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     This week, our boy turned twelve. They say twelve is when you come of age? Maybe have a barmitzvah? No, we’re not Jewish, but it is the age of accountability, of recognizing the world around you, of realizing the changes in your body, heck, realizing you have a body- with all them parts.

       Since he had to go to school on his birthday, (and we are so grateful for school being back in session and he gets to go.)  But since he had to go, we let him pick a place to eat on his b day, In & Out, he loves cheese burgers.  😊 My husband & I gave him a little cupcake and card and sang. The next day I picked him up from school a little early and took him & his cousin to a trampoline place, a movie and Panda. 

     On Saturday, we had a little gathering at home for him. This morning, I took him to a Denny’s breakfast. Anyway, he’s basically had like a four-day celebration of his twelfth year, which is great.

     So, it got me to thinking about twelve and what it means.  I am not into numerology or anything, but I do know there is a lot of significance in the number twelve.   So, it got me to thinking about twelve and what it means.  I am not into numerology or anything, but I do know there is a lot of significance in the number twelve. Starting Luke 2:40-52, Jesus was hang’n in temple when he was 12!  I have been telling our boy that when he turns twelve, things will change for him and how he sees the world.  

 Here are some things I found out about twelve.

• Twelve is the number of what is completed, which forms a whole, a perfect and harmonious unit. In the ancient civilizations, like Oriental and Judaic, it corresponds to the plenitude, the completion and the integrality of a thing. R. Allendy tells that it expresses the idea that the Universe forms a whole, associated with the idea of differentiation – 10 + 2.
• Represent the manifestation of the Trinity to the four corners of the horizon – 3 X 4.
• Symbolize the command and the good, and governs the space and the time, that is to say the operation of the Cosmos, from where its designation of cosmic number.
• Symbol of material and spiritual food, because of the 12 breads which Jesus Christ broke to the Last Supper, Himself being the Bread of Life.
• Number attributed to the government of the world or the cosmos.
• It is the creative capacity, and in some religions, it expresses also the Divine Mother.
• The twelve animals of the Chinese horoscope: the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Cat, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Cock, the Dog and the Pig.
• The twelve lunar years in the Chinese lunar calendar forming the complete cycle which lasts sixty years.
• There are twelve principal divinities in the Greek mythology.
• The twelve names of the Sun in Sanskrit, which are pronounced such as the mantras.
• In the Japanese cosmology, the Creator is sat on twelve sacred cushions.
• There would be twelve Universe and the earth would belong the twelfth. And in this twelfth Universe, there would be twelve different solar systems.
• The twelve petals of the Anahata Chakra located in the area of the heart and the twelve petals of the corolla of the Sahasrara Chakra located a the top of the head.
• According to some testimonies, there would be on the planet twelve rich families which would be at the base of a “secret government” whom their only goal would be to direct and to enslave the whole world by the power of money. This government would have a seizure on United Nations, the military, the agencies of information, the World Bank and of any tool making it possible to make and to act as they want. According to other sources, this secret government would be rather a meeting of multinational and twelve rich families. Some authors see even in this secret government an analogy with the Beast of the Revelation.
• Our solar system would be composed of twelve planets. There remains only one planet to be discovered by the man among the eleven remaining ones since one of them was destroyed. That orbiting beyond Pluto was discovery in 1993. That to discover would orbit between Mars and Jupiter. Both would have approximately the size of Mars planet.
• Twelve is the number of the disciples accompanying the great Masters of the history: the 12 apostles of the Christ; the 12 disciples choose by Mahomet to spread his doctrine; the 12 minor flamines beside the Pontiff Maximus; the 12 first companions of St. Francis of Assisi; the 12 disciples of Confucius; the 12 disciples of Mithra; the 12 descendants of Ali; the 12 companions of Odin, with also the 12 goddesses for women; the 12 marshals of Napoleon.
• In the Islamic religion, there are the twelve imams. The imam is the preferential intermediary between the men and God. For the Shiites, he should be descent of Ali, son-in-law of Mahomet. The twelfth imam having disappeared at age of four years old, in 260 of the Hegira (873), with the death of his father, he had no successor and he was considered alive.
• The twelve gods of Egypt whose Hercules was the chief.
• The twelve tables of the shield of Achilles which represent the social and the agricultural life during each month, starting with January.
• The twelve “fevers” of the Russian popular tradition.
• The twelve provinces that Râ visits each day by passing one hour in each one of them.
• The twelve animals of the Chinese dances included in the ceremony of the change of year.
• The twelve imposing rooms of the Scandinavian paradise.
• The twelve virtues and the twelve vices of Our Lady of Paris.
• The twelve solo circuits which made taking part the quadrigae in the races of tank of ancient Greece.
• The twelve rooms of the Hell corresponding to the twelve nocturnal hours of the eschatology doctrines of Valentine.
• The twelve lions decorating the steps of the throne of Solomon in the Arab legends.
• The twelve seats surrounding the throne of Odin.
• Measured by the passage of the twelve moons (29 days and half each time), the lunar year counts only 354 days.
• Twelve is the first number known as “abundant” since the sum of its dividers (aliquot parts) gives a result higher than 12:
• The twelve gates of the human body of the man – 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 nostrils, the mouth, 2 breasts, the navel, the anus and the penis.
• The human cell has twelve biochemical salts.
• The twelve ganglions in the human body.
• The pure light would be made up, not of 7, but of 12 colors.
• The twelve semitones derived from the seven notes of the scale.

Occurrence

• The number 12 is used 189 times in the Bible.
• The Gospel of Thomas uses on the whole 12 different numbers: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 24, 60, 99, 100, 120, 1000 and 10000. The sum of each of their individual occurrence gives as total 36.
• The word Gehenna is used 12 times in the Bible, the 12 times in the NT. In the Gospel of John, 12 times the Christ is designated as the Son of Man.

The meaning of 12, which is considered a perfect number, is that it symbolizes God’s power and authority, as well as serving as a perfect governmental foundation. It can also symbolize completeness or the nation of Israel as a whole.

     We also have the twelve months, the twelve days of Christmas. The clock has twelve numbers, with each twelve-separating day from night- basically.  So, what’s the big deal? Well, I think I’m beginning to see how the twelve steps were definitely a divine appointment. 

     The Twelve steps (and the twelve traditions) are basically my set of rules for living life, not just to get and stay clean, but also as a daily guide through real life.  How to handle all that life throws at me.  Birth, death, illness, addict children, horrible bosses, mean spirts, government, loss, gain, achievement and failure. In fact, I worked all my twelve steps this week with my sponsor.  It always feels good to clean the webs, and get some clarity on where I’m at and where I go from here, God’s will prevailing.

       I know that when Bob Smith and Bill W. got together through the Oxford group and decided to use that groups basic format as a pattern for helping others, which was only six steps then, they had a divine calling. The steps are pretty much taken right out of the Bible, the Oxford group was a Christian organization and if you look closely, you will find all of the steps in the Bible in one way or another.  That is because they are so basic to a spiritual life, using the Spiritual Principles biblically based.

     Bob and Bill sat down, knowing what they know about alcoholics, recovery and the whole deal, the twelve steps were born.  It was part of a keep it simple idea to break down those six Oxford steps and make them into manageable sizes for the newly sober alcoholic to understand them much easier.   

     For almost ninety years that formula has been working to restore countless lives, families and communities to better health and sanity in daily living.  What a concept- 12!

Question of the Week:  What do you think of the twelve steps? What step are you on?

1. Admitted hopeless
2. Got Honest with self
3. Got honest with another
4. Made Amends
5. Helped other without demand
6. Prayed to God as you understand Him

Ever
Apr/1953  Bill W.
Original AA steps

These are the original Oxford Group six steps.