How To Find A Higher Power That Makes Sense To You

How To Find A Higher Power That Makes Sense To You

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? This conversation between host Arlina Allen and guest Sonia Kahlon digs into that question by zooming in on Step Two and the tricky idea of a "higher power". Sonia arrives as a long‑term sober woman and co‑host of the Sisters in Sobriety podcast, admitting she has never been a fan of Step Two.

Her issue starts with the word "sanity" and with AA language she finds dated, even bristling at old terms and male‑centred stories. As she jokes about yelling at "Fred" on the audio version of the Big Book, anyone who has ever rolled their eyes at recovery literature will probably feel seen.

Arlina offers a different angle, sharing how a sponsor once told her that "the whole point of a 12‑step is to help you gain access to a higher power" and that the real question is: how do you find a power that makes sense to you?

Together they unpack sanity as the cycle of "I’m never doing this again" followed by repeating the same behaviour, and talk about higher power as anything that helps create a pause between impulse and reaction.

You’ll hear practical exercises from Arlina’s *12‑Step Guide for Skeptics*, like writing a list of the qualities you’d want in a higher power and looking for evidence of it through synchronicity, awe, music, and those uncanny "God shots" where someone says exactly what you needed to hear. Sonia shares how she sees spirituality as flexible and evolving, while Arlina leans into ideas like a "master organiser" and the inner compass that shows up when she pauses instead of reacting.

They also touch on trauma, shame, and why understanding the mechanics of addiction still leaves the question: "Now what?" The answer, they suggest, often lives in that quiet space before you act. If the God talk in the steps has ever turned you off, this chat might have you asking: what kind of higher power could actually work for you today?