Definition of The Traditions: guidelines for relationships between groups, members, other groups, the global fellowship, and society at large.
Synonyms of The Traditions: guidelines, principles, practices, 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.
A spiritual principle is associated with each of the Twelve Traditions. The Principles in the Twelve Traditions (as listed in the Service, Traditions and Concepts Workshop Manual) are:
- Tradition One: Unity
- Tradition Two: Trust
- Tradition Three: Identity
- Tradition Four: Autonomy
- Tradition Five: Purpose
- Tradition Six: Solidarity
- Tradition Seven: Responsibility
- Tradition Eight: Fellowship
- Tradition Nine: Structure
- Tradition Ten: Neutrality
- Tradition Eleven: Anonymity
- Tradition Twelve: Spirituality
In our Twelve Traditions we have set our faces against nearly every trend in the outside world. We have denied ourselves personal government, professionalism and the right to say who our members shall be.
We have abandoned do-goodism, reform and paternalism. We refuse charitable money and prefer to pay our own way.
We will cooperate with practically everybody, yet we decline to marry our Society to anyone. We abstain from public controversy and will not quarrel among ourselves about those things that so rip society asunder — religion, politics and reform.
We have but one purpose: to carry the AA message to the sick alcoholic who wants it. We take these attitudes not at all because we claim special virtue or wisdom; we do these things because hard experience has told us that we must — if AA is to survive in the distraught world of today. –AA Co-Founder, Bill W., January 1955/Grapevine
MORNING HELPERS 