Resource for the AA 11th Step

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11. I strive to deepen my conscious relationship with God through prayer and meditation, asking for the recognition of His will concerning me and the strength to carry it out.

As an introduction to step work:

- Review the 11th step in our 12/12 book! 
- Attend meetings that focus on the 11th step! 
- Discuss the 11th step with your sponsor! 

11.1 I familiarize myself with the three main elements of our spiritual toolbox.

Write down (reflect on) the following:

- What is self-examination for?
- When do we conduct self-examination?
- What types of self-examination are there?
- What is meditation for?
- When do we meditate?
- What types of meditation are there?
- What is prayer for?
- When do we pray?
- What kinds of prayers are there?

11.2 I regularly read AA literature.

Write down (reflect on) the following:

- Which AA books have you read?
- Which will be the next?
- Which one has impacted you the most?
- Is there one you refer to regularly?

- Write down insightful thoughts or slogans from these books!

- Note them on sticky notes or electronic sticky notes.
- Place them in visible locations (fridge, TV, monitor, smartphone) where you can see them daily.
- Practice, recite, and mantra them! A few examples:

  - Let Your will be done, not mine!
  - Selfishness and self-centeredness are the root of all our troubles.
  - I entrust my will and my life to God.
  - We understand what serenity is and we learn what peace is.
  - Giving to others, we receive.

11.3 I regularly read other spiritual literature as well.

Write down (reflect on) what the following concepts mean to you:

- Spiritual
- Religious
- Teaching
- Teacher

Write down insightful thoughts or truths from your spiritual readings!

Note them on sticky notes or electronic sticky notes.

Place them in visible locations (fridge, TV, monitor, smartphone) where you can see them daily.

Practice, recite, and mantra them! A few of my own examples:

- Acceptance of the unacceptable is the greatest source of grace.
- I needed suffering until I realized it was unnecessary.
- Situations do not make us unhappy; our thoughts do.

11.4 I meditate on what I have read.

Write down (reflect on) the following:

- Do you meditate on any prayers?
- If not, when will you start practicing?
- How does it feel for you to contemplate a high-level spiritual thought?
- Take the following prayers and think about them line by line:

  - Prayer for Peace of Mind (Step Book, p. 42)
  - Step 3 Prayer (Big Book, p. 60)
  - Step 7 Prayer (Big Book, p. 71)
  - Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi (Step Book, p. 101)
  - Our Father
  - I believe in one God

11.5 I practice meditation exercises.

Try to study the following thoughts with concentrated attention:

- The baseless arrogance is the thought that anything exists outside of God.
- I see you through Christ’s eyes, and I see my perfect innocence in you.
- Only my own thoughts can cause me pain.
- My own peace of mind is the only gift I can give to the world.
- My mind is a part of God’s mind. Indeed, I am holy!

Listen to guided meditation exercises regularly! For example:

- Brain Control CDs
- Gunagriha: Navigator of Destiny
- Béla Balogh: The Ten Commandments of the Subconscious

Try the following exercises:

- Loving-kindness meditation
- Presence contemplation

11.6 I pray, but I do not bombard God with my own requests.

Try to come up with a few examples of the following types of prayer:

- Praise
- Thanksgiving
- Request
- Atonement

11.7 I recognize His will concerning me.

Write down (reflect on) the following:

- Do you always pray for what you and others need most?
- Do you bombard God with self-centered (ego) demands?
- Do you always add to your requests: "... if it is Your will!"?
- Do you still want to arrange things according to your own ideas sometimes?
- Practice daily the following:

  - God!
  - What would You like me to do?
  - Where would You like me to go?
  - What would You like me to say and to whom?

11.8 I offer a prayer of gratitude.

Practice – at least in the evenings – your own gratitude prayer, something like this:

- God, I am grateful for:
  - that I am alive,
  - that I don’t have to drink,
  - that I can grow spiritually.

11.9 I glorify Him!

Write down (reflect on) what the following statements mean to you:

- Glory to God in the highest!
- Glory belongs solely to God!
- Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, now and forever!
- Practice them whenever they come to mind!



CHECK QUESTIONS

For AA’s 11th Step:

- Do you know what the three main elements of our spiritual toolbox are?
- Do you regularly read AA literature?
- Do you read other spiritual literature?
- Do you meditate on what you have read?
- Do you practice meditation exercises? What kind?
- Do you pray? What kinds of prayers do you have?
- Do you still bombard God with requests related to your own desires?
- Or have you already recognized His will concerning you?
- Do you say a prayer of gratitude?
- And a prayer of praise?



BRIEF EXPLANATIONS

For the check questions of Step 11:

- Self-examination, prayer, meditation.
- Daily Reflections is worth reading even after ten years of sobriety.
- It’s worth reading other things too. Just make sure they are truly authentic.
- Read slowly and attentively! There’s no rush!
- Concentration, meditation, contemplation. Practice all of them!
- Prayer is communication with God.
- Prayer is not for this purpose.
- God wants you to be happy and live in peace.
- Gratitude is the antidote to depression.
- Glory belongs solely to God!