I follow the instructions in the Big Book on pages 86 to 88. These are vital and not to be avoided. However, page 87 does suggest being quick (not slow) to see where religious people are right. The religious have gone before us in establishing paths to spiritual awakening. Although the instructions in the book 'Alcoholics Anonymous' are surely sufficient to have the first spiritual awakening and in promoting and furthering more, I would be a fool not to take any other help I can get.
I gain much from dipping into various traditions as necessary for the odd idea here or the odd quotation there.
I gain more from taking a tradition or a writer and following its practices or implementing her or his ideas consistently over a period of months and years.
If my utterly bankrupt thought system requires dismantling through the Steps, it surely needs rebuilding along new lines. One or a small team of consistent architects is better than many conflicting ones or none.
A question to anyone wanting to grow spiritually:
What author are you currently reading as a consistent, medium- to long-term project? How are you implementing the guidance? What meditation practice are you applying? What are you doing to grow more in the understanding of the spiritual system that underpins that practice?