Category: Traditions

“Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy.” NEVER since it began has Alcoholics Anonymous been divided by a major controversial issue. Nor has our Fellowship ever publicly taken sides on any question in an embattled world. This, however, has been no earned virtue.… Continue reading Tradition 10

“Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio and films.” WITHOUT its legions of well-wishers, A.A. could never have grown as it has. Throughout the world, immense and favourable publicity of every description has been the principal means of bringing… Continue reading Tradition 11

“Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.” The spiritual substance of anonymity is sacrifice. Because A.A.’s Twelve Traditions repeatedly ask us to give up personal desires for the common good, we realize that the sacrificial spirit— well symbolized by anonymity— is the foundation of them… Continue reading Tradition 12

“A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.” WHEN Tradition Nine was first written, it said that “Alcoholics Anonymous needs the least possible organization.” In years since then, we have changed our minds about that. Today, we are able to say with… Continue reading Tradition 9

“Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centres may employ special workers.” ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS will never have a professional class. We have gained some understanding of the ancient words “Freely ye have received, freely give.” We have discovered that at the point of professionalism, money and spirituality do not mix. Almost no recovery… Continue reading Tradition 8

“Every A.A. group ought to be fully self supporting, declining outside contributions.” SELF-SUPPORTING alcoholics? Who ever heard of such a thing? Yet we find that’s what we have to be. This principle is telling evidence of the profound change that A.A. has wrought in all of us. Everybody knows that active alcoholics scream that they… Continue reading Tradition 7

“An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.” THE moment we saw that we had an answer for alcoholism, it was reasonable (or so it seemed at the time) for us… Continue reading Tradition 6

“Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.” AUTONOMY is a ten-dollar word. But in relation to us, it means very simply that every A.A. group can manage its affairs exactly as it pleases, except when A.A. as a whole is threatened. Comes now the same question… Continue reading Tradition 4

“The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.” THIS Tradition is packed with meaning. For A.A. is really saying to every serious drinker, “You are an A.A. member if you say so. You can declare yourself in; nobody can keep you out. No matter who you are, no matter how low… Continue reading Tradition 3

“Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.” THE unity of Alcoholics Anonymous is the most cherished quality our Society has. Our lives, the lives of all to come, depend squarely upon it. We stay whole, or A.A. dies. Without unity, the heart of A.A. would cease to beat; our world… Continue reading Tradition 1