179 – Buddhist 12 Step Recovery | Step 3 – part 3 – The Step 3 Prayer – as I understand it.

The final part of Step 3 is the prayer. This is the actual ceremony of making the decision to (as I put it) align my thinking (will) and my actions (life) over to (G.O.D.) the good orderly direction as I understand it.

For me it began with stating the prayer in the Big Book of AA like this: I offer myself to It - to build within me, to feed the goodness in me so I become capable of doing God's Will. I ask, the unknowable power of the universe, that you relive me of the bondage of self, that I may better to The Will. Please take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of The Power, The Love and The Way of Life. May I do The Will always! This was my agnostic version of the third step prayer on page 63 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I now use another prayer from the teachings of the Buddha known as Going for Refuge. It reads:

I and all sentient beings, until we achieve enlightenment, Go for refuge to Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha.

Which I see parallels the program of AA in that - I and all addicts, until we achieve recovery, Go for refuge to God, as we understand It, the teachings in the text book Alcoholics Anonymous and the fellowship.