Twelve Steps, The: Baha'i Writings and the "Twelve-Step" program of recovery from substance abuse
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Step One:  We admitted that we were powerless over our addiction
(or for Al- Anon or ACAP) We admitted that we were powerless over the
effects of addiction, and that our lives had become unmanageable. 

I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might
(Bahá'u'lláh: Aqdas: Other Sections, pages 100-101)

I love, in this state, O my Lord, to beg of Thee all that is with Thee,
that I may demonstrate my poverty, and magnify Thy bounty and Thy riches,
and may declare my powerlessness, and manifest Thy power and Thy might.
(Bahá'u'lláh: Aqdas: Other Sections, page 94)

Every time I venture to make mention of Thee, I am held back by my mighty
sins and grievous trespasses against Thee, and find myself wholly deprived
of Thy grace, and utterly powerless to celebrate Thy praise. My great
confidence in Thy bounty, however, reviveth my hope in Thee...
(Bahá'u'lláh: Prayers and Meditations, page 210)

Powerless though I be to rise to the heavens of Thy glory and soar in the
realms of Thy knowledge, I can but recount Thy tokens that tell of Thy
glorious handiwork. (Bahá'u'lláh:  Bahá'í Prayers (US), pages 122-123)

And shouldst thou recognize thy powerlessness, do thou rein in thy
passions, and return unto thy Lord, that perchance He may forgive thee thy
sins . . . (Bahá'u'lláh:  Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, page 83)

O God! . . . We are impotent; give us Thy heavenly power. O Lord! Make us
useful in this world;  free us from the condition of self and desire.
(`Abdu'l-Bahá: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 302)

Step Two:  Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves
could restore us to sanity.

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power
but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore
resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God." (Bahá'u'lláh:
Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, page 91)

Thou art He Who changeth through His bidding abasement into glory, and
weakness into strength, and powerlessness into might, and fear into calm,
and doubt into certainty . . . Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most
Powerful. (Bahá'u'lláh: Prayers and Meditations, pages 249-250)

He, verily, is the Lord of strength and power . . . Repudiation hath not
veiled it, and ten thousand hosts arrayed against it were powerless to
withhold it from shining. Thou canst excuse thyself no longer. Either thou
must recognize it, or - God forbid - arise and deny all the Prophets!
(Bahá'u'lláh: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, page 119)

Step Three:  Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to
the care of God as we understand Him.

O BEFRIENDED STRANGER! The candle of thine heart is lighted by the hand of
My power, quench it not with the contrary winds of self and passion. The
healer of all thine ills is remembrance of Me, forget it not. Make My love
thy treasure and cherish it even as thy very sight and life. 
(Bahá'u'lláh: Persian Hidden Words, page 32)

The essence of wealth is love for Me; whoso loveth Me is the possessor of
all things, and he that loveth Me not is indeed of the poor and needy.
This is that which the Finger of Glory and Splendour hath revealed.
(Bahá'u'lláh: Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, page 156)

The Tongue of Wisdom proclaimeth: He that hath Me not is bereft of all
things. Turn ye away from all that is on earth and seek none else but Me.
I am the Sun of Wisdom and the Ocean of Knowledge. I cheer the faint and
revive the dead. I am the guiding Light that illumineth the way. I am the
royal Falcon on the arm of the Almighty. I unfold the drooping wings of
every broken bird and start it on its flight. (Bahá'u'lláh: Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh, page 169)

O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. 
I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge. I will
no longer be sorrowful and grieved; I will be a happy and joyful being. O
God! I will no longer be full of anxiety, nor will I let trouble harass
me. I will not dwell on the unpleasant things of life. O God! Thou art
more friend to me than I am to myself. I dedicate myself to Thee, O Lord.
(`Abdu'l-Bahá:  Bahá'í Prayers (US edition), page 152)

Step Four:  Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of
ourselves.

The first Taraz and the first effulgence which hath dawned from the
horizon of the Mother Book is that man should know his own self and
recognize that which leadeth unto loftiness or lowliness, glory or
abasement, wealth or poverty. (Bahá'u'lláh: Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, pages
34-35)

The essence of all that We have revealed for thee is Justice, is for man
to free himself from idle fancy and imitation, discern with the eye of
oneness His glorious handiwork, and look into all things with a searching
eye. (Bahá'u'lláh: Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, page 157)

If the fire of self overcome you, remember your own faults and not the
faults of My creatures, inasmuch as every one of you knoweth his own self
better than he knoweth others. (Bahá'u'lláh:  Persian Hidden Words, page
66)

Be not afraid of anyone, place thy whole trust in God, the Almighty, the
All-Knowing.  (Bahá'u'lláh: Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, page 190)

God hath in that Book, and by His behest, decreed as lawful whatsoever He
hath pleased to decree, and hath, through the power of His sovereign
might, forbidden whatsoever He elected to forbid. To this testifieth the
text of that Book. Will ye not bear witness? Men, however, have wittingly
broken His law. Is such a behaviour to be attributed to God, or to their
proper selves? Be fair in your judgment. (Bahá'u'lláh: Gleanings, page
149)

Step Five:  We admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human
being the exact nature of our wrongs.

The Universal House of Justice . . . has instructed us to say that there
is no objection to Bahá'ís being members of Alcoholics Anonymous, which is
an association that does a great deal of good in assisting alcoholics to
overcome their lamentable condition. The sharing of experiences which the
members undertake does not conflict with the Bahá'í prohibition on the
confession of sins; it is more in the nature of the therapeutic
relationship between a patient and a psychiatrist. (From letter to an
individual believer dated 26 August 1986)

I implore Thee by the blood of Thy true lovers who were so enraptured by
Thy sweet utterance that they hastened unto the Pinnacle of Glory, the
site of the most glorious martyrdom, and I beseech Thee by the mysteries
which lie enshrined in Thy knowledge and by the pearls that are treasured
in the ocean of Thy bounty to grant forgiveness unto me and unto my father
and my mother. Of those who show forth mercy, Thou art in truth the Most
Merciful. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.
(Bahá'u'lláh:  Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, pages 24-25)

O Lord! Thou seest this essence of sinfulness turning unto the ocean of
Thy favour and this feeble one seeking the kingdom of Thy divine power and
this poor creature inclining himself towards the day-star of Thy wealth.
By Thy mercy and Thy grace, disappoint him not, O Lord, nor debar him from
the revelations of Thy bounty in Thy days, nor cast him away from Thy door
which Thou hast opened wide to all that dwell in Thy heaven and on Thine
earth.  (Bahá'u'lláh: Tablets of Bahá'u'lláh, page 25)

Alas! Alas! My sins have prevented me from approaching the Court of Thy
holiness and my trespasses have caused me to stray far from the Tabernacle
of Thy majesty.  I have committed that which Thou didst forbid me to do
and have put away what Thou didst order me to observe.  I pray Thee by Him
Who is the sovereign Lord of Names to write down for me with the Pen of
Thy bounty that which will enable me to draw nigh unto Thee and will purge
me from my trespasses which have intervened between me and Thy forgiveness
and Thy pardon. Verily, Thou art the Potent, the Bountiful. No God is
there but Thee, the Mighty, the Gracious.  (Bahá'u'lláh: Tablets of
Bahá'u'lláh, page 25)

Step Six: Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects
of character.

I am but a poor creature, O my Lord; I have clung to the hem of Thy
riches. I am sore sick; I have held fast the cord of Thy healing. Deliver
me from the ills that have encircled me, and wash me thoroughly with the
waters of Thy graciousness and mercy, and attire me with the raiment of
wholesomeness, through Thy forgiveness and bounty. Fix, then, mine eyes
upon Thee, and rid me of all attachment to aught else except Thyself. Aid
me to do what Thou desirest, and to fulfill what Thou pleasest.
(Bahá'u'lláh: Prayers and Meditations, page 22)

Step Seven:  Humbly asked him to remove our shortcomings.

O Lord! Thou art the Remover of every anguish and the Dispeller of every
affliction. Thou art He Who banisheth every sorrow and setteth free every
slave, the Redeemer of every soul. O Lord! Grant deliverance through Thy
mercy and reckon me among such servants of Thine as have gained salvation.
(The Bab: Selections from the Bab, page 193)

`Bid them recite: "Is there any Remover of difficulties save God? Say: 
Praised be God! He is God! All are His servants, and all abide by His
bidding!" Tell them to repeat it five hundred times, nay, a thousand
times, by day and by night, sleeping and waking, that haply the
Countenance of Glory may be unveiled to their eyes, and tiers of light
descend upon them.' (Shoghi Effendi: God Passes By, page 119)

Step Eight:  Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became
wiling to make amends to them all.

Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the leaves of one branch. Deal ye one
with another with the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and
fellowship. He Who is the Day-Star of Truth beareth Me witness! So
powerful is the light of unity that it can illuminate the whole earth. 
The One true God, He Who knoweth all things, Himself testifieth to the
truth of these words.  (Bahá'u'lláh: Epistle to the Son of the Wolf, page
14)

Exert yourselves that ye may attain this transcendent and most sublime
station, the station that can insure the protection and security of all
mankind. This goal excelleth every other goal, and this aspiration is the
monarch of all aspirations. (Bahá'u'lláh:  Epistle to the Son of the Wolf,
page 14)

Step Nine:  Made direct amends to such people wherever possible
except when to do so would injure them or others.

So if you are offering your gift at the alter, and there remember that
your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the
altar and go;  first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and
offer your gift. Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are
going with him to court, lest your accuser hand you over to the judge, and
the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison. (Matthew 5:24-25 (New
American Standard))

Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity. Be worthy of the
trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face.
Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the
cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in
thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man, and show all
meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy
to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an
upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and
uprightness distinguish all thine acts. (Bahá'u'lláh:  Gleanings, page
285)

Step Ten: Continued to take personal inventory and when we were
wrong promptly admitted it.

O SON OF BEING! Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to
a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be
called to give account for thy deeds.  (Bahá'u'lláh: Arabic Hidden Words,
page 31)

Step Eleven: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our
conscious contact with God as we understand Him, praying only for
knowledge of His will for us and for the power to carry that out.

Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee,
as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy
melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men.
(Bahá'u'lláh: Gleanings, page 295)

O God! Refresh and gladden my spirit. Purify my heart. Illumine my powers. 
I lay all my affairs in Thy hand. Thou art my Guide and my Refuge.
(`Abdu'l-Bahá: Bahá'í Prayers (US edition), page 152)

Step Twelve: Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these
steps, we
tried to carry this message to others, and to practice these principles in
all our
affairs.

Verily, God hath made it incumbent upon every soul to deliver His Cause
according to his
ability. Thus hath the command been recorded by the finger of might and
power upon the
Tablet of majesty and greatness. (Bahá'u'lláh: Bahá'í World Faith, page
206)

Unloose your tongues, and proclaim unceasingly His Cause. This shall be
better for you 
than all
the treasures of the past and of the future, if ye be of them that
comprehend this truth.
(Bahá'u'lláh: Gleanings, page 330)

BE A BAHA'I 

You must manifest complete love and affection toward all mankind. 

Do not exalt yourselves above others, but consider all as your equals,
recognizing them as 
the
servants of one God. 

Know that God is compassionate toward all; therefore, love all from the
depths of your 
hearts,
prefer all religionists before yourselves, be filled with love for every
race, and be kind
toward the people of all nationalities. 

Never speak disparagingly of others, but praise without distinction. 

Pollute not your tongues by speaking evil of another. 

Recognize your enemies as friends, and consider those who wish you evil as
the wishers 
of
good. 

You must not see evil as evil and then compromise with your opinion, for
to treat in a 
smooth,
kindly way one whom you consider evil or an enemy is hypocrisy, and this
is not worthy 
or
allowable. You must consider your enemies as your friends, look upon your
evil-wishers 
as
your well-wishers and treat them accordingly. 

Act in such a way that your heart may be free from hatred. 

Let not your heart be offended with anyone. 

If some one commits an error and wrong toward you, you must instantly
forgive him. 

Do not complain of others. 

Refrain from reprimanding them, and if you wish to give admonition or
advice, let it be
offered in such a way that it will not burden the bearer. 

Turn all your thoughts toward bringing joy to hearts. 

Beware! Beware! lest ye offend any heart. 

Assist the world of humanity as much as possible. 

Be the source of consolation to every sad one, assist every weak one, be
helpful to every
indigent one, care for every sick one, be the cause of glorification to
every lowly one, and
shelter those who are overshadowed by fear. 

In brief, let each one of you be as a lamp shining forth with the light of
the virtues of the
world of humanity. 

Be trustworthy, sincere, affectionate and replete with chastity. 

Be illumined, be spiritual, be divine, be glorious, be quickened of God,
be a Bahá'í.
(`Abdu'l-Bahá: Promulgation of Universal Peace*, page 453)

 Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Topeka, Kansas, Inc.
  Post Office Box 1962, 
  Topeka, Kansas 66601

Quotations from the Bahá'í writings Copyrighted by various
Bahá'í
institutions and used by permission. Assembled by Rick and Sherry with
thanks to Mark T., who did the initial research for the compilation.

  For more information on BIRF, contact 
  Bahá'ís in Recovery Fellowship 
  100 Douglas Street 
  Bisbee, Arizona 85603
-- Twelve Steps, The: Baha'i Writings and the "Twelve-Step" program of recovery from substance abuse (Used by permission of the curator)