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Turn Insight Into Action: ProactiveChange.com/12steps |
Alternative higher power & inner power |
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The essence of the Twelve Steps approach is to take our focus away from a specific problem that seems unmanageable, and to bring it to another dimension. This powerful shift is like the "jump into hyperspace" in science-fiction movies. In traditional Twelve Steps, this"other dimension" is described as "letting God" guide you. These Proactive Twelve Steps are written without any reference to God or a Higher Power. In this case, the "other dimension" consists in connecting with a larger sense of who you are. This is not meant to alienate people who see God / Higher Power as a key part of the process, as will also be explained below. Why remove any mention of God / Higher Power from the Steps? One reason is that a secular approach is more likely to be understood by people who are not accustomed to turning to God or a Higher Power. If this were the only reason, it would be a very weak one. These Proactive Twelve Steps would only be some kind of a "lite" version of the "real" steps, and they would only be relevant to those people who "can't stomach the real thing". What I have found in rewriting the Steps is that eliminating the faith element (faith in God or a Higher Power) forced me to pay more attention to describing what actually happens in the process of personal growth (or, at least, my view of it). The process I describe is one of letting go of dysfunctional habits and ways of thinking, and progressively focusing on the more positive forces within ourselves. In the Steps I describe, there is still a leap of faith. It is faith in the basic resiliency and strength of human nature. All you have to do is think of our basic goodness as a working hypothesis, and be willing to test this hypothesis. Try it, and see if it works for you. While this approach requires no religious belief, you are of course free to think of this "basic goodness" in divine or religious terms. If you are religious, I believe you will find these down-to-earth Steps a very useful perspective, just the way as a down-to-earth description of the world need not negate, and will often enrich, a religious outlook. In fact, there can be a convergence of views. The process I describe is one in which you progressively experience a sense of feeling that you are more than your little ego. This experience is what gives you the strength to overcome the dysfunctional habits and be pulled toward fulfilling your life-affirming needs. This experience can be described as feeling one's Inner Power... but it could also be described as feeling one's Higher Power. All it takes is thinking of Higher Power as a state that we experience, as opposed to a being that is outside of ourselves. See also step 3 |
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12 steps | higher self | stuck | habits | life purpose | life balance | self esteem | serenity | lasting change | links |
The Proactive Twelve Steps provide a straightforward description of a path of personal growth that will speak to you regardless whether you are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist... or an atheist... See: Higher Power & Inner Power - Journey - 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12career | coach | creative +++ | divorce & | habits | inspiration ++ | life | mind | motivation | therapy | relationships | stress | stepsManhattan, New York City, NY
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