Father Bill W.

A book I’ve often returned to over and over is Thomas R. Kelly’s  A Testament of Devotion. Kelly was a Quaker and a mystic. His book centers on what the Big Book calls “the Great Reality within.” Since it’s a Greater Reality we can never fully understand it – but we can certainly experience it – and mystics like Kelly come as close as humans can come to describing what such an experience - and still more – what a such relationship is like. In this episode Fr. Bill goes further into Kelly’s chapter: Holy Obedience sharing what it’s like to be there and four steps for getting there.

Show Notes:

A Testament of Devotionby Thomas R. Kelly

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A book I’ve often returned to over and over is Thomas R. Kelly’s  A Testament of Devotion. Kelly was a Quaker and a mystic. His book centers on what the Big Book calls “the Great Reality within.” Since it’s a Greater Reality we can never understand it – but we can experience it – and mystics like Kelly come as close as humans can come to describing what such an experience - and still more – what such a relationship is like. In this episode, Fr. Bill focuses on Kelly’s second chapter: Holy Obedience. It’s OK to listen even if you’re not wholly there!

Show Notes:

A Testament ofDevotion by Thomas R. Kelly

Poem: The Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson http://www.houndofheaven.com/poem

Wiki page on the life of Francis Thompson (a recovered opium addict)

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A book I’ve often returned to in my morning Quiet Times is Thomas R. Kelly’s  A Testament of Devotion. Kelly was a Quaker and a mystic. His book centers on what the Big Book calls “the Great Reality within.” Since it’s a Greater Reality we can never understand it – but we can experience it – and mystics like Kelly come as close as humans can come to describing what such an experience - and still more – what such a relationship is like. In this episode Fr. Bill focuses on Kelly’s first chapter: The Inner Light. It’s a Light sure to illuminate the path of any spiritual seeker.

A Testament of Devotionby Thomas R. Kelly

Passage from The Light Within by Thomas R. Kelly:

… Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center, a speaking Voice, to which we may continuously return. Eternity is at our hearts, pressing upon our time-torn lives, warming us with intimations of an astounding destiny, calling us home unto Itself. Yielding to these persuasions, gladly committing ourselves in body and soul, utterly and completely, to the Light Within, is the beginning of true life. It is a dynamic center, a creative Life that presses to birth within us.

It is a Light Within which illumines the face of God and casts new shadows and new glories upon the face of men. It is a seed stirring to life if we do not choke it. It is the Shekinah of the soul, the Presence in the midst. Here is the Slumbering Christ, stirring to be awakened, to become the soul we clothe in earthly form and action. And He is within us all.

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Many early AAs were prolific readers. Dr. Bob left a library overflowing with spiritual literature and for Oxford Group members spiritual reading formed an important part of their daily morning quiet times. When I’m asked, “What books do you recommend?” to read before doing Two Way Prayer, I’m hesitant to answer as we’re each very different. But, for me, there's one book I’ve returned to several times and it never fails to speak to the deepest longings of my soul. The Big Book says the Great Reality is within. Thomas R. Kelly’s book A Testament of Devotion sheds a Light that helps illuminate that inward journey. Come along for the ride!

A Testament of Devotionby Thomas R. Kelly

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In this Golden Oldie, Father Bill interviews Professor William Miller, author of Quantum Change: When Epiphanies and Sudden Insights Transform Ordinary Lives. Listen as the professor reflects on his in-depth study of psychic change. It’s a lively discussion of spirituality and science. Quantum Change: When Epiphanies and Sudden Insights Transform Ordinary Lives by William Miller

https://williamrmiller.net/quantum-change/

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Description: Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob and the AA Pioneers found sobriety primarily by working the principles and practices of the Oxford Group and adapting them to meet the needs of alcoholics. This series traces that early history. It draws from the 1980 AA publication Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers. 

Fr. Bill’s guest is recovery archivist Matt D. from the 12-Step Fellowship All Addicts Anonymous. In this final episode they focus on Dr. Bob’s legacy to AA.

Show Notes: 

Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers

All Addicts Anonymous:https://alladdictsanonymous.org/ 

Return from Tomorrowby George Ritchie

Denial of Deathby Ernest Becker

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Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob and the AA Pioneers became sober primarily by working the principles and practices of the Oxford Group and adapting them to meet the needs of alcoholics. This series traces that early history. It draws from the 1980 AA publication Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers. Fr. Bill’s guest is recovery archivist Matt D. from the 12-Step Fellowship All Addicts Anonymous. In this sixth episode they explore Chapters 15 through 18 as AA meetings evolve in Akron and Cleveland where Dr. Bob’s influence is remembered.

Show Notes:

Dr. Bob and The Good Old Timers

All Addicts Anonymous: https://alladdictsanonymous.org/ 1939 Cleveland Plain Dealer AA Articles 1939 Rev. Dilworth Lupton’s Sermon     Articleon Matthew Talbot      Saint Francis by Nikos Kazantzakis

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Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob and the AA pioneers gained their sobriety primarily by working the principles found in the Oxford Group and adapting them to the special needs of alcoholics. This series traces that early history. It draws from the 1980 AA publication Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers. Fr. Bill’s guest is recovery archivist Matt D. from the 12-Step Fellowship All Addicts Anonymous. In this fifth episode they explore Chapters 12,13, and 14 as the alcoholics in the Midwest strike out on their own.

Show Notes: 

Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers

All Addicts Anonymous:https://alladdictsanonymous.org/

Your Faith Magazine: 1939 article by Dr. Bob (courtesy Silkworth.net)https://silkworth.net/alcoholics-anonymous/i-saw-religion-remake-a-drunkard/#google_vignette

 AA Saturday Evening Post: article on AA, 1941https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2015/12/aa/

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Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob and the AA pioneers gained their sobriety primarily by working the principles found in the Oxford Group and adapting them to the special needs of alcoholics. This series traces that early history. It draws from the 1980 AA publication Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers. Fr. Bill’s guest is recovery archivist Matt D. from the 12-Step Fellowship All Addicts Anonymous. In this fourth episode they explore Chapters 9,10 and11 as the original program starts to take shape.

Show Notes:Dr. Bob and the GoodOldtimers

All Addicts Anonymous

Dr. Bob’s Last Talk

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Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob and the AA pioneers gained their sobriety primarily by working the principles found in the Oxford Group and adapting them to the special needs of alcoholics. This series traces that early history. It draws from the 1980 AA publication Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers. Fr. Bill’s guest is recovery archivist Matt D. from the 12-Step Fellowship All Addicts Anonymous. In this third episode they explore Chapters 7 and 8 as the co-founders go to work on AA number Three and chart their course of recovery.

Show Notes: 

Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers

All Addicts Anonymous

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Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob and the AA pioneers gained their sobriety by working the principles found in the Oxford Group and adapting them to the special needs of alcoholics. This series traces this early history. It draws from the 1980 AA publication Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers. Fr. Bill’s guest is recovery archivist Matt D. from the 12-Step Fellowship All Addicts Anonymous. In this episode they explore the two year period when Bob was faithfully attending Oxford Group meetings but unable to stay sober. Then Bill arrived providentially and a spark was lit that ignited the program of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Show Notes:

Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers

All Addicts Anonymis

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A recovery program for alcoholics existed before the Big Book was written, and before the 12 Steps ever came to be. Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob and the original members of AA gained their sobriety by working the principles and practices found in the Oxford Group and adapting them to the special needs of alcoholics. This series traces some of this early history. It draws from the 1980 AA publication Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers. Fr. Bill’s guest is recovery archivist Matt D. from the 12-Step Fellowship All Addicts Anonymous. In this first episode Matt shares some of his own story, explores what the original Akron program was like, how it differed from modern-day AA, and why that original program attracted him. Fr. Bill and Matt then go on to explore highlights from Dr. Bob’s early life and recovery.

Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers

All Addicts Anonymous: https://alladdictsanonymous.org/

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Two Way Prayer is only a part of a longer morning Quiet Time. In this final episode of a two-part series Fr. Bill explores a pamphlet by Howard J. Rose that’s titled: The Quite Time. The short pamphlet was popular among members of the Oxford Group and early AA. It gives an overview of the Morning Quiet Time practice covering five areas: 

1.) The Facts of God’s Guidance. 

2.) The Conditions of God’s Guidance

3.) The Tests of God’s Guidance

4.) One Method of receiving God’s Guidance

5.) The Results of God’s Guidance

The pamphlet is available to download in the show notes

Show Notes:

⁠The Quiet Time⁠by Howard J. Rose

⁠The World’s Religions⁠by Houston Smith: (Many used copies are available online so don’t spend too much)

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Two Way Prayer is only a part of a longer morning Quiet Time. In the following two episodes Fr. Bill explores a pamphlet by Howard J. Rose that’s titled simply: The Quite Time. The short pamphlet was popular among members of the Oxford Group and early AA.  It gives an overview of the Morning Quiet Time practice covering five areas: 

1.) The Facts of God’s Guidance. 

2.) The Conditions of God’s Guidance

3.) The Tests of God’s Guidance

4.) One Method of receiving God’s Guidance

5.) The Results of God’s Guidance

The pamphlet is available to download in the show notes

Show Notes:

The Quiet Timeby Howard J. Rose

The World’s Religionsby Houston Smith: (Many used copies are available online so don’t spend too much)

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Many in recovery find Buddhist philosophy and meditation a tremendous aid to their spiritual journey. Fr. Bill’s guest is Kevin G. a gifted Buddhist author and teacher in long term recovery from addiction. Kevin is the author One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps. The Buddha’s enlightenment and Kevin’s simple teaching style have much to offer addicts in the ongoing search to overcome our suffering. See the links below to contact Kevin directly. Show Notes: Kevin’s website: www.kevingriffin.net / The Buddhist Recovery Network: www.buddhistrecovery.org / Houston Smith’ World Religions: (pdf.) https://www.pdfdrive.com/the-worlds-r... / Article on Jesuit Brother Bob Maat: https://contemplativealliance.org/201...

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We live in an age when the meaning and purpose of life are often less clear than ever before. An age when we’re asking questions of doctors we should be asking priests - but few priests seem able to provide meaningful answers to today’s spiritual seekers. Enter Viktor Frankl.

Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist whose pioneering work known as Logotherapyhas helped millions of suffering men and women begin asking the right questions of life and finding answers that satisfy their souls.

In this series, we’ve explored Frankl’s book The Doctor and the Soul. Fr. Bill’s guest and tour guide has been Tom Lavin, a therapist, teacher, and friend who has studied Frankl’s work for years and helped many addicts and alcoholics find new or renewed meaning and purpose in their recovery.

This episode concludes the series. It briefly reviews some of the topics we’ve covered, ties them into the 12-Step journey and contains some suggestions from Tom on what to look for when choosing a therapist.

Show Notes:

Tom Lavin is a Psychotherapist, Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor.

He’s served for many years as Adjunct Faculty, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences.

Links to Tom’s website and hisLIVE BETTERtelevision series

Video of Viktor Frankl

The Doctor and the Soulvia Amazon

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We live in an age when the meaning and purpose of life are often less clear than ever before. An age when we’re asking questions of doctors we should be asking priests - but few priests seem able to provide meaningful answers to today’s spiritual seekers. Enter Viktor Frankl.

Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist whose pioneering work known as Logotherapyhas helped millions of suffering men and women begin asking the right questions of life and finding answers that satisfy their souls. 

In this series, we explore Frankl’s book The Doctor and the Soul. Fr. Bill’s guest and tour guide is Tom Lavin, a therapist, teacher, and friend who has studied Frankl’s work for years and helped many addicts and alcoholics find new or renewed meaning and purpose in their recovery. This episode explores the existential meaning of love. What it is … What is it not … And how to find it in recovery.

Show Notes:

Links to Tom’s website and hisLIVE BETTER television series can be Accessed here.  

https://contextualscience.org/tom_lavin_mft_lcadc_acata_live_better_psychoeducat

Video ofViktor Frankl The Doctor and the Soulvia Amazon: (Many used copies should be available)  Link toFirst Corinthians XIII  M. Scott Peck onLove

https://apathlesstravelled.com/love-what-it-is-what-it-is-not-and-what-its-role-is-part-2/

 Bill Wilson’s article onEmotional Sobriety  The Sexual Crucibleby David Schnarch (used copies)  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fatherbillw/support

We live in an age when the meaning and purpose of life are often less clear than ever before. An age when we’re asking questions of doctors we should be asking priests - but few priests seem able to provide meaningful answers to today’s spiritual seekers. Enter Viktor Frankl.

Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist whose pioneering work known as Logotherapyhas helped millions of suffering men and women begin asking the right questions of life and finding answers that satisfy their souls. 

In this series, we explore Frankl’s book The Doctor and the Soul. Fr. Bill’s guest and tour guide is Tom Lavin, a therapist, teacher, and friend who has studied Frankl’s work for years and helped many addicts and alcoholics find new or renewed meaning and purpose in their recovery. This episode explores the existential meaning of work.

Show Notes:

Tom Lavin is a Psychotherapist, Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. 

 He’s served for many years as Adjunct Faculty, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. 

Links to Tom’s website and hisLIVE BETTER television series can be Accessed here:https://contextualscience.org/tom_lavin_mft_lcadc_acata_live_better_psychoeducat

 

Video ofViktor Frankl

Article onProfessor Howard Gardner’s Good Work

The Doctor and the Soulvia Amazon

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We live in an age when the meaning and purpose of life are often less clear than ever before. An age when we’re asking questions of doctors we should be asking priests - but few priests seem able to provide meaningful answers to today’s spiritual seekers. Enter Viktor Frankl.

Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist whose pioneering work known as Logotherapyhas helped millions of suffering men and women begin asking the right questions of life and finding answers that satisfy their souls. 

In this series, we explore Frankl’s book The Doctor and the Soul. Fr. Bill’s guest and tour guide is Tom Lavin, a therapist, teacher, and friend who has studied Frankl’s work for years and helped many addicts and alcoholics find new or renewed meaning and purpose in their recovery. This episode explores the existential issues surrounding Life and Death. 

Show Notes:

Tom Lavin is a Psychotherapist, Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. He’s served for many years as Adjunct Faculty, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Tom’s website and newsletter can be accessed at: www.easeap.com/ 

 

Tom’s LIVE BETTER television series provides tools to help people face and overcome their anxiety and other mental health and addiction issues. Be sure to download the worksheets that go along with the helpful videos. Access here.  

https://contextualscience.org/tom_lavin_mft_lcadc_acata_live_better_psychoeducat

 

Video of Viktor Frankl:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlC2OdnhIiQ

 

Bill Wilson article onEmotional Sobriety:   

60 Values to Live by – Choose 3 and get going.

1.  Acceptance: to be open to and accepting of myself, others, life etc 

2.  Adventure: to be adventurous; to actively seek, create, or explore novel or stimulating experiences 

3.  Assertiveness: to respectfully stand up for my rights and request what I want

4.  Authenticity: to be authentic, genuine, real; to be true to myself 

5. Beauty: to appreciate, create, nurture or cultivate beauty in myself, others, the environment etc 

6. Caring: to be caring towards myself, others, the environment etc 

7. Challenge: to keep challenging myself to grow, learn, improve 

8. Compassion: to act with kindness towards those who are suffering 

9.  Connection: to engage fully in whatever I am doing, and be fully present with others 

10.  Contribution: to contribute, help, assist, or make a positive difference to myself or others 

11.  Conformity: to be respectful and obedient of rules and obligations 

12.  Cooperation: to be cooperative and collaborative with others 

13.  Courage: to be courageous or brave; to persist in the face of fear, threat, or difficulty 

14.  Creativity: to be creative or innovative 

15.  Curiosity: to be curious, open-minded and interested; to explore and discover

16.  Encouragement: to encourage and reward behaviour that I value in myself or others 

Equality: to treat others as equal to myself, and vice-versa 

17.  Excitement: to seek, create and engage in activities that are exciting, stimulating or thrilling 

18.  Fairness: to be fair to myself or others 

19.  Fitness: to maintain or improve my fitness; to look after my physical and mental health and wellbeing 

20.  Flexibility: to adjust and adapt readily to changing circumstances 

21.  Freedom: to live freely; to choose how I live and behave, or help others do likewise 

22.  Friendliness: to be friendly, companionable, or agreeable towards others 

23.  Forgiveness: to be forgiving towards myself or others 

24.  Fun: to be fun-loving; to seek, create, and engage in fun-filled activities 

25.  Generosity: to be generous, sharing and giving, to myself or others 

26.  Gratitude: to be grateful for and appreciative of the positive aspects of myself, others and life 

27.  Honesty: to be honest, truthful, and sincere with myself and others 

28.  Humour: to see and appreciate the humorous side of life 

29.  Humility: to be humble or modest; to let my achievements speak for themselves 

30.  Industry: to be industrious, hard-working, dedicated 

31.  Independence: to be self-supportive, and choose my own way of doing things

32.  Intimacy: to open up, reveal, and share myself -- emotionally or physically – in my close personal relationships 

33.  Justice: to uphold justice and fairness 

34.  Kindness: to be kind, compassionate, considerate, nurturing or caring towards myself or others 

35.  Love: to act lovingly or affectionately towards myself or others 

36.  Mindfulness: to be conscious of, open to, and curious about my here-and-now experience 

37.  Order: to be orderly and organized 

38.  Open-mindedness: to think things through, see things from other’s points of view, and weigh evidence fairly. 

39.  Patience: to wait calmly for what I want 

40.  Persistence: to continue resolutely, despite problems or difficulties. 

41.  Pleasure: to create and give pleasure to myself or others 

42.  Power: to strongly influence or wield authority over others, e.g. taking charge, leading, organizing 

43.  Reciprocity: to build relationships in which there is a fair balance of giving and taking 

44.  45. Respect: to be respectful towards myself or others; to be polite, considerate and show positive regard 

45.  Responsibility: to be responsible and accountable for my actions 

46.  Romance: to be romantic; to display and express love or strong affection 

47.  Safety: to secure, protect, or ensure safety of myself or others 

48.  Self-awareness: to be aware of my own thoughts, feelings and actions 

49.  Self-care: to look after my health and wellbeing, and get my needs met 

51. Self-development: to keep growing, advancing or improving in knowledge, skills, character, or life experience. 

52. Self-control: to act in accordance with my own ideals 

53. Sensuality: to create, explore and enjoy experiences that stimulate the five senses 

54. Sexuality: to explore or express my sexuality 

55. Spirituality: to connect with things bigger than myself 

56. Skilfulness: to continually practice and improve my skills, and apply myself fully when using them 

57. Supportiveness: to be supportive, helpful, encouraging, and available to myself or others 

58. Trust: to be trustworthy; to be loyal, faithful, sincere, and reliable 

59. Insert your own unlisted value here: 

60. Insert your own unlisted value here: *** Once you’ve marked each value as V, Q, N (Very, Quite, or Not so important), go through all the Vs, and select out the top three that are most important to you in this domain of life, at this point in time. The next step is to start looking at ways to live these values, in this area of life; things you can say and do, guided by these values.

The Doctor and the Soulvia Amazon

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We live in an age when the meaning and purpose of life are often less clear than ever before. An age when we’re asking questions of doctors we should be asking priests - but few priests seem able to provide meaningful answers to today’s spiritual seekers. Enter Viktor Frankl.

Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist whose pioneering work known as Logotherapyhas helped millions of suffering men and women begin asking the right questions of life and finding answers that satisfy their souls. 

In this series, we explore Frankl’s book The Doctor and the Soul. Fr. Bill’s guest and tour guide is Tom Lavin, a therapist, teacher, and friend who has studied Frankl’s work for years and helped many addicts and alcoholics find new or renewed meaning and purpose in their recovery. This episode explores anxiety, a disease Frankl called “the disease of our time.” Tom explores the subject and suggests how Logotherapy can be of help.

Show Notes:

Tom Lavin is a Psychotherapist, Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. He’s served for many years as Adjunct Faculty, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Tom’s website and newsletter can be accessed at: www.easeap.com/ 

Tom’sLIVE BETTERtelevision series provides tools to help people face and overcome their anxiety and other mental health and addiction issues. Be sure to download the worksheets that go along with the helpful videos.

https://contextualscience.org/tom_lavin_mft_lcadc_acata_live_better_psychoeducat

Ego and Archetypeby Edward Edinger via Amazon (free pdf copies are available online)

The Doctor and the Soulby Viktor Frankl

Frankl Quote:

“ … psychotherapy has given too little attention to the spiritual reality of man.

“For the aim of the psychotherapist should be to bring out the ultimate possibilities of the patient, to realize his latent values, remembering the aphorism of Goethe,

‘… if we take people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat them as if they were what they ought to be, we help them to become what they are capable of becoming.

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We live in an age when the meaning and purpose of life are often less clear than ever before. An age when we’re asking questions of doctors we should be asking priests - but few priests seem able to provide meaningful answers to today’s spiritual seekers. Enter Viktor Frankl.

Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist whose pioneering work known as Logotherapyhas helped millions of suffering men and women begin asking the right questions of life and finding answers that satisfy their souls. 

In this series, we explore Frankl’s book The Doctor and the Soul. Father Bill’s guest and tour guide is Tom Lavin, a therapist, teacher, and friend who has studied Frankl’s work for years and helped many addicts and alcoholics find new or renewed meaning and purpose in recovery. This episode continues to explore how Logotherapy can shed new light on the path to overcome addiction.

Show Notes:

Tom Lavin is a Psychotherapist, Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. He’s served for many years as Adjunct Faculty, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Tom’s website and newsletter can be accessed at: www.easeap.com/ 

The Doctor and the Soul

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We live in an age when the meaning and purpose of life are often less clear than ever before. An age when we’re asking questions of doctors we should be asking priests - but fewer priests seem able to provide meaningful answers to today’s spiritual seekers. Enter Viktor Frankl.

Frankl was a Jewish psychiatrist whose pioneering work known as Logotherapy has helped millions of suffering men and women begin asking the right questions of life and finding answers that satisfy their souls.

In this series, we’ll explore Frankl’s book The Doctor and the Soul. Father Bill’s guest and tour guide is Tom Lavin, a therapist, teacher, and friend who has studied Frankl’s work for many years and helped many addicts and alcoholics find new or renewed meaning and purpose in their recovery. This episode introduces Viktor Frankl and his work. It explores how Logotherapy can shed new light on the path to overcome addiction.

Show Notes:

Tom Lavin is a Psychotherapist, Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and a Licensed Clinical Alcohol and Drug Counselor. He’s served for many years as Adjunct Faculty, University of Nevada School of Medicine, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Tom’s website and newsletter: www.easeap.com/

The Doctor and the Soul

  ⁠https://www.abebooks.com/9780385500364/When-Life-Calls-Out-Love-038550036X/plp⁠

Tom recommended this as a good biography of Frankl’s life: When Life Calls Out to Us: The Love and Lifework of Viktor and Elly Frankl – by Haddon Klinberg, Jr.

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Tom will be my guest for an upcoming series focused on the work of psychiatrist Viktor Frankl. Serving both as a therapist and university instructor practicing in Reno, Nevada, Tom’s interest in Frankl’s Logotherapy extends back many years and he has a special gift for making Frankl’s work accessible to people in recovery.  This recording was an interview we did several years ago when I appeared on Tom’s long-running TV series. 

In the upcoming series we’ll be exploring Frankl’s book: The Doctor and the Soul.Enjoy this and be sure to come back for more!

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The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality can be a hard concept to grasp, and his book helps make it understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such aslove, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey, we’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” towards realizing them in our lives This episode concludes the series focusing on how AA brings about spiritual transformation. It concentrates on the difference between religion and spirituality and how AA tries to protect itself from becoming a cult.

Show Notes:

⁠Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith by George Vaillant⁠

 ⁠HARVARD STUDY HIGHLIGHTS⁠:⁠https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Study

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The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality can be a hard concept to grasp, and his book helps make it understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such as love, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey, we’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” towards realizing them in our lives This episode focuses on Awe and Mystical Illumination –the goal of the 12-Step Journey.

Show Notes:

Spiritual Evolution:A Scientific Defense of Faithby George Vaillant

We Agnostics: How William James, Father of American Psychology, Advanced A Spiritual Solution to Addiction: How a Venerated Harvard Doctor Inspired the 12 Step Movement Paperback –Mr Paul L Schulte

Father Bill W. podcast w guest Paul SchulteAA & William James

Quantum Change: When Epiphanies and Sudden Insights Transform Ordinary Lives 1st Editionby William R. Miller Father Bill W. podcast w guest William Miller

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The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality can be a hard concept to grasp, and his book helps make it understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such as love, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey, we’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” towards realizing them in our lives This episode focuses on COMPASSION and the role it plays in the spiritual life of a recovering addict.

Show Notes:

Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith by George Vaillant

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The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality can be a hard concept to grasp, and his book helps make it understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such as love, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey, we’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” towards realizing them in our lives This episode focuses on FORGIVENESS and the role it plays in the spiritual life of a recovering addict.

Show Notes:

Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith by George Vaillant

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The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality can be a hard concept to grasp, and his book helps make it understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such aslove, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey, we’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” towards realizing them in our lives This episode focuses on the quality of JOY in the spiritual life of a recovering addict.

If you want to locate and feel JOY in your soul, be sure to watch and listen to the 5-minute YouTube video “Ode to Joy” linked below. “If you can spot it, you got it!”

Show Notes:

Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith by George Vaillant

Video: Ode to Joy on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbJcQYVtZMo

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The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality can be a hard concept to grasp, and his book helps make it understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such aslove, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination.

The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey, we’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” towards realizing them in our lives This episode focuses on the importance of HOPE in the spiritual life of a recovering addict.

Show Notes:

SpiritualEvolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith by George Vaillant

Harvard Study Hightlights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Study

Anthem by Leonard Cohen: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=anthem+leonard+cohen

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The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality can be a hard concept to grasp, and his book helps make it understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such aslove, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey, we’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” towards realizing them in our lives This episode focuses on the meaning and transforming power of LOVE.

Show Notes:

Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith by George VaillantUsed Copy Available

HARVARD STUDY HIGHLIGHTS:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Study

References to LOVE in Key AA Literature (Courtesy 164andMore.com):https://www.164andmore.com/words/love.htm

Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians

For more on this topic, check out the Father Bill W. podcast seriesInner Goldhttps://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fatherbillw/episodes/Inner-Gold-God-Is-Out-of-the-Box-e1h26f3

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The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION written by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a research psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality is often a hard concept to grasp and his book helps make it understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such as love, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey. We’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” towards realizing them in ourselves. This episode focuses on the important difference between faith and belief. 

Show Notes:

Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith by George Vaillant

HARVARD STUDY HIGHLIGHTS:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Study

 References to “Faith” in Key AA Literature:https://www.164andmore.com/words/faith.htm

 Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning:https://www.amazon.com/s?k=%27man%27s+search+for+meaning%27&i=stripbooks&hvadid=580696318078&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9028223&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=1501299473015564863

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The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION written by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a research psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality is a hard concept to grasp, and his book helps make it more understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such as love, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues we are evolving physically, culturally, and individually. This episode is focused on the geography of the brain and how it sets the stage for the spiritual journey.

Show Notes:

Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith by George E, Valliant

Harvard Study Highlightshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Study

Bill Wilson article Emotion Sobriety

“The Next Frontier: Emotional Sobriety” by Bill Wilson (aainthedesert.org)

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This series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION written by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a research psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality is a hard concept to grasp and his book helps make it more understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such as love, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey, we’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” to realizing them in ourselves. This should be a powerful series you won’t want to miss.

Show Notes:

Spiritual Evolution:A Scientific Defense of Faith by George Vaillant

HARVARD STUDY HIGHLIGHTS:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grant_Study

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Fr. Bill’s guest is Andy C., a Canadian attorney in recovery since 1977. Andy is the author of “Gems,” a collection of reflections and meditations on insights and practices that can lead to a more meaningful, satisfying, and purposeful recovery. In this final episode, Fr. Bill and Andy explore the practice and benefits of frequent and meaningful inventories using Steps 4 and 10. Show Notes:

Gems: Meditations on Alcoholism and Recovery by Andy C.

Visit Andy at his website: the Fourth Dimension https://the4thdimension.ca/

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Fr. Bill’s guest is Andy C., a Canadian attorney in recovery since 1977. Andy is the author of “Gems” a collection of reflections and meditations on insights and practices that can lead to a more meaningful, satisfying, and purposeful recovery. In this third episode, Fr Bill and Andy explore the nature and depth of SELF WILL and how the Steps are used to overcome it. Gems: Meditations on Alcoholism and Recovery by Andy C.

Visit Andy at his website: the Fourth Dimension https://the4thdimension.ca/

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Fr. Bill’s guest is Andy C., a Canadian attorney in recovery since 1977. Andy is the author of “Gems” a collection of reflections and meditations on insights and practices that can lead to a more meaningful, satisfying, and purposeful recovery. In this second episode, Fr Bill and Andy explore serenity and how it’s related to emotional sobriety. 

Show Notes:

Gems: Meditations on Alcoholism and Recoveryby Andy C.

Visit Andy at his website: the Fourth Dimension https://the4thdimension.ca/

Emotional Sobriety article by Bill Wilson

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Fr. Bill’s guest is Andy C. an attorney in recovery since 1977 and living in Victoria, Canada. Andy is the author of “Gems”a collection of meditations on the various components and practices that can lead to meaningful, satisfying, and purposeful recovery. In this first episode, Andy shares his recovery story before he and Fr/ Bill dive into Andy’s first chapter distinguishing Long-termers from Old-timers. You’ll discover there’s a world of difference and find a few pitfalls to avoid along the way. 

Show Notes:

Gems: Meditations on Alcoholism and Recovery by Andy C.

Visit Andy at his website: The Fourth Dimension https://the4thdimension.ca/

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In this classic episode, Fr. Bill visits with Yisrael C. to discuss the age-old question, "Are you spiritual or religous?" The discussion provides perspective and a deeper understanding of what it all means in relationship to recovery.

Yisrael C. has over 40 years in AA journeying from a Catholic kid in Philadelphia to an Orthodox Jew and stand-up comedian in Israel. Balancing tragedy and comedy, he works at the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem and takes great joy helping newcomers find both sobriety and fun in recovery. Here’s a ⁠link⁠ to his full AA story.

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Father Bill continues a series centered on Dr. Harry Tiebout, the first psychiatrist to recognize why AA worked while so many other methods (including his own) had failed. Tiebout also treated Bill Wilson for his depression and later served as an AA Trustee.

The series uses Hazelden’s book: Harry Tiebout: The Collected Writings as a source and, where available, adds pdf articles in the Show Notes. In this episode Fr. Bill explores Tiebout’s article: Anonymity, the Ego Reducer. This was a talk he delivered in 1955 at the AA World Convention in St. Louis. A free pdf link to Tiebout’s article is available below. Show Notes:

⁠Tiebout’s Collected Writings⁠

⁠Anonymity: The Ego Reducer⁠

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Father Bill continues a series centered on Dr. Harry Tiebout, the first psychiatrist to recognize why AA worked while so many other methods (including his own) had failed. Tiebout also treated Bill Wilson for his depression and later served as an AA Trustee. The series uses Hazelden’s book: Harry Tiebout: The Collected Writingsas a source and, where available, adds pdf articles in the Show Notes. In this episode Fr. Bill explores Tiebout’s classic article:Surrender vs Compliance. Tiebout believes compliance gets in the way of surrender but Fr. Bill isn’t so sure. See what you think. A free pdf version of Tiebout’s article is available in the show notes.

Show Notes:

Tiebout’s Collected Writings

Surrender vs Compliance article

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Father Bill continues a series centered on Dr. Harry Tiebout, the first psychiatrist to recognize why AA worked while so many other methods (including his own) had failed. Tiebout also treated Bill Wilson for his depression and later served as an AA Trustee. The series uses Hazelden’s book: Harry Tiebout: The Collected Writingsas a source and, where available, adds pdf articles in the Show Notes. In this episode Fr. Bill explores Tiebout’s classic article: Ego Factors in Surrender. If you want to know what’s going on when we’re feeling restless, irritable or filled with discontent, you won’t want to miss this episode.This is Part Two.

Show Notes:       Tiebout’s Collected Writings

Ego Factors in Surrender(article)

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Father Bill continues a series centered on Dr. Harry Tiebout, the first psychiatrist to recognize why AA worked while so many other methods (including his own) had failed. Tiebout also treated Bill Wilson for his depression and later served as an AA Trustee. The series uses Hazelden’s book: Harry Tiebout: The Collected Writingsas a source and, where available, adds pdf articles in the Show Notes. In this episode Fr. Bill explores Tiebout’s classic article: Ego Factors in Surrender. If you want to know what’s going on when we’re feeling restless, irritable or filled with discontent, you won’t want to miss this episode.A free pdf version is available.

Show Notes:

Tiebouts Collected Writings and Ego Factors in Surrender

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Father Bill continues a series centered on Dr. Harry Tiebout, the first psychiatrist to recognize why AA worked while so many other methods (including his own) had failed. Tiebout also treated Bill Wilson for his depression and later served as an AA Trustee. The series uses Hazelden’s book: Harry Tiebout: The Collected Writingsas a source and, where available, adds pdf articles in the Show Notes. In this episode Fr. Bill explores Tiebout’s 1949 article: The Act of Surrender in the Therapeutic Process. A free pdf version is available.

Show Notes:

Tiebout’s Collected Writings

Tiebout’s article:The Act of Surrender in the Therapeutic Process in pdf 

What Is a Psychic Change Podcast Episode– William James

Stages of Change

Tiebout Quote: “The dilemma of the alcoholic is now obvious. The unconscious mind rejects, through its capacity for defiance and grandiosity what the conscious mind perceives. Hence, realistically, the individual is frightened by his or her drinking and at the same time is prevented from doing anything about it by the unconscious activity that can and does ignore or override the conscious mind.”

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Father Bill starts a new series centered around Dr. Harry Tiebout. He was the first psychiatrist to recognize why AA was being successful in treating alcoholics while so many other methods (including his own) had failed. Tiebout (pronounced (TEE-BOW) also treated Bill Wilson for his depression. The series uses Hazelden’s book: Harry Tiebout: The Collected Writings as a source and, where available, adds pdf articles in the Show Notes.

Show Notes:

∙    Tiebout’s Collected Writings

∙    Ego Factors in Surrender in Alcoholism

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Fr. Bill continues a series highlighting the history and practice of Two Way Prayer as contained in his book expected to be published in the spring of 2024. In this episode he explores meaning of a “psychic change,” a “conversion experience or awakening,” as well as “the fourth dimension of existence.” The episode uses the works of Bill Wilson, William James, and Jungian analyst and author Robert Johnson. If you’ve ever wanted to explore “ego deflation at depth” this episode is for you.

Show Notes: 

Quotes from Wilson, James, Edinger and Johnson

William James Podcast Series

Book by Paul S. We Agnostics: How William James, Father of American Psychology, Advanced A Spiritual Solution to Addiction: How a Venerated Harvard Doctor Inspired the 12 Step Movement

Transformation by Robert A. Johnson

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Fr. Bill continues a series highlighting the history and practice of Two Way Prayer. In this episode he focuses on the Four Absolutes: Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, and Love. These principles were foundational for Dr. Bob and to many of the AA Pioneers. They’re still emphasized in Akron and Cleveland, Ohio but in few other places. This episode focuses on how they relate to Two Way Prayer.

Show Notes:

Fr. Bill continues a series highlighting the history and practice of Two Way Prayer. In this episode he focuses on the Four Absolutes: Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, and Love. These principles were foundational for Dr. Bob and to many of the AA Pioneers. They’re still emphasized in Akron and Cleveland, Ohio but in few other places. This episode focuses on how they relate to Two Way Prayer.

Show Notes:

Not God, a History of Alcoholics Anonymous by Ernest Kurt.

Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions

The Four Absolutes

 A.J. Russell: For Sinner’s Only

Ivory Soap Commercial:Just want to see if anyone is really reading these things!

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Fr. Bill continues a series highlighting the history and practice of Two Way Prayer. In this episode he shares step by step suggestions for a daily practice.

 Show Notes:

A Testament of Devotion by Thomas R. Kelly / Kelly’s first essay: The Light Within makes excellent Quiet Time reading. Here’s a pdf version of this contemplative classic.

Here’s a one-page guide with suggestions for doing the daily practice:

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Thomas Merton’s Prayer:

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.”

 

Big Book quote from page 87:

“What used to be the hunch or the occasional inspiration gradually becomes a working part of the mind. Being still inexperienced and having just made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that we are going to be inspired at all times. We might pay for this presumption in all sorts of absurd actions and ideas. Nevertheless, we find that our thinking will, as time passes, be more and more on the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it.

 

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Fr. Bill continues his focus on Two Way Prayer. In this episode he explores why the AA Pioneer’s connection to the Oxford Group was downplayed in the Big Book and how knowing the history brings the practice alive in the pages devoted to Step Eleven.

Show Notes:

Quotations are from Pass It On:  https://www.aa.org/pass-it

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Fr. Bill begins a short series focused on a new book he’s writing on Two Way Prayer. This episode gives a brief history of how the prayer practice developed within the Oxford Group and its important place in the early days of Alcoholics Anonymous. Fr. Bill draws on several quotations from AA literature telling how the practice was done by some of the early members.

Show Notes: 

“Where did we learn about moral inventory, amends for harm done, turning our wills and our lives over to God? Where did we learn about meditation and prayer and all the rest of it? The spiritual substance of our remaining ten Steps came straight from Dr. Bob’s and my own early association with the Oxford Groups….”     

                                            Bill Wilson, The Language of the Heart, p. 298.

 

“The central theme of Wright’s book (The Will of God and a Man’s Life Work) was that an individual could, through “two way prayer” - listening for guidance as well as talking - find God's will for his life and for the ordinary events of the day. Wright himself set aside half an hour for such listening prayer first thing every morning. At such times - and indeed at anytime in the day - he declared that what he called “luminous thoughts” came from God, provided only that the human receiver was clean enough to pick them up. These thoughts Wright wrote down in a notebook and always tried to carry out. 

                                                    Garth Lean, On the Tail of a Comet,  p.74. 

More Selections from ⁠Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers & Pass It On⁠ in this episode.

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Father Bill continues his interview with recovery teacher and spiritual guide Tyler D. from Dallas, Texas.  The series centers on Bill Wilson’s 12 & 12 quote: “There is a direct linkage among self-examination, meditation, and prayer. … But when they are logically related and interwoven, the result is an unshakeable foundation for life.” This episode is focused on helping us understand and begin the practice of meditation. 

Show Notes:

∙       Contact and information for Tyler D. http://tylerdawn.com/

∙       Prayer ofSt. Francis

∙       Lectio Divina

∙      Centering Prayer

∙       Insight Timer App

∙       Sharon Salzburg:https://www.sharonsalzberg.com/

∙       Richard Rohr:https://cac.org/about/what-is-contemplation/

∙       Jon Kabat-Zinn:https://jonkabat-zinn.com/

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Father Bill continues his interview with spiritual recovery teacher and guide Tyler D. from Dallas, Texas.  The series builds on the Bill Wilson’s 12 & 12 quote: “There is a direct linkage among self-examination, meditation, and prayer. … But when they are logically related and interwoven, the result is an unshakeable foundation for life.” This episode explores various forms of prayer that can help in our recovery as well as make recovery more of the living adventure it can be. 

Show Notes:

Contact and information on Tyler D. http://tylerdawn.com/

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Father Bill continues his interview with spiritual recovery teacher and guide Tyler D. from Dallas, Texas.  The series builds on the Bill Wilson’s 12 & 12 quote: “There is a direct linkage among self-examination, meditation, and prayer. … But when they are logically related and interwoven, the result is an unshakeable foundation for life.” This episode explores tools for watching ourselves and making Step Ten come to life in new and more meaningful ways.

Show Notes:

Contact and information on Tyler D. http://tylerdawn.com/

Invitation to the Great Experiment by Tom Powers. Purchase a hard copy at www.AllAddictsAnonymous.com/

Nikki Meyers 12 Step Yoga https://y12sr.com/

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Father Bill begins a series of interviews with spiritual recovery teacher and guide Tyler D. from Dallas, Texas.  Long active in 12 Step recovery, Tyler is a registered yoga instructor and mindfulness teacher as well as a recent graduate in Spiritual Direction from SMU’s Perkins School of Theology. In this opening episode Tyler shares her story and sets the theme for the series built around the rewards a solid foundation can bring. Tyler genuinely “walks the walk” in 12 Step recovery and invites you to join her on this journey.

Show Notes:

Contact and information for Tyler D. http://tylerdawn.com/

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In this final episode of the series, Dr. James Ryan, PhD author of a new book titled Recovery Writing,

leads listeners through a series of writing exercises that include an extended version of “The Conduct Inventory,” a second exercise titled “The Resilient Heart,” and finally a set of questions known as “The Audre Lorde Questionnaire to Oneself.”  We hope this series inspires you to pick up your pen and join Dr. Ryan in journeying deeper into the fullness and richness of recovery.

Show Notes:

∙       Recovery Writing: Discovery and Healing in the Twelve Steps by James Ryan.

∙       www.StepStudy.org 

∙       Audrey Lorde’s Four Questions: https://divyavictor.com/the-audre-lorde-questionnaire-to-oneself/

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Fr. Bill and Dr. James Ryan, PhD author of a new book titled Recovery Writing finish up their discussion of how writing can be an aid in finding and building a deeper relationship with the Divine.

Show Notes:

∙       Recovery Writing: Discovery and Healing in the Twelve Steps by James Ryan.

∙       Step Study website: www.StepStudy.org

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 Fr. Bill and Dr. James Ryan, PhD author of a new book titled Recovery Writing finish up their discussion of how writing can be an aid in finding and building a deeper relationship with the Divine.

Show Notes:

∙       Recovery Writing: Discovery and Healing in the Twelve Steps by James Ryan

∙       Step Study website: www.StepStudy.org

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Fr. Bill continues his interviews with James Ryan, PhD author of a new book titled Recovery Writing. The series explores effective writing techniques used in 12 Step and other recovery modalities. James is in long term recovery with a strong interest in spirituality and in the Pioneer program of Alcoholics Anonymous. His website  www.StepStudy.org provides links to books and articles helpful for those ready to go deeper into AA history and recovery spiritually. James worked for several years in the addiction treatment field and now teaches writing at the University of Alaska. In this fourth episode, James shares from his research how writing can aid in connecting an addict with the realm of the divine. 

Show Notes:

Recovery Writing: Discovery and Healing in the Twelve Steps by James Ryan

Step Study website: www.StepStudy.org

The Voices Within and How We Talk to Ourselves by Charles Fernyhough (Lots of used copies available)

More than Real: A History of the Imagination in South India  by David Shulman  (Worth reseaching sources – this book is pricey) 

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 Fr. Bill continues his interviews with James Ryan, PhD author of a new book titled Recovery Writing. The series explores writing techniques that have proved effective in 12 Step and other recovery modalities. James is in long term recovery with a strong interest in spirituality and in the Pioneer program of Alcoholics Anonymous. His website titled www.StepStudy.org provides links to books and articles helpful for many wanting to go deeper into AA history and recovery spiritually. James worked for several years in the addiction treatment field and now teaches writing at the university level. In this third episode, James begins to explore the four major “take-aways” from his research beginning with “How Writing Helps Us Get Honest.” 

Show Notes:

∙      Recovery Writing: Discovery and Healing in the Twelve Steps by James Ryan.

∙      Step Study website: www.StepStudy.org

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Fr. Bill interviews James Ryan, PhD author of a new book titled Recovery Writing. The series explores writing techniques that have proved effective in 12 Step and other recovery modalities. James is in long term recovery with a strong interest in spirituality and in drawing insights from the Pioneer program of Alcoholics Anonymous. His website titled www.StepStudy.org provides links to books and articles helpful for many wanting to delve deeper into AA history and recovery spiritually. Clinically, James worked for several years in the addiction treatment field and now teaches writing at the university level. In this second episode, James continues sharing his recovery story and how it shaped his interest in writing.  Focus is on how writing benefits honesty. 

Show Notes:

∙      Recovery Writing: Discovery and Healing in the Twelve Steps by James Ryan.

∙      Step Study: www.StepStudy.org

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Fr. Bill begins a new series on the benefits of writing in recovery. His guest is James Ryan, PhD author of a new book titled Recovery Writing. The series will explore several writing techniques that have proved effective in 12 Step and other recovery modalities. James is in long term recovery himself with a strong interest in spirituality and in the Pioneer program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Over the years, he’s grown a website titled www.StepStudy.org providing links to books and articles helpful for many wanting to delve deeper into AA history and recovery spiritually. James worked for several years in the addiction treatment field and now teaches writing at the university level. In this first episode, James shares his recovery story and early interest in writing.  

Show Notes: Recovery Writing: Discovery and Healing in the Twelve Steps⁠, by James Ryan.

Here's the Book's website: ⁠https://www.recoverywriting.org/ (it includes a contact form where people can share their stories about recovery writing practices that are valuable to them)

and The Blog: ⁠https://recoverywriting.substack.com/⁠ (where you can find new articles about recovery writing practices that were not covered in the book)

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Jean Brown, a life-long member of the Oxford Group (now known as Initiatives of Change) sheds more light on the program and principles that gave birth to Alcoholics Anonymous. In this episode, Jean describes the original Quiet Time and Two Way Prayer practices of the Oxford Group that underlie the 11th Step. Jean is the author of “A Serious Guide to Remaking the World.” A free copy of this informative pamphlet is available in the Show Notes.

Show Notes:

·     A Serious Guide to Remaking the World, 2007 - by Jean Brown

·     The Listening to God Pamphlet by Chaplain John Batterson

·     How to Practice Two Way Prayer

·     Initiativesof Change https://iofc.org/en

·     If this episode has been helpful to you, please share and consider making a donation.

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Jean Brown from Adelaide, Australia traces her life-long connection to the Oxford Group back for three generations. The Group later became known as Moral Rearmament and still operates as Initiatives of Change. In this two-part interview, Jean shares her personal story of change while shedding light on the original principles and practices that gave birth to the program of Alcoholics Anonymous. Jean is the author of “A Serious Guide to Remaking the World.” A free copy of this informative pamphlet is available below.

Show Notes:

·     A Serious Guide to Remaking the World, 2007 -  by Jean Brown

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Psychologist Dr. Bruce P. from Los Angeles, California leads Fr. Bill and listeners through a series of brief meditations focused on the teachings of Eckhart Tolle. Several one-minute exercises bring the teachings alive in ways you won’t want to miss. A guide to the exercises is included in the Show Notes.

Show Notes:

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle - Purchase or find an online pdf version available free.

Contact Dr. Bruce at: powerofnowtherapist@gmail.com

Power of Now Lab Notes from Dr. Bruce

Overview:

(1)  The Purpose of these Practices

(2)  The Obstacles to Practice

(3)  The Benefits of the Practices

(4)  The Duration and Use of These Practices in Daily Life

One-Minute Thoughtless Awareness Practices

(1)  Observing the Breath without thought

(2)  Observing an Inner Body Sensation without thought

(3)  Listening without thought

(4)  Seeing without thought

Self Observation Practices

“Am I at ease?”

“Am I treating this moment as a means to an end?”

“Have I been thinking of the future or the past?”

“Am I wanting to be somewhere other than Where I am now?”

The Welcoming Prayer for Presence: Request a copy from Dr. Bruce

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Psychologist Dr. Bruce P. from Los Angeles, California helps relate the works of Eckhart Tolle with the world of 12-Step recovery. Negative emotions are problems for many people but perhaps especially for addicts. AA co-founder Bill Wilson struggled with depression for many years after getting sober. His letter sharing his experience on the subject is in the Show Notes. Dr. Bruce explores the troubling world of emotions offering us a solution to our pain through accessing the Power of Now.

Show Notes:

Bill Wilson’s 1953 letter on Emotional Sobriety

Eckhart Tolle Key Quotes on Emotions:

Pain is inevitable as long as you are identified with your mind. I am talking here primarily of emotional pain…Resentment, hatred, self-pity guilt, anger, depression, jealousy, and so on, even the slightest irritation, are all forms of pain. There are two levels to your pain: the pain you create now and the pain from the past that still lives on in your mind and body. As long as you are unable to access the power of the Now, every emotional pain that you experience leaves behind a residue of past pain that lives on in you. It merges with the pain from the past, which was already there, and becomes lodged in your mind and body. This includes the pain you suffered as a child, caused by the unconsciousness of the world into which you were born. This accumulated pain is a negative energy field that occupies your mind and body. The emotional pain-body has two modes of being: dormant and active. It may be dormant 90 percent of the time. In a deeply unhappy person it can be active 10 percent of the time. Some people only experience it in certain situations such as intimate relationships, or situations linked with past loss or abandonment, physical or emotional hurt, and so on. Anything can trigger it, particularly if it resonates with a pain pattern from your past…even a thought or an innocent remark made by someone close to you can activate it. Some pain bodies are obnoxious but relatively harmless, like a child who won’t stop whining. Others are vicious and destructive monsters. Some are physically violent, many more are emotionally violent. Some will attack people around you or close to you, while others may attack you, their host. Thoughts and feelings you have about your life then become deeply negative and self-destructive. The pain-body doesn’t want you to observe it directly and see it for what it is. The moment you observe the pain-body, feel its energy within you, and take your attention into it, the identification is broken. A higher dimension of consciousness has come in, I call it Presence. You are now the witness or the watcher of the pain-body. You have found your innermost strength. Watch out for any sign of unhappiness in whatever form---it may be the awakening pain body. This can take the form of irritation, impatience, a somber mood, a desire to hurt, anger, rage, a need to have some drama in your relationship and so on. Catch it the moment it awakens from its dormant state. Focus attention on the feeling inside you. Know that it is the pain-body. Accept that is there. Don’t think about it--don't let the feeling turn into thinking. Don’t judge or analyze. Stay present and continue to be the observer of what is happening inside you. Allow the pain to be transmuted into peace. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fatherbillw/support

Psychologist Dr. Bruce P. from Los Angeles, California helps blend the works of Eckhart Tolle with the world of 12-Step recovery. Addicts aren’t alone in struggling with relationships. Often, we search for and marry a prince or a princess thinking they’ll save us only to see them before long turn into a frog – and sometimes even worse. Dr. Bruce explores the world of relationships offering us a way out through the Power of Now.

Show Notes

Eckhart Tolle Relationship Quotes:

Unless and until you access the frequency of presence, all relationships, and particularly intimate relationships, are deeply flawed and dysfunctional.  They may seem perfect for a while, such as when you are “in love” but invariably that apparent perfection gets disrupted as arguments, conflicts, dissatisfaction and emotional or even physical violence occur with increasing frequency Love can turn into savage attack, feelings of hostility, of complete withdrawal of affection at the flick of a switch. And this is considered normal.  Relationships do not cause pain and unhappiness. They bring out the pain and unhappiness that is already in you. We use relationships or somebody to cover up our pain.  For love to flourish, the light of your presence needs to be strong enough so that you no longer get taken over by the thinker or emotional pain body and mistake them for who you are.  Can you change an addictive relationship into a true one? Yes, by intensifying your presence by taking your attention more deeply into the Now.  The greatest catalyst for change in a relationship is complete acceptance of your partner as he or she is, without needing to judge or change them in any way.  For presence to become deeply rooted, it must be tested in the fire of relationships.  Listening is the greatest thing you can do for your partner. Listening gives the other space to be.  Love as a continuous state is as yet very rare---as rare as conscious human beings. Brief and elusive glimpses of love, however, are possible, whenever there is a gap in the stream of mind.  Never before have relationships been as problematic and conflict-ridden as they are now. If you continue to pursue the goal of salvation through a relationship, you will be disillusioned again and again. But if you accept that the relationship is here to make you conscious instead of happy, then the relationship will offer you salvation, and you will be aligning yourself with the higher consciousness that wants to be born in this world.

 

Self Disclosure reference: https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences-and-law/sociology-and-social-reform/sociology-general-terms-and-concepts/self-disclosure

Your Body Doesn’t Lie by John Diamond (pdf version)

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Psychologist Dr. Bruce P. from Los Angeles, California helps blend the works of Eckhart Tolle with the world of 12-Step recovery. Many addicts struggle to find a concept of a Higher Power that can work successfully for them. Step Two becomes easier when an elusive search for “a Power greater than ourselves” shifts to “accessing the Power of Now.” In this episode Dr. Bruce describes how the terms God and Now may be synonymous and how a simple shift in consciousness into the “fourth dimension of existence” may be more easily accessible than you THINK. In fact, not THINKING might speed things up considerably!

Show Notes:

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle / You may also be able to find free pdf versions online.

Contact Dr. Bruce at:powerofnowtherapist@gmail.com

Be sure to visit us our YouTube Channel: Two Way Prayer @twowayprayer1335 – episodes generally post within a couple days following the podcast. You can meet Father Bill’s dog Maggie around minute 56 or so.

Here are the Tolle quotes used on this episode:

1. “The eternal present is the space within which your whole life unfolds. The Now is the only point that can take you beyond the limited confines of your mind. It is your only point of access into the timeless presence of God.”

2. “(When) the realm of Being, accessed through the portal of the Now, opens up, suddenly, a great stillness arises within you, an unfathomable peace. And within that peace, there is great joy.  And within that joy, there is love. And at the innermost core, there is the Sacred, that which cannot be named.”

3. “As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out of present moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love---even the most simple action.”

4. “When the compulsive striving away from the Now ceases, the joy of Being flows into everything you do. The moment your attention turns to the Now, you feel a presence, a stillness, a peace.” But the reverse is also true – is it not? – that when my compulsive thinking takes charge again and leads me away from the Now then I lose my connection with the Present Moment and I begin to feel restless, irritable, and discontent. 

5. “An amazing realization is that in the present moment there is only what is, but there are no problems. And if your attention remains in the Now, you no longer inhabit a world of problems.”

6. “Being is accessible to you NOW as your own deepest self, your true nature. But don’t seek to grasp it with your mind. Don’t try to understand it. You can only know it when the mind is still. When you are present, when your attention is fully and intensely in the NOW, Being / (God) can be felt, but it can never be understood mentally.”

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Psychologist Dr. Bruce P. from Los Angeles, California helps blend the works of Eckhart Tolle with the world of 12-Step recovery. The Big Book tells us our “problem is in the Mind.” This episode takes a deep dive into the source of our compulsive thinking, first as it relates directly to physical addiction, but then as it traps us in a fearful state of separateness from God, from others, and from our True Selves. The Good News is escape is possible. Listen and start to find out HOW!

3 Quotes Related to THINKING from Eckhart Tolle that relates to "Unmanageable" thoughts and addiction:

I would say about 80-90% of most people's thinking is not only repetitive and useless, but beacuase of its dysfunctional and negative nature, much of it is harmful. Observe your mind and you will find this to be true. This kind of cumpulsive thinking as actually an addiction. What characterizes an addiction? Quite simply this: you no longer feel nyou have the ability to stop. Every addiction arises from an unconscious refusal to face and move through your own pain. Every addiction atarts with pain and ends with pain. Whatever you're addicted to (includes all involuntary compulsive mental-emotional habits and reactive patterns) you are using to cover up your pain.

Unmanageable (compulsive) thoughts related to everything else:

The more you are identified with your thinking, your likes and dislikes, judgments and interpretations, which is to say the less present your are as the wathching consciusness, the stronger the emotional charge (pain) will be whether you are aware of it or not. The greatest obstacle to experiencing peace and the radiant joy of being is identification with your mind, which causes thought to become compulsive. Not to be able to stop thinking is a dreadful affliction... this incessant mental noise prevents you from finding the realm of inner stillness, peace, and joy. The compulsive thinker, which means almost everyone, lives in a state of separateness, in an insanely complex world of continuous problems and conflict. Read more...

The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle.

If you would like to contact Dr. Bruce he can be reached by email.

If this information has been helpful to you consider making a donation to Two Way Prayer. Be sure to like, subscribe and share with others who could benefit from this message!

#Recovery, #KeepComingBack, #TwoWayPrayer

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Psychologist Dr. Bruce P. from Los Angeles, California helps blend the works of Eckhart Tolle with the world of 12 Step recovery. Like the Big Book, The Power of Now has helped millions access the transforming Power for change that is already present in each of us only waiting to be unleashed. Come join us on the journey!

Show Notes:

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle / The llink will take you to Amazon but note there are pdf versions available online free.

Questions for Dr. Bruce P.? powerofnowtherapist@gmail.com

 

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After practicing Two Way Prayer for nearly a year, Donna began a still deeper journey to depths of her Inner World. Her loving Higher Power encouraged her to invite DonDon, her inner child, to come sit with them at their morning table of prayer. So began a long series of inner dialogues that helped knit together the shattered life of a little girl who lost her father at the age of eight if not long before. These moving dialogues lift Donna’s prayer life into the healing sunlight of the Spirit. You’ll want to listen in as her Kid has a message of love and encouragement directed to each of our own.

Show Notes:

To write to Donna please send a note through TwoWayPrayer@gmail.com

Robert Johnson’s bookInner Work serves as a guide for those ready to bring Jung’s practice of Active Imagination into their prayer lives. You might also see Jungian analyst Barbara Hannah’s classic as well.

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Donna came to recovery when her son entered treatment for gambling and drug addiction. She had done all she could do for him and knew she needed to “let go.” But how? The Voice Donna heard in Two Way Prayer helped guide her on the path that led to her own recovery. She recognized the loving Voice as HaShem – Hebrew for “The Name.” Few Two Way Prayer listeners hear the Voice as clearly and as beautifully as Donna records it daily in her journal. You won’t want to miss hearing these shares of gentle guidance and unconditional love.

To write to Donna, please send a note through Two Way Prayer

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The Ego is usually reluctant (if not outright defiant) in humbly aligning itself with the Great Reality Within. Commenting on the necessary realignment and why we put it off for so long, Franciscan monk Richard Rohr is fond of saying, “There are only two things powerful enough to change a person: pain and prayer.” Then he adds wryly, “most of us choose pain!” Father Bill takes a pause in interviewing men and women embarked on their Inner Journeys to share why the journey is necessary and how Two Way Prayer and Inner work intersect to make us whole. 

Show Notes:

Brown’s quote: Midlife is when the universe gently places her hands upon your shoulders, pulls you close, and whispers in your ear: “I’m not screwing around. All of this pretending and performing—these coping mechanisms that you’ve developed to protect yourself from feeling inadequate and getting hurt—has to go. Your armor is preventing you from growing into your gifts.

I understand that you needed these protections when you were small. I understand that you believed your armor could help you secure all of the things you needed to feel worthy and lovable, but you’re still searching and you’re more lost than ever.

Time is growing short. There are unexplored adventures ahead of you. You can’t live the rest of your life worried about what other people think. You were born worthy of love and belonging. Courage and daring are coursing through your veins. You were made to live and love with your whole heart. It’s time to show up and be seen.

Ken Wilbur’s Four Pillars of Integral Consciousness: Wake Up, Clean Up, Grow Up, and Show Up 

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Faithfully practicing Two Way Prayer for some time, Susanne built a powerful connection with God. In time, she was ready to venture still deeper into her Inner World starting an amazing dialogue with her lost inner child through a process C.G. Jung called “active imagination.” In this episode Susanne shares how she established contact with her “Kid” and reads some healing writings between her adult self and her inner child. She soon discovered the hole in the soul was being filled from within.

Show Notes:

Here are some guidelines forfinding a prayer partner.

Robert A. Johnson’s book Inner Work is helpful in understanding how to gain access and begin dialoguing with our inner parts.

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Father Bill begins interviewing people who’ve begun their Inner Journey with Two Way Prayer. Susanne was active in 12-Step recovery in the U.K. taking her work most seriously; but when she discovered Two Way Prayer it brought her recovery to a wholly new level. In this episode, Susanne describes the deepened relationship she found with her “Dad” as she calls her Higher Power and shares three samples of Guidance received during her morning Quiet Time. You’ll find Susanne’s writings filled with love and a real sense of “inner discovery” as both she and Father Bill share helpful tips for bringing this lost 11th Step practice to life.

Show Notes:

God Calling by Two Listeners (Edited by A.J. Russell)

Twenty Four Hour a Day Book by Richmond Walker (based on the writings of the two women in England who were members of the Oxford Group)

Prayer Partners - A pdf of suggested guidelines found on the Two Way Prayer website

Link to Big Book Awakening for Zoom Meetings in San Diego

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Father Mike Falls helps us explore the Inner World of consciousness. Mike was a professional football player for the Dallas Cowboys when he heard and followed a call from his soul telling him it was time to make a change – a really big change. Mike listened and took the plunge; he discovered a whole new world awaited him. At the heart of that world, Mike discovered his soul in the form of his internally lost “Kid.” A gifted teacher and storyteller, Fr. Mike’s experience can guide us as we go in search of our own lost souls and perhaps uncover and befriend our lost inner kids. As the Big Book says, “MORE WILL BE REVEALED!”

Brene Brown quote: https://brenebrown.com/articles/2018/05/24/the-midlife-unraveling/

Christopher Morley Poem: To a Child https://allpoetry.com/poem/8519043-To-A-Child-by-Christopher-Morley/

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Matt D., Executive Director All Addicts Anonymous (AAA) discusses the original AA Pioneer Program focusing on its evolution from the Oxford Group’s Four Absolutes of Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, and Loveinto the 12 Steps as we know them today. This episode centers on the Ten Points distilled from Chapter Five of the Big Book. It takes us to the real depths of the transformation process.

Show Notes:

Link to the AAATen Pointsarticle.

Link to theInvitation to a Great Experimentarticle.

Gresham’s Law 

Vist All Addicts Anonymous for meeting information and if you'd like to contact Matt D. send an email.

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Matt D., Executive Director All Addicts Anonymous (AAA) discusses the original AA pioneer program focusing on its evolution from the Oxford Group’s Four Absolutes of Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, and Loveinto the 12 Steps as we know them today. The discussion centers on a 1973 article by Tom Powers, Jr. titled: The Twelve Step Ladder to God Consciousness. It’s available in the Show Notes.

Show Notes:

The Twelve Step Ladder to God Consciousnessby Tom Powers, Jr.

Gresham’s Law and Alcoholics Anonymousby Tom Powers. Jr.

Bill Wilson recording of Spiritual Experience vs. Spiritual Awakening

Link to the All Addicts Anonymous for meeting information. To contact Matt D. email AllAddictsAnonymous@Gmail.com

If this information has been helpful to you or someone you love, consider making a donation to Two Way Prayer. Thank you! 

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Matt D., Executive Director All Addicts Anonymous (AAA) discusses the original AA pioneer program focusing on the Four Absolutes of Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, and Love. In this episode Matt and Father Bill explore the deeper meaning of Love. Each chooses a reading that may help addicts in recovery uncover new meaning in this the most challenging and perhaps most rewarding of the Four Absolutes. Readings are available in the Show Notes notes below.

Show Notes:

No Greater Love– Matt’s reading from Sadhu Sundar Singh

The Love Chapter (First Corinthians 13) – Fr. Bill’s reading from Paul

Sadu Sundar Singh Wikipedia

Rev. Sam Shoemaker Wikipedia

The Answer to Addiction by John Burns – early publication of Invitation to a Great Experiment by Tom Powers - pdf version

The Four Loves by C.S. Lewis pdf version

The Greatest Thing in the world by Henry Drummond – pdf version

What Men Live By and Other Tales by Leo Tolstoy – pdf version

George MacDonald Scottish author – Wikipedia

Check out the All Addicts Anonymous website with meeting information and contact Matt D. via email

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Matt D., Executive Director All Addicts Anonymous (AAA) discusses the original AA pioneer program focusing on the Four Absolutes of Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, and Love. In this episode Matt and Father Bill explore the deeper meaning of UNSELFISHNESS. It appears we have two selves, two centers of consciousness – one at the level of BODY and another at the level of SOUL. Freeing ourselves from bondage to the one brings us to the freedom of the other. The episode builds on an article from the AAA archives titledEgotism: The Disease Within the Disease. It’s a powerful read available in the Show Notes.

Show Notes:

Article:Egotism- The Disease within the Diseases

All Addicts Anonymous website with meeting information. Contact Matt D. via email.

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Matt D., Executive Director All Addicts Anonymous (AAA) discusses the original AA program focusing on the Four Absolutes of Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness, and Love. In this episode Matt and Father Bill explore the deeper meanings of PURITY. Of the Four Absolutes, it’s probably the least understood and the most feared and often discounted. It’s also the one that may prove the dangers of “half-measures.” The episode builds on an article from the AAA archives titled Frank Buchman’s Cure. It’s a short read available in the Show Notes.

Show Notes:

· Link to Frank Buchman’s Cure article

· Link to a Wikipedia article on Frank Buchman

· Twice Born Men by Harold Begbie pdf version

· More Twice Born Men by Harold Begbie pdf version

· Link to Professor Bernard McGinn's article on Sexuality and Mysticism

Reference to Wilson putting the Four Absolutes in Steps Six and Seven:

The Four Absolutes first appear in the work of Robert E. Speer, a Presbyterian missionary and scholar who studied the life and teachings of Jesus. Speer concluded that Jesus’ own life reflected a set of absolute moral standards that could effectively serve to guide us in determining the course and content of our thoughts, decisions, and actions. Speer grouped these moral guidelines under the headings of Honesty, Purity, Unselfishness and Love and they later formed the foundation of the Oxford Group program. When Bill Wilson was asked where the Absolutes could be found in his 12-Step formula, he replied, “I put them in Steps Six and Seven.”

(Ernest Kurtz, Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 242-43.)

The Cloud of Unknowing by Anonymous / Translated by Carmen Acevedo Butcher

https://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Unknowing-Book-Privy-Counsel/dp/1590306228/ref=sr_1_1?crid=AWW4CUA4O183&keywords=the+cloud+of+unknowing+translated+by+CArmen+Acevedo+Butcher&qid=1674503347&s=books&sprefix=the+cloud+of+unknowing+translated+by+carmen+acevedo+butcher%2Cstripbooks%2C114&sr=1-1

 Link to All Addicts Anonymous: alladdictsanonymous.org/

Matt D. can be reached via email at: AllAddictsAnonymous@Gmail.com

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Matt D., Executive Director All Addicts Anonymous (AAA) discusses the key building blocks of the original AA program. In this episode Matt and Father Bill begin an in-depth exploration of the Four Absolutes starting with HONESTY. The episode builds on Tom Power’s classic book Invitation to a Great Experimentalong with Tom’s AA talk on“Sanity – the Heart of the Program.”It’s available in the Show Notes both in written and audio format. This is a Pioneer classic - not to be missed.

Show Notes:

Invitation to a Great Experimentby Tom Powers – see pages 10-22.

§ Sanity – the Heart of the Programby Tom P. (excerpts in written format)

§ Sanity – the Heart of the Programby Tom P. (full audio of Tom’s share known as the Blackstone Talk)

Father Bill's podcast series on The Great Experiment

Check out the All Addicts Anonymous website with meeting information here: https://alladdictsanonymous.org/

You're welcome to download and share the TWP Workshop Video on twowayprayer.org  If this podcast has been helpful for you, consider sharing it with another you think would benefit or share support in the form of making a small donation
Thanks!

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Matt D. from All Addicts Anonymous (AAA) leads listeners in this series exploring the early history of the AA program. In this episode Dr. Bob’s influence is discussed along with an introduction to the Four Absolutes that Bob and many of the Pioneers saw as the heart of the program and continued using in conjunction with the 12 Steps. (Fr. Bill had some audio issues in the first half of the recording, and we’ve attempted to edit these out where possible.  Matt’s sound is crystal clear and his message is important so please don’t miss this one.)

Show Notes:

A classic archive video of Dr. Bob’s Last Major Address to Alcoholics Anonymous in 1948.

A Manual for Alcoholics Anonymous– early AA publication from AA in Akron.

Check out the All Addicts Anonymous website for meeting information. If you would like to contact Matt D., send him an email! AllAddictsAnonymous@gmail.com

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Jungian analyst and clinical psychologist Dr. Ian McCabe concludes his journey through the 12 Steps from a Jungian perspective. This final episode focuses on the “Last Three Steps;” but rather than seeing these as “maintenance Steps” both Jungians and AA Pioneers might describe them as a formula for living life where the EGO aligns itself in service to the Self and follows its DIRECTIONS. It proves to be the “easier, softer Way.”

Show Notes:

Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymous by Ian McCabe

Ego and Archetype by Edward Edinger

Jungian analyst John Sanford

Answer to Job by Carl Jung – pdf version

Transformation of the God-Image: An Elucidation of Jung's Answerto Job by Edward Edinger

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Jungian analyst and clinical psychologist Dr. Ian McCabe continues leading listeners on a journey through the 12 Steps "from a Jungian perspective." Fully half of the 12 Steps are about “cleaning up” our relationships with ourselves, with others, and with the “Greater Personality” or as the Big Book calls it: the “Great Reality” within. Father Bill refers to these six Steps as the “CORRECTION PHASE” of the program and the discussion centers on facing and assimilating the Shadow part of ourselves.

Show Notes:

Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymousby Ian McCabe

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Jungian analyst, clinical psychologist and student of AA history Dr. Ian McCabe and Father Bill W. take a deep dive into the insights a Jungian approach to Steps 2 and 3 might convey.

Show Notes:

Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymousby Ian McCabe

For information on Bill Wilson’s experimentation with LDS see: Distilled Spirits -- Getting High, Then Sober, With a Famous Writer, a Forgotten Philosopher, and a Hopeless Drunkby Don Lattin. Here’s a brief outline:

Distilled Spirits blends a religion reporter's memoir with the compelling stories of three men--Aldous Huxley, Gerald Heard, and Bill Wilson--who transformed the landscape of Western religion and spirituality in the twentieth century. Huxley, celebrated author of Brave New World, ignited a generation that chased utopian dreams and sought enlightenment through psychedelic drugs. Heard, an Anglo-Irish mystic, journeyed to California with Huxley in the 1930s to lay the foundations for the New Age and human potential movements. Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, joined forces with Huxley and Heard in the 1940s and 1950s, when Wilson began a series of little-known experiments to see if LSD could be used to help diehard drunks.

Their life stories are gracefully brought together by veteran journalist Don Lattin. Lattin recounts his own rocky personal journey from 1960s and 1970s counter-culture, through the fast-living, cocaine-fueled 1980s and 1990s, to his long struggle to get sober. By weaving an intimate account of his own recovery with the lives of the book's three central characters, Lattin shows us the redemptive power of storytelling, the strength of fellowship, and the power of living more
compassionately, one day at a time.

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In this episode Fr. Bill and his guest Dr. Ian McCabe explore Step One of Alcoholics Anonymous. Discussion centers on the physical, mental, and spiritual dynamics at play in addiction.

Show Notes:

Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymous by Ian McCabe

Dr. Ian McCabe, contact info: ian@pips.ie

Ego and Archetype by Edward Edinger

Eric Erickson’s Eight Stages of Development

C.J. Jung’s Answer to Job, free pdf. version

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In this episode Fr. Bill’s guest Dr. Ian McCabe explores Bill Wilson’s spiritual experience in Towns Hospital as well as Bill’s prior spiritual encounters that Bill often referred to as an experience of “the Presence.” The discussion sheds clarity on the goal of recovery which is not the elimination of EGO but bringing the EGO into RIGHT RELATIONSHIP with the GREATER SELF.

Show Notes:

Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymousby Ian McCabe

Bill W:My First 40 Years

“When (Roman Emperor) Marcus Aureliusgazed upon a bottle of the exquisite Falernian wine, therefore, he would remind himself that it was merely fermented grape juice, and that the fine meat dishes set before him were just the corpses of fish, birds, and pigs…”  (Meditations, 6.13).

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Father Bill and Jungian analyst Dr. Ian McCabe continue a series of interviews exploring the aims and overlaps of the 12-Step recovery journey with Jung’s goal of individuation. Dr. McCabe hails from Dublin, Ireland holding several advanced degrees in psychology and addiction. He is the author of the book Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymous that will be used to guide the discussions. In this episode Dr. McCabe explains the basic building blocks of consciousness followed by an in-depth discussion of the elements needing to undergo transformation in the soul in order to find recovery. Dr. McCabe and Fr. Bill explore Bill Wilson’s childhood traumas.

Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymousby Ian McCabe

The Phenomenon of Manby French Jesuit Teilhard de Chardin

To Have or to Beby Erich Fromm

Recent NY Times article onEMDR

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A Jungian Guide to the 12-Step Journey:Father Bill and Jungian analyst Dr. Ian McCabe begin a series of interviews exploring the aims and overlaps of the 12-Step recovery journey with Jung’s goal of individuation. Dr. McCabe hails from Dublin, Ireland holding several advanced degrees in psychology, law, and addiction. He is the author of the book Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymous that will be used to guide the discussions. In this episode Dr. McCabe shares his story and tells what he hopes his book might help us achieve. Additionally, the episode sets the background for linking Jung with AA.

Show Notes:

Carl Jung and Alcoholics Anonymousby Ian McCabe

Bill Wilson’s Biography: My First Forty Years (Sadly the book transcribed from interviews covers only the early part of Bill’s story.)

Margarita Von Lüttichau: Intermediary between Jung and Bill Wilson

Robert A Johnson books mentioned:

Transformation: a study of three levels of consciousness

He: Johnson’s description of the Hero’s Journey

Inner Gold: Johnson’s description of human projection

Erich Neumann – one of Jung’s most gifted students.

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Father Bill completes exploring whatever void religion might fill within 12-Step programs. His guest is Matt D., Executive Director of All Addicts Anonymous. Matt has been a previous guest on the podcast and has extensive knowledge about and first-hand experience with many of the Pioneers in the AA program. This episode is focused on identifying several spiritual practices common to many religions but, of necessity, missing from 12-Step programs.

Show Notes:

Here’s a link to the All Addicts Anonymouswebsite. Be sure to order the book Invitation to a Great Experiment by Tom Powers.

Here’s a classic AA talk by Tom Powers

A link to the previous podcastn series of interviews with Matt D

Link to a previous podcast on Gresham’s Law

Basic information on Lectio Divina

Basic information on Gerald Heard

Bill Wilson telling why he preferred “spiritual experience” over “spiritual awakening."

Article by Fater Bill on the Four Absolutes

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Father Bill explores the place of religion within 12-Step recovery. In this episode he interviews Major David Sams, Administrator of the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center in Washington, D.C. Building on his years in recovery, David is a strong proponent of AA. The episode focuses on the Salvation Army’s long history of helping alcoholics and addicts from the mid-1800’s to the present day. You’ll learn about its founder General William Booth and how the Army integrates the 12-Steps into its 6-month residential centers. With a host of treatment centers charging thousands of dollars for short-term treatment, it’s good to know there’s a place that charges nothing and is the largest provider of services in the U.S. Think you’ll enjoy this!

Show Notes:

·William Booth, Founder of the Salvation Army / Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Booth

Excellent YouTube video on the history of the Salvation Army: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M8_7X_d4Zk

Brief article on the newMethodist Connexion

Twice Born Menby Harold Bigby / Popular in the Oxford Group

In Darkest England and The Way Out/ Booth’s classic assessment of the problem and solution

William James quotes S.H. Hadleyin “Varieties of Religious Experiences”

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Father Bill continues a deep dive exploring the place of religion within 12-Step recovery. Worldwide, and within 12-Step Fellowships, membership in religious bodies continues a steady decline, while the hunger for spiritual connection seems to grow steadily. This episode continues to ask what religions may have to contribute to our spiritual growth and why it’s often so difficult to join the worlds of recovery and religion. Fr. Bill asks if most addicts may just be misplaced mystics!

The McGinn book referenced isThe Essential Writings of  Christian Mysticismby Bernard McGinn:

Here’s also a goodYouTube lecture by McGinn An excellent discussion by three mystics from different faith traditions:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G3Oau9Q4uQ

Books byJohn Dominic Crossan

Books byMarcus Borg

Books byElaine Pagels

Phyllis Tickle: Short video on her bookThe Great Emergence: How Christianity Is Changing and Why

Carl Jung:Short video by Edward Edingerwith his views on the importance of a spiritual life.

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Father Bill shares an important writing by Rev. Sam Shoemaker. He is the Oxford Group leader Bill Wilson credits with teaching him no fewer than ten of the twelve Steps. Titled, “What the Church Has to Learn from Alcoholics Anonymous,” Fr. Bill reads the complete article. It’s also available in written form through the Step Study.

Show Notes: 

Link to Sam Shoemaker’s“What the Church Has to Learn from Alcoholics Anonymous”

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Father Bill concludes his series of interviews with Stephen R. Haynes, professor of religious studies at Rhodes College and adjunct professor of recovery at Fuller Theological Seminary. Stephen’s new book Why Can’t the Church Be More Like an AA Meeting?explores the similarities and differences between communities of faith and communities of recovery. Stephen has traveled both worlds and shares insights and experiences gained along the way. This episode explores how churches and 12 Step fellowships approach sexual addictions or as Dr. Haynes terms it, “the pornification of society.”

Show Notes:

Why Can’t Church Be More Like an AA Meeting?by Stephen R. Haynes.

Your Brain on Porn website: www.YourBrainOnPorn.com

The statistics quoted from a study by Jennifer Johnson at Virginia Commonwealth University: (see page 183 of Stephen’s book)

Johnson’s team found that 51%of college men in their study masturbated to pornography several times a week, 19%used it several times per month, and 13.5%were daily users.” --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/fatherbillw/support

Father Bill continues a series of interviews with Stephen R. Haynes, professor of religious studies at Rhodes College and adjunct professor of recovery at Fuller Theological Seminary. Stephen’s new book Why Can’t the Church Be More Like an AA Meeting?explores the similarities and differences between communities of faith and communities of recovery. Stephen has traveled both worlds and shares insights and experiences gained along the way. This episode explores the Oxford Group, its founder Frank Buchman, and the religious background from which they came as well as exploring the balancing of religion and recovery.

Show Notes:

Why Can’t Church Be More Like an AA Meeting?by Stephen R. Haynes.

Biography of Frank BuchmanSee: Garth Lean; On the Tail of a Comet

Sample ofThomas Power’s speaking at an AA conference

Rupert Sheldrake

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Father Bill begins a series of interviews with Stephen R. Haynes, professor of religious studies at Rhodes College and adjunct professor of recovery at Fuller Theological Seminary. Stephen’s new book explores the similarities and differences between communities of faith and communities of recovery. Stephen has traveled both worlds and shares his insights and experiences gained and researched along the way. In this episode, Stephen shares his recovery and faith stories, laying the groundwork for the series.

Show Notes:

Why Can’t Church Be More Like an AA Meeting?by Stephen R. Haynes.

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Father Bill completes the series with the help of Mike V. from Akron, Ohio. Mike and Fr. Bill share some of their experiences with shadow work and how they integrate it into their practice of Two Way Prayer.

Show Notes:

Owning Your Own Shadow: Understanding the Dark Side of the Psyche by Robert A. Johnson

Robert Johnson YouTube Lecture on Shadow

Robert Johnson YouTube Lecture on Active Imagination

Robert Johnson book: Inner Work

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Fr. Bill continues the study of the human Shadowala Robert A. Johnson.  This episode completes the reading of Johnson’s book arriving at the holy place where paradoxes collide to form something wholly new. Johnson makes use of "the mandorla" to describe this. Mandorla is Italian for the almond shape formed when two circles begin to overlap. Something new is created in the center. It may be what the Big Book terms “the fourth dimension of existence.”

Show Notes:

Owning Your Own Shadow:Understanding the Dark Side of the Psycheby Robert A. Johnson

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Fr. Bill continues an exploration of the Shadowala Robert A. Johnson.  This episode looks at how we project our Shadow onto others. “It’s a spiritual axiom that any time I am disturbed there’s something wrong with the people around me!”

Show Notes:

Owning Your Own Shadow:Understanding the Dark Side of the Psycheby Robert A. Johnson

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Fr. Bill follows Robert Johnson down into the workings of the Shadow-side of our personalities. Johnson uses the example of the seesaw to show the danger of attempting to focus attention on only one side of the personality. If we try to become “holy” instead of trying to become “whole” – we miss the center of the seesaw – we miss discovering who we are. The Seventh Step prayer reminds us, “My Creator, I am now willing that you should have all of me, good and bad.”We find our balance in wholeness, not in one-sided holiness.

Show Notes:

Owning Your Own Shadow:Understanding the Dark Side of the Psycheby Robert A. Johnson

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