Step Two, “We came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.“
Many of the steps we take in recovery involve actions: we create lists, discuss them, make amends, and pray. A couple of steps involve decisions. Even contemplative meditation seems active; we seek conscious contact with God, as we have understood Him. There is a sense of immediacy to them. To use cooking metaphors, they are like frying, toasting, or baking: the action and the results are immediate.
But Step Two is different. It is not an action, it’s a transformational process. We come to believe. We don’t “do” or “decide”; we don’t make a list or an amend, we come to a state of belief. This takes time.
Why Step Two is the Stewing Step
Coming to believe is not like frying or baking, it is like stewing. It is a slow, inward journey. To come to believe something, I stew on it.
Stewing is a slow simmering process, similar to coming to believe. It is not an activity; it is more like contemplation. Like a stew simmering over a warm fire, belief builds gradually. It is slower and more drawn-out than frying, braising, or toasting.
I can easily call Step 2 the Stewing Step.
- Stewing = slow and steady transformation
- Frying = fast, immediate action
- Step Two = mental and spiritual simmering
The Power of Patience in Recovery
We don’t rush stewing. We let it happen. It takes patience and a bit of time, but there are benefits. We can enjoy the aromas of the stewing broth and look forward to the delicious flavours ahead.
The stewing Step is a good step. One to be savoured.
Books to Support Your Twelve Step Journey
If you’re looking to explore Step work, spiritual awakening, and personal transformation more deeply, check out The GEMS Series: 12-Step Shares, Notes and Thoughts. These books offer insights, reflections, and real-life recovery experience that complement the journey through the Twelve Steps.
The books in The GEMS Series: 12-Step Shares, Notes and Thoughts can be purchased through my estore or the major online book retailers. Look for GEMS, More GEMS, and Still More GEMS.
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