PRINCIPLES

Definition of Principle:
A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behaviour or for a chain of reasoning.

Synonyms of Principle:
Truth, proposition, concept, idea, theory, assumption, basis, fundamental, essence, philosophy, etc

These notes are from recovery in AA and/or related 12 step programs.
Readers are encouraged to click external links for more detail.
We hope you find them helpful.

Love in fellowship.

The first step is the membership requirement step. The second, third, and eleventh steps are the spiritual steps of the program.

The fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and tenth steps are the personal inventory steps. The eighth and ninth steps are the restitution steps

The twelfth step is the passing on of the program, or helping others, step. So the five principles are membership requirement, spiritual basis, personal inventory, restitution, and helping others. –24Hours | More…

All our choices and decisions will reflect on our people.
We need to assume the accountability of honouring people.

We must remember to conduct ourselves in a sacred way. We must remember we have the assistance of the Spirit World, and we have the principles and values by which we should live, written in our hearts. The Creator will help us develop into a strong people if we just learn to depend upon Him. –Elders | More…

We are apt to warp the traditional idea of “principles before personalities” around to such a point that there would be no “personality” in a leadership whatever. A leader in A.A. service is a man (woman) who can personally put principles, plans, and policies into such dedicated and effective action that the rest of us naturally want to back him up and help him with his job. –As Bill Sees It | More… (p.224)

Living a principled life is what the inner self desires. Living the program’s principles is giving each of us practice in living a principled life.

Having principles assures direction. They help us define who we are and who we will be, in any turn of events. –Each Day a New Beginning/Karen Casey | More…

At first, when we stopped drinking, we thought we were fixed. Then we began to see that we were not all that well. To get well, we need to keep living by the Twelve Steps and the slogans of our program. –Keep It Simple | More…

We learn in AA that it’s more important to ask what is right than who is offering a course of action. Our trust must always be in our Higher Power and in principles that never fail. –Walk In Dry Places/Mel B. | More…

God is to be found in the principles of life. The suggested patterns of behavior that lead to happiness, freedom and unity in the world.

God is not just a “good idea”, an intellectual philosophy or other worldly entity.
God is practical goodness that can be demonstrated and seen in the world.

Principles lead to action; principles produce change in attitude and behavior; principles must have a practical result. Sometimes you hear the phrase “walk the talk”, implying that the principles we talk about should be evident in our daily lives. Also principles should be seen in the small things of life being courteous, giving a smile to a stranger, offering a hug to a friend in pain. God is alive in the principles of life. –Father Leo | More…

There is a saying: Tell me, I’ll forget; Show me, I’ll remember; Engage me; I’ll understand. The adults need to determine what the younger generation is learning.

The principle of sharing keeps the youth from being greedy and selfish.
The principle of freedom teaches the youth about choices, decisions and consequences.

The principle of respect keeps us from playing God and becoming a controller of all things. We need to learn these lessons so we may demonstrate them for our children. –Elders | More…

Unless a new member’s family readily expresses a desire to live upon spiritual principles, we think he ought not to urge them. They will change in time. His behavior will usually convince them far more than his words. –As Bill Sees It | More… (p.190)

The Elders say there are two worlds, the Seen World and the Unseen World. To experience the Seen World we need to physically pick a flower and smell it. To experience the Unseen World we need to know about principles, laws and values; and no matter what our mind or our physical senses tell us, we must decide and act on these principles. If someone does wrong to us, we must pray for that person or persons to have peace, happiness and joy in their life. We must not get even or retaliate in any way. Only by doing this can we understand spiritual matters. –Elders Meditations | More…

Living a principled life is what the inner self desires. Living the program’s principles is giving each of us practice in living a principled life. Having principles assures direction. They help us define who we are and who we will be, in any turn of events. –Each Day a New Beginning | More…

All our choices and decisions will reflect on our people. We need to assume the accountability of honouring people. We must remember to conduct ourselves in a sacred way. We must remember we have the assistance of the Spirit World, and we have the principles and values by which we should live, written in our hearts. The Creator will help us develop into a strong people if we just learn to depend upon Him. –Elders Meditations | More…

Going back to the old ways doesn’t mean giving up electricity, homes, and cars. It means living by the same principles, laws, and values that our ancestors lived by. The spirituality our ancestors lived is the same spirituality we need in these modern times. Our stability is in the laws, principles, and values that our ancestors were given and that our Elders teach us. –Elders Meditations | More…

Principles are the language of miracles. Increasing our language ability helps us make the right choices.
The Simple Approach to the 12 Steps!
STEP 1: There’s a power that will kill me.
STEP 2: There’s a power that wants me to live.
STEP 3: Which do I want? (If you want to die, stop here. If you want to live, go on.)
STEP 4: Using examples from your own life, understand that selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear control your actions.
STEP 5: Tell all your private, embarrassing secrets to another person.
STEP 6: Decide whether or not you want to live that way anymore.
STEP 7: If you want your life to change, ask a power greater than yourself to change it for you. (If you could have changed it yourself, you would have long ago.)
STEP 8: Figure out how to make right all the things you did wrong.
STEP 9: Fix what you can without causing more trouble in the process.
STEP 10: Understand that making mistakes is part of being human (When you make a mistake, fix it, immediately if you can.)
STEP 11: Ask for help to treat yourself and others the way you want your higher power to treat you.
STEP 12: Don’t stop doing 1 through 11, and Pass It On!!

The Spiritual Principles in the Twelve Steps
Step One: Honesty
Step Two: Hope
Step Three: Faith
Step Four: Courage
Step Five: Integrity
Step Six: Willingness
Step Seven: Humility
Step Eight: Self-discipline
Step Nine: Love for others
Step Ten: Perseverance
Step Eleven: Spiritual Awareness
Step Twelve: Service

The 12 Steps of AA ARE the Principles of the Program that we practice. The Steps can be summed up succinctly: problem, solution, and plan of action. The Steps are a set of principles for an overall design for living. The core Spiritual Principles of the AA Program: Willingness, Open-mindedness, Honesty. AA’s Code: Love and Tolerance of Others.

The Spiritual Principles in the Twelve Concepts
Concept One: Unity
Concept Two: Conscience
Concept Three: Trust
Concept Four: Equality
Concept Five: Consideration
Concept Six: Responsibility
Concept Seven: Balance
Concept Eight: Delegation
Concept Nine: Ability
Concept Ten: Clarity
Concept Eleven: Humility
Concept Twelve:
(a) Selflessness
(b) Realism
(c) Representation
(d) Dialogue
(e) Compassion
(f) Respect

The Twelve Concepts of AA Service help us apply the Steps and Traditions in our service work. The Concepts define and guide the practices of the service structures that conduct the business of AA.

We now know that we shall always practice these principles: first because we must, then because we ought to, and finally because the majority of us will deeply want to do just that. –Bill W., May 1960

Going back to the old ways doesn’t mean giving up electricity, homes, and cars. It means living by the same principles, laws, and values that our ancestors lived by. The spirituality our ancestors lived is the same spirituality we need in these modern times. Our stability is in the laws, principles, and values that our ancestors were given and that our Elders teach us. –Elders Meditations | More…

The first step is the membership requirement step. The second, third, and eleventh steps are the spiritual steps of the program. The fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and tenth steps are the personal inventory steps. The eighth and ninth steps are the restitution steps. The twelfth step is the passing on of the program, or helping others, step. So the five principles are membership requirement, spiritual basis, personal inventory, restitution, and helping others. –24Hours | More…

The spiritual core of our disease is self-centeredness. As we begin “doing the right thing for the right reason,” we can detect a change in ourselves Where once we were ruled by self-will, now we are guided by our goodwill for others. The chronic self-centeredness of addiction is losing its hold on us. We are learning to “practice these principles in all our affairs”; we are living in our recovery, not in our disease. –Just For Today | More…