The Greatest Gifts of All can Neither be Easily Described, Nor Defined – Step 2

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“The human
body is vapor
materialized by sun
shine mixed with
the life of the
stars.” Paracelsus (1493 – 1541) Renaissance Swiss German founder of toxicology on spiritual gifts

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Question ::: What are some of the ‘gifts’ or benefits you’ve experienced lately?

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Hammer Time Flash Mob: Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA (1:37)

Secrets of the Ancients, Machu Picchu & Pyramids Meditation (9:37)

An Analysis of: The Greatest Gifts of All can Neither be Easily Described, Nor Defined – Step 2

Today’s SFZ proposes that “the greatest gifts of all can neither be easily described, nor defined,” and resonates deeply in Step Two of recovery. This step invites faith—a concept elusive, yet transformative. Faith, as It Works: How & Why explains, is often a belief in the intangible. The text speaks of a miraculous release from addiction, a shift that defies logic but is real for many. William James, in The Varieties of Religious Experience, notes that faith is less about belief than about a willingness to act “as if” the unseen were true. This aligns with the experiential nature of recovery—faith is proven in practice.

The Big Book reinforces this, offering a democratic spirituality. It claims anyone, regardless of background, can form a relationship with a higher power through honesty and willingness. This echoes Carl Jung’s view that healing involves restoring contact with a greater wholeness. Jung wrote that the alcoholic’s craving was a “thirst for wholeness”—a spiritual hunger only faith can satisfy.

Paracelsus adds a poetic dimension. By calling the body “vapor materialized by sunshine and the life of the stars,” he connects us to the cosmos. His view mirrors modern insights from physics and metaphysics alike. As Carl Sagan once put it, “We are star stuff.” In this light, faith becomes not an escape from reality, but a deeper immersion in it.

Step Two, then, does not ask for certainty. It asks for openness. Faith may be invisible, but in recovery, it often becomes undeniable.

Comments

8 responses to “The Greatest Gifts of All can Neither be Easily Described, Nor Defined – Step 2”

May 12, 2025

E-dawg

The gift for me today is the obsession being removed… not dwelling on the past or the future but being able to be content right now today that is a precious gift

Reply
May 12, 2025

Madison JonesMcAleese

Honesty and openness are both key ways we work on becoming vulnerable. Vulnerable with ourselves, with our community, and with our higher power. It is a practice to continue vulnerability, but we do this through trust.

Reply
May 12, 2025

Sabrina J

Today is the Present. Is there any wonder why another word for present is gift? There is no other certainty but this very moment, the gift of now and the present of today. In a reality where all too often the mind may choose to wonder into past hurts or future ideation, being mindful in the momement is the way in which the present is unlocked and the gift received.

When we listen to people that are considered the best in their field, they often speak of time slowing down, full concentration on the present moment for maximum focus. This is a beautiful reminder of how to be aware and present right now and not be distracted by that which is not important to the moment of now and the task at hand.

THank you for the gift of now, for truly it is our present.

Reply
May 13, 2019

Misty S.

Good morning that was a great analogy of how my addiction can eat me I am so grateful to be a part of .Being in the moment and be in the middle of the pack as opposed to living alone. I really appreciate a new Perspective everyday helps me to want to be clean and sober and develop a relationship with the universe to have a life beyond my wildest dreams have a great day

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May 10, 2013

Br. Buddha

Good morning everyone + Happy Friday. Here is today’s thought. We are of one family. A family that has no race, money, age, social standing, sexual orientation, or anything else that makes us different from each other. But we do have our God given gifts + talents. So, join our family. We are all God has + who knows what all God, through us, can do. Blessings. BB

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August 13, 2012

Adam

Omg, the Hammer time video is hilarious. My having faith has to do with knowing that anything I can’t control will be handled by my higher power. And, things don’t always turn out the way I think they should. My understanding of my God is that goodness doesn’t always win, but it is the way it was meant to be. And that I will never understand that completely. In the absence of control, all I have is my faith that God has it handled. The hardest part of letting go for me is knowing things aren’t going to always turn out good.

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May 11, 2012

JB jr.

I see my greatest gift is the ability to imagine what has never been before. Today I was really pleased and grateful for the ideas that sprang from they USFZ design session today.

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May 10, 2012

Margot E.

For me, working the 12-Steps has been a great equalizer. I believe that we all want two things in this life: to love and to be loved. I learned last night that my ex-husband has transitioned out of the body. He taught me my first lessons about alcoholism, co-dependency, and dreams deferred. Today, I can be with my daughter as she grieves for her father; and for that I am grateful. Adios, John. See you around the universe!

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