The Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts are reprinted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. ("AAWS"). Permission to reprint the Steps, Traditions and Concepts does not mean that AAWS has reviewed or approved the contents of this website, or that A.A. necessarily agrees with the views expressed herein. A.A. is a program of recovery from alcoholism only - use of the Steps, Traditions and Concepts in connection with programs and activities which are patterned after A.A., but which address other problems, or in any other non-A.A. context, does not imply otherwise.
The Twelve Traditions of AA
Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon AA unity.
Tradition Two: For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
Tradition Three: The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking.
Tradition Four: Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole.
Tradition Five: Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
Tradition Six: An AA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Tradition Seven: Every AA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
Tradition Eight: Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
Tradition Nine: AA, as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
Tradition Ten: Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
Tradition Eleven: Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films.
Tradition Twelve: Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.
Concept I: Final responsibility and ultimate authority for A.A. world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.
Concept II: The General Service Conference of A.A. has become, for nearly every practical purpose, the active voice and the effective conscience of our whole Society in its world affairs.
Concept III: To insure effective leadership, we should endow each element of A.A. —the Conference, the General Service Board and its service corporations, staffs, committees, and executives—with a traditional "Right of Decision."
Concept IV: At all responsible levels, we ought to maintain a traditional "Right of Participation," allowing a voting representation in reasonable proportion to the responsibility that each must discharge.
Concept V: Throughout our structure, a traditional "Right of Appeal" ought to prevail, so that minority opinion will be heard and personal grievances receive careful consideration.
Concept Vl: The Conference recognizes that the chief initiative and active responsibility in most world service matters should be exercised by the trustee members of the Conference acting as the General Service Board.
Concept Vll: The Charter and Bylaws of the General Service Board are legal instruments, empowering the trustees to manage and conduct world service affairs. The Conference Charter is not a legal document; it relies upon tradition and the A.A. purse for final effectiveness.
Concept VIII: The trustees are the principal planners and administrators of overall policy and finance. They have custodial oversight of the separately incorporated and constantly active services, exercising this through their ability to elect all the directors of these entities.
Concept IX: Good service leadership at all levels is indispensable for our future functioning and safety. Primary world service leadership, once exercised by the founders, must necessarily be assumed by the trustees.
Concept X: Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with the scope of such authority well defined.
Concept Xl: The trustees should always have the best possible committees, corporate service directors, executives, staffs, and consultants. Composition, qualifications, induction procedures, and rights and duties will always be matters of serious concern.
Concept Xll: The Conference shall observe the spirit of A.A. tradition, taking care that it never becomes the seat of perilous wealth or power; that sufficient operating funds and reserve be its prudent financial principle; that it place none of its members in a position of unqualified authority over others; that it reach all important decisions by discussion, vote, and, whenever possible, by substantial unanimity; that its actions never be personally punitive nor an incitement to public controversy; that it never perform acts of government, and that, like the Society it serves, it will always remain democratic in thought and action.
The Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts are reprinted with permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. ("AAWS"). Permission to reprint the Steps, Traditions and Concepts does not mean that AAWS has reviewed or approved the contents of this website, or that A.A. necessarily agrees with the views expressed herein. A.A. is a program of recovery from alcoholism only - use of the Steps, Traditions and Concepts in connection with programs and activities which are patterned after A.A., but which address other problems, or in any other non-A.A. context, does not imply otherwise.
Central Connecticut Intergroup
Central CT Intergroup P.O. Box 494 Wallingford, CT 06492
Meeting Schedule Book for 2025 will be shortly. These will be the entire area 11 (CT) schedule. Until the please upload the meeting app or go to ct-aa.org/meetings--Intergroup does not charge groups to be listed or for schedule books, they are provided by group and district contributions to Central CT Intergroup.
Newcomer Beginners packets are available - They contain pamphlets relevant to the newcomer. $3.00 each.
Frequently Asked Questions About A.A,
Do you think your different?
Many Paths to Spirituality
Understanding Anonymity
Is A.A. for You?
Questions & Answer on Sponsorship
A Newcome