It is great to see a post on the twelve steps, which have been a big part of my life for some time now. Yogani speaks about using them for any addiction, and they are used by many organisations and fellowships. The traditional way to do them is to be guided through them by a sponsor, or someone who is further along the path in the steps. This system works well, then new people sponsor others who are newer and so it continues.
Each step has a spiritual principle associated with it, such as honesty, openess, wilingness and humulity, and some steps call for action such as writing, as in step 4 and step 8. Some call for sharing with another person, such as step 5. All of the steps are about a spiritual journey and step 12 speaks about a spiritual awakening and living one's life by spiritual principles.
There is an emphasis on self-responsibility in the steps, which I love, and in step 4, resentments and issues are written out in columns. The last columns focus on what part of oneself feels threatened, and looking at one's own part in any interaction that may have caused pain and anger.
The steps are a whole system and deal with changing attitudes within the individual. There are also 12 traditions, which are more about AA (or any other community) itself and set out suggestions about how it should conduct itself as a group, such as valuing anonymity, putting the good of the group first, not seeking publicity etc. This works very well and groups will remind themselves when there is any conflict, of the tradition that states that their primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
When it is remembered that there are many people in AA groups all over the world, but that there is no top-down organisation, and that AA is made up entirely of alcoholics in AA meetings, it is possible to see a genuine fellowship. Of course people are human and ego and power struggles happen, but there is also a genuine emphasis on growth and change.