Here are some of the questions my sponsor gave me (I do not know who wrote them, she got them from her sponsor). My sponsor also has me journal on every paragraph from the OA 12/12 for each step.

I am just sharing these questions - please don't feel like you have to answer everyone on this thread. But they are good to refer to.

My poll from a month ago showed that at least 1/3 of us have a more alternative spiritual approach. If you are comfortable in sharing a your specific approach, cool. If not, no worries. The term Higher Power (HP) always works.

I'll share my ESH later this weekend, when I'm more awake.

Step 2 Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

1. What are some examples of beliefs I all ready have?

2. What have I used as a power greater than myself, that I turn to when things are not going well in my life?

3. What is my conecpt of a higher power at this time?

4. What beliefs make it difficult tfor me to accept a HP?

5. How have past experiences affected my concept of a HP?

6. How have I allowed food to become my HP?

7. What might I gain from accepting the concept of a Power greater than myself?

8. Do I sense a spiritual guidance in my life? How?

9. How does the idea of insanity apply to this step?

10. When have I done the same thing over and over, expecting different results?

11. Why is overeating irrational or insane behavior?

12. Do I feel willpower alone will help me remain abstinent?

13. What actions am I willing to take that others have told me worked for them?

I came to OA all ready with a spiritual path that I was comfortable with. I grew up going to church but never felt right there. High school and college I was agnostic. But I felt something missing and in my early 20s I found a nature-based spiritual path that felt like home. It's been home ever since.

Even though I all ready had a spiritual path that I was comfy with, I wasn't going to my HP when I should have. I was going to food. I was constantly breaking promises to myself, obsessing over various things (big and small) and didn't even think to connect with my HP.

Insanity did rule my life because I kept doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results. Mainly, going on diet after diet after nutitional plan after nutritional plan after blah blah blah. Every time I did this I triggered myself to abuse myself with food. Every time. But every time I tried something new thinking that "this time it'll work"> I didn't even consider myself a yo yo dieter until recently. I totally was.

Since working on step 2, my relationship with my HP has greatly strengthened. It still needs work (but I suppose that'll always be true) but now I actually speak to her instead of going to the food. It's so freeing and empowering. I am able to give stresses away to her and she actually takes them. Call me bowled over! Because of this, I actually get to deal with life like an adult and not a lost child.

I am so thankful that OA states a "HP of my understanding". If OA had a specific religious bent, I would never had stayed. I think it's wonderful that Christians, Jews, pagans, Muslims, Buddhists, etc... can come together in recovery.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

After being raised in a pretty strict religious enviroment and being largely agnostic for the last 14 years I thought I was going to have a real problem with this part of the program. To me God was another someone I had to please by living this way or that way.

I had replaced God in my life with food and things. This was not working for me. I was miserable about the things and numbing myself with food and drugs to not face the things I did not like about myself. When I wasn't in the food I was trying to replace God with the diet of the week.

What opened my heart was the "AA Big Book Chapter to the Agnostic" where I was free to make the Power greater than myself of my understanding. What did I have to lose, my own thinking had gotten me nowhere. More than that I really could evaluate my past experiences with spirituality and religion to what I needed. In program the saying "Take what you need and leave the rest" was a very freeing concept for me.

Evaluation of my scriptures, prayer books, and what I needed in a Higher Power came down to this, I needed unconditional love and acceptance. My path to spirituality is my to form. No longer does God mean a set of rules to me, God means I can turn my life over and be loved for being just who I am. I can accept the life of Jesus and Buddah as guides for living simply and with love and understanding of my fellow beings. In fact I find no religious basis offensive at all because the goal is simple "To love one another". Before I thought I was tolerant in a secular humanism sort of way, now I am tolerant because I realize no matter what form God takes in coming to you, He (she) does and loves EVERY SINGLE ONE OF because we are made in the image of God, we are the children of love and beauty.

These things have brought me sanity. I am able to give my anger and smallness and even my emotions over to God and trust that there is a plan for me that is unfolding everyday. I now see the subtle ways God works in my life and the people around me to keep me sane.

I have this beautiful growing relationship and I feel no need to defend it against the ideal PC world. God loves me and he loves you too. Just for today he has granted me peace to not have things or food fill me. Instead I am sane to becaome the person I am suppose to be.

Miss Chris

I am definitely a more conservative, traditional religious type. Missionary Baptist, to be exact. Like Chris, I make no apologies for my beliefs even though I know that being more traditional is frowned on a lot in some circles. Organized religion gets a bad rap a lot of the time! I find comfort in the services and hymns at our home church each week. I love the fellowship I have with other believers there. I know that I am loved unconditionally by the Lord and am awed by the fact that He sent His Son to die for my sins. I have so many, but even if I were the only sinner, He would have done this just for me! Astounding.

I was raised in the church and have never doubted my faith or my beliefs, although I did stop going to church for several years when I first got married. DH and I only got back into church when our youngest daughter was about 6 months old. It was amazing how what I felt was missing in our lives was put into place when we found a home church to worship with.

I am a better person when I put forth the effort to actively participate in our church. It's easier for me to focus on God and His will for me when I spend time in His word and His house. I teach Sunday School and help out with the youth group and these things make me happy because I am giving back to Someone who has already given me so much.

Because of my background, I have no problem with believing in the power of step two. My problem lies in the fact that I sometimes fall prey to thinking that my problem with food is something I should control. God has more important things like wars and starving people to focus on. This is wrong thinking and counterproductive, and rationally I know this. However, I am a stubborn and strong-willed person who just can't let go of things sometimes. Knowing I should give things to God and leave them there and actually doing so is a difficult task for me! I'm the person who gives them to God and then sneaks over and takes them back when I think He isn't looking. This is a problem with me, NOT with God!

Obviously, I have some growing to do in this area! Frankly, it surprises me that it is so troublesome for me. I'll be the first to thank God for His many blessings and go to Him when I have needs for family, friends, or self. But the food is so hard for me to let go of!

Christy

I enjoyed reading your shares, Kat and Chris.

like miss chris said, i have ben agnostic for the majority of my life. i've always maintained that i believe there is some type of higher power, just that i don't know him.

i've never felt overly spiritual in general, but a recent yoga class was a spiritual experience for me. so i know i have the potential.

i know i will have some trouble with this step as i come to it, so i was looking here for some help and to see what moved you.

i think the book that chris mentioned is something i need to read.