Divine Therapy and Addiction: Centering Prayer and the Twelve Steps

This book has transformed my thinking. It is for EVERYONE! We all suffer from some sort of childhood malfunction and, by working through the principles in the book, we can live a more fulfilled life free from trying to soothe our pain through destructive measures. I only wish I had read this book earlier in life!!!!

Fr. Thomas offers more incredible insight into the human condition and the freedom, light and life of transforming experience. Most alcoholics get to "the jumping off place" where they can no longer imagine life with or without alcohol. We readily accept AA's teaching and values without question--it is a matter of life or death. Anyone in recovery for 10-20-30 years should ask what they fear more by taking a sip of wine; that they will have an allergic reaction to alcohol and return in a short time to the woman or man they used to be or that they will be forfeiting the security of making friends in the time it takes to open a phone book, the power and control that comes with having command of the first 164 pages of the Big Book and the affection and esteem from taking yet another chip and piece of birthday cake. The AA member in these pages reflects an over attachment to the group that cannot be hidden--at least in my view and I appreciate and relate to the dialogue very well. Nonetheless, we are constantly called to deepening levels of love and trust. That is what I believe the Divine therapy is all about: dismantling the false-self system. If you are more fearful of surrendering your position of longterm sobriety and speaking engagements, as I was, you're carrying dis-ease. What has been healed? This is an extraordinary book for those with "eyes to see and ears to hear" as they say. Thanks Fr. Thomas for another gem and targeting union with God as our only destination and refusing to grow as our biggest sin.

Our home is a faith-based recovery home for treatment resistant homeless addicts and alcoholics. We do not force faith (impossible task) but do ask for openness to spiritual growth, among other requirements to live here. Over the years we have done a number of book studies about addiction and health as well as some Bible studies. Divine Therapy and Addiction has proven to be one of the most helpful tools we have used as far revealing recovery as a spiritual process of self transcendence in language that most can easily understand.I cannot say that any of the men here have experienced anything more than a greater understanding of the 12 steps and patience with God. They do not make obvious time in their day to wait on God to "introduce himself", but I notice a greater awareness of each other, more kindness and more patience with the process of enduring recovery, especially for those who do not want to go back to their addictions and the streets.Some chapters provoked thoughtful questions and at times heated debate. Some of the insights seem to have sunk in!This book has been truly helpful in our home.

This book was just what I needed at this time. Not only for myself but for my sponsees in AA. The book really connected my step work to my spiritual beliefs. Easy to read and understand.

This is an extremely powerful and useful book, not only for individuals who struggle with alcohol and or drug addictions but for the family who often love them. It is indeed very hard to love an alcoholic or a person caught in the personal he'll of addiction . It does not matter you are a family member, friend or the addict themselves, addictions destroys lives. They rob beautiful sould of love. Addictions bring lost individuals into a hell on earth,leaving in the wake are destruction ruin and denial.Thomas Keaton in this book gives the reader a way and a means to challenge addiction successfully and long term. That tool is a spiritual relationship with a higher power and an inner self. This is accomplished through the 12 steps of AA with God at the helm. For me and for countless millions of others, their is no power greater. Thomas Keaton has given the reader a wonderful service at the completion of this book . Through guidance of centering prayer, the 12 steps can come alive within an heart of a willing addict. The can develop hope as they learn to trust god and their inner spiritual relationship with Him.

I liked how Tom S. and Thomas Keating worked together to apply centering prayer to the twelve steps, especially the eleventh step. At times, the interview format could be tedious.

Keep your pencil sharpened because you'll be underlining every other sentence. This is a technical read. It's helpful, but I lost myself in it a dozen times and not in a good way. I'm very familiar with 12-step programs and thought the book would have more on centering prayer on each step. Instead it was written interview-fashion on each step and was more about psychology than theology, although God was a key character on every page. I had hoped to learn more about that kind of prayer and the steps but it really only focused on three of them. Find a really quiet place to read because it will take all your concentration to absorb what is being written. Then read it again. I gave it an average rating because while it did cover the 12 steps, it was short on contemplative prayer and was highly technical. Also, it was weak on addressing mental illnesses, just brushed over depression and not too accurately.

Bill W remarked that we should be quick to see where religious people are right. This is a case where Father Keating is at minimum helpful, and in many instances correct. The twelve steps are a disciplined approach to restoring dysfunctional addicts to a meaningful life. Its source was religion, and here we see a source of enhancement in an ancient religious practice - Centering Prayer.It's like a bridge that was extended to the helpless alcoholic to rejoin humanity, and to connect to a path, and to trudge the road of happy destiny.

Muy interesante e instructivo. Una forma relativamente fácil y al alcance de todos. de entrar en el mundo contemplativo y de las adiciones

This little book is a gem. Simple yet profound and I would recommend it to all who are on the inner journey to maturity in their spiritual life. An easy read in conversation, question, answer form. THANK YOU!

Absolutely fascinating. Truly, this book is helping me take the steps on a deeper spiritual level.

A good companion, but you really need a copy of The Big Book, and you have to do the Steps. Look on line for extra help, forums etc on what other people are doing to make the Steps work and get an idea of how to go about it. Listen to Scott L on YouTube.Father Keating and Tom S make sure to include everyone in their discussions. You don't need to be an alcoholic to benefit from this book and the 12 Step programme. Depression, eating disorders, marital abuse, gambling, shyness, anxiety, anger, fear... A couple of quid for this, a notebook and a pen. The universe wants you whole and happy.

Thomas Keating has tapped into the wisdom of the ages, he has an exceptional grasp of the human condition. I think everyone would benefit from reading this book, not just 12 steppers. We all get pulled into addictive behaviors at various times in our lives.