Lectures 2023

Lent
Twelve Steps to Spiritual Growth

  • Series Overview
    Let’s begin by taking a bird’s eye view of what we’re going to be considering for the next six weeks. The title of this series is “Twelve Steps to Spiritual Growth.” I could just as easily have called it “Twelve Steps to Spirituality.” The title presupposes three things: 1) that we know what spirituality is,… Read more: Series Overview
  • Introduction to Spirituality and the Steps
    In this first segment, we’re going to be examining spirituality and giving a brief introduction to the steps. First, we’ll develop a definition of spirituality that consists of four elements: interrelationship, the Transcendent, universality, and purpose. Then, we’ll see how difficult it is to develop a mature spirituality and why a life without spirituality doesn’t… Read more: Introduction to Spirituality and the Steps
  • Step 1: Powerlessness and Unmanageability
    In this segment, we’ll be looking at some of the nagging problems that afflict us all, and show how the first step can initiate the process of spiritual recovery. Here’s a story. When we bought our house in Palm Springs, it hadn’t been updated in many years. On the west side, a previous owner had… Read more: Step 1: Powerlessness and Unmanageability
  • Session 2 Overview
    Let’s see where we are today. In our first session, we began by discussing spirituality in general. We said that spirituality is a universal sense of interconnection with the Transcendent—that is God and the Universe, humanity, and our own destiny. It’s an interconnection that provides meaning to life. We suffer and cause suffering when we… Read more: Session 2 Overview
  • Step 2: Finding Faith
    In this session, we’ll start by looking for ways that we can find the Power that we need outside of ourselves, especially in the Transcendent. Then, we’ll examine the differences between belief in the Transcendent (faith) and trust in the Transcendent (hope). Here’s where Step 2 comes in. “Came to believe that a Power greater… Read more: Step 2: Finding Faith
  • Step 3: Creating Hope
    In the second step, we’ve located the object of our faith: a personal Transcendent Power that is capable of restoring us to sanity. In this step, we’re going to find out how we can connect to that Power. At this point, our faith is merely theoretical. There’s something there that is capable of helping us.… Read more: Step 3: Creating Hope
  • Session 3 Review & Overview
    Let’s see where we are today. In our first session, we began by discussing spirituality in general. We said that spirituality is a universal sense of interconnection with the Transcendent—that is God and the Universe—humanity, and our own destiny. In the second half of that session, at Step 1, we considered the signs of unmanageability… Read more: Session 3 Review & Overview
  • Step 4: Taking Inventory
    We’ll begin by looking at what Step 4 actually says, but, before we proceed to examine it, we’re going to need to get rid of some serious misunderstandings arising from poor explanations of what’s involved, and the cultural fallacies that those misunderstandings have created. Here’s the fourth step: “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory… Read more: Step 4: Taking Inventory
  • Step 5: Cleaning House
    Recall that, when we completed Step 3, “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God,” we saw that we were on the way to restoring our interconnection with God. We trusted God enough to turn our will and lives into God’s care. The purpose of Step 4… Read more: Step 5: Cleaning House
  • Session 4 Review & Overview
    Let’s see where we are today. Once again, in our first session, we began by discussing spirituality in general. We said that spirituality is a universal sense of interconnection with the Transcendent—that is God and the Universe—humanity, and our own destiny. In the second half of that session, at Step 1, we considered the signs… Read more: Session 4 Review & Overview
  • Step 6: Diagnosis
    In this session, we’ll be looking closely at the behaviors we uncovered in steps four and five to see the unhealthy patterns that consciously or unconsciously sabotaged our spiritual progress. Here is Step 6: “Were entirely ready to have God remove these defects of character.” In the same way a good doctor orders an extensive… Read more: Step 6: Diagnosis
  • Step 7: Treatment
    At this point, we should be well on our way toward completing our reintegration with our better, higher selves. We’ve diagnosed the issues that are interfering with our spiritual growth, so now, we need to find and apply a treatment. It would be nice if there were only one way to cure the character flaws… Read more: Step 7: Treatment
  • Session 5 Review & Overview
    As usual, let’s begin with a brief review of our sessions up until now. Once again, in our first session, we began by discussing spirituality in general. We said that spirituality is a universal sense of interconnection with the Transcendent—that is God and the Universe—humanity, and our own destiny. In the second half of that… Read more: Session 5 Review & Overview
  • Step 8: Preparing for Amends
    In this session, we’ll be completing the re-establishment of our interconnections with our fellow women and men and any organizations or institutions we’ve harmed by our old attitudes and behaviors. We’ll begin this process by putting into practice Step 8: “Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends… Read more: Step 8: Preparing for Amends
  • Step 9: Reconciliation
    Here we begin what may be the most challenging aspect of the Twelve Steps for Spiritual Growth. We’ve completed all the steps leading up to our final reconciliation with the people who share our world with us. All that’s left is the doing. Here is Step 9. “Made direct amends to such people wherever possible,… Read more: Step 9: Reconciliation
  • Session 6 Review & Overview
    Once more, we’re going to begin with a brief review of our sessions up until now. In our first session, we began by discussing spirituality in general. We said that spirituality is a universal sense of interconnection with the Transcendent—that is God and the Universe—humanity, and our own destiny. In the second half of that… Read more: Session 6 Review & Overview
  • Step10: Keeping Your Side Clean
    Step 10 keeps our relationship with others in good order. Here is Step 10: “Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.” The essence of this step is ongoing, continual self-awareness. The Buddhists would call this attitude, “mindfulness.” If we would grow spiritually, we can no longer be satisfied by… Read more: Step10: Keeping Your Side Clean
  • Step 11: Keeping Conscious Contact
    With Step 10, we put in place a number of strategies that—with the help of God—will allow us to maintain healthy and effective relationships with our fellow travelers on planet Earth. As the psalmist once wrote, “Our help is in the Name of the Lord.” In Step 11, we will suggest strategies that will allow… Read more: Step 11: Keeping Conscious Contact
  • Step 12: Living a Spiritual Life in the World
    In Step 10, we put in place strategies for maintaining our interconnections with others; in Step 11, we did the same for our interconnection with God. Now, we need to adopt a methodology to ensure that our interconnection with ourselves—past, present, and future—is given a chance to develop and grow. That’s where Step 12 comes… Read more: Step 12: Living a Spiritual Life in the World