Traditions 1 through 12

1. Each member of Alcoholics Anonymous is but a small part of a great whole. AA must continue to live or most of us will surely die. Hence our common welfare comes first. But individual welfare follows close afterward.

This is not what we usually see as tradition one because this is the long form, which I'm going to use because I feel that they lose the spirit in the short form. So we will use this form for all the traditions in this series.

The spirits of these traditions are unity. This is where the problem lies with us, how despite our differences do we stay united? How, us self centered to the extreme, fear driven alcoholics become a small part of a great whole? How do we put the welfare of others ahead of our own and allow ourselves to closely follow? The answer to these questions lies in the next tradition. So we are given this dilemma since fellowships have seen the importance of one alcoholic sharing with another as the solution. The Emmanuel Movement, The Washingtonians and The Oxford Group are all fellowships before AA that eventually fell apart and were much stronger and bigger than AA.

So we have learned from the mistakes of others of what not to do and of what to do. So if you are helping others, realize your experience is needed whether it is what to do or what not to do, both very powerful. God is big!!!!

To me what stands out of my experience is that we can't do this alone, Humility shows us that. So in order for me to get sober I needed a person who has had an experience with the 12 steps out of the big book to show me how to get sober, so there is already two people. Now that I have had an experience with these principles I needed to pass it on to others to grow, so there again is two. So you see we cant do this alone, the common welfare is much greater than my own personal recovery because without someone else I can't survive.

So how do we allow ourselves to be a small part of a great whole and put the common welfare before our personal recovery? The answer is that we let God run the show in our lives through these steps and let God run our groups and AA as a whole through informed group conscience, He becomes our Ultimate Authority. Trust in Him.

2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority-a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience.

This is how we find a solution to the problem presented in tradition 1. Which just to recap is, how do we became a small part of a great whole and place the common welfare ahead of our own to allow for unity in this fellowship. We do this by allowing God to become the ultimate authority on things. So here is where I believe you need to have the responsibility lie in an informed group conscience. If you have members of your group who are not practicing the principles out of the big book laid out in the steps and traditions then its hard to be informed and clearly God isn't going to get a word in that business meeting or decisions. So I don't believe you need time to participate in group stuff but should be currently active in principles. AA is simple one alcoholic sharing with another, but we have things that help support that and in order for us to stay unified to allow that to function we put God in charge and just show up to serve.

To allow for a informed group conscience, besides having members informed about our principles, should put things into a vote and always allow the minority a chance to speak and then vote again to see if that changes the vote, we will come to Agreement on things and respect that even is not what "I" wanted its best for group.

3. Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought AA membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an AA group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.

This tradition defiantly lost its spirit when broken down to short form. There is a word that is in the long form, its alcoholism. So here lies the dilemma because different members have different views on what alcoholism is. Some think it's a drinking problem and some think it's a spiritual illness, which the big book refers to it as or spiritual malady. If you're not sure, look in the big book. So tradition three says all who suffer alcoholism are welcome, and as long as they want recovery we can't refuse them. Funny because most people don't want recover when they come to AA and we still don't refuse them LOL. So we also don't do membership based on money or conformity of any sort. So you don't have to contribute to basket or don't have to work steps or traditions. We don't need police running around AA telling people what to do, that's not our job. We offer our experience to those who wish to have it. This way we make time our friend not enemy. If our real purpose is to be maximum service to God and His kids then if we are beating people over the head with this stuff we do a disservice and when they want help are defiantly not going to ask us and have bad taste with AA in their mouth. When we allow ever person the right to choice to live as they see fit, we show love and tolerance, because it is our code and when they are ready on their time not ours, we are in a position to help. Also says that any two or three people gather are a group, so long as NO other affiliation. So as long as you don't affiliate yourselves with anything other than AA, you're a group. Simple

4. With respect to its own affairs, each AA group should be responsible to no other authority than its own conscience. But when its plans concern the welfare of neighboring groups also, those groups ought to be consulted. And no group, regional committee, or individual should ever take any action that might greatly affect AA as a whole without conferring with the trustees of the General Service Board. On such issues our common welfare is paramount.

Wow! I bet you didn't think there was all that in this tradition. So it is very simple though. Pretty much, all those misinformed members who say that group cant do this or they cant do that. Yes they can! They are responsible to them selves, so long as doesn't affect other groups or AA as a whole. So where do we draw the line? I'm not even going to get into that because it's just not worth my breath. If you would like friendly conversation you can email or call me. This also holds true to not just groups, but district, area, and so on. They too must follow by traditions or pay a spiritual price.

5. Each Alcoholics Anonymous group ought to be a spiritual entity having but one primary purpose-that of carrying its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.

This tradition is the most looked over tradition when forming groups, and unfortunately the most important. First and foremost again it tells us that each group is its own entity, its own spiritual entity. Also that each group has only ONE PRIMARY PURPOSE. That purpose, primary purpose is to CARRY ITS MESSAGE TO THE ALCOHOLIC WHO STILL SUFFERS. I would like to say that it is very healthy that different groups have different messages, we in AA really have only one message. Which is as a result of these steps, we have had a spiritual awakening and then we practice principles in all affairs and carry this message. So every Ice Cream parlor has one purpose, to serve ice cream, but different ones have different flavors. So we as groups have different flavors of this message. I would like to look at the word "its" in this tradition and it will show you that each group has "its" own message. So as a group, what is your groups message? Do you make that the primary purpose to carry that message? Also if you are in a group and don't like the message of the group, why are you in it? Once you have made your message, all decisions in group conscience should be subject to is this going to enhance or distract us from our primary purpose. Makes life so simple. I want to add that it doesn't say carry to newcomer, all this talk every where about the newcomer being most important. What about the person who has been around for awhile who is dying, are they important?

6. Problems of money, property, and authority may easily divert us from our primary spiritual aim. We think, therefore, that any considerable property of genuine use to AA should be separately incorporated and managed, thus dividing the material from the spiritual. An AA group, as such, should never go into business. Secondary aids to AA, such as clubs or hospitals which require much property or administration, ought to be incorporated and so set apart that, if necessary, they can be freely discarded by the groups. Hence such facilities ought not to use the AA name. Their management should be the sole responsibility of those people who financially support them. For clubs, AA managers are usually preferred. But hospitals, as well as other places of recuperation, ought to be well outside AA-and medically supervised. While an AA group may cooperate with anyone, such cooperation ought never to go so far as affiliation or endorsement, actual or implied. An AA group can bind itself to no one.

This one is a little long. I can see why they wanted to shorten it. So pretty much, we don't want to get distracted from our one primary purpose which is one alcoholic sharing with another on individual and group level. So we have meetings to support this service and are set up to carry the groups message to those who suffer. We don't go into business but do this for free and fun. We don't affiliate ourselves with places that rent to us or we go to be of service. These places can't use the AA name.

7. The AA groups themselves ought to be fully supported by the voluntary contributions of their own members. We think that each group should soon achieve this ideal; that any public solicitation of funds using the name of Alcoholics Anonymous is highly dangerous, whether by groups, clubs, hospitals, or other outside agencies; that acceptance of large gifts from any source, or of contributions carrying any obligation whatever, is unwise. Then, too, we view with much concern those AA treasuries which continue, beyond prudent reserves, to accumulate funds for no stated AA purpose. Experience has often warned us that nothing can so surely destroy our spiritual heritage as futile disputes over property, money, and authority.

This tradition is so awesome, I love it! We are self supporting, which doesn't always mean about money. First we talk about money, we support ourselves as a group, then district, area, etc. and hopefully in our personal lives too, LOL. We allow money and spirituality mix in the basket, contribute if you have it and if don't, its ok. So simple. As groups, we should not have money in the bank. If you are stacking money after you pay all your bills and your group conscience wants to support your area, district, and GSO then you should only have a prudent reserve. What are you afraid of? It's needed else where not your account. Ok so Greg, how does this not talk just about money? Well if a group is adhering to their primary purpose then it's attracting people from the strong message and its being supported. So it's a good sign that a group is following traditions because it's attractive and not promoting. Like when you hear those misinformed people at meetings asking for support to a meeting that needs it. No it doesn't need support it needs to disappear. We are self supporting and it clearly isn't carrying a message of hope that is attractive enough to keep people coming back. Don't sacrifice the truth out of mere politeness.

8. Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional. We define professionalism as the occupation of counseling alcoholics for fees or hire. But we may employ alcoholics where they are going to perform those services for which we might otherwise have to engage nonalcoholics. Such special services may be well recompensed. But our usual AA Twelfth Step work is never to be paid for.

We serve for free and fun in AA. AA is very simple one alcoholic sharing with another for the sole purpose of recovery. Its that simple. We don't charge for our work. We serve to love then love to serve. We also have positions were we would hire people to do work that is not 12th step work and need to get paid fairly. I hear people all the time say anything you do for AA is 12th step work, I have to disagree. Then people who work at GSO are doing12th step work/ if so why are they getting paid. We do this for free and fun, when it comes to one alcoholic sharing with another. There are things put in place to help support AA one primary service and it requires jobs that are held by AA members and they deserve to get paid. Its not 12th step work. On a side note, some of them should be fired, LOL. Just joking...

9. Each AA group needs the least possible organization. Rotating leadership is the best. The small group may elect its secretary, the large group its rotating committee, and the groups of a large metropolitan area their central or intergroup committee, which often employs a full-time secretary. The trustees of the General Service Board are, in effect, our AA General Service Committee. They are the custodians of our AA Tradition and the receivers of voluntary AA contributions by which we maintain our AA General Service Office at New York. They are authorized by the groups to handle our overall public relations and they guarantee the integrity of our principal newspaper, the AA Grapevine. All such representatives are to be guided in the spirit of service, for true leaders in AA are but trusted and experienced servants of the whole. They derive no real authority from their titles; they do not govern. Universal respect is the key to their usefulness.

This tradition shows us we need the least possible organization as possible. We need to be organized but are bare minimum. The only way we can keep God in charge and us out of it but as mere humbly servants is by little organization and rotation of leadership. This is not rotation so we can go in and change what we don't like, if you don't like your home group, why is it your home group? This still baffles me today, I cant stand hearing people complain about their home group, why is it your home group then? If it was like that when you joined why did you join, or if it shifted in its message what are you going to do ABOUT IT. Maybe it's for the better or worse, not up to you. How about trust God, and either leave or just show up and serve in any way you can. More action and less focusing on you! Its shows us in this tradition that GSO doesn't run AA, but God does through our groups and their informed group conscience. They to are not leaders. GSO can be a great resource of experience to share about issues within your group but always remember that God is the ultimate authority on things.

10. No AA group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate AA, express any opinion on outside controversial issues-particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever.

This tradition shows that AA has no opinion on outside issues, which include but not limited to politics, religion, and alcohol reform. AA does not oppose no one and with concern to those matters AA has no view. So we don't have republican AA, democrat AA, straight AA, gay AA, young AA, old AA, catholic AA, agnostic AA. We just have AA!!!!!

11. Our relations with the general public should be characterized by personal anonymity. We think AA ought to avoid sensational advertising. Our names and pictures as AA members ought not be broadcast, filmed, or publicly printed. Our public relations should be guided by the principle of attraction rather than promotion. There is never need to praise ourselves. We feel it better to let our friends recommend us.

This is in my opinion the most misinformed tradition of all our 12 traditions. If I hear in another meeting that I can't use my last name, I might just have to laugh to myself. Seriously, is that really what you think anonymity is about in these traditions. Its about we are a small part in a great whole. We don't represent AA, but yes we represent ourselves, and in AA we should open up and connected and be available as possible. Can't find Greg P in phone book, but you can find Greg Plakias. We become friends in this fellowship and should act like it in our groups. So I was trying to help this guy and lets just say his name was Bobby. So Bobby gets sick and is in local New Haven, CT Hospital and I promised to visit hima nd his phone is off. I go to front desk and ask for Bobby, bet you know what the next question they asked me, yup. What is your friends last name, she said how do you not know your friends last name. Sad, isn't it. Ok I'm off the soap box now. Here is a excerpt from Bill Wilson and Robert Smith.

12. And finally, we of Alcoholics Anonymous believe that the principle of anonymity has an immense spiritual significance. It reminds us that we are to place principles before personalities; that we are actually to practice a genuine humility. This to the end that our great blessings may never spoil us; that we shall forever live in thankful contemplation of Him who presides over us all.

This is all about not taking credit for which we don't deserve. I deserve the credit for getting myself to AA and in the state that I was. I do not take any credit for that which has happened to my Life since then and will continue to give the credit to God. Yes I took action but results are not up to me. The best definition of humility that I have found is in the Twelve steps and Twelve traditions conference approved AA book on page 72 is..."That basic ingredient of all humility, a desire to seek and do God's will"

Greg P.