Limitation and Acceptance

Dr. Marvin D. Seppala, Medical Director, CEO
Beyond Addictions

In our last newsletter I initiated a discussion of spirituality and I would like to continue to address this important issue. Spirituality is not defined in the AA literature, yet is a paramount aspect of all 12 Step programs. The AA text states, “The spiritual life is not a theory. We have to live it.” In spite of its essence to a 12 Step recovery program, spirituality is left up to the individual to define. By design, 12 Step programs are as open as possible to various spiritual beliefs and interpretations which was done in an attempt to prevent religious bias from limiting participation. The absence of a definition of spirituality leaves some confused, but most find that it provides a more acceptable path to belief in something outside themselves.

In Not God - A History of Alcoholics Anonymous Ernest Kurtz wrote: “Because the alcoholic is not God, not absolute, not infinite, he or she is essentially limited. Yet this very limitation – from the alcoholic’s acceptance of personal limitation – arises the beginning of healing and wholeness.” This profound principle was established in 12 Step programs as spiritual. One must accept limitation, the disease state of alcoholism and addiction, and look outside oneself to begin the process of healing.

At 12 Step meetings one regularly hears the statement “my best thinking got me here.” This reveals the necessity of another way of thinking and being, accepting of limitation, and in effect it is a statement of recognition that the answer lies outside oneself. It is also a concept which is supported by neurobiological research that reveals the remarkable power that addiction has over the individual. 12 Step programs suggest that those with addiction accept that they have this disease and look outside themselves for the solution. Acceptance of this limitation, the inevitable human act of acceptance of imperfection, opens the door to recovery.

Hope and the possibility of change are recognized in this limitation as well. 12 Step programs are verbal traditions and the telling of one’s story is an essential act of healing, but not just for the individual story teller. Hope and healing are expressed for the newcomer by those who have accepted their limitations and have already addressed them in a successful manner. Hope is found in the powerful stories of those who have already sought a spiritual solution in 12 Step programs and are leading remarkably different lives as a result. And it is this hope that uplifts the individual when facing the truth of their own limitations.

These remarkable examples of success allow people to begin to safely look at themselves and outside themselves to consider the possibility of a spiritual solution. “Working the Steps” is synonymous with daily attention to one’s spiritual condition. The AA text states, “We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition.”