The 12 Traditions of
Alcoholics Anonymous
The 12 Traditions are grounded in the spiritual principles of Alcoholics Anonymous and serve as guidelines to help AA groups function
They serve the dual purpose of providing a practical framework for individual group autonomy and for preserving the unity and integrity of AA's purpose and message.
While the 12 Traditions aim to guide the way manner in which AA groups should operate, we, as individuals, must also embrace the 12 Traditions in order to keep the groups afloat.
While AA insists these are suggestions rather than rules, we often find that our sobriety hinges on our observation of the principles they describe.
The 12 Traditions of AA are as follows:
1) Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity.
2) For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
3) The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.
4) Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.
5) Each group has but one primary purpose-to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
6) An AA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the AA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
7) Every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8) Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centres may employ special workers.
9) AA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve
10) Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
11) 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.
12) Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.