These
questions were originally published in the AA Grapevine
in conjunction with a series on the Twelve Traditions that
began in November 1969 and ran through September 1971. While
they were originally intended primarily for individual use,
many AA groups have since used them as a basis for wider
discussion.
Practice
These Principles . . .
Tradition
One: Our common welfare should come first;
personal recovery depends upon AA unity.- Am I in my group a healing, mending, integrating person, or am I divisive? What about gossip and taking other member's inventories?
- Am I a peacemaker? Or do I, with pious preludes such as “just for the sake of discussion,” plunge into argument?
- Am I gentle with those who rub me the wrong way, or am I abrasive?
- Do I make competitive AA remarks, such as comparing one group with another or contrasting AA in one place with AA in another?
- Do I put down some AA activities as if I were superior for not participating in this or that aspect of AA?
- Am I informed about AA as a whole? Do I support, in every way I can, AA as a whole, or just the parts I understand and approve of?
- Am I as considerate of AA members as I want them to be of me?
- Do I spout platitudes about love while indulging in and secretly justifying behavior that bristles with hostility?
- Do I go to enough AA meetings or read enough AA literature to really keep in touch?
- Do I share with AA all of me, the bad and the good, accepting as well as giving the help of the fellowship?
