--- title: Blog | 12 steps of aa description: 12 steps of aa | The Next Step | Weekly Wisdom on Addiction, Recovery, Families, and Everything In-Between --- [![The retreat](https://blog.theretreat.org/hs-fs/file-2373138307-png/TheRetreat-Jan2015_Theme/img/logo.png?width=271&name=logo.png "The retreat")](https://www.theretreat.org/) ON-LINE [Meeting Resources](https://www.myrecovery.org/online-meetings/) EMAIL US [info@theretreat.org](mailto:info@theretreat.org) CALL US [866-928-3434](tel:8669283434) [![ The Retreat ](https://blog.theretreat.org/hs-fs/file-2373138307-png/TheRetreat-Jan2015_Theme/img/logo.png.png?width=460&name=logo.png.png " The Retreat ")](https://www.theretreat.org/) - [About](http://www.theretreat.org/about) - [History](http://www.theretreat.org/about/history) - [Staff](http://www.theretreat.org/staff-and-leadership-team) - [Board of Directors](http://www.theretreat.org/about/board-of-directors) - [FAQs](http://www.theretreat.org/about/faqs) - [Testimonials](http://www.theretreat.org/about/testimonials) - 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What we have is a daily reprieve from alcohol, based upon the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Our book also cautions against angry outbursts, saying “The grouch and the brainstorm are not for us… for us, these things are poison.” Here I present a grateful sobriety story and an angry drinking story, both from this week’s newspapers in mid-December, 2025.  [Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/a-sobriety-story-and-a-drinking-story) [![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/What%E2%80%99s%20in%20a%20Name.png)](https://blog.theretreat.org/whats-in-a-name) ## [What’s in a Name?](https://blog.theretreat.org/whats-in-a-name) \[fa icon="calendar'\] Oct 27, 2025 7:59:59 AM / by [John MacDougall](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/john-macdougall) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 Steps](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps), [Recovery](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa) [\[fa icon="comment"\] 0 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/whats-in-a-name#comments-listing) When my little sister shot and killed her husband, my older sister thought it was because she drank too much whiskey. She sent her a case of wine, thinking that it was the whiskey that caused the trouble, and wine would be much safer. We alcoholics frequently have the same kind of magical thinking that we can find a form of alcohol or a drug that won’t give us all the trouble that we have been experiencing. The same thing happens with all the varieties of drugs that are out there on the open market.  [Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/whats-in-a-name) [![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/Make%20Friends%20With%20That%20Curb.png)](https://blog.theretreat.org/make-friends-with-that-curb-because-it-will-teach-you-what-you-need-to-know) ## [Make Friends With That Curb, Because It Will Teach You What You Need To Know](https://blog.theretreat.org/make-friends-with-that-curb-because-it-will-teach-you-what-you-need-to-know) \[fa icon="calendar'\] Oct 23, 2025 8:56:59 AM / by [John MacDougall](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/john-macdougall) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 Steps](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps), [Recovery](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa) [\[fa icon="comment"\] 1 Comment](https://blog.theretreat.org/make-friends-with-that-curb-because-it-will-teach-you-what-you-need-to-know#comments-listing) Every Wednesday, I teach classes on addiction and mental health at a residential program in downtown San Antonio for men and women who have been recently homeless. I have the men for an hour, and then the women. A new woman came early for class. She had picked up a copy of my book there, “Being Sober and Becoming Happy”. The book made sense to her about recovery, and AA seemed to make sense to her, but she said she had one problem: neither my book nor AA were Christian, and she is. [Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/make-friends-with-that-curb-because-it-will-teach-you-what-you-need-to-know) [![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/What%20Time%20Does%20the%20630%20Meeting%20Start.png)](https://blog.theretreat.org/what-time-does-the-630-meeting-start) ## [What Time Does the 6:30 Meeting Start?](https://blog.theretreat.org/what-time-does-the-630-meeting-start) \[fa icon="calendar'\] Oct 21, 2025 11:32:52 AM / by [Maj Donovan](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/maj-donovan) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 Steps](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps), [Recovery](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa) [\[fa icon="comment"\] 0 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/what-time-does-the-630-meeting-start#comments-listing) In my recovery group, if the minute hand reads :32 minutes after the hour and the meeting hasn’t started, someone will gently ask the chairperson, “What time does the 6:30 meeting start?” This will usually elicit some laughter from the attendees, and then the chairperson will start the meeting. However, this raises a bigger question: when does the meeting start? [Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/what-time-does-the-630-meeting-start) [![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/Leaving%20God%20to%20Find%20God.png)](https://blog.theretreat.org/leaving-god-to-find-god) ## [Leaving God to Find God?](https://blog.theretreat.org/leaving-god-to-find-god) \[fa icon="calendar'\] Sep 8, 2025 9:21:02 AM / by [Maj Donovan](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/maj-donovan) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 Steps](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps), [Recovery](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa) [\[fa icon="comment"\] 4 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/leaving-god-to-find-god#comments-listing) ## Introduction Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has long been regarded as one of the most influential mutual support programs in the world. It truly is the origin of the peer-to-peer help model. Rooted in spiritual principles, AA emphasizes the concept of a "Higher Power of your own understanding." Ebby Thatcher first introduced this idea to Bill Wilson, the cofounder of AA. Ebby said, to Bill, “Why don’t you choose your own conception of God?” (Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 12). This idea was revolutionary to Bill and would start him down a path toward permanent sobriety which he achieved the following month. This idea became a bedrock of AA spiritual principles. This incident became so foundational that AA historians have named it the GOMU moment, or “God of My Understanding” moment. [Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/leaving-god-to-find-god) [![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/Right%20Thing%20Right%20Now.png)](https://blog.theretreat.org/right-thing-right-now) ## [Right Thing Right Now](https://blog.theretreat.org/right-thing-right-now) \[fa icon="calendar'\] Sep 4, 2025 1:15:00 PM / by [John MacDougall](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/john-macdougall) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 Steps](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps), [Recovery](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa) [\[fa icon="comment"\] 1 Comment](https://blog.theretreat.org/right-thing-right-now#comments-listing) In the “Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous, we read “We are not cured of alcoholism. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all our activities.” The book suggests a constant meditation on what God wants us to be doing, all through the day. [Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/right-thing-right-now) [![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/Spiritual%20Experience%20or%20Spiritual%20Awakening.png)](https://blog.theretreat.org/spiritual-experience-or-spiritual-awakening) ## [Spiritual Experience or Spiritual Awakening?](https://blog.theretreat.org/spiritual-experience-or-spiritual-awakening) \[fa icon="calendar'\] Aug 8, 2025 12:54:34 PM / by [Maj Donovan](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/maj-donovan) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 Steps](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps), [Recovery](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa) [\[fa icon="comment"\] 3 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/spiritual-experience-or-spiritual-awakening#comments-listing) “The Master entered a village where he was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance. They raised their voices, saying, “Master, have mercy on us!” When the Master saw them, he said, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” As they went, they were cleansed. Upon realizing that they had been made clean of their leprosy, one returned to thank the great Healer.  The Master looked upon the man and asked, “Where are the other nine?” He then said, “Go, for your faith has healed you.”” (Lk 17, 11-19).  [Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/spiritual-experience-or-spiritual-awakening) [![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/How%20is%20Our%20Spiritual%20Maintenance.png)](https://blog.theretreat.org/how-is-our-spiritual-maintenance) ## [How is Our Spiritual Maintenance](https://blog.theretreat.org/how-is-our-spiritual-maintenance) \[fa icon="calendar'\] Jun 17, 2025 9:55:09 AM / by [John MacDougall](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/john-macdougall) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 Steps](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa), [AA Big Book](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-big-book) [\[fa icon="comment"\] 0 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/how-is-our-spiritual-maintenance#comments-listing) I have always loved to travel, but I was afraid to fly. To overcome my fear of flying, I took flying lessons at the airport, on a Beechcraft Sport single engine airplane, and got a license. Once I understood airplanes, the FAA, and the air traffic control system, I lost my fear of flying. The keys to the whole system are following directions and doing the maintenance before every single flight. Most pilots are fanatical about maintenance. I have been on airliners where the pilot refused the plane because one toilet wouldn’t work. Everything on that airplane has to be in proper shape or the pilots refuse it. Safety is number one. [Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/how-is-our-spiritual-maintenance) [![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/Working%20with%20Others.png)](https://blog.theretreat.org/working-with-others) ## [Working with Others](https://blog.theretreat.org/working-with-others) \[fa icon="calendar'\] Apr 20, 2022 8:00:00 AM / by [Maj Donovan](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/maj-donovan) posted in [Alcoholics Anonymous](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/alcoholics-anonymous), [12 Steps](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa), [AA Big Book](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/aa-big-book), [12 Traditions Of AA](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-traditions-of-aa) [\[fa icon="comment"\] 4 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/working-with-others#comments-listing)   Chapter seven of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, is devoted entirely to working with others. You get a clue from the author of the “Big Book”, how important certain steps are by the amount of space he devotes to them. When the author has devoted an entire chapter to working with others, i.e., Step 12, it must be important. [Read More \[fa icon="long-arrow-right"\]](https://blog.theretreat.org/working-with-others) [![](https://blog.theretreat.org/hubfs/LDRSHIP.jpg)](https://blog.theretreat.org/ldrship) ## [LDRSHIP](https://blog.theretreat.org/ldrship) \[fa icon="calendar'\] Feb 2, 2021 4:27:50 PM / by [Maj Donovan](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/maj-donovan) posted in [recovery process](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery-process), [12 step program](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-step-program), [Recovery](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/recovery), [12 steps of aa](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-steps-of-aa), [12 Traditions Of AA](https://blog.theretreat.org/topic/12-traditions-of-aa) [\[fa icon="comment"\] 3 Comments](https://blog.theretreat.org/ldrship#comments-listing) We have the 12 Steps and the 12 Traditions on which volumes of material have been written. Yet, a common theme running through the steps and traditions is this idea of principles. But what are these principles and from where do they come? 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(1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/lisa-d) - [Stephen Crane (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/stephen-crane) - [Paddy O (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/paddy-o) - [Connie Lawrence (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/connie-lawrence) - [Bob Bernu (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/bob-bernu) - [Lisa Speedling (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/lisa-speedling) - [Kevin J (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/kevin-j) - [Jake L (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/jake-l) - [Women in Recovery (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/women-in-recovery) - [Judge Shaun Floerke (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/judge-shaun-floerke) - [Peter H (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/peter-h) - [Deb Wuebker (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/deb-wuebker) - [Jay R. (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/jay-r) - [Cecil B (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/cecil-b) - [Lisa G. (1)](https://blog.theretreat.org/author/lisa-g) see all ### Recent Posts ### OUR MISSION Our mission is to improve the quality of life for individuals, families and communities affected by alcohol and drug dependency by providing affordable, effective educational services grounded in the Twelve Step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous. 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