Our brotherhood matures and grows as each of us contributes our growing understanding – we grow from each other’s experience when we are willing to share and listen with an open mind.
Living Clean, Chapter 3, “A Spiritual, Not Religious Program”
When we enter recovery, some of us dust off the religious beliefs we grew up with. Others develop their own framework of spiritual beliefs. Those of us with an anti-religious bias are disturbed when we see “God” in all the Steps—what are we getting ourselves into? We were relieved to learn that we could follow whatever kind of spirituality suited us.
As we learn the Traditions, the importance of making room for everyone becomes clear. We do our best to avoid jargon tied to any particular topic when sharing in gatherings. We strive to convey our experiences with spiritual growth in language that is inclusive, understandable, and respectful of those with different beliefs. When we use the language of NA to express our expanding spirituality, we strengthen the connection between our spiritual life and what we have gained by living the Twelve Steps.
Over time, we all come to terms with the fact that spirituality is central to the NA program. Each of us comes to our own sense of the spirituality that works. We hear addicts share the crucial role their spiritual awakenings played in establishing the foundation of their recovery. Supporters, friends, and those before us offer their insights into our spiritual, not religious, program, and we gain a deeper understanding of our own beliefs as we work the Steps and practice the Traditions. Personal discussions help us articulate what we believe and allow us to see how closely our paths converge. The language of NA helps us overcome the barriers that name-calling and other special circumstances can create. One member shared, “Our spiritual growth allows us to listen to others with an open mind. This leads to a greater understanding of ourselves, others, and the world around us.” We continue to come and see how this program works in the lives of others. We have faith, above all, in the recovery process we have found in NA.
I will listen with an open mind and an open heart when other members share their experiences with spirituality, with a disposition of understanding and curiosity.
