We are all invited to share, at any time this month, on Tradition 8. The Traditions certainly inform our group conscience decisions and the original structure for GROW. We look forward to your shares.
*** Tradition 8 ***
“Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers.”
This Tradition is listed in one of the appendices in the book Alcoholics Anonymous (affectionately known as the Big Book) (see p. 562). There is a little more in The Long Form, which starts on p. 563, which has more about some of the Traditions, and lists them all together:
“Alcoholics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional. We define professionalism as the occupation of counseling alcoholics for fees or hire. But we may employ alcoholics where they are going to perform those services for which we might otherwise have to engage nonalcoholics. Such special services may be well recompensed. But our usual A.A. ’12 Step’ work is never to be paid for.”
There is more about it in the book Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.
*** Where to get the books, Alcoholics Anonymous and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions ***
These books may be found at many f2f AA meetings, ordered online from many places, and available from the AA General Service office, to read online, in English, French, and Spanish. See www.aa.org