Father Bill W.

In this episode Father Bill and Matt D. explore the three things necessary to begin a search for God. Expedition leader Tom P. writes, “if you're in extreme emergency … with nothing to hope for in the world, your situation is particularly favorable!” The spiritual path, like the 12 Step Program, is filled with paradoxes. Tom’s book Invitation to a Great Experiment is the source of the series....

Tom Powers helped Bill Wilson write 12 Steps and 12 Traditions, AA Comes of Age , and the Second Edition of the Big Book. Bill was his mentor, friend, and sponsor. In his book Invitation to a Great Experiment, Tom takes 12 Step spirituality to greater depths than you’re likely to find in any other recovery work as he explores three vital questions: Can God be known? Is there an experiment we can t...

Father Bill welcomes the author of The War of the Gods in Addiction to the podcast. In concluding this series, they explore the significance of Carl Jung’s letter to AA’s co-founder Bill Wilson. The conversation centers on the underlying, and often overlooked, psychic elements uniquely present in addiction and the 12-Step pathway that seems specifically designed to overcome them. The conversation...

 Fr. Bill continues this in-depth look at addiction through the work of Jungian therapist David Schoen in The War of the Gods in Addiction. This episode explores the 12-Step solution viewed as a Jungian pathway to recovery. While most of us are aware of How It Works, this episode might help explain Why It Works. Show Notes: ·  The War of the Gods in Addiction : https://www.amazon.com/War-Gods-Addi...

Fr. Bill explores the Evil lying at the heart of real addiction. Jungian therapist David Schoen maintains that all true addictions are intent on bringing death to their victims. This episode explores the very real, but hidden, depth of this Evil. An Evil that Jung dared calling “the Devil” in his letter to Bill Wilson. Show Notes: ·   The War of the Gods in Addiction: https://www.amazon.com/War-Go...

 Fr. Bill launches into Chapter Two of The War of the Gods in Addiction examining the Five Stages of the addiction process as presented by Jungian analyst David E. Schoen. Drinking, drugging, food or any addiction that usually starts off promising a solution to our inner psychic splits, often lead to our death sentence. This episode traces the course of their development in "the real alcoholi...

Fr. Bill continues an in-depth exploration of how and why Jung believed that only a divine connection and our being in community with others is powerful enough to overcome real addiction. The series builds on the book The War of the Gods in Addiction by Jungian analyst David E. Schoen. This episode explores Jung’s letter to Bill Wilson.   Show Notes: ·   The War of the Gods in Addiction: https://w...

Fr. Bill begins an in-depth exploration of how and why only a divine connection may be powerful enough to overcome real addiction. The series builds on the book The War of the Gods in Addiction by Jungian analyst David E. Schoen. This episode explores the letter from Bill Wilson to C.J Jung. Show Notes: ·   The War of the Gods in Addiction: https://www.amazon.com/War-Gods-Addiction-David-Schoen/dp...

Father Bill shares his experience in starting Two Way Prayer groups. The episode includes a small-group model that has proved successful along with reflections from several Two Way Prayer group members. Cautions are also included. Show Notes: ·  A suggested format for conducting a Zoom or in-person meeting is on the Two Way Prayer website: here https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f50b318fe914e...

Father Bill shares his experiences finding and fostering successful partnerships with Two Way Prayer. While the morning prayer practice is basically an individual one, this simple set of guidelines can help you build a more effective and fruitful sharing relationship. Show Notes: ·   Suggested Guidelines for Prayer Partnerships here : https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f50b318fe914e1b2aa32bfb...

There is no set formula for doing a daily Quiet Time, but there are elements common to all. In this final episode, Fr. Bill shares some reflections on what the practice has meant to him over the past 28 years and reads a sample writing from his Two Way Prayer journal. Show Notes: Dick B.’s book Good Morning has been the primary guidebook for this series: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Quiet-W...

Bill Wilson wanted to keep AA from being too closely associated with the Oxford Group in the mind of the public. As a result, references to Quiet Time and Listening to God were present but made intentionally vague in the Big Book. Father Bill helps sort some of this out in this episode. It may help shed some new light on Step 11.

Oxford Group members had no set formulas for their morning meditation or their prayer practices; but their focus was on finding and following the Guidance they needed and received from God. In this episode Fr. Bill reviews their approach to prayer and meditation with an eye toward using it to improve our 11th Step practice. Notes: To listen to a workshop, several are recorded on Recovery Tapers /...

Oxford Group founder Frank Buchman committed himself to “changing the world,” one person at a time. Through watching his own experience and then experimenting with others to find what worked with them, he collected a set of spiritual principles and practices that Bill Wilson later formulated into the 12 Steps. In this episode, Fr. Bill explores some of the historical roots of what became our 11th...

Early AA members listened each morning for God’s Voice. They experienced God guiding them through Two Way Prayer. In this episode, Fr. Bill briefly explores the history of listening to God and attempts to demystify the practice for members of today’s 12-Step fellowships. Notes: Books: A Testament of Devotion by Thomas R. Kelly and Good Morning by Dick B.

Many in AA and other 12-Step Fellowships have difficulties with religion and with the Bible. We see ourselves as "spiritual but not religious." In this episode, Fr. Bill shares his own struggles in this area as he focuses on the importance of bringing reading into our daily Quiet Times. Resources: ·  A good lecture by Dr. Marcus Borg on the problems and future of religion: https://www.youtube...

This series explores Oxford Group and AA Pioneers prayer and meditation practices that formed the bedrock of their recovery. Father Bill uses Good Morning by Dick B. as a source book, quoting and commenting on how Quiet Time and Two Way Prayer were used and how they can transform your recovery today. Good Morning by Dick B.:  https://www.amazon.com/Good-Morning-Quiet-Watch-Meditation/dp/18858...

Building on previous episodes in this series, Fr. Bill explores Carl Jung’s paradigm shift suggesting Christ as the archetype of the Self. Christianity holds Jesus to be both “Son of God” and “Son of Man” putting an end to dual consciousness and offering moderns a different way for understanding the Christian faith. See pdf of Chapter Five Ego and Archetype by Edward Edinger , PhD: https://www.aca...

Father Bill shares his 11th Step experience with over 500 members of the Fellowship of the Spirit Zoom Workshop Group in Toronto, Canada.

Between the literalism of many religionists and the emptiness of modern life lies another way. Connecting with the symbolic life brings needed energy and excitement to the 12-Step recovery journey. Fr. Bill continues Edinger’s book Ego and Archetype with Chapter Four: “The Search for Meaning.” The episode uses a gnostic poem The Hymn of the Pearl as an example. (A pdf version of Edinger’s book Ego...

 Fr. Bill concludes Chapter Three in Edinger’s book Ego and Archetype. The episode focuses on staying connected to our Higher Self to find our meaning and purpose – especially when things aren’t going our way. (Again, a pdf version of Edinger’s book Ego and Archetype is in the show notes.) Ego and Archetype by Edward Edinger, PhD: https://www.academia.edu/8148769/Ego_and_Archetype_Edward_Edin...

Fr. Bill explores Edinger’s Third Chapter titled: “Encounter with the Self.” He looks at how religion (or the program) can act as “middleman” between us and God. This can work, but at a price. The price is not growing into a more mature self. (Again, a pdf version of Edinger’s book Ego and Archetype is in the show notes.)  Ego and Archetype by Edward Edinger, PhD: https://www.academia.ed...

Hitting bottom always comes before recovery. The way UP first leads us DOWN. In this episode Fr. Bill explores some of the psychological and spiritual forces at work in discovering what many of us call “the gift of desperation.” In traditional religious language it’s called our time in the wilderness or the dark night of the soul. No pain no gain! (Again, a pdf version of Edinger’s book Ego and Ar...

Many addicts have a deep sense of “never fitting in” even before they started using addictive substances. This episode explores the inner-wounding to the vital connecting link between the ego and the Self. Father Bill explains why ACCEPTANCE proves so critical in recovery and how it helps repair the damaged link. (A pdf version of Edinger’s book Ego and Archetype is in the show notes.) Ego and Arc...

This series traces our physical and spiritual life-cycle from birth, to rebirth, to death. Building on the work of Jungian analyst Edward Edinger, Fr. Bill simplifies Edinger’s insights and applies them to 12-Step recovery. In this episode we explore the formation of the Ego and how human beings begin relating to the “Higher Power.” A pdf version of Edinger’s book Ego and Archetype is in the show...