The Traditions

AA Big Book, page 562

1.   Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity.
2.   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.
3.   The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.
4.   Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole.
5.   Each group has but one primary purpose--to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.
6.   An A.A. group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to any related facility or 
      outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary 
      purpose.
7.   Every A.A. group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8.   Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may 
      employ special workers.
9.   A.A., as such, ought never be organized; but we may create service boards or committees directly 
      responsible to those they serve.
10. Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be 
      drawn into public controversy.
11. 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.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our traditions, ever reminding us to place principles 
      before personalities.