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Unpopular Studies in the Last Three Steps
Studies in the last three Steps of the AA and other 12-Step programs
- GenresSpirituality
106 pages, Paperback
Published September 2, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 13, 2025
Ha! Unpopular Books and Guides, Unpopular Studies in The Last Three Steps. That’s funny, you’ll have to see for yourself while unpopular.;)
This book is a revelatory treatment of the last three steps, without departing from the intent or text of the AA, big book and 12 x 12. The anonymous authors provide a guide to intensify the method in which we practice the program on a daily basis and our willful and constant communication with our Higher Power.
The emphasis is on the daily practice of intuition and inspiration as a way of life and using meditation and prayer to increase our daily contact with our Higher Power.
The chapter entitled “Step 11: Prayer (2)” is especially well done. Its focus is the cultural and religious conditioning of seeing God as somehow “separate” or “other” than ourselves.
and others. This separation is the work of the ego. By willfully separating ourselves from God, our ego creates space for the intrusion of other powers and especially itself!
Here’s a few notes from my reading :
p. 20 watching ourselves
p. 27-28 distinction between psychological help and a
spiritual based practice.
p. 36 the good, the bad, the selfishness
P. 47 “ a world created in our own minds”
p. 60-63 separation from God, issues surrounding making
God “out there” or separate from ourselves as the result
of family, institutional, and religious conditioning.
p. 65 the pause at the end of each outbreath - peace
p. 80 the entire chapter, “Step 12: A primer on compassion”
Well, time for me to go, I did want to make a few comments upon finishing this book on the first read through.
If you’re in a 12 step program and want to strengthen your spiritual growth I recommend it.
This book is a revelatory treatment of the last three steps, without departing from the intent or text of the AA, big book and 12 x 12. The anonymous authors provide a guide to intensify the method in which we practice the program on a daily basis and our willful and constant communication with our Higher Power.
The emphasis is on the daily practice of intuition and inspiration as a way of life and using meditation and prayer to increase our daily contact with our Higher Power.
The chapter entitled “Step 11: Prayer (2)” is especially well done. Its focus is the cultural and religious conditioning of seeing God as somehow “separate” or “other” than ourselves.
and others. This separation is the work of the ego. By willfully separating ourselves from God, our ego creates space for the intrusion of other powers and especially itself!
Here’s a few notes from my reading :
p. 20 watching ourselves
p. 27-28 distinction between psychological help and a
spiritual based practice.
p. 36 the good, the bad, the selfishness
P. 47 “ a world created in our own minds”
p. 60-63 separation from God, issues surrounding making
God “out there” or separate from ourselves as the result
of family, institutional, and religious conditioning.
p. 65 the pause at the end of each outbreath - peace
p. 80 the entire chapter, “Step 12: A primer on compassion”
Well, time for me to go, I did want to make a few comments upon finishing this book on the first read through.
If you’re in a 12 step program and want to strengthen your spiritual growth I recommend it.
April 15, 2026
Repetitive. Narrow. Arguing semantics.
Some good notions that made me think occasionally, but they were too far apart to make it worth the drudgery. I am tired of struggling to make sense of another run-on sentence using commas and semi-colons like they're goin extinct TO THEN REALIZE 85% of the way there THAT THEYVE LITERALLY ALREADY SAID what I'm reading 3 other times.
Also.....I have NO idea why they kept saying "Program this...we do this for Program.... we've seen it in Program".....y'all...what's the aversion to using articles.
My time is better spent elsewhere.
Some good notions that made me think occasionally, but they were too far apart to make it worth the drudgery. I am tired of struggling to make sense of another run-on sentence using commas and semi-colons like they're goin extinct TO THEN REALIZE 85% of the way there THAT THEYVE LITERALLY ALREADY SAID what I'm reading 3 other times.
Also.....I have NO idea why they kept saying "Program this...we do this for Program.... we've seen it in Program".....y'all...what's the aversion to using articles.
My time is better spent elsewhere.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews