AAA's 12 traditions are seen in their so-called short form the form in general used today this
is a condensed version of the original long form a a traditions as first printed in 1946
because the long form is more explicit and if possible historic value it is also reproduced
you
one welfare should come first personal recovery depends upon a a unity
one each member of Alcoholics Anonymous is but a small part of a great whole
AAA must continue to live or most of us will surely die hence our common
welfare comes first but individual welfare follows close afterward
you
- for our group 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
-
for our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority a loving God
as he may express himself in our group conscience
you
three the only requirement for a a membership is a desire to stop drinking
three our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism hence we may
refuse none who wish to recover nor ought a a membership ever depend upon money or
conformity any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call
themselves an a a group provided that as a group they have no other affiliation
you
did you crave alcohol when you put alcohol in your body and what's really important in
this statement he says and never never means not one time occurs in the average tempering
cur in one sentence dr. silkworth tells me how to determine if I'm an alcoholic
for each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AAA as a whole
for with respect to Zone Affairs each a a group should be responsible to no other authority
than its own conscience but what his plans concerned 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 AAA as a whole without conferring
with the trustees of the general service board on such issues our common welfare is paramount
you
five each group has but one primary purpose
to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers
five 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
you
six 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
six 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 a a should be
separately incorporated and managed thus dividing the material from the spiritual an a a group as
such should never go into business secondary aids to a a 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 AAA name their management should be the sole responsibility of those people
who financially support them for clubs AAA managers are usually preferred but hospitals
as well as other places of recuperation ought to be well outside AAA and medically
supervised while an AAA group may cooperate with anyone such cooperation ought never goes
so far as affiliation or endorsement actual or implied an a a group can bind itself to no one
you
seven every a a group ought to be fully self-supporting declining outside contributions
seven the a a groups themselves ought to be fully supported by the voluntary contributions of their
all 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 AAA Treasuries which continued beyond prudent reserves to accumulate funds
for no stated a a purpose experience has often warned us that nothing can so surely
destroy our spiritual heritage as futile disputes over property money and authority
you
eight Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional
but our service centers may employ special workers
eight Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever non-professional we define professionalism as the
occupation of counselling alcoholics for fees or higher but we may employ alcoholics where
they're going to perform those services for which we might otherwise have to engage none alcoholics
such special services may be well recompense but our usual a a 12-step work is never to be paid for
you
nine AAA as such I'll never be organized but we
may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve
nine each a a group needs the least possible organization rotating leadership is the best
the small group may elect its secretary the large group is 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 a a general service committee they are the custodians of our a a tradition and the
receivers of voluntary AAA contributions by which we maintain our a a 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 at the a a grapevine
all such representatives are to be guided in the spirit of service for true leaders
in AAA 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
you
ten alcoholics has no opinion on outside issues hence the a a
name ought never be drawn into public controversy
ten no a a group or member should ever in such a way as to implicate a a 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
you
eleven 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
eleven our relations with the general public should be characterized by personal anonymity
we think AAA ought to avoid sensational advertising our names and pictures as
AAA 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
you
twelve anonymity is the spiritual foundation of
all our traditions ever reminding us to place principles before personalities
12 and finally we have Alcoholics Anonymous believed 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