PRINCIPLES: Foundational TRUTHS: core VALUES which regulate moral behavior; guidelines and guardrails:
- HONESTY: We face and accept the facts, the objective truth about reality. Personal conduct is fair and straight forward; uprightness of character or action; implies a refusal to lie, steal, deceive in any way: ourself or others. Rigorous; Radical.
Action: We CONCEDE “powerless” to our innermost self = NO CHOICE: Addiction – Unmanageable.
We admit complete defeat; we experience surrender. FOUNDATION of our spiritual ARCH to FREEDOM. WE NEED HELP! - FAITH: Our CHOICE … or at least our willingness… to believe and have confidence in the reality of
God/HP/power-other-than-self, without logical proof or material evidence. The proper use of our free-will. Belief is our acceptance of our choice. Hope is our expectation of our longed for fulfillment, of obtainment of success. CORNERSTONE.
HELP IS AVAILABLE! Action: Our CHOICE ABOUT “POWER”. We choose our personal CONCEPT, based on our current needs
or wants. - TRUST: Our DECISION… to turn; the healthy use of our free-will, to have a caring relationship with Power; a covenant by which something is transferred with assurance to someone with confidant expectation of the proper use for a specified purpose; to commit to the CARE of someone’s management; to confer a commission confidently; our outward conduct is governed by dependence on implicit goodness & reliability
of the recipient of this trust. KEYSTONE.
WE ASK FOR HELP! Action: Our DECISION for a personal relationship. We LIVE as if this “POWER” is real. Our intention is our complete abandonment to CARE of Power, as we understand “IT”; to ALIGN with flow of reality; to commit to finish Steps 4-9. - COURAGE: Mental and moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty; implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty; willingness to face and accept the TRUTH about our beliefs, motives, values, and attitude as revealed in our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. WE BEGIN THE WORK!
Action: We NAME & ANALYZE the exact nature of the obstacles in us to our relationship with “POWER”. We see and accept the truth of our responsibility for being the source and producing the consequences of our actions. - TRANSPARENCY: To show ones-self; to be seen clear through; free from deceit; to make visible ALL obstacles; to admit passage of light. Willingness for integrity: quality or state of being complete or undivided; of being made functionally whole. Action: Our full DISCLOSURE of ALL obstacles, areas of discomfort, especially ALL secrets. Our willingness for change, by naming ALL the impediments in us to Power; revealing ALL the shadows in us blocking us from Light.
- WILLINGNESS: Inclined or favorably disposed in mind and will; ready; prompt to act or respond without reluctance; relates to this power of function in us called our free-will, to freely choose, and then to decide with intention for action.
Action: We MAKE a LIST of our defects of character, our shortcomings, our unhealthy coping strategies. We commit to change… to be changed. We prepare for removal of our inclinations & our behaviors that are obstacles to Power. - HUMILITY: Quality or state of being truthful; unpretentious, modest; not proud, haughty, arrogant or aggressive; reflected, expressed, or offered in the spirit of deference or submission; having a balanced, objective perspective with respect to TRUTH about: our self, others, life, reality-as-it-is; not special; not
unique; not entitled; being one of many; finite and flawed. Action: We PRAY for removal of shadows in us; we stay ACCOUNTABLE, discussing our behaviors with someone. - COMPASSION: Our desire to alleviate another’s distress; our regret or sorrow for sufferings caused to others; our concern for the good of another; our willingness to take appropriate responsibility for repairing the negative impact of our behaviors. Action: We LIST harms done to others; we identify specific reduction to their quality of life and suggested repairs.
- JUSTICE: The maintenance or administration of that which conforms to law, especially spiritual; honorable and fair dealing of persons with each other; to balance the scale; to change our behavior; to repair damage; to forgive; to intend healing. Action: We CHANGE our behavior; we REPAIR damage; we complete the FORGIVENESS process for
FREEDOM. - VIGILANCE: Watchful, keeping awake, observant, alert to feelings of being “disturbed”. These ill-at-ease emotions are signals that we are in self-will & out of alignment with reality, as-it-actually-is. We exercise SELF-REGULATION. We correct our behavior & mold our mental faculties to improve our moral
character and behavior. WE CONTINUE OUR DAILY WORK! Action: Our Daily PRACTICE: aware of feelings, taking “spot check inventory” when disturbed;
course-correcting by emotional re-alignment: pray; talk; amend; help. SELF-ACTUALIZATION: ATTENTION develops our CONSCIENCE. - AWARENESS: Having perception or knowledge; implies discernment through observation; drawing inferences and direction from what one thinks, feels, sees or hears. To receive GUIDANCE & STRENGTH through conscious connection. Action: Our Daily PRACTICE: pray and meditate. SELF-REALIZATION: INTENTION improves our CONSCIOUSNESS.
- ALTRUISM: Devotion to welfare of others; behavior done solely for the benefit of others; based on Principles; to be useful. Action: Our Daily PRACTICE: attitude & action. SELF-TRANSCENDENCE: HELPING enlarges our COMPASSION.