Tradition 1 · January 28

So We Had to Evolve

Daily Traditions · January 28

The threat today

The rumour is that Tradition One is a rule for your character; the Big Book says the Traditions were made for groups. The Foreword to the Second Edition (Big Book, p. xix): "As we discovered the principles by which the individual alcoholic could live, so we had to evolve principles by which the A.A. groups and A.A. as a whole could survive and function effectively." Two sets of principles: the Steps for the alcoholic's life, the Traditions for the life of the groups. Evolve means grow out of experience; nobody handed them down. Now listen to how Tradition One often gets taught: put others first, be a team player, don't make waves, your needs come last. Every one of those is advice to a person about himself. Read the Long Form (Big Book, p. 563) as it is written: "Hence our common welfare comes first." Our welfare, the group's and A.A.'s. It sets the order of business for a group, not the order of a member's heart. A group that turns its Traditions into talks on members' attitudes has nothing left to govern itself with. Test it tonight: the next time someone explains Tradition One at your meeting, listen for whether they are talking about the group or about you.

Sit with

The Traditions are principles for groups and for A.A. as a whole, not twelve more lessons for the member. When my group talks about Tradition One, whose behaviour is it talking about?

Grounded in: Long form, Tradition 1 (Big Book, p. 563); Big Book p. xix (Foreword to Second Edition).

Tradition 1

"Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity."

Read the Long Form (pp. 563–566). The short form on pp. 561–562 is the one everybody quotes — but the Long Form is where the Traditions actually say what they mean. Tradition 3's "no other affiliation" clause, for instance, exists only in the Long Form. That single clause is why no treatment centre can own an A.A. group. Most of what circulates online skips it.

And a distinction worth keeping straight: the Traditions are governance, not theology. They bind A.A. groups and the Fellowship — not individuals, and not outside businesses. They were adopted in 1950 to keep A.A. from being owned or co-opted. They are not a rulebook for your personal life.

What the Traditions actually say → The Long Form, p. 563 → Search the Big Book → Every day this month →

Ask Recovery Einstein about Tradition 1 → Get the app →

← January 27Led, Not Pushed Tradition 1All of January January 29 →One Alcoholic Talks With Another

Daily Traditions is an independent educational resource from Recovery Starts — not official A.A. literature, not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, and not medical advice. The Twelve Traditions are the property of A.A. Page references are to Alcoholics Anonymous (the Big Book), 4th Edition: short form 561–562, long form 563–566. If you're in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline).