"Sought through prayer and meditation 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."  

I really can not say it better then what our book says. My development of prayer and meditation has changed from the way I used to pray when I first came into the program.  I am always changing my style it seems but one sure thing that has help me is to ask, be quiet, then listen in what ever form that needs to be.  I am always looking to be enlightened. To look and search for a higher meaning.  The way I do this is very personal to me.  I often use visualization, self-hypnosis, a walk in nature, chants and various other ways that I could go on and on about. A lot of these often come from my religion, in a group setting or outside group settings. The more I do it, the more I get excited about it and crave it.  There is no one true or prefect way to do this step. It is the fact that I do it that seems to matter to me. Once I have done this step, I allow God to mold the rest and I know the my best interest is being looked after. 

I often hear though in the program that God does this and God does that and believe me I know God does a lot for me but I also believe that God allows for universal law (once and addict, always an addict) and God does not interfere with the natural order of nature. It is the only thing that seems to make sense to me and that idea may change tomorrow. But for now, this is where I am. It does not mean that it is right or wrong. It does mean that it is my own personal belief.  I have also found that God gives me the courage and strength to get through some of my challenges, the ones that I have created or even challenges that others have bestowed upon me. I will not fear these things in present of my creator.    

I love this step because it is where I start my relationship with my creator.  The most wonderful experience of the whole world.  I am never alone while I am working this step. I am free to create and express myself.

Your Friend in Recovery,
Carol R.

FOOD FOR THOUGHTS

WHAT IS SCIENTIFIC PRAYER?

By: Dr. Emmet Fox

Scientific prayer or spiritual treatment is really the lifting of your consciousness above the level where you have met your problem.  If only you can rise high enough in thought, the problem will the solve itself.   This is really the only problem you have - to raise in consciousness.  The more "difficult," which means the more deeply rooted in your thoughts, is the problem concerned, the higher you will have to rise.  What is called a small trouble, will yield to a slight raise in consciousness.  What is called a serious difficulty, will require a relatively higher rise.  What is called a terrible danger or hopeless problem, will require a considerable rise in consciousness to overcome it - but that is the only difference.

Do not waste time trying to straighten out your own or other people's problems by manipulating thought - that gets you nowhere - but raise your consciousness, and the action of God will do the rest.

Jesus healed sick people and reformed many sinners by raising his consciousness above the picture they presented.  He controlled the wind and the waves in the same way.  He raised the dead because he was able to get as high in consciousness as is necessary to do this.

To raise your consciousness you must positively withdraw your attention from the picture for the time being (The Golden Key) and then concentrate gently upon spiritual truth.  You may do this by reading the Bible or any spiritual book that appeals to you, by going over any hymn or poem that helps you in this way, or by the use of one or more affirmations, just as you like.

I know many people who have secured the necessary elevation of consciousness by browsing at random through the Bible.  A man I know was saved in a terrible shipwreck by quickly reading the 91st psalm.  Another man healed himself  of a supposedly hopeless disease by working on the one affirmation, "God Is Love," until he was able to realize something of what that greatest of all statements must really mean.

If you work with affirmations, be careful not to get tense; but there is no reason why you should not employ all these methods in turn, and also any others that you can think of.  Sometimes a talk with a spiritual person gives you just the lift that you need. It matters not how you rise so long as you do rise. "I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself." 

HOMEWORK

1) Read in our book on chapter on Step 11

2) Read from the Big Book Bunch > Step 11

3) Start looking for ways to meditate and to pray.  Set aside morning and in the evening time for this. 

Some Suggestion links:

Guided Meditations  

Daily Prayer 

http://www.learningmeditation.com/room.htm