The Twelve Traditions
How Circles stay whole. The Steps carry the member; the Traditions carry the fellowship.
Our common welfare should come first. Awakening and personal recovery depend upon AHA unity. It is the circle that keeps the flame alive in each of us.
For our circle purpose there is but one ultimate authority, a set of compassionate spirits as they may express themselves during our group conscience. AHA has no leaders, but trusted servants; they assist but do not govern.
The only requirement for AHA membership is a desire to spiritually progress by asking yourself “Who do you think you are?”
Each circle should be autonomous except in matters affecting other circles or AHA as a whole.
Each group has but one primary purpose: to carry its message to any human being who still suffers.
An AHA circle ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AHA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Every Circle ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
AHA should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
AHA circles, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
AHA has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AHA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of new media, press, radio, and films.
Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Adapted for AHA from the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, which A.A. neither endorses nor is affiliated with this adaptation.