Breathing Under Water: Spirituality and the Twelve Steps

TENTH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Every one of us suffers from some sort of addiction. For some, it might be a television series, while others struggle with a crippling reliance on drugs or alcohol. The cycle of dependency always leaves you wanting more; you are never satisfied no matter how much you indulge. If you are ready to break the unfulfilling cycle and experience internal freedom, this insightful book offers an optimistic view and can support you on your journey.

＂Brother Rohr may just take you to places you’ve both avoided and longed for, to truth, union, joy, laughter, and, greatest of all, to your own precious self, here on earth with us, child of God.＂--Anne Lamott, from the foreword.

To survive the tidal wave of compulsive behavior and addiction, Christians must learn ＂to breathe under water＂ and discover God’s love and compassion. Globally recognized spirituality author Richard Rohr says we can only be healed and find true fulfillment by facing our dependencies head-on. Rohr connects the gospels to the core of the Christian faith in the Twelve Steps. This prophetic book guides you to disentangle from cultural cycles of sin and emptiness, discover how to get free from your personal toxic dependencies, learn how the Twelve Step program can supplement Christian teaching, find compassion for others and yourself, and enjoy a deeper spiritual life, feeling certain of God’s love for you. We cannot stop the addictive culture that surrounds us, but we can become free of it and build ＂a coral castle and learn to breathe under water.＂

Richard Rohr is a globally recognized ecumenical teacher whose work is grounded in Christian mysticism, practices of contemplation and self-emptying, and compassion for the marginalized. He is a Franciscan priest of the New Mexico province and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, where he also serves as academic dean of the Living School for Action and Contemplation. Fr. Richard is the author of many books, most recently, The Universal Christ: How a Forgotten Reality Can Change Everything We See, Hope For, and Believe.