Comments on: The Fifth Tradition http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-fifth-tradition-16/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Wed, 09 Dec 2009 07:55:54 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Living Within Samsara » Blog Archive » Release from the Opinions of other People http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-fifth-tradition-16/comment-page-1/#comment-2196 Living Within Samsara » Blog Archive » Release from the Opinions of other People Fri, 24 Oct 2008 12:47:22 +0000 http://www.adozensteps.com/the-fifth-tradition/#comment-2196 [...] said that in both cases, we still discuss our problems as they relate to alcohol. [That being the 5th Tradition.] Throughout the meeting the woman “poor me’d” and insinuated she did not feel [...] [...] said that in both cases, we still discuss our problems as they relate to alcohol. [That being the 5th Tradition.] Throughout the meeting the woman “poor me’d” and insinuated she did not feel [...]

]]> By: Release from the Opinions of other People http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-fifth-tradition-16/comment-page-1/#comment-1813 Release from the Opinions of other People Thu, 08 May 2008 15:22:07 +0000 http://www.adozensteps.com/the-fifth-tradition/#comment-1813 [...] said that in both cases, we still discuss our problems as they relate to alcohol. [That being the 5th Tradition.] Throughout the meeting the woman “poor me’d” and insinuated she did not feel [...] [...] said that in both cases, we still discuss our problems as they relate to alcohol. [That being the 5th Tradition.] Throughout the meeting the woman “poor me’d” and insinuated she did not feel [...]

]]> By: Mark http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-fifth-tradition-16/comment-page-1/#comment-828 Mark Wed, 23 May 2007 01:28:52 +0000 http://www.adozensteps.com/the-fifth-tradition/#comment-828 John - thanks so much! I received your other comment - I'll email you about it. I'd love to reply to your entire comment here but I think your last paragraph really says it all! John – thanks so much! I received your other comment – I’ll email you about it.

I’d love to reply to your entire comment here but I think your last paragraph really says it all!

]]> By: John B http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-fifth-tradition-16/comment-page-1/#comment-1194 John B Tue, 22 May 2007 14:54:03 +0000 http://www.adozensteps.com/the-fifth-tradition/#comment-1194 That newsweek article centered around a group that seems to have several members with varying lengths of sobriety and is well attended, but it's members aren't studying the traditions. Just as the Twelve Steps guide us individually, away from the collapse of drinking, the Twelve Traditions guide our groups to keep them from the collapse of not being able to provide the newcomer the fellowship he seeks. Bill mentions that the Twelve Steps are group of spiritual principles, that if practiced as a way of life will render a person happy and usefully whole. (That part the majority of us know). He goes on to say that the Twelve Traditions are the application of those principles. That means you apply the steps by working the traditions. If you don't know the Traditions, how do you know if you're working the steps? In times past, I've tried to "leverage" the folks at A.A. meetings to get the word out I was looking for a job, or car, or wife or date. I couldn't have been more selfish. I did that stuff before I had read about some of the History of A.A. and some of the problems those early A.A.s ran into. Today, I consider my homegroup to be the very center of A.A. If my group is doing a lousy job, the new members will find some way of identifying themselves out of a meeting, so I try to be mindful about my actions. "Does what I'm doing, right now, have any bearing on the singleness of purpose?" is the question I've learned to ask of myself, and of my group. If the answer is no, then it goes out the window. Sometimes it takes a little reading to figure out the answer. Even though the Fourth Tradition grants us the right to be wrong, I believe we owe it A.A. to consider how the meeting we're in affects A.A. as a whole. The new man or woman will learn something new at this meeting and carry it on. John That newsweek article centered around a group that seems to have several members with varying lengths of sobriety and is well attended, but it’s members aren’t studying the traditions. Just as the Twelve Steps guide us individually, away from the collapse of drinking, the Twelve Traditions guide our groups to keep them from the collapse of not being able to provide the newcomer the fellowship he seeks. Bill mentions that the Twelve Steps are group of spiritual principles, that if practiced as a way of life will render a person happy and usefully whole. (That part the majority of us know). He goes on to say that the Twelve Traditions are the application of those principles. That means you apply the steps by working the traditions. If you don’t know the Traditions, how do you know if you’re working the steps?

In times past, I’ve tried to “leverage” the folks at A.A. meetings to get the word out I was looking for a job, or car, or wife or date. I couldn’t have been more selfish. I did that stuff before I had read about some of the History of A.A. and some of the problems those early A.A.s ran into. Today, I consider my homegroup to be the very center of A.A. If my group is doing a lousy job, the new members will find some way of identifying themselves out of a meeting, so I try to be mindful about my actions.

“Does what I’m doing, right now, have any bearing on the singleness of purpose?” is the question I’ve learned to ask of myself, and of my group. If the answer is no, then it goes out the window. Sometimes it takes a little reading to figure out the answer.

Even though the Fourth Tradition grants us the right to be wrong, I believe we owe it A.A. to consider how the meeting we’re in affects A.A. as a whole. The new man or woman will learn something new at this meeting and carry it on.

John

]]> By: Linda http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-fifth-tradition-16/comment-page-1/#comment-1178 Linda Sat, 19 May 2007 13:58:59 +0000 http://www.adozensteps.com/the-fifth-tradition/#comment-1178 I think the word *recover* is used 80+ times in the Big Book, while *recovering* is used MAYBE once when it talks about our families. I think the word *recover* is used 80+ times in the Big Book, while *recovering* is used MAYBE once when it talks about our families.

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