old traditions new beginnings aa poker chip

Additionally, the traditions have AA avoiding hierarchies, dogma, public controversies and other outside entanglements as well as the acquisition of property.

To keep to sobriety as its primary purpose, in 1950 AA adopted the twelve traditions which give membership to anyone wishing to stop drinking and ask that all memberships be kept anonymous, especially in public media, but for broken anonymity no repercussions are prescribed. Divining and following the will of an undefined God-'as we understood Him', also designated as a 'higher power'-is integral to the steps, but differing practices and beliefs, including those of atheists and other non-theists, are accommodated. The Big Book's first edition debuted AA's suggested 12 steps as a continuing sobriety program of prayer, reflection, admission, better conduct and atonement, all to produce a 'spiritual awakening' followed by taking others-usually sponsees-through the steps. Known as “the Big Book', it is also the origin of AA's name. In 1939 the new fellowship, then mostly male and white, published Alcoholics Anonymous: The Story of How More Than One Hundred Men Have Recovered From Alcoholism. They met through AA's immediate precursor the Christian revivalist Oxford Group where they and other alcoholics fellowshipped until forming what became AA. In 1935, the recognized start of AA, Bill Wilson (Bill W.) first commiserated alcoholic-to-alcoholic with Bob Smith (Dr.

In 2020 AA estimated its worldwide membership to be over two million with 75% of those in the US and Canada.

Besides stressing anonymity, AA's twelve traditions establish it as non-professional, non-denominational, apolitical and unaffiliated. Alcoholics Anonymous ( AA) is a global peer-led mutual aid fellowship begun in the United States dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through their spiritually inclined twelve-step program.

Old traditions new beginnings aa poker chip