Embracing Spiritualities of Imperfection 

What attachments are you ready to release? This month’s We Conspire series, we’re diving into the legacy of William Griffith Wilson, better known as Bill W., the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and the architect of the 12 Steps. 

Many of us have first or second-hand experience with the 12 Steps, but what can this grassroots ideology offer those of us walking a contemplative path? Born in Vermont in 1895, Bill W. would go on to co-found Alcoholics Anonymous with Dr. Bob Smith and create the 12 Steps program.

The 12 Steps program and its subsequent groups have grown to be ubiquitous across the country, inspiring many in their journey towards recovery and healing. While Bill W.’s approach to addiction recovery has sparked some debate and controversy, CAC founder Richard Rohr has often reflected on the intersections between the core principles of the 12 Steps and other spiritual principles of the healing path. Richard Rohr explores the spiritual dimension of the 12 Steps more in depth with his beloved book, Breathing Under Water.  

Bill W.’s development of AA and the 12 Steps emerged from his own search for a more effective path to recovery. His program may be described as a spiritual curriculum designed to address issues many of his generation were facing. Bill W. describes the creation process as dynamic “guess and check” guided by effectiveness and personal experience, writing: “The Twelve Steps of A.A. were written in 1938…After a while, we began to see that these simple Steps were right because they worked. And finally, in our spiritual development, some of us came to love these principles for themselves and for ourselves.”  

While Bill W.’s curriculum sometimes fails to present a more inclusive or nuanced understanding of the complexities of addiction, many of the spiritual underpinnings of his philosophy reflect contemplative principles on the path to healing.  

The first of the 12 Steps is acknowledging our powerlessness, which many mystical teachings recognize as a key step towards releasing attachment to ego and control. Richard Rohr explains, “The genius of Twelve Step programs is that they situate powerlessness and surrender right where they belong—at the beginning. They teach how sin or addiction are overcome not through willpower or by control, but much more by recognizing that we are powerless to overcome them…” 

Following and completing each of the 12 Steps involves cultivating a deep practice of acceptance and clear-eyed understanding of one’s own life. Moving through each step, practitioners support cultivate practice of supporting others walking the same path, grounding themselves in a sense of hope and resilience, and offering amends to those who have been hurt along their own path to recovery.   

Many 12-step principles mirror the universal struggle to transform our lives into a deeper experience of awareness. Richard Rohr writes, “Twelve-step spirituality rediscovered the real transformative power that is the core of the Gospel. It is the spirituality of imperfection that Jesus taught, Paul clarified, Francis and Clare of Assisi lived, and Thérèse of Lisieux brought to light for the modern world. Transformation has little to do with intelligence, willpower, or perfection. It has everything to do with honest humility, willingness, and surrender.” 

For more on the intersection of Christian mysticism and the 12 Steps, consider our online courses, Breathing Under Water and Mystical Sobriety, enrolling this fall. 

Reflect with Us 
How do you determine which actions are in your control—and which are not? Share your reflection with us. 

Thank you to CAC’s librarians, Seth and Lee, for their research on Bill W. and the 12 Steps.  

We Conspire is a series from the Center for Action and Contemplation featuring wisdom and stories from the growing Christian contemplative movement. Sign up for the monthly email series and receive a free invitation to practice each month.