NA - Step 11

Eleventh Step

"Through prayer and meditation, we sought to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out."

The Eleventh Step suggests that a personal relationship with a Higher Power, as we understand it, already exists, and our task now is to enhance this relationship. In the Second Step, we began to recognize the existence of a Higher Power. In the Third Step, we learned to trust in the guidance of this Power, and for various reasons, we have relied on this Power throughout our journey through the steps. Each time we sought help from our Higher Power, we improved our connection with it.

The Eleventh Step acknowledges that one of the most effective ways to develop our relationship with our Higher Power is by reaching out (for simplicity, we’ll call this prayer). The other tool discussed in this step is meditation. In this step, we will need to explore our personal understanding of prayer and meditation, ensuring they reflect our spiritual journey.

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NA - Step 11 - Chapter 11.1

11.1. Our Spiritual Path

The Eleventh Step offers an opportunity to find our spiritual path or to deepen it if we’re already on it. The steps we take toward discovery or deepening will depend significantly on the culture we live in, our prior experiences with spirituality, and what best suits our personality.

Our spirituality has been evolving since we first entered NA. We continue to change, as does our spirituality. New areas, people, and situations impact us, and our spirituality inevitably responds.

Exploring our spirituality in the Eleventh Step is a beautiful and enlightening experience. We encounter many new ideas, discovering that most of these stem from our own spiritual perspective. Since we have already developed our understanding of spirituality in the previous ten steps, we find that our knowledge expands in tandem with our ability to understand ourselves and our world.

The path to spiritual discovery is wide open, and we will uncover and learn many personal truths through our dedicated efforts to understand things, as well as in the most trivial aspects of everyday life.

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NA - Step 11 - Chapter 11.1.1

11.1.1. The Qualities of My Higher Power

Many of us find, upon arriving in NA, that we need to "exchange" our concept of God. Some of us believed in something vaguely called God, yet understood little beyond feeling it sought to destroy us. In the Second and Third Steps, we likely worked on uncovering our unhealthy ideas about our Higher Power, then tried to adopt new ideas that would allow us to conceive of a loving and caring Higher Power. For many, simply believing there is a Higher Power that cares about us was enough to help us move forward through the next steps. We didn’t feel the need to develop our ideas further.

However, our concept evolved on its own, even without conscious effort. Each unique experience throughout our step work gave us additional insight into the nature of our Higher Power. We sensed truths about our Higher Power rather than understanding them intellectually. In the moment we sat with our sponsor to share our Fifth Step, many of us felt a quiet assurance that we could trust our sponsor, the process, and move forward. This was a moment when many of us felt the presence of our Higher Power.

This experience and the work done in the Eighth and Ninth Steps awakened a growing awareness of our Higher Power's will for us.
- What experiences have I had in previous steps or elsewhere in life that hinted at what my Higher Power is like?
- What have I learned about my Higher Power from these experiences?
- What qualities does my Higher Power possess? Can I use these qualities in my own life to experience their transformative power?
- How has my understanding of my Higher Power changed since coming to NA?

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NA - Step 11 - Chapter 11.1.2

11.1.2. My Spiritual Journey

These insights about the nature of a Higher Power may be primary factors in defining our own spiritual path. Many of us find that the spiritual path of our childhood doesn’t align with the truths we find in the steps. For example, if we sense that God is vast and open, yet past spiritual teachings portrayed a closed and restrictive view, we’re unlikely to return to that former path. If we feel our Higher Power cares for each of us in a deeply personal, individual way, a belief system that presents a distant, unknowable, foreign power may not work for us.

While some of us needed to choose a new path, others found the opposite: the insights discovered through the steps can provide deeper meaning when revisiting the belief system of our childhood. It’s possible that through the steps, healing the resentments we held toward religious institutions, we can return to these with openness. For others, childhood religion was more than a place we spent time; it was a community to which we felt a sentimental connection. In recovery, we begin to see that we can use our religion as a personal spiritual path.

We emphasize that religion should never be confused with spirituality. In NA, these are not at all the same. Narcotics Anonymous is not a religion. It offers a set of spiritual principles and an idea referred to as “God,” the “Higher Power,” or a “Power greater than ourselves,” which is offered to members as a way out of active addiction. The spiritual principles and the concept of a Higher Power can align with a member’s personal spiritual path outside NA. Alternatively, these principles and the image of a Higher Power alone can also be a spiritual path. Each member decides for themselves.

Some of us reach this point without realizing it. The institutions we’ve been involved with in the past don’t provide adequate answers, but nothing else comes to mind as better. For those with this experience, this marks the start of one of life’s most important journeys: the search for understanding of a Higher Power.

In this process, we will likely explore every spiritual avenue available in our community, reading many books and engaging in conversations on spirituality and personal growth. We may commit to multiple practices before finally settling on one or perhaps never firmly establishing any single one. The “It Works” book mentions that many members become eclectic in their spiritual approach. If this describes us, it’s essential to understand that this is perfectly acceptable, providing the spirituality sought in recovery.

Do I have a characteristic spiritual path?

What is the difference between religion and spirituality? What have I done to discover my own spirituality?

NA - Step 11 - Section 11.1.3

11.1.3 Barriers to My Faith

As we explore our spiritual path, picking up and discarding various practices, some of us find the general approach to God in the steps and traditions, where He is described as male, troubling. It’s even more painful when some of us feel unsupported within the local NA community regarding our spiritual choices and path. It’s essential to understand that NA recovery literature’s language is not intended to define members’ spirituality. Additionally, it’s crucial to understand that as addicts, we have character flaws, and sometimes these flaws manifest in members mocking others’ spiritual paths.

It’s even possible for NA literature to be used as a means of mockery. Once again, NA has no official or approved spiritual path, and any member who claims it does is simply mistaken. We mention this here because we believe it’s crucial for every member to know what’s true and what’s not regarding NA when working on the Eleventh Step. This can be a dangerous period. If members feel rejected in NA due to following a particular spiritual path, their recovery may be at risk. We, as members, are responsible for encouraging others’ spiritual exploration. And we, as explorers, need to know that we can seek spirituality anywhere without jeopardizing our NA membership.

Have I encountered prejudice in NA while exploring my spirituality?  
How did this make me feel? What did I do to maintain my faith?

NA - Step 11 - Section 11.1.4

11.1.4 My Path and Community Commitment

It’s essential that we don’t let our spiritual path take us away from the community. The Basic Text reminds us that “we can easily drift out the door on a cloud of religious zeal and forget that we are addicts with an incurable disease.” We must always remember that we need Narcotics Anonymous to address our addiction. Anything else we add to our lives can enhance its quality, but nothing can replace the recovery found in NA.

As long as we continue practicing the foundations of recovery—such as regularly attending meetings, keeping in touch with our sponsor, and working with newcomers—we don’t need to worry about drifting away.

Regardless of what spiritual path I follow, do I still maintain my commitment to NA?  
How does my participation in NA complement my spiritual journey?  
How does my spiritual path contribute to my recovery?

NA - Step 11 - Section 11.2.1

11.2 Prayer and Meditation

NA members often describe prayer as speaking to God and meditation as listening to God. This definition has long been part of NA’s collective wisdom because it encapsulates the meaning of prayer and meditation. We build a connection with our Higher Power, and we need a dialogue with this Power, not just a monologue directed at it.

11.2.1 Prayer

Prayer is understood as speaking to our Higher Power, though not always in the form of familiar speech. In the Second Step, we feel we’ve developed our form of prayer. Through prayers, we may have found something aligned with our spiritual path and continued to develop that. Practically all NA members participate in a form of prayer when we open or close NA meetings with prayer. But the way we pray individually is up to us.

How often should we pray?

Many of us set aside a specific part of the day to pray—often at the beginning of the day. These prayers generally include requests for another clean day or a desire to become closer to our Higher Power’s will for us, as we’ll explore further in this chapter. When we communicate with our Higher Power at the end of the day, we generally express our gratitude. Many of us also pray throughout the day. Regular prayer is an excellent practice, helping form a habit of communication with our Higher Power, which can support our recovery.

How do I pray?  
What are my feelings about prayer?  
When do I generally pray? When I am hurt? When I want something? Regularly?  
How does a spontaneous prayer help in daily life? How does prayer help put things in the proper perspective?

NA - Step 11 - Section 11.2.2

11.2.2 Meditation

If this is our first experience with Step Eleven, we may be surprised to find that we are already meditating regularly. We always pause for a moment of silence during community meetings and meditate.

This is how we begin building a regular meditation pattern. We can approach meditation in various ways, but the goal is generally to quiet the mind to gain understanding and insight from our Higher Power.

We try to quiet our turmoil to draw knowledge from our spiritual connection. We try to remain open to receive this knowledge. It’s fundamental to understand that such understanding is not necessarily immediate, universal, or instant. By regularly practicing prayer and meditation, we build this gradually. It arrives quietly, as certainty in our decisions and as the chaos that once flooded our thoughts quiets.

How do I meditate?  
When do I meditate?  
What are my thoughts about meditation?  
If I have been meditating regularly for some time, do I see changes in my life or myself as a result of meditation?

NA - Step 11 - Section 11.3

11.3 Conscious Contact

For many of us, “conscious contact” sounds mystical, like a cosmic connection with God. But it’s actually straightforward. It simply means having a conscious, personal connection with our Higher Power. We notice this Power’s presence and see it active in different areas of our lives. Members have many experiences of a loving God’s presence, whether found in nature, like a forest or an ocean.

Or in the unconditional love of our sponsor or an NA member, the feelings experienced in difficult times, the sense of peace and warmth, the meaningful coincidences later seen as blessings, or simply the fact of our recovery in NA, or our ability to listen to others at a meeting. The point is that we seek and desire our Higher Power to be active in our lives.

In what things do I recognize the presence of my Higher Power? What do I feel?  
What do I do to develop my conscious connection with the God of my understanding?

NA - Step 11 - Section 11.3.1

11.3.1. GOD’S WILL AND OUR OWN WILL

Through prayer and meditation, we build knowledge to understand the essence of God’s will for us. The true goal of prayer and meditation is to see the Higher Power’s will for us and, naturally, to gain the strength to carry it out. The first step in this process is identifying God’s purpose for our lives.

It requires openness from us to comprehend God’s will. Many of us find it easier to identify what God’s will for us is not rather than what it is. This is a very useful starting point that can lead us to more profound insights about God’s intentions for us. For example, it’s clear that relapse is not God’s will.

From this simple fact, we can infer that actions leading to relapse are also not aligned with God’s will for us. We needn’t overanalyze or question whether our daily routines might lead to relapse; using knowledge from Steps Four through Nine, we can identify and avoid destructive patterns. We’ll discover that we can no longer consciously mislead ourselves. We can’t simply think, “Oh, I’ll be manipulative just once, and then I’ll write about it, discuss it with my sponsor, and make amends.” Acting in this way would mean making a deliberate decision against God’s will. There will be times when we unconsciously make mistakes. What truly matters is our conscious willingness or unwillingness to cause deliberate harm.

Through the Third Step, we found a positive direction, aiming for humility and honesty instead of small manipulations and compulsive behaviors. With our experience and working through the steps, we are now more capable of seeing the right path and staying on it. As we follow our will, we must pay attention to how close we are to that path. For instance, we might decide we want a romantic relationship, which is perfectly fine if our intentions are sincere and we are mindful of the boundary between God’s will and our own. If we lie to appear more attractive or constantly present ourselves as someone else, we are acting out of our own will.

By being sincere about who we are, we continue in God’s will. If we try to change our partner in a relationship, that’s acting according to our will. On the other hand, if we have clear expectations of a partner, and they appear to meet them without needing to change, we’re likely living according to God’s will. This is how we determine if a relationship aligns with God’s will. Another example might be if we want to pursue further education.

Would we cheat on an exam to get accepted? Doing so would mean trying to achieve a noble goal solely by our own will. We can avoid such self-willed actions primarily by praying for insight into God’s will for us and the strength to carry it out.

In what situations can I recognize that I acted out of my own will in my life? What were the results?
When have I tried to align my will with God’s? What were the results?

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11.3.2. GOD’S WILL FOR ME

As described in our book *It Works: How and Why*, “God’s will for us is to be able to live with dignity, love ourselves and others, find joy, and discover wonders in our surroundings. Most of our heartfelt desires and dreams come true. These invaluable gifts are no longer beyond our reach. This is the essence of God’s will for us.” Our personal understanding of God’s will in our lives shows itself when we live with consistency and dignity. For example, helping others stay clean and find recovery is a meaningful goal. We decide how to achieve this—through sponsorship, sharing at meetings with newcomers, carrying the message into institutions, or working with professionals to develop the program so that addicts can find NA.

What are examples in my life where I’ve lived with goals and dignity?
What is my understanding of God’s will for me?

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11.3.3. THE STRENGTH TO CARRY IT OUT

In addition to praying to recognize God’s will for us, we also ask for the strength to carry it out. This strength doesn’t just refer to powerful capabilities. Many qualities may be needed to fulfill our Higher Power’s will, such as humility, compassion, honesty, integrity, patience, or the ability to endure long periods before seeing results. Some situations require a strong sense of justice and assertiveness. At times, zeal is necessary, and at other times vigilance. We often need courage and inner strength. In certain cases, humor might best support God’s will.

We’ll likely need these qualities at different times in our lives. When we pray for the strength to carry out God’s will, we may not know exactly what skills will be required. We must trust that we will receive what’s needed. It may be tempting to demand things from our Higher Power that we think we need, but we often fail to see the “big picture” or the long-term effects of what seems reasonable in the moment.

Why do we pray only to know God’s will for us and for the strength to carry it out?
How does humility apply?

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11.4 SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES

In the Eleventh Step, we focus on commitment, humility, courage, and faith.

#11.4.1. COMMITMENT

We need commitment to practice regular prayer and meditation. Many of us felt awkward with our initial experiences of prayer and meditation. We might glance around the room to see if anyone is watching and try to imagine what we’re supposed to feel. As we continue in our commitment, this awkwardness fades, along with the frustration that results don’t always align with our expectations, then boredom may set in as things become routine.

The key is to keep moving forward, regardless of how we feel about it. Inner peace and a deeper connection with our Higher Power are long-term benefits worth waiting for.

How do I demonstrate my commitment to working on the Eleventh Step and to my recovery?
Did I pray and meditate today?

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11.4.2. HUMILITY

The common warning, “Be careful what you pray for!” highlights the humility required in practicing this step. We simply need to accept that we don’t always know what’s best for ourselves or others, which is why we ask for God’s will.

Have I ever prayed for something and later wished it hadn’t happened? Describe.

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11.4.3. COURAGE

Nothing requires more courage than living according to the Higher Power’s will, especially when we feel a strong urge not to. Not everyone will be thrilled that we’ve chosen a spiritual path. Family members, for instance, may have grown accustomed to us living according to their will and might prefer things stay that way. Our growth threatens them.

For example, if we’re with friends who are gossiping, our dedication to living according to the program might make us uncomfortable participating, but we don’t want to preach self-righteously. Courage is needed to withdraw from situations like this. As we grow spiritually, we may lose some friends.

Most of us encounter situations in life where we are either asked to participate in something morally questionable or let it happen by turning a blind eye. Speaking up about our disapproval might be a courageous choice that carries serious consequences. What we do in such situations can profoundly impact the rest of our lives.

Have I been in situations where I had to stand up for my principles, even if it meant risking my values? How did I react? What were the outcomes?

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11.4.4. FAITH

The principle of faith helps us practice courage and live our lives with integrity. We need to trust that losing friends or making radical changes in our lives won’t cause fear because we know someone is looking out for us. We believe that we will connect with people who share similar values if we let go of old friends whose actions harm our spiritual growth. We simply need to trust that we’ll be given the strength to carry out our Higher Power’s will.

Have I received everything I needed so far? What have I received?

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11.5. MOVING FORWARD

Practicing this step affects every area of our lives. With regular meditation, we may notice that we listen more attentively to others sharing at meetings. We’ve gained some experience in quieting our minds, and we can use it. We don’t have to exhaust ourselves by thinking about what we’ll say when it’s our turn; we can truly listen to others.

We begin to feel content with our lives. 

The urge to control things fades. We focus on a higher purpose instead of our own. Our regrets begin to disappear. Our active addiction no longer seems like a tragedy or waste as we see how we can serve a higher purpose by sharing our experiences with other addicts who are still suffering. In the Twelfth Step, we explore how to carry this out and how essential the principles of recovery are to it.