Statistics on the scope of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and many other 12-step programs that specialize in different forms of recovery are somewhat elusive due to the inherent anonymity of the group; AA reports having members in approximately 180 countries around the world and over 123,000 individual AA groups. While AA itself is a relatively young institution, only nearly 90 years since its founding in Ohio, the concepts of healing and recovery from addiction have their roots in the oldest human societies. The 12 Steps: Symbols, Myths, and Archetypes of Recovery (Taschen, June 2024) Explores ideas about addiction and its treatment in the arts from ancient times to the present day, through the specific lens developed by Alcoholics Anonymous and its associated literature.
Central to this narrative, of course, are the eponymous 12 steps. A section breaks each step down to its core principles, which are then illustrated through works of art and literature. The first step, summarized as “acknowledge powerlessness,” is echoed in Edvard Munch’s Despair (1894), JMW Turner’s Snowstorm – Steamboat at the Harbor Entrance (1842), Kiki Smith’s Sueño (1992), and even the Ptolemaic reliefs from the Temple of Haroeris and Sobek in Egypt’s Nile Valley dating from 332 BC. Each captures the devastation, chaos, and turmoil of a losing battle against alcoholism and other related illnesses – a battle that has driven millions to seek help.
In addition to detailing step work in the form of art history, the book explores other tools for mental and physical healing, such as psychologist Carl Jung’s concepts of connection, powerlessness, and the “shadow self”; myths of transformation, including the hero’s journey; and portals to expanded consciousness, such as sacred trance, holy ecstasy, and what Massara calls the “dark night of the soul.” The so-called “Flammarion print,” an unnamed woodcut depicting a pilgrim piercing the celestial canopy to witness the underlying mechanisms of the universe, first appeared in astronomer Camille Flammarion’s 1888 book, The Flammarion Print. Atmosphere: Popular Meteorology （Atmosphere: Popular Meteorology) This study showed Addiction isn’t the only trait that has plagued humans since the dawn of humanity, and curing its devastating effects can tap into another natural human tendency: curiosity to look beyond everyday reality to glimpse what higher forces might govern life as we know it.
Whether as a companion read for art lovers in the recovery community or as a fascinating look at the history of addiction and recovery art, 12 steps It offers a wealth of information and insights into this often taboo subject. Ultimately, it encapsulates one of AA’s most valuable philosophies: that even the depths of addiction can be transformed into valuable inspirational moments for ourselves and each other through sharing and connection.
