The most life changing 14 pages I've ever read were in Chapter 4 of Alcoholics Anonymous - "We Agnostics". The beauty of this programme is that the Higher Power accords with each individual's understanding.  I have seen religious people, agnostics and atheists - with extremely divergent understandings of a Higher Power - recover. In SA, nobody's conception of a Higher Power is deemed to be right or wrong.

Growing up with religion, I spent much time and effort finding reasons for "not belonging". So, when I joined SA, I naturally looked for reasons why "this Higher Power thing" wouldn't work for me. My sponsor listened compassionately to all my reasoning. (I am an intellectual guy, in fact, I'm so smart that I became a sexaholic.) After a while, he asked me to spend a week not focusing on "why this HP thing would not work" and instead consider what aspects of believing in a Higher Power could work for me. So I adopted the attitude "take what you like and forget the rest". (My sponsor gives me a different perspective on things and this change in perspective had a HUGE impact on my Step 2.)

One of my atheist friends likes to compare his Higher Power to following the stream of life, rather then fighting the currents. I find that a useful image. In the end, SA does not define what a Higher Power is. We are invited to determine that ourselves, based on our individual experiences, strength and hope. Before programme, my view of my Higher Power was very distorted but I rewrote my viewpoint and that has worked for me. May everyone find their own path by keeping an open heart and mind to the possibilities that lead to recovery!