Conscious Contact: Prayer, Will, and the 11th Step

In this deeply reflective episode of Blindsight, host Bill Lundgren and returning guest Joe dive into Step 11 of the 12-Step Program: “Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood God, praying only for knowledge of God’s will for us and the power to carry that out.” Together, they explore the tension and beauty in surrendering our will, discuss the spiritual ambiguity many newcomers wrestle with, and unpack the core purpose of prayer and meditation in recovery—not as a way to get what we want, but to align ourselves with something far more trustworthy: God’s will. With honesty and care, the conversation touches on religious trauma, the fluidity of the "higher power" concept, and the sacred act of showing up each morning and simply asking. Bill and Joe also unpack the Prayer of St. Francis, the importance of not running the show, and why taking it easy isn’t laziness—it’s wisdom. ⏱️ Chapter Markers: 00:00 – Welcome to Blindsight 01:15 – What is Step 11? 02:15 – Joe’s background with God entering recovery 04:00 – Religious trauma and spiritual abuse 06:30 – Higher Power vs “God” terminology 07:45 – Bill W, Carl Jung, and Benedictine roots 09:15 – “Upon awakening…” – morning meditation guidance 12:30 – Asking for freedom from self-will 13:50 – “Take it easy” and the myth of urgency 14:30 – Ambition, success, and God’s will 17:00 – Suffering, Job, and the mystery of evil 19:00 – The Prayer of St. Francis 21:30 – Self-care vs. helping others 23:00 – The trap of codependency and false humility 26:30 – The train-and-candle metaphor 28:15 – Richard Rohr, atheism, and a hostile universe 30:00 – Drops of God: how to seek and notice 31:50 – Final thoughts: “Keep coming back. It works.” 📞 Contact Us Got feedback? Questions? Want to share your story? 📧 Email: [email protected] 📞 Call/Text: 720-712-8856