Letter # 107: "The Third Step"

March, named after Mars, the Roman god of war, was the first month of the year for the Romans.
For them, Spring brought with it a time for action and war. For us, March is the third month and a time for planning our gardens, or getting seriously ready for the summer. For those of us suffering from alcoholism or other detrimental habits this third month is a good time to reflect on the Third Step of the 12-Step Program. (See Letter # 56: “The First Step” and Letter # 90: "The Second Step" for the previous two steps).
Wikipedia describes the Third Step: “We made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”
There are several interesting words in this sentence. The word decision comes first for it is so important in curbing any habit. Decision comes from the Latin word decidere "to decide," literally "to cut off," from de- "off" + cædere "to cut". Thus the decree of the third step is to cut off the old habit.
When it comes to the question of will and willpower, if Jesus can turn over his care into God’s hands, cannot we follow his example? Jesus said in submission: “Yet not as I will, but as you will." [Matthew 26:39].
The word God comes from the Proto-Indo-European *ghut- meaning "that which is invoked". Here, Third Step is alluding to the need to invoke a new power, a power above and beyond the frail mortal mind, a third party beyond the two principals of the habit and the person.
Finally, the word understand comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *nter- meaning "between, among"; compare this to the Sanskrit word antar meaning "among, between." Here, the Third Step's use of the word understand hints at an inner realization, a new intuition, the third eye so to speak.
Lord Krishna speaks of the misery that is generally in store for those who can’t move their minds into a new way of thinking: “But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness; they fall down. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.” BG 4.40.
Surrender has its benefits. The very word Islam means surrender to God. Muslims generally surrender to the ideals and laws of the Koran, and thus Muslim societies generally don’t suffer the ill consequences of addictions.
But support is needed to combat bad habits. Guru Nanak sings a super simile: “Jio mandar kau thamai thanman(u); Tio gur ka sabad(u) maneh asthanman(u), “As the pillar supports the roof of a house; So the word of God supports the mind” [SS Asht. 15 P153].
March brings in Spring with the return of the sun. Likewise, the Third Step brings in support and hope with the rising of a Higher Power.

God Bless; Allah Hu Akbar; May The Forces Of The Universe Bring You Harmony; Hare Krishna; Radha-Swami; and Nanak Naam Chardi Kala Tere Bhane Sarbat Dha Bhalla.

I wish to express my gratitude for your comments, which inspire me to carry on writing. Please forgive my fallibilities in presenting this material. Also, feel free to send this message on to someone that you might think would like to receive it. If you do send it on, my only request of you is that you send it as it is, in its entirety, and to not alter or modify any of the text, references or authorship information. Thus you will help to give credit or liability to where they are properly due.
Jas Bhopal
Copyright© 2008
References: "The Holy Bible" Online version; "The Koran" as translated by SV Mir Ahmed Ali 2005 ISBN 0-9761870-0-0); "The Bhagavad Gita As it Is" as translated by Srila Prabhupada ISBN 0-89213-268-X; The Srimad Bhagavatum as translated by Srila Prabhupada ISBN0-89213-259-0; "I Am That. Talks With Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj” ISBN 0-89386-022-0; The Dhammapada ISBN-10:1-84483-344-5; The Sacred Sukhmani ISBN 81-7205-098-4; Wikipedia.