Are the 12 Steps a distraction from Zen Practice?

Concerning enlightenment the phrase "I have nothing to teach" does not mean "There is nothing at all out there" to be taught by anyone, concerning enlightenment that is. Just sit is the usual advice. Sounds mysterious and complicated.
Asking with equanimity: What is there to be learnt really? A Simple answer of We learn how to navigate and overcome obstacles in life in order to grasp the materials needed to sustain a happy and contended life will do.
There is stuff to learn and there is Enlightenment to be realized also. These 2 do not have to be married in every Boddhisatva's journey as she navigates the obstacles in the path to realizing Enlightenment.
Alcoholism is an obstacle in life. This statement when realized is an spiritual awakening for the Buddhist Alcoholic, actually it IS THE OBSTACLE IN LIFE.
Are the 12 Steps of Alcoholic Anonymous a distraction from Zen Buddhism, from the Zen practice? The answer is a yes to anyone whose awareness of Zen, Enlightenment or Kensho is one that means "Understanding That Wisdom" that we seek to attain or "That Buddhism" that we wish to learn. Experience shows that The 12 Steps are an invaluable asset to the alcoholic in recovery Zen practitioner who is "engaged " in the process of allowing the profound personality change and sees that his ego is the source of his suffering thus makes a decision, the first 3 noble truths taken with the earnest commitment of the dying to "realize Zen and the Steps". The profound honesty needed to work the steps and the inventory work helps the recovering Zen practitioner to be more clear about realizing his True Self. How we got to embrace The 3 Treasures is part of developing compassion, not everyone has to have Hui-Neng's story.
Why the concern? The concern is natural product of conceptually comparing results on the what if basis of how can enlightenment be obtained if such individual can't put 100% focus on "the practice". This standing can happen only on the ground of conceptual events a practice that separates the Ideal from life as it is.
Can such distraction hinder enlightenment then?
Enlightenment is just an English word also Samadhi is just a word, a Sanskrit word. Now consider the following: In this modern era we have translated works of Ontology, Axiology and Philosophy blah blah from so many traditions and translated them through many languages, we as English readers when learning about Buddhism read a system of terms that have rarefied correlations to the original "flavor" of the original lecture or message. Only an idea of subject that retains the general concept yet fails to convey the accurate description of the activities of the mind, awareness and results suggested at the time and place when the message was created.
Concepts, words and ideas.
So we modern readers have been dealing with a cross platform of words that fail to deliver in the performance of Mind communicated in the original message.
What are we learning then?
When all the ancients said "I have nothing to teach" they did not mean that there is nothing to teach as in there is nothing at all out there to execute the action of any verb, nothing to see, to hear, to experience, to feel, to sing about, to breathe...
Ahh the breath such an incredible teacher, so subtle so imminent.
The breath is such a similar subject of endeavor as Dhyana which leads to Samadhi, it cannot be taught nor learnt but it must be breathed innately if you wish to live and so much the same Dhyana must be "Attended" to" if we wish the life of Samadhi.
There are obstacles in breathing for few individuals, some require iron lungs or extra oxygen.
Because of the problem of addiction was so devastating and progressively debilitating traditionally many gurus and shamans refused to accept addicted individuals because there was no therapy, method, hospital or medication to deal with the addicted human mind and body. Alcoholism is an illness of body, mind and soul. It attacks the lungs of the soul and the mind.
The 12 Steps of Alcoholic Anonymous are action driven stripped of intellectualism, the therapy and iron lungs by which a former addicted human mind and body can be given nursing until strong enough to provide for self needs and practice Dhyana daily to realize a life style of Samadhi

Meditation and Mind

What is the deal between serenity, peace of mind, spirituality, meditation and the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and Zen?
The practice of meditation transcends the need for perfect understanding of the following:

• Serenity is the absence of mental stress or anxiety, also known as Peace of Mind.
• Peace of Mind is the first victim of "The search for proof" and the need for “being right”. shows up as restlessness, fear, resentment, rage and depression from perceived failures. Peace of Mind is our first state, we simply trade our Peace for "being right" is a confident knowing of our heart and it is not a morphine like induced state.
  
• Mind: Much has been said to complicate the fact that the job of the mind is to constantly perceive the world around us, forever with Lucidity, simple. The intellect is only a small tool of the mind, forever seeking solutions leading to happiness, fairness, proof and a reasons to make sense of it all. The Intellect preoccupies with itself and its existence in anxious search for peace.confusing itself with the Mind.
• Spirituality: The English word "spirit" comes from the Latin "spiritus" (breath). The term is commonly used to refer to a supernatural being which is transcendent and therefore metaphysical in nature. Science identifies it with mind or consciousness and locates it in the brain. Complications in definition arise because of translations. from new words from other cultures and languages such as spirit, pneuma, atman, soul, ghost, geist, alma, Anima Mundi thus falling in careless use.
• Meditation: "Is the statistical science of the mind"- The Dalai Lama. Meditation enables us to have a daily paradigm shift: “An epistemological paradigm shift was called a scientific revolution by epidemiologist and historian of science Thomas Kuhn in his book The Structure of Scientific Revolutions.”-The Wikipedia writes. A paradigm shifts is about shifting our way of knowing stuff far enough to let the light of new understanding allows us to make clear sense of unexplainable anomalies, in short: Allow that illuminating moment to makes us see the hidden reality of why them or us keep on screwing up. Acceptance precedes enlightenment.

The practice of meditation transcends the need for perfect understanding of words, it leads to responding to life in Serenity.

How to do Dharana(Meditate) for non-Zen people

Method for beginners in recovery:

This method is not a traditional way of sitting just a temporary method while you normalize the life basics of your early recovery. The first year in recovery was rough for many of us.

The circles and clocks are intended complications to minimize boredom. The beginer's mind is a very busy and rebellious mind.
One pointed focus is the skill to be developed, Progress not perfection.

Setup:

* First calm down body, emotions and mind by sitting still, paying attention to your body and paying attention to your breath. Breathe deeply 12 times to calm down and say " I am powerless over what happens in the world outside me yet am breathing and becoming calm." ... then
* Visualize in front of you a Circle with 4 marks: 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock. ...then
* Command your mind to engage your concentration on the Breath, the Circle and the Marks. Firmly and gently. Easy does it.

How to:
So we Breathe deeply for 12 times that will calm you down and say silently " I am breathing and becoming calm and peaceful and serene. We are aware that we are powerless over the world outside us (Step 1)

1. Now we are relaxed and gently begin: Set the mark at 3 o'clock.
2. We breath in and hold for a comfortable moment
3. then breath out, hold for a comfortable moment
4. Now we are more relaxed and gently Set to the mark at 6 o'clock
5. And do as above in points 2 and 3.
6. Now be relaxed and gently move and set the mark at 9 o'clock
7. And do as above in points 2 and 3.
8. Now be relaxed and gently move and set the mark at 12 o'clock
9. And do as above in points 2 and 3.


Do this for 10 to 15 minutes to start with.
if you can do this daily for 2 weeks then increase the time to 30 minutes and then in about few month try 45 minutes.

Foreword: What is Spirituality in the 12 Step process.

The 12 Step process of recovery uses a set of spiritual tools, using only a few of the vast amount of spiritual principles on the daily basis and in all aspects of our lives.

Two professionals from Vermont founded the 12 Steps of addiction recovery with a keen Yankee simple way of looking at things. They both were members of a Spiritual group by the name of The Oxford group.

Spirituality is not the same as Religion. Just as someone does not need to know the principles of aerodynamics do well at selling or buying airplane rides to Bahamas, no is in need to be a priest, shaman nor Guru to practice Spiritual principles.

Simplicity was the lesson distilled from early experience of failures and successes

There is a wide gate to embracing Spirituality, Step 11 sugestion of Prayer and Meditation. Some relapse until understand and know sufficiently enough to surrender and be willing to have faith in this process.

Meditating under the principles of Dharana and Dhyana way that leads to Samadhi is used used universally under different names and through various traditions but you can see its essence when you practice. As much as 18th and 19th century theologians tried to undermine Martin Luther's mystical writings The ecstasy of Christian practice has the same elements as other exstasies or samadhis

Dharana is the word used for the specific practice of the sixth of the eight steps of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga.

Dharana means keeping the mind steady and concentrated:

1. 1st. state(ksipta): This is the state where the mental forces are scattered, being in disarray and in the state of neglect. Here the mind hankers after objects.
2. 2nd. state(viksipta): This is the state where the mind is agitated and distracted. Here there is a capacity to enjoy the fruits of one's efforts, but the desires are not marshaled and controlled.
3. 3d. state(mudha): This is the state in which the mind is foolish, dull and stupid. It is confounded and at a loss to know what it wants and here the quality of darkness and ignorance predominates.
4. 4th state(ekegarra): The meaning of this state is One Foremost state, where the mind is closely attentive and the mental faculties are concentrated on a single object or focused on one point only quality of goodness and purity prevailing.

Zen utilizes koans to assist in the achieving of this states. In Christianity the use of repetitive short prayers Such as "Jesus have mercy on me" are used for same purpose as koans.

Step 11 is a gate to reach out in the world and grab your own method of Spiritual Practice.