Alcoholics Anonymous
12 PRINCIPLES
Bill W. considered each step to be a spiritual principle in
and of itself. However, particularly in the 12 & 12, he outlined the
spiritual principles behind each step. Some of them seem like common sense, but
understand going into the exercise that reading these principles and actually
practicing them in your day-to-day lives are two entirely different things (and
that the latter requires vigilance and willingness).
HONESTY –
Fairness and straight forwardness of conduct: adherence
to the facts.
HOPE –
To
expect with desire; something on which hopes are centered.
FAITH –
Complete confidence; belief and trust.
COURAGE –
Firmness of
mind and will in the face of
extreme difficulty; mental or
moral strength to withstand fear.
INTEGRITY –
The quality or state of being complete or
undivided; soundness.
WILLINGNESS –
Prompt
to act or respond; accepted and done of choice
or without reluctance.
HUMILITY –
Not
proud or haughty; not arrogant or assertive; a clear
and concise understanding of what we are, followed by a sincere desire to become what we can be.
LOVE –
Unselfish
concern that freely accepts another in loyalty and
seeks his good to hold dear.
DISCIPLINE –
Training
that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties
or moral character; to bring under control; to train or develop by instruction.
PATIENCE/PERSEVERANCE
–
Steadfast despite opposition or adversity;
able or willing to bear; to persist in an understanding in spite of counter influences.
AWARENESS –
Alive and alert; vigilance in observing.
SERVICE –
A helpful
act; contribution to the welfare
of others; useful labor
that does not
produce a tangible commodity.
12 CONCEPTS
Concept 1: Final responsibility and ultimate authority for AA world services should always reside in the collective conscience of our whole Fellowship.
Concept 2: 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 3: To insure effective leadership, we should endow each element of AA – the Conference, the General Service Board and its service corporations, staffs, committees, and executives with a traditional “Right of Decision.”
Concept 4: 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 5: 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 6: 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 7: 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 AA purse for final effectiveness.
Concept 8: 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 9: 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 10: Every service responsibility should be matched by an equal service authority, with the scope of such authority well defined.
Concept 11: 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 12: 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.
For a more detailed, and better understanding of these twelve concepts, see this page about the twelve concepts.