Father Bill W.

Don Quixote represents the “simple consciousness” that’s all but evaporated in the modern age marked by fear. separation and anxiety. Continuing with the book TRANSFORMATION, Fr. Bill explores Robert Johnson’s description of this classic tale with an eye toward how addicts experience “being driven from the Garden of Eden.” Show Notes: Transformation: Understanding the Three Levels of Masculine Consciousness by Robert A. Johnson https://www.amazon.com/Transformation-Understanding-Levels-Masculine-Consciousness/dp/0062505432/ To support Father Bill W. and Two Way Prayer with a donation, please visit: https://www.twowayprayer.org/donate-1 If this has been helpful to you, please like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back.

This series explores Robert A. Johnson’s book Transformation. Johnson moves readers from simple, to complex, to enlightened stages of consciousness using well known characters from literature to make a difficult subject easier to understand. In this episode, Fr. Bill outlines Johnson’s approach and gives an overview of consciousness and the role it plays in recovery. Show Notes: Transformation: Understanding the Three Levels of Masculine Consciousness by Robert A. Johnson https://www.amazon.com/Transformation-Understanding-Levels-Masculine-Consciousness/dp/0062505432/ Clip from Zorba the Greek written by Nikos Kazantzakis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS0w3Wkric8/ Here’s a Wikipedia link to the story: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zorba_the_Greek/ If this has been helpful to you, please like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back.

Over the years, three ways have evolved for working the AA Program: Strong, Medium, and Weak. Like a cup of coffee or tea the strength makes all the difference and that difference, for some of us, could include whether we live or die! Fr. Bill discusses this classic article with Matt D. from All Addicts Anonymous. Show Notes: Find Gresham’s Law and Alcoholics Anonymous on the AAA website: https://alladdictsanonymous.org/store/ THE TEN POINTS:The Ten Points represent the spiritual inspiration and guidance for how to work the Twelve Steps as given by the first hundred AA members. These original commitments are the spiritual legacy and heritage of the first men and women whose sacrifice, wisdom, and trial-and-error experience became solidified in the “How it Works" chapter of the AA Big Book. For many addicts, lesser commitments to the Program do not offer the crucial momentum necessary to reach the level of spiritual awakening required to attain true freedom. Make no mistake about it, every person who adopts the rigor and intensity of the Ten Points will be rocketed into a new dimension of existence. We commit ourselves to work toward recovery and spiritual awakening through sincerely and responsibly trying to do what the AA Big Book suggests by: 1. Completely giving ourselves to this simple Program; 2. Practicing rigorous honesty; 3. Being willing to go to any lengths to recover; 4. Realizing that there is no easier, softer way; 5. Being fearless and thorough in our practice of the principles; 6. Letting go of our old ideas absolutely; 7. Recognizing that half measures will not work; 8. Asking God’s protection and care with complete abandon; 9. Being willing to grow along spiritual lines; 10. Accepting the following pertinent ideas as proved by All Addicts Anonymous experience: (a) that you cannot manage your own life; (b) that probably no human power can restore you to sanity; (c) that God can and will if sought. To contact Matt D. please write to me at TwoWayPrayer@gmail.com and I’ll pass your message along to him. To support Father Bill W. and Two Way Prayer with a donation, please visit: https://www.twowayprayer.org/donate-1 If this has been helpful to you, please like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back.

My psychologist friend Michaela from Liverpool shares her experience with Two Way Prayer and has me doing the same. Eleven percent of our podcast listeners hail from the UK. God must have big plans for his kids across the pond! Show Notes: To reach Michaela, please drop me a line at TwoWayPrayer@gmail.com and I’ll gladly forward it to her. Michaela Heaton, lives in Liverpool, England and has BA Hons degree in English & Philosophy, a postgraduate diploma in applied psychology and an MSc in Applied Psychology. She is a well known Consultant and Certified Business Psychologist supporting businesses and individuals seeking help with addiction from alcohol and drugs. “Catching the Roses”, Michaela’s first book, is an epistolary, written in letter form to St Therese of Lisieux who wrote an autobiography in the 1890’s called “Story of a Soul” which inspired her to write her own story coinciding with the visit of St Therese’s relics to Liverpool in 2009. The book follows Michaela as a contemporary pilgrim writing daily letters to St Therese, receiving emotional and spiritual guidance and a lasting legacy of love and hope. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B075W8BFKV/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_glt_JJRG3KVP0YR38JGN53EJ For the last ten years Michaela has been a weekly talk show guest on BBC Radio Merseyside www.madaw.co.uk 

Fr. Bill and author Paul S. conclude their discussion of Varieties of Religious Experience. In this episode they explore how “a life of love and service” are the natural fruits of any real conversion experience. There’s also an in-depth discussion of James’ own short summary of his findings. You’ll find James’ 5-point summation truly worth studying.  Show Notes: Paul’s book titled “We Agnostics: William James…” is available here: https://rb.gy/rpvnlr The original Varieties of Religious Experience is available free in pdf form. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/621 An excellent biography of William James is by Robert D. Richardson. His section covering James’ delivery of the lectures that formed the book VRE is helpful in putting James’ work in clear context. It’s available here: https://rb.gy/khpbf5 Here are the five points from Chapter XX in VRE: “Summing up in the broadest possible way the characteristics of the religious (or spiritual or 12-Step) life, include the following beliefs: 1. That the visible world is part of a more spiritual universe from which it draws its chief significance; (and) 2. That union or harmonious relation with that higher universe is our true end… 3. That prayer or inner communion with the spirit thereof - be that spirit ‘God’ or ‘law’ - is a process wherein work is really done and spiritual energy flows in and produces effects psychological or material within the phenomenal world. 4. A new zest which adds itself like a gift to life, and takes the form either of lyrical enchantment or of appeal to earnestness and heroism. 5. An assurance of safety and a temper of peace, and, in relation to others, a preponderance of loving affections.” To contact Paul S. please write to me at TwoWayPrayer@gmail.com and I’ll pass your message along to him. If this has been helpful to you, please like, subscribe, share, and keep coming back.

Fr. Bill and author Paul S. continue their discussion of Varieties of Religious Experience. Paul labeled his chapter on Steps 10 and 11: “Doing Business with This Higher Power. In this episode they explore some 14 practices William James addresses as aids in making and maintaining a conscious connection with the Divine. Show Notes: Paul’s book titled “We Agnostics: William James…” is available here: https://rb.gy/rpvnlr The original Varieties of Religious Experience is available free in pdf form. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/621 An excellent biography of William James is by Robert D. Richardson. His section covering James’ delivery of the lectures that formed the book VRE is helpful in putting James’ work in clear context. It’s available here: https://rb.gy/khpbf5 Paul references The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk M.D. https://rb.gy/rwvm8o Fr. Bill references The Way of a Pilgrim (anonymous Author) A good translation of the Christian classic: https://rb.gy/zct8zz To contact Paul S. please write to me at TwoWayPrayer@gmail.com and I’ll pass your message along to him. If this has been helpful to you, please like, subscribe, and share.

Fr. Bill and author Paul S. continue their discussion of Varieties of Religious Experience. Paul labeled his chapter on Steps 10 and 11: “Doing Business with This Higher Power.” It’s rich and important material so we’ve broken it up into two parts. In this first episode we concentrate on the nature of a relationship with the Higher Power. Show Notes: Paul’s book titled “We Agnostics: William James…” is available here: https://rb.gy/rpvnlr The original Varieties of Religious Experience is available free in pdf form. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/621 An excellent biography of William James is by Robert D. Richardson. His section covering James’ delivery of the lectures that formed the book VRE is helpful in putting James’ work in clear context. It’s available here: https://rb.gy/khpbf5 To contact Paul S. please write to me at TwoWayPrayer@gmail.com and I’ll pass your message along to him. If this has been helpful to you, please like, subscribe, and share.

Fr. Bill and author Paul S. continue their discussion of Varieties of Religious Experience. Pauls’ chapter on these Steps explores the nature of forgiveness and the “melting of moods” frozen by resentment and hate. Just as God makes recovery from our addictions possible, the needed strength for forgiveness also comes as a gift. Show Notes: Paul’s book titled “We Agnostics: William James…” is available here: https://rb.gy/rpvnlr The original Varieties of Religious Experience is available free in pdf form. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/621 An excellent biography of William James is by Robert D. Richardson. His section covering James’ delivery of the lectures that formed the book VRE is helpful in putting James’ work in clear context. It’s available here: https://rb.gy/khpbf5 Ted/Talk by Fr. Greg Boyle, S.J. on his reconciliation and forgiveness work with gangs in Los Angeles / truly inspiring. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipR0kWt1Fkc Story about Bishop Desmond Tutu and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission dealing with the aftermath of apartheid in South Africa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YY-ee1hhghQ To contact Paul S. please write to me at TwoWayPrayer@gmail.com and I’ll pass your message along to him. If this has been helpful to you, please like, subscribe, and share.

Fr. Bill and author Paul S. continue their discussion of Varieties of Religious Experience. This episode is focused on the multiple problems facing the "sick soul" especially Fear, Self-Loathing, and Chaotic Impulses. Called "the Steps that separate the men from the boys" (and the women from the girls) James says these things are in fact "removable." Show Notes: Paul’s book titled “We Agnostics: William James…” is available here: https://rb.gy/rpvnlr The original Varieties of Religious Experience is available free in pdf form. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/621 An excellent biography of William James is by Robert D. Richardson. His section covering James’ delivery of the lectures that formed the book VRE is helpful in putting James’ work in clear context. It’s available here: https://rb.gy/khpbf5

Fr. Bill and William James author Paul S. continue their discussion. Pauls’ chapter on the 4th and 5th Steps is titled: Releasing a Dam of Tears and Finding Tender Mercy. The discussion centers around the “sick soul” diving deep into its sense of “rottenness” to discover a soul that was already there and just waiting for us to set free. Show Notes: Paul’s book titled “We Agnostics: William James…” is available here: https://rb.gy/rpvnlr  The original Varieties of Religious Experience is available free as a pdf: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/621 An excellent biography of William James is by Robert D. Richardson. His section covering James’ delivery of the lectures that formed the book VRE is helpful in putting James’ work in clear context. It’s available here: https://rb.gy/khpbf5 Paul referenced Viktor Frankl’s book: Man’s Search for Meaning. Available as pdf: https://rb.gy/1byuop Here’s the passage Fr. Bill referenced from Wordsworth’s poem, Intimations of Immortality: Our birth is but a sleep and a forgetting:The Soul that rises with us, our life's Star,Hath had elsewhere its setting,And cometh from afar:Not in entire forgetfulness,And not in utter nakedness,But trailing clouds of glory do we comeFrom God, who is our home:Heaven lies about us in our infancy!Shades of the prison-house begin to closeUpon the growing Boy,But He beholds the light, and whence it flows,He sees it in his joy; (lines 58–70) Fr. Bill referenced Jung’s Answer to Job: https://rb.gy/desvhq  For a brilliant analysis of Jung’s Answer to Job: Edward Edinger’s Transformation of the God Image: https://www.amazon.com/Transformation-God-Image-Elucidation-Jungs-Answer/dp/0919123554/