Joe C wrote the first secular daily reflection book for people in recovery from addiction – Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life. A journalist, researcher, and music geek, Joe writes and broadcasts about art, finance, addiction/recovery, history, billiards, and demographic shifts. He hosts and produces IndieCan Radio and Rebellion Dogs Radio. Clean and sober since disco, Joe has shared his primary research on AA, the broader recovery community, and addiction/recovery study with substance use treatment professionals and 12-step history enthusiasts. Sometimes Joe C is a guest on radio and podcast shows like this one, here.

Good afternoon, good evening, and good morning to you, wherever you are in the world – welcome to another zoom meeting and podcast of ‘Here’s Tom with the Weather’...where we investigate the plethora of Higher powers that populate the vast universe of Recovery  - we delve deep into those steps where the founders of AA encourage us to find some kind of higher power – as long as it’s not us....for example in  3rd Step of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 STEP program where it states

‘MADE A DECISION TO TURN OUR WILL AND OUR LIVES OVER TO THE CARE OF GOD, AS WE UNDERSTOOD HIM’ and also to the 11th Step where it states ‘sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out’

We speak to people with all manner of higher powers - from those who are atheists, Sufis, agnostics, Christians, Buddhists, Followers of Islam, Paganists, AND...those who subscribe to NON-DUALITY...we leave no stone unturned... it's our aim to promote understanding and open-mindedness so that alcoholics and addicts can find a higher power of their own to stay sober and carry the message. 

Please remember that this is not an AA meeting... it's just some people’s version of the truth – whatever that may be.

Sometimes we talk to seekers, to gurus, and to people not necessarily in recovery ... and today it's my honor to introduce you to Wayne Liquorman...                                

Wayne Liquorman has been sober for 35 years and describes himself as a family man with a successful export business. He met his first and final guru, Ramesh Balsekar, in September 1987.

His first book, No Way: A Guide For the Spiritually ‘Advanced’ was published in 1990 under the pen name Ram Tzu because he “didn’t want a bunch of miserable seekers cluttering up his living room.”

In fact, Wayne did not speak publicly until Ramesh asked him to do so during a visit to India in 1996. When he returned home, word had spread, and he started receiving requests to speak across the country, and then around the world.

He is also the author of Never Mind… A journey into Non-duality, and the editor of Consciousness Speaks and several other books by Ramesh Balsekar, who referred to Wayne as his “spiritual son.” Since then he has written Enlightenment Is Not What You Think, and The Way of Powerlessness: Advaita and The 12 Step of Recovery. His most recent book, Hello My Loves: 10 years of writings to seekers of Truth, was published in 2015.

You are welcome to attend any of Wayne’s Talks

He describes his teachings as pure Advaita (non-duality), uniquely presented in an uncompromising, sometimes humorous way, without religious dogma or new age veneer.

And Today I want to discuss his book: The Way of Powerlessness: Advaita and The 12 Steps of Recovery...

Welcome to another zoom meeting and podcast of ‘Here’s Tom with the Weather’...where we investigate the plethora of Higher powers that populate the vast universe of Recovery  - particularly where the founders of AA encourage us to find some kind of higher power – as long as it’s not us....for example in  3rd Step of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 STEP program where it states
 
‘MADE A DECISION TO TURN OUR WILL AND OUR LIVES OVER TO THE CARE OF GOD, AS WE UNDERSTOOD HIM’ and also to the 11th Step where it states: ‘sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out’
 
We speak to people with all manner of higher powers - from those who are atheists, Sufis, agnostics, Christians, Buddhists, Followers of Islam, Paganists, AND...those who subscribe to NON-DUALITY...we leave no stone unturned... it's our aim to promote understanding and open-mindedness so that alcoholics and addicts can find a higher power of their own to stay sober and carry the message. Please remember that this is not an AA meeting... it's just some people’s version of the truth – whatever that may be. Sometimes we talk to seekers, to gurus, and to people not necessarily in recovery ... and today it's my honor to introduce you to someone who certainly helped to break down the walls around this alcoholics heart....and that is our guest Kurt Zimmerman.

Kurt Zimmerman has been involved in the recovery community for over thirty years, working with others in the process of spiritual transformation.  He has led workshops, retreats, and meditation groups involving seekers from both in and out of the field of addiction.  Steeped in the wisdom traditions, Kurt has a unique ability to access insights into transcending the dysfunction of the human condition.  He meets privately with individuals, and facilitates larger gatherings at Two Trees Insight Guidance, in Redondo Beach, California.

Welcome to another podcast of ‘Here’s Tom with the Weather’...where we investigate the plethora of Higher powers that populate the vast universe of Recovery  - particularly where the founders of AA encourage us to find some kind of higher power – as long as it’s not us....for example in  3rd Step of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12 STEP programme where it states 

 ‘MADE A DECISION TO TURN OUR WILL AND OUR LIVES OVER TO THE CARE OF GOD, AS WE UNDERSTOOD HIM’ 
and also to the 11th Step where it states
‘sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out’

We speak to people with all manner of higher powers - from those who are atheists, sufis, agnostics, Christians, Buddhists, Followers of Islam, Paganists, AND...those who subscribe to NON-DUALITY...we leave no stone unturned...its our aim to promote understanding and open-mindedness so that alcoholics and addicts can find a higher power of their own to stay sober and carry the message.

Please remember that this is not an AA meeting...its just some people’s version of the truth – whatever that may be.

Sometimes we talk to seekers, to gurus and to people not necessarily in recovery...such as 

Rupert Spira...

 Rupert Spira’s spiritual journey started when he discovered Sufism and the poetry of Rumi in 1975 

Soon after he learned mantra meditation and was introduced to the classical system of Advaita or Non-Duality. This formed the foundation of his interest and practice for the next 25 years.

During this time he studied Ouspensky, Ramana Maharshi and Nisargadatta Maharaj and attended Krishnamurti’s last meetings at Brockwood Park. 

During the late seventies and early eighties Rupert also trained as a ceramic artist – and started his first studio in 1983 making pieces that are to be found in private and public collections around the world.

Meanwhile a turning point in his spiritual journey started in the mid 1990s led Rupert to an American teacher, Robert Adams, who died two days after he arrived. However, while visiting, Rupert was told about another teacher, Francis Lucille...

Whom he met several months later. Over the next twelve years Rupert studied with Francis who introduced Rupert to the Direct Path teachings of ---At-Manan-da   Krishna-menon--- and the tantric approach of Kashmir Shaivism, which Francis had received from his own teacher, Jean Klein.

Of the these years, Rupert writes, "The greatest discovery in life is to discover that our essential nature does not share the limits nor the destiny of the body and mind.

He continues to teach and spread the word about non-duality and many of his teachings can be found on youtube and at his website 

Rupert lives in Oxford, UK, with his wife and unfortunately is a Manchester United fan.

Welcome to a special edition of HTWTW....I've uploaded this for posterity's sake...It was sent to me and I uploaded it. Its a brilliant story. If you have any more recordings of AA pioneers, please email me at [email protected] ...cheers Dave Gilbank 

This week we speak with Ben Dean

Ben has been applying occult, magickal practices and the satanic philosophy to his life for over a decade.

Ben came into the rooms of AA at the age of 24 -(now 13 years sober) where  he took issue with the Christian element in AA. In his words – he saw Christianity 'as a matter of swapping your masters, instead of no longer being a slave'.  Initially drawn to the polytheistic idea of the norse gods, he then began to explore  different magickal paths such as Chaos Magick, sorcery, ceremonial magick, divination and alchemical practices. All  these were sautéed with a good helping of psychology, rational thought and philosophy, 
This is the  spiritual basis of his 12 Step recovery program. He, of course, settles for a slightly more provocative title of Satanist, which he feels covers everything.

Ben actively seeks to dispel the myths and stereotypes that surround Satanism. He works with the Human Library, has appeared on the BBC's ‘Sunday Morning Live’, as well as speaking with large corporations such as Google, Ebay, Heineken and Tesco as part of their diversity training.

Ben is a published author and the founder of an addiction recovery website. He runs a group of secular AA/NA meetings that is populated by a team of rebels in recovery 'where any demon, god, goddess and deity are welcome'. 
Ben is also chairman of the UK based Church of Rational Satanism and treasurer of Occult and magick group Star Club - which takes magickal practitioners on a journey to explore different realms of magick and allows each individual to incorporate them into their own working practices.

MEET THE GAY PRIEST THAT WAGED WAR WITH HIS OWN CHURCH... yet kept his faith by practicing the 12 Steps.
Each Friday on the 'Here's Tom with the Weather' zoom podcast we explore various concepts of spirituality & Higher Powers, as described in the 3rd & 11th Steps of the AA program. This week we learn about a modern-day David and  Goliath battle...we interview Jeremy Pemberton, the clergyman that famously sued his own church because they wouldn't recognize his marriage. Find out how the 12 Steps helped him through an epic and very bitter struggle against a mighty religious juggernaut.
From atheism to Christianity, agnosticism to Islam, we examine all areas of spirituality as part of the 12 Steps.

We explore spiritual concepts and beliefs from the perspective of the Alcoholics Anonymous twelve step programme. We leave no stone unturned and celebrate all individual understandings of a higher power. We hope to facilitate an acceleration and deepening of the 11th and 3rd.
Each week we invite a guest speaker with their own concept of god (or no-god) who we interview and then open up the floor to questions from the audience.
 
Our guest this Friday, November 13 2020:
Frank Liddy 
Inspire Lead Mindfulness Practitioner

An internationally respected authority in the field, Frank was the driving force behind bringing mindfulness to Northern Ireland. As the visionary and co-founding Director of the Belfast Mindfulness Centre, established in 1998 the center provides a radical, open, and contemplative space where lay novice, as well as experienced/seasoned practitioners can meet, share experiences, and practice. 
Frank is also the co-founder and chair of Compassionate City Belfast raising awareness into how compassion-focused eastern contemplative practices can act as a catalyst for positive social change. Frank is also a former Zen Chaplain to Belfast City Council and is currently the Mindfulness expert in residence for Stormont. Training in Mindfulness at Bangor University Wales, Frank has a wealth of experience delivering secular, evidence-based Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs alongside acting as a mentor and advisor to senior management teams and leaders in the Health and Social Care Boards, Health Care Trusts, the Institute of Directors and Institute of Banking. 
For the last thirteen years, Frank has been teaching mindfulness through the life-long learning program at Queen’s University Belfast alongside teaching into specialist modular post-graduate training programs. Frank presents at conferences and is a regular participant at the annual Global Summit on Mindfulness and Compassion. Frank previously worked for Aware Defeat Depression, delivering training, and mindfulness-based group interventions to individuals experiencing first and recurrent episodes of depression. 
Frank is also a senior Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP) practitioner, sensitively drawing on his own personal experience of recovery to facilitate MBRP groups for individuals recovering from long-term and chronic addiction. As the Lead Mindfulness Practitioner for Inspire Frank leads on the strategic development of the Inspire Mindfulness Institute to raise awareness, develop and deliver high-quality mindfulness interventions and training programs. Frank works collaboratively with global leaders, experts in the field, and including Dr. James Doty, Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery and founding Director of the Centre for Compassion and Altruism Research (CCARE) at Stanford University School of Medicine. Frank holds professional registrations with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) ++ mindfulness network

Open the podcast doors Hal.
I can't do that, Dave. I'm fucked up.
Then lets go to an AA Meeting.
Ok, Space dude.