Daily Traditions · one month, one Tradition
August
Tradition 8 · 31 readings
Tradition 8
"Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers."
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.
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.
August 1
The Shingle
where it goes wrong
August 2
The Night They Told Him No
the earned answer
August 3
Nobody Can Charge You
where it goes wrong
August 4
A Definition, Not a Mood
the earned answer
August 5
The Going Rate
where it goes wrong
August 6
The Sentence That Only Works If It's True
the earned answer
August 7
Scaling the Message
where it goes wrong
August 8
Not a Verdict on Doctors
the earned answer
August 9
Volunteers Only
where it goes wrong
August 10
Old Tom Was Right
the earned answer
August 11
The Sponsor Who Bills
where it goes wrong
August 12
The Certified Audit
before the tradition
August 13
The Bio Line
the threat today
August 14
The Almost-Right Argument
how a group breaks it
August 15
A Billing Code
how it gets captured
August 16
Members Sold It First
the threat
August 17
The Deluge
before the tradition
August 18
Nothing to Gain
the threat today
August 19
It Was Never Complicated
the threat today
August 20
Included in the Price
how it gets captured
August 21
No Quotas
the earned answer
August 22
Advance Pay
the earned answer
August 23
Dr. Bob's Four Reasons
before the tradition
August 24
The Foundation Stone
the earned answer
August 25
It Works When Other Activities Fail
the earned answer
August 26
The Lobby
before the tradition
August 27
In His Own Right
the earned answer
August 28
Maximum Helpfulness
the earned answer
August 29
Freely
the earned answer
August 30
Millions Would Have Ruined Us
before the tradition
August 31
Read It Again
the earned answer
JanuaryTradition 1
FebruaryTradition 2
MarchTradition 3
AprilTradition 4
MayTradition 5
JuneTradition 6
JulyTradition 7 · liveAugustTradition 8 · liveSeptemberTradition 9 · liveOctoberTradition 10 · liveNovemberTradition 11 · liveDecemberTradition 12 · liveDaily 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).