The series explores the book SPIRITUAL EVOLUTION by Dr. George E. Vaillant. The author was a psychiatrist at Harvard and served as a non-alcoholic Trustee for Alcoholics Anonymous. Spirituality can be a hard concept to grasp, and his book helps make it understandable. He defines spirituality as the realization of positive emotions such as love, hope, faith, joy, forgiveness, and compassion – along with awe and mystical illumination. The author argues our brains are hard wired for these and through the 12 Step journey, we’re evolving – “sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly” towards realizing them in our lives This episode focuses on Awe and Mystical Illumination –the goal of the 12-Step Journey.

Show Notes:

Spiritual Evolution: A Scientific Defense of Faith by George Vaillant

We Agnostics: How William James, Father of American Psychology, Advanced A Spiritual Solution to Addiction: How a Venerated Harvard Doctor Inspired the 12 Step Movement Paperback – Mr Paul L Schulte

Father Bill W. podcast w guest Paul Schulte AA & William James

Quantum Change: When Epiphanies and Sudden Insights Transform Ordinary Lives 1st Editionby William R. Miller