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Daily Traditions · one month, one Tradition

September

Tradition 9 · 30 readings

Tradition 9

"A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve."
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.
September 1 Not an Organization the threat September 2 Won't Money Spoil This Thing? before the tradition September 3 In the Supposed Interest of Efficiency the threat today September 4 The Man Who Started It how a group breaks it September 5 Which Way the Money Runs how it gets captured September 6 Rule-Making Benders the threat September 7 Shouted Down before the tradition September 8 No Real Authority the threat today September 9 Well Outside A.A. how a group breaks it September 10 The Missing Clause how it gets captured September 11 Let Him Stay the threat September 12 Nobody Runs It for Life before the tradition September 13 We'll Get Around to You in a Minute the threat today September 14 Couldn't Be Organized how a group breaks it September 15 Responsibility, Not Authority how it gets captured September 16 The Screening Committee the threat September 17 A Legal Bludgeon before the tradition September 18 Still Around the threat today September 19 The Expanded Program how a group breaks it September 20 The Absence of a Boss Is Not a Vacancy how it gets captured September 21 A Great Many Sheets of Paper the threat September 22 Servants of Your Group before the tradition September 23 Now Dr. Bob Said the threat today September 24 Bleeding Deacons how a group breaks it September 25 The Name, Incorporated how it gets captured September 26 Officials the threat September 27 Safe, Even From Me before the tradition September 28 Never Organized At All the threat today September 29 Servants, Not Senators how a group breaks it September 30 Read It to the End how it gets captured
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JanuaryTradition 1 · liveFebruaryTradition 2 · liveMarchTradition 3 · liveAprilTradition 4 · liveMayTradition 5 · liveJuneTradition 6 · liveJulyTradition 7 · liveAugustTradition 8 · liveSeptemberTradition 9 · liveOctoberTradition 10 · liveNovemberTradition 11 · liveDecemberTradition 12 · live
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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).