In a world where isolation, alienation, and conflict are so pervasive, it is no wonder that substance abuse, compulsive behaviors and addiction rob so many of their dignity and freedom, often leading to death. In 1935, two individuals, both desperate alcoholics, helped each other find sobriety. A businessman and a physician, they knew they had been lifted onto a path set before them by a divine, spiritual being. They also knew that the only way they could remain sober would be through helping other alcoholics to find sobriety, so they went to work and Alcoholics Anonymous was born. Over the next five years they developed what is now known as the Twelve Steps, a set of principles, spiritual in their nature, that are being put to work daily by millions of people around the world. The twelve steps are used by therapists and physicians who treat addiction, and there are over 60 twelve-step programs available to people who seek freedom from the bondage of addictions, compulsive disorders, and obsessions.

In his talk, Bill will focus on the Twelve Steps as a spiritual program out of his own experience. He will outline the steps with a focus on their requirement for the individual’s willingness, service to others, and persistent striving to improve their conscious contact with God. In 1969, as a 17-year-old freshman in college, Bill began reading Rudolf Steiner’s work. As a Waldorf teacher, business person, and woodworker, Bill has struggled for decades to understand and put into practice the ideas put forth in Dr. Steiner’s Philosophy of Freedom. He believes that the Twelve Steps reflect a pathway that can help one actualize the spiritual transformation that Rudolf Steiner outlines in his seminal work in Spiritual Science, and will let the audience draw their own parallels. His objective is simply to bring the nature of the twelve steps to light for those who are curious. Many who have followed this path believe that the steps may be helpful for all individuals who seek freedom and light.