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Step Eleven
suggests prayer and meditation. We
shouldn’t be shy on this matter of prayer. Better men
than we are using it constantly. It works, if we have
the proper attitude and work at it. It would be easy
to be vague about this matter. Yet, we believe we can
make some definite and valuable suggestions.
When we retire at night, we constructively review
our day. Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or
afraid? Do we owe an apology? Have we kept some
thing to ourselves which should be discussed with
another person at once? Were we kind and loving
toward all? What could we have done better? Were
we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or were
we thinking of what we could do for others, of
what we could pack into the stream of life? But we
must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse or
morbid reflection, for that would diminish our useful
ness to others. After making our review we ask God’s
forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures
should be taken.
On awakening let us think about the twenty-four
hours ahead. We consider our plans for the day. Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking,
especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity,
dishonest or self-seeking motives. Under these conditions we can employ our mental faculties with assurance, for after all God gave us brains to use. Our
thought-life will be placed on a much higher plane
when our thinking is cleared of wrong motives.
In thinking about our day we may face indecision.
We may not be able to determine which course to
take. Here we ask God for inspiration, an intuitive
thought or a decision. We relax and take it easy. We
don’t struggle. We are often surprised how the right
answers come after we have tried this for a while.
What used to be the hunch or the occasional inspiration gradually becomes a working part of the mind.
Being still inexperienced and having just made conscious contact with God, it is not probable that we are
going to be inspired at all times. We might pay for
this presumption in all sorts of absurd actions and
ideas. Nevertheless, we find that our thinking will,
as time passes, be more and more on the plane of inspiration. We come to rely upon it.
We usually conclude the period of meditation with
a prayer that we be shown all through the day what
our next step is to be, that we be given whatever we
need to take care of such problems. We ask especially
for freedom from self-will, and are careful to make no
request for ourselves only. We may ask for ourselves,
however, if others will be helped. We are careful
never to pray for our own selfish ends. Many of us
have wasted a lot of time doing that and it doesn’t
work. You can easily see why.
If circumstances warrant, we ask our wives or
friends to join us in morning meditation. If we belong
to a religious denomination which requires a definite
morning devotion, we attend to that also. If not mem
bers of religious bodies, we sometimes select and
memorize a few set prayers which emphasize the
principles we have been discussing. There are many
helpful books also. Suggestions about these may be
obtained from one’s priest, minister, or rabbi. Be
quick to see where religious people are right. Make
use of what they offer.
As we go through the day we pause, when agitated
or doubtful, and ask for the right thought or action.
We constantly remind ourselves we are no longer
running the show, humbly saying to ourselves many
times each day “Thy will be done.’’ We are then in
much less danger of excitement, fear, anger, worry,
self-pity, or foolish decisions. We become much more
efficient. We do not tire so easily, for we are not
burning up energy foolishly as we did when we were
trying to arrange life to suit ourselves.
It works—it really does.
We alcoholics are undisciplined. So we let God
discipline us in the simple way we have just outlined.
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