I have been listening to this program since I got clean over 4 years ago. I listened to this particular episode the day it aired and have been thinking about on a regular basis.

I am sad that the traditions were violated. It has to do with the safety of the individual as well as the group. In the literature of Narcotics Anonymous it states: "'personal recovery depends on NA unity', and that unity depends on how well we follow our Traditions. The Twelve Traditions of NA are not negotiable. They are the guidelines that keep our Fellowship alive and free." While some say it is the person's choice, it is not. These people broke their anonymity in order to sell books and no other reason!

I am also disappointed with the narrow view of the 12-step programs. What about atheists? There is more than just "God". The people in recovery programs have a more broad idea of a higher power then what was represented.

I enjoyed very much your interview with the member of AA who is also a Buddhist. It was wonderful to hear Bill W. reading the 11th Step. I believe, however, that your guest made a mistake by identifying himself by his first AND last name. In meetings and in the AA literature, there are constant reminders about AA's tradition of anonymity, after all it's part of the fellowship's name. There is a saying in AA the Twelve Steps are "how it works," and the the Twelve Traditions are "why" it works. I hope your guest will get this message and recall the importance of Traditions 11 and 12:

Tradition 11 -"Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain our personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films."

Tradition 12 - "Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all of our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities."

I have been sober for 3 years and 9 months. I regularly attend AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and CMA (Crystal Meth Anonymous) meetings in Atlanta.

It may seem silly to some, but hearing Bill W's voice on your show brought me to tears. The program he put into 12 simple Steps has saved my life. Bill W is a total "rock star" to me.

Your show takes the most amazing looks at the many facets of faith in the world and I just had to thank you. There is so much more that I want to say, but I am actually a bit overcome with emotion even writing this email.

This wonderful program came on the air in Quebec around 6 am on Sunday morning when I was unable to sleep and clicked on accidently. As a person in recovery, I clung to the words of the speakers with great attention as it is so rare to hear one speak so eloquently on "being discovered through Christ while in recovery" Many shares on this topic do not touch the depth found in the program as it seems we do not see HIM easily, nor do we talk about the presence of a power greater than myself easily. I will share this wonderful gift with others in the 12 step groups here in Montreal … Blessings to you

I really loved but mostly disliked the last program on addiction and recovery. I've been a member of AA since 1989. I hold strong objection to you having on two guests that are opening violating the most sacred tradition that AA has, which is anonymity.

I also understand and appreciate you having guests on your show that are on the fringe of tradition. In this case, however, I don't think you did those suffering from alcoholism or drug addiction any useful service. What was talked about on the program was really only useful for those of us advanced in the 12 step way of life, and really of no use for those looking for a way out. Having been around a while in AA, your program put a rather daunting spin on being sober, from the newcomers point of view.

I love your program, but please leave AA to AA. Let us do our own work. Please respect out tradition of anonymity, even though your future guests may not.

As someone who has recently come to the Twelve Steps, but who has been on spiritual journey for quite a while, I found your program on Spirituality and the Twelve Steps fascinating. I have come to recovery through a group called Emotions Anonymous, which like Overeaters Anonymous, is an group which can not give up the thing we are addicted to, but through which we must learn to deal with it.

Hearing Susan Cheever speak about Bill Wilson and how he was purposely vague and/or evasive about what the "Higher Power" mentioned in the Steps actually is, helps me to understand why that is left up to the individual and how deeply respectful of the human person that is.

When one of the guests spoke of how there is no "one way" to do the Steps, I found that very freeing also. Since perfectionism is a common character flaw in those who come into recovery, such a perspective says there is no one perfect way to do the Steps.

As one who comes to the Steps from a Catholic Christian perspective, I found the Buddhist explanation intersting. It confirms the ecumenical genius of the Twelve Steps, because I can look at them and find ways in which they confirm my Catholic beliefs and practices.

I found it fascinating that one of your guests suggested that there is a spiritual root to addiction. There is a Fr. Richard Rohr, who has spoken on the subject of AA. In his CD Breathing Underwater he maintains that in his experience most addicts had some sort of spiritual experience of the God and that their addiction is a result of attempting to recreate or recover that experience in inappropriate ways.

As a person who is trying to figure out how my spiritual journey and my recovery journey complement one another I feel that the principal of letting go of control and surrendering to a Higher Power is one of the places where that journey comes together. Both my faith tradition and the Twelve Steps tell me that this is the way to become whole/holy. With the help of my Higher Power and the Twelve Steps, I am on the way to becoming whole/holy.

By the way, I am using a pseudonym, since your comments page requires a name and town, but I wish to remain anonymous in accordance with the principles of the Twelve Steps.

We live in an age of profound imbalance between head and heart. It is the age of ego-centrism to the extreme. At the same time movements galore are recognizing said imbalance and the price we all pay. Fear-based disorders are thus epidemic (no power creates fear). Alcoholics — 1/6th of the population statistically — have an allergy to a substance, though, that when consumed, creates an artificial experience that instantly balances head and heart. As we alcoholics say often, everything that was wrong with me went away in an instant.

Today we teach just about 0 skills in our culture anymore that manifest in the crucial feelings and skills of well-being. Addiction is an external attempt to create an artificial experience of inner power. For 1/6 of the people they have a body that reacts abnormally to alcohol, providing an artificial experience of inner power. Spirituality is very simply about power — real power — inside; power that never harms and always heals and protects and provides infinitely. — but always mysterious and loving.

Step 1 becomes far more palatable to many — especially anyone who has experienced disempowerment — when restated as: There is no power function in my mind between my ears; and when I start to think there is, my life becomes unmanageable.

Rather, my head-self functions as a servant while my heart-self functions as master (ie power-related functions). Both are here to be balanced and accurately used. Both are a part of each person. In the heart empowerment and sobriety and mystical peace are found. God concepts can infinitely fit in this model.

In recovery one is set up via the process of the 12 steps to finally experience inner power accurately — in the heart, if you will — that will translate over time into their lives, skills, and relationships. For abuse victims who have been horribly disempowered, they get to re-experience their own inner power, the kind that never hurts anyone and can never be taken away from them. It is mind blowing what one sees in AA in this way.

Recovery becomes a process of balancing the WHOLE mind, ie head (ego mind) and heart (heart mind) both vs the old way of trying to find power via an artificial experience of the heart via addictive substances, relationships, and practices etc.