless and that our lives are unmanageable.

#2.  We come to believe that only the grace of Christ can enable us to
respond to the call of the Gospel to divine union.

#3.  We turn our lives and our will to the care of God as we now understand
him.

#4.  We make a searching, honest and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

#5.  We admit to God, ourselves and a qualified spiritual director, the exact
nature of our wrongs and fully own them.

#6.  Through the self-knowledge arising from the regular practice of
centering prayer and our moral inventory, we come to recognize the dark side
of our personality, our mixed motivation, and self-serving tendencies, and
are entirely ready to allow God to heal them.

#7.  We ask for divine healing from the bottom of our hearts.

#8.  Recognizing the harm we have done to ourselves and to others, we become
willing to make amends to all whom we have offended.

#9.  We try to heal broken relationships and make direct amends wherever
possible, except when to do so would injure others.

#10.  We become more aware of our self-serving tendencies each day and more
prompt in letting go of their influence.

#11.  We seek through perseverance in Centering Prayer to improve our
conscious contact with God, to be healed of the unconscious obstacles to our
transformation, seeking more and more to know God's will for us and the power
to carry that out.

#12.  Having awakened to an abiding sense of union with God as a result of
these steps, we feel called to bring the message of their efficacy to others
and to manifest their fruits in our family, workplace and in all our affairs.

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