About AA
“The Preamble of A.A.”
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self supporting through our own contributions. AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help others to achieve sobriety.
Copyright © by The A. A. Grapevine, Inc.; reprinted with permission.
“The Promises”
If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are half way through. We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness. We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it. We will comprehend the word serenity and we will know peace. No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experience can benefit others. That feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear. We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellows. Self-seeking will slip away. Our whole attitude and outlook upon life will change. Fear of people and of economic insecurity will leave us. We will intuitively know how to handle situations which used to baffle us. We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Are these extravagant promises? We think not. They are being fulfilled among us — sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. They will always materialize if we work for them.
Copyright © “Alcoholics Anonymous” (Big Book) p. 58. Reprinted with permission.
A Declaration of Unity
This we owe to A.A.’s future; to place our common welfare first; to keep our fellowship united. For on A.A. unity depend our lives, and the lives of those to come.
Reprinted from The A. A. Service Manual Combined with 12 Concepts for World Service © 2004, A. A. World Services, Inc. Used with permission.
The 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous
Based on the experience of A.A.’s earliest members, the Steps are a record of the principles and practices they developed to maintain sobriety.
The 12 Traditions
The Twelve Traditions were written after reviewing the successes and failures of the pioneer A.A. groups. “Our Traditions are a guide to better ways of working and living.” co-founder Bill W. said. “And they are to group survival what A.A.’s Twelve Steps are to each member’s sobriety and peace of mind….”.
The 12 Concepts
As Bill set them down, the Twelve Concepts are a potpourri: Concepts III through V, IX and XII deal with spiritual principles; the remainder, though they have spiritual overtones, are devoted to describing the relationship of the various service entities of A.A. and how they work together.