Recovery―The Sacred Art: The Twelve Steps as Spiritual Practice

by Rami M. Shapiro, Joan Borysenko (Foreword)

Deepen Your Capacity to Live Free from Addiction―and from Self and Selfishness "Twelve Step recovery is much more than a way to escape the clutches of addictive behaviors. Twelve Step recovery is about freeing yourself from playing God, and since almost everyone is addicted to this game, Twelve Step recovery is something from which everyone can benefit."
―from the Introduction In this hope-filled approach to spiritual and personal growth, the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous are uniquely interpreted to speak to everyone seeking a freer and more God-centered life. This special rendering makes them relevant to those suffering from specific addictions― alcohol, drugs, gambling, food, sex, shopping ―as well as the general addictions we wrestle with daily, such as anger, greed, and selfishness. Rami Shapiro describes his personal experience working the Twelve Steps as adapted by Overeaters Anonymous and shares anecdotes from many people working the Steps in a variety of settings. Drawing on the insights and practices of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Islam, he offers supplementary practices from different religious traditions to help you move more deeply into the universal spirituality of the Twelve Step system.

Genres: Spirituality, Judaism, Nonfiction, Addiction, Self Help

240 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2009

About the author

Rami Shapiro is one of the most innovative rabbis of the last thirty years. An award-winning author of two dozen books on religion and spirituality, he received rabbinical ordination from the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion and holds a PhD from Union Graduate School. A congregational rabbi for twenty years, for the last fifteen he has been writing, leading retreats, co-directing One River Wisdom School, blogging at rabbirami.com, and writing a regular column for Spirituality and Health magazine called "Roadside Assistance for the Spiritual Traveler."

Reviews

[Steve Woods · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part of the very many difficulties encountered by people trying to work 12 step programs is the strong tendency in groups to prescribe orthodoxy. The 12 steps as treated in the Big Book and the 12 and 12 always left me feeling like there had to be more. Rami Shapiro is a Rabbi who is works a 12 step program. This book is not only very accessible but right to the point, it would be of substantial help to anyone trying to work their way through a 12 step program and would be of use and interest to anyone with even the slightest tendency to self reflection. He draws on all the world's great spiritual traditions to deal out very deep and engaging treatment of each of the 12 steps. As someone with substantial exposure to the program (17 years in two rounds 10 the first and 7 this time to date) I not only found what he had to say provoking of thought and merciless self examination but tremendously supportive and guiding of the efforts I make very day. Despite the often expressed disapproval of non Program approved literature we encounter at meetings this was certainly a lot more meaningful to me than most of the standard literature available. I recommend it to anyone involved in a 12 step program, particularly anyone involved in sponsorship. A boomer

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book with a book club. Each week, we read a few pages aloud and discussed what stood out for us. The book club experience kept this book in my hands, otherwise, I would have given it away without finishing it.
I often got lost in the depth of detail embedded in every single page. I appreciate the author's effort to educate the world, but I prefer simplicity.

[Heather McKelvie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a group. I had nothing more than a vague familiarity with the 12 steps before I started reading it, but I am always looking for ways to improve my own spiritual and mental well-being.

Unfortunately, despite the advice to let the word “god” mean whatever I wanted it to mean, I still could not shake the idea of it being the Judeo-Christian God of my childhood every time it was brought up in this book (which was a LOT of times).

I had really envisioned this book helping me to open my mind to new spiritual practices but instead I spend a lot of the time feeling irritated and downright turned off by it. I suppose it probably has more to do with my own negative associations with religion, but I really felt like this was more of a religious practice book than a spiritual book. I’m glad to be finished with it.

[Andy C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting, helped me broaden my understanding of the steps for he made several errors, as I conceive the Program. But learned to say 'well, that is one way of looking at it'.

Key error is in the use of the word understand versus understood in the conception of God. Many implications flowed from this error.

[Jenny Byers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this with a group of like-minded women who met weekly to read aloud and discuss it. I appreciated the variety of religious/spiritual traditions that were brought in to relate to different steps. I also liked the "Practice" part throughout the chapters that added a practical application or possible practice of the concepts in the chapter.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

powerful book about utilizing one's Higher Power for healing and helping others heal.

[Jo Carol · Rating 2 out of 5]

A litttle complicated and at times very confusing, with respect to other religious practices.

[Tatiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. This is my new favorite book. I have been working the 12 steps for 18 months, and this book helped me understand them in a much more in-depth way. Some steps I never quite 'got' now make perfect sense to me. It took me a couple months to munch through the heavy topics, covering a wide array of religions and spiritual practices, as well as agnosticism and atheism. The author is a rabbi with a food addiction, so he comes from a different vantage point than mine (an agnostic alcoholic), yet over the course of this book I understand how we are two waves made from the same ocean.

"I am not drawn to Twelve Step meetings to listen to people who are perfect; I am drawn to listen to people who are broken and who have found wisdom in that brokenness that allows them to live from a place of love."

I recommend this book to everyone, from people studying and questioning the 12 steps, to anyone who isn't perfect and would like to understand how to relax a little more.

[Duffy Pearce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard a spiritual director at a local treatment center describe this book as the best book on spirituality he'd ever read. I'm working my way through it slowly but now that my sister is reading it I might have to pick up the pace, because, while I'd like to enlarge my spirituality, at heart I'm still very competitive.

Finally finished it, not because I didn't like it but because I took time between chapters and practiced many, but not all, of the recommended exercise/practices. Great book for anyone working the 12 Steps.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shapiro's perspective is that all of us are addicted: to playing God, or living under the illusion that life is controllable, and if we just do the right things, work harder, correct our mistakes, we can control life. And eventually, when we fail, we mask our failure with physical or psychological addictions--the usual suspects--escaping reality and maintaining the illusion that we are in control.
A book to beneficially read again and again!

[Sharla · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a therapist who works with recovering addicts, I find Shapiro's books very helpful. Spiritual Recovery had given me tools to help me with self care and to teach to my clients to deepen their 12 step work and spirituality.

[Michele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accepting the concept of "higher Power" is really difficult for those of us who are not Christian or religious. Rami, a Rabbi himself, draws on many beliefs and mythogical ideas to investigate each of the 12 steps from a spiritual perspective. I found it really helpful and insightful.

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic thought-provoking look at the spirituality of the 12 steps. I appreciated Shapiro pointing out the commonalities of various faiths. Highly recommend to any 12-stepper!

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

"First of all, we have got to stop playing God." Good to learn how.

[Peder Hinderlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good intro book to 12-step philosophy, and how it has been informed by historical religious practices and thought.

[Ross Kent · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would not recommend to a newcomer in recovery.