The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
Today's reading discusses Tradition 6 - "Our Al-Anon Family Groups ought never endorse, finance, or lend our name to any outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary spiritual aim." The reading goes on to explain that even when a request has merit and may provide direct support to our purpose, we must avoid these queries as it may divert us from our purpose.
As individuals in recovery, we are free to participate in any cause we decide/e are free to send information about our fellowship to outside organizations, but we cannot consider affiliation in our own group with these other organizations, no matter how worthy they are. Our primary spiritual aim is to help families and friends of alcoholics recover from the effects of alcoholism - the easiest way to stay true to that is to keep our focus there.
Today's reminder -- I come to Al-Anon to receive the spiritual benefit of the meetings, principles and fellowship. I wish to do my part to see that we are not diverted from our primary aim.
Today's quote from Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions for AlAteen -- "We must always remember why we are here, and never use the group to promote our pet projects, or our personal interests in outside causes."
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Our traditions are often overlooked and/or not understood. Each time I read one or we study them in my small world, I learn something new - just as in our steps. I can never know what was in the mind of those who developed our fellowship, and I find no need to understand. All I know is I can do my part to the best of my own spiritual condition by staying focused on who we are, where we come from and what we hope to do - recover and help others to recover.
For me, talking our language instead of outside language matters. Keeping things in my life, my recovery and my service also helps. It is my own 'thinking' that goes off on tangents and creates less than serene moments for me.....it happens with regards to my group too. When we are having growing pains, a part of me still wants to fix, control, 'help', etc. and I need to always remember I am but one cog in one wheel and we move forward together based on equality, harmony and cohesion.
Love how the traditions, principles and steps work together to help us all recover. Grateful for those who came before me who had the wisdom given by a power greater than I to create a format that works well in recovery!
Happy Friday to one and all - off to golf and then cooking ribs and fixins' for company tonight + the little people are spending the night! Make it a great day....(((Hugs)))
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Practice the PAUSE...Pause before judging. Pause before assuming. Pause before accusing. Pause whenever you are about to react harshly and you will avoid doing and saying things you will later regret. ~~~~ Lori Deschene
Friday Greetings: I often do not connect with the concepts of service and traditions. Perhaps I just need more time in program. Today's tradition does make sense to me and I must say, at my F2F meeting we stick to the plan. As far as I can tell we follow all the rules, and at first I thought it a little rigid, but as time has gone on, I see the purpose. Happy golfing, Lyne
Good morning IAH I began to appreciate the value of the traditions early on after attending several tradition meetings .
This one made a great deal of sense to me-(not endorsing outside issues so that problems of money property proceeds which might result , could divert us from our primary:" spiritual aim".
I believe that without this tradition, I would have been very pleased to be diverted from Al-Anon's spiritual aim. I would have jumped on board any cause and been wiling to carry the torch, and forgot completely why I was seeking support.
I love the fact that Al-Anon is a spiritual program and this tradition validates this fact.
