Breathing Under Water

We are all addicted in some way. When we learn to identify our addiction, embrace our brokenness, and surrender to God, we begin to bring healing to ourselves and our world. In Breathing Under Water, Richard Rohr shows how the gospel principles in the Twelve Steps can free anyone from addiction - from an obvious dependence on alcohol or drugs to the more common but less visible addiction that we all have to sin. Richard Rohr, is one of the greatest discoveries of the Twelve Step program, America's most significant and authentic contribution to the history of spirituality. Rohr makes a case that the Twelve Steps relate well to Christian teaching and can rescue any of us who are drowning in addiction and might not even realize it-and we are all addicted in some way. To survive the tidal wave of compulsive behavior and addiction, Christians must learn "to breathe under water" and discover God's love and compassion. In this exploration of Twelve Step Spirituality, Rohr identifies the core Christian principles in the Twelve Steps, connecting them to the Gospels. 'A must-read for any person who recognizes the need to go "inward" on their soul’s journey to question what their relationship is with God, themselves, and others.' The Cord 'Rohr is a perfect writer on the subject of the 12 Steps. His easy-to-read book is essentially a commentary on each of the steps, with twelve chapters and a postscript that concisely tackles the big religious questions of human suffering, suffering with which addicts and their families are intimately acquainted. Jesus, Rohr answers, is no stranger to suffering . . . This is a good book for those in recovery from addiction and those who love them.' Publishers Weekly 'Richard Rohr continues to guide us to greater wholeness . . . his books have helped countless souls, especially those who struggle with issues of brokenness and seek transformation.' National Catholic Reporter

We are all addicted in some way. When we learn to identify our addiction, embrace our brokenness, and surrender to God, we begin to bring healing to ourselves and our world. In Breathing Under Water, Richard Rohr shows how the gospel principles in the Twelve Steps can free anyone from addiction - from an obvious dependence on alcohol or drugs to the more common but less visible addiction that we all have to sin. Richard Rohr, is one of the greatest discoveries of the Twelve Step program, America's most significant and authentic contribution to the history of spirituality. Rohr makes a case that the Twelve Steps relate well to Christian teaching and can rescue any of us who are drowning in addiction and might not even realize it-and we are all addicted in some way. To survive the tidal wave of compulsive behavior and addiction, Christians must learn "to breathe under water" and discover God's love and compassion. In this exploration of Twelve Step Spirituality, Rohr identifies the core Christian principles in the Twelve Steps, connecting them to the Gospels. 'A must-read for any person who recognizes the need to go "inward" on their soul’s journey to question what their relationship is with God, themselves, and others.' The Cord 'Rohr is a perfect writer on the subject of the 12 Steps. His easy-to-read book is essentially a commentary on each of the steps, with twelve chapters and a postscript that concisely tackles the big religious questions of human suffering, suffering with which addicts and their families are intimately acquainted. Jesus, Rohr answers, is no stranger to suffering . . . This is a good book for those in recovery from addiction and those who love them.' Publishers Weekly 'Richard Rohr continues to guide us to greater wholeness . . . his books have helped countless souls, especially those who struggle with issues of brokenness and seek transformation.' National Catholic Reporter

The beloved landmark book illuminating the spiritual journey of untangling our lives from addiction, from the bestselling author of The Tears of Things and The Universal Christ "Brother Rohr may just take you to places you've both avoided and longed for--to truth, union, joy, laughter, and, greatest of all, to your own precious self, here on earth with us, child of God."--Anne Lamott, from the foreword to Breathing Under Water In Breathing Under Water, Richard Rohr brings together the wisdom of Christian spirituality and the lived practice of the Twelve Steps, revealing how both point to the same transformative path of surrender, healing, and grace. Drawing on Scripture, psychology, and decades of pastoral experience, Rohr shows how addiction--whether to substances, behaviors, or rigid patterns of thinking--names a universal human condition rather than a personal failure. Moving through each of the Twelve Steps, Rohr reframes them as a practical, incarnational spirituality that leads not merely to sobriety but to a profound reorientation of consciousness, relationship, and desire. Addiction becomes a doorway to awakening; admitting our powerlessness becomes the first step in attaining freedom. Written in Rohr's characteristic blend of theological depth and pastoral compassion, Breathing Under Water offers a hopeful and demanding vision of recovery--one that invites readers to let go of false control, encounter a merciful God, and discover what it means to truly learn how to breathe again.