newby1961

OUR COMMON WELFARE COMES FIRSTThe unity of Alcoholics Anonymous is the most cherished quality our Society has. . . . We stay whole, or A.A. dies.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, p. 129

Our Traditions are key elements in the ego deflation process necessary to achieve and maintain sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous. The First Tradition reminds me not to take credit, or authority, for my recovery. Placing our common welfare first reminds me not to become a healer in this program; I am still one of the patients. Self-effacing elders built the ward. Without it, I doubt I would be alive. Without the group, few alcoholics would recover.

The active role in renewed surrender of will enables me to step aside from the need to dominate, the desire for recognition, both of which played so great a part in my active alcoholism. Deferring my personal desires for the greater good of group growth contributes toward A.A. unity that is central to all recovery. It helps me to remember that the whole is greater than the sum of all its parts.

Copyright 1990 ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC

paul99

The life and death of AA starts with my putting the group first. My anonymity, my individual sobriety, my service, my attendance...all these things contribute to the group and help keep it going. The sum truly is greater than the parts.

Fernaceman

Guess I need to familiarize myself with the traditions some more. I don't know why I haven't or more people don't. They are read at nearly every meeting I attend, but I cannot quote them as easily as I can quote the steps...

paul99

The traditions are amazing, Fern. Some groups around here do tradition meetings once a month. If you want to study them, I suggest reading the long forms first - they are much richer than the shortened forms we see in the meetings. The 12 and 12 has some great essays on the traditions, and Bill Wilson's early writings from Grapevine where he starts to put the traditions together are wonderful too - it's all in a book called "Language of the Heart". Check it out - there is much deeper understanding of AA, and ourselves, through the traditions.