Putting Our New Traditions Workbook to Work: 7-12 The 2016 World Service Conference overwhelmingly approved our new Traditions workbook, Guiding Principles: The Spirit of Our Traditions. Our hope is that this new resource will improve the understanding and application of the Twelve Traditions throughout Narcotics Anonymous as members study ways to practice these principles in their personal lives and recovery, in NA groups, and in service to NA at all levels. This workshop is designed to introduce members to this new piece of literature and provide an opportunity to participate in the sort of discussion the book aims to inspire.

introductory exercises Each chapter contains The Traditions workbook has pieces and parts designed to work together or separately Each chapter… Begins and ends with short readings on one Tradition Includes two introductory exercises: Word by Word encourages a focused look at words and phrases that make up each Tradition. Spiritual Principles invites us to explore some of the principles associated with each Tradition in writing or discussion. Contains three main sections, each applying a Tradition to a different area of our lives in recovery: “For Members” includes an essay on the applications of a Tradition to our personal recovery, followed by questions suitable for writing or discussion. “For Groups” essays will be most relevant for groups as they seek to understand and apply the Traditions. It includes questions that may be useful for a group inventory. “In Service” sections look at the Tradition from the perspective of service bodies. The questions in this section are intended to prompt discussion in service workshops. introduction introductory exercises main sections

7 Every NA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions. Spiritual Principles gratitude responsibility faith integrity anonymity  freedom prudence simplicity dignity generosity humility commitment sacrifice unity autonomy Practice of self-support is vital to our freedom. It is a piece of restoring us to sanity. It demands action and unity A message of hope with no strings attached. Every act of service, no matter how small, is a contribution demonstrating our commitment and our gratitude. Our message is free, but carrying it is not. The portion of our income that comes directly from member contributions does not pay for all that we do in NA service.

8 Narcotics Anonymous should remain forever nonprofessional, but our service centers may employ special workers. Spiritual Principles humility prudence anonymity integrity surrender flexibility autonomy self-acceptance stability consistency accountability Each of us has something to offer. The simple, priceless gift we give each other is the recognition of our humanity. The very best we can give is ourselves-we give freely, and what we give is hope. No one certify us as NA member, and no one can fire us. Reaching out from addict to addict is an application of anonymity; we leave our professional identities at the door. We may bring skills, or experience, with us, but we don’t bring status. The job of carrying our message is forever nonprofessional. Special workers answer to NA service bodies, and they work within the guidelines of our Traditions to carry out their tasks.

9 NA, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve. Spiritual Principles humility prudence fidelity honesty communication trust harmony love anonymity simplicity We understand that “ought never be organized” doesn’t mean that we do what we do without any planning or predictability. What is never organized is the part that matters most: one addict helping another…..The wordless language of empathy is what makes NA work. We can’t organize our collective spirit; it’s free. We can take care of it (it = the responsibility of NA) with each other, for each other, and for the addict still to come. The work we do in service to NA ought always be in a spirit of unity: We hold each other accountable, and we are responsible to those we serve, so that our personalities are less likely to divert us.

10 NA has no opinion on outside issues; hence the NA name ought never be brought into public controversy. Spiritual Principles humility unity responsibility prudence anonymity integrity discernment fidelity simplicity freedom caution patience tolerance acceptance The better we get at telling the truth, the clearer our message becomes. Clarity and simplicity are key to our message. Our message speaks for itself; our success is defense enough. Focusing on our primary purpose frees us from the need to be distracted or diverted into debates with those whose interests and motives differ. Our commitments to unity, anonymity, and our primary purpose are ours alone. Tradition Ten serves as a guidepost and a warning. Outside issues divert us; when we lose our focus, disunity and discord rush in. The easiest way to honor Tradition Ten is to keep it simple.

11 Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion. We need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, and films Spiritual Principles faith service anonymity integrity fidelity prudence discernment accountability humility respect goodwill gratitude unity wisdom Traditions Ten and Eleven provide us with a specific vision for what NA says to the public. Our message is powerful because it is true. We use the term “public relations” because we build and maintain ongoing relationships with people and organization outside NA in order to reach addicts seeking recovery. Each of us is responsible for making a meeting attractive. We let people know who we are, what we do, and where to find us. Sharing from the heart is the most attractive thing we have to offer.

12 Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities. Spiritual Principles faith service anonymity integrity fidelity prudence discernment accountability humility respect goodwill gratitude unity wisdom When we share from the heart, we connect at the heart. Anonymity allows us to experience equality. Anonymity allows us to rise above who we think we are. Our principles have a purpose, as we have a purpose. Tradition Twelve says anonymity is our spiritual foundation, which means every other principle is built upon, and supported by, out application of anonymity. Anonymity means that we surrender to being part of something greater than ourselves. Allowing ourselves to be part of this work is a gift to ourselves even more than those we serve.

Small Group Discussion Tradition Seven: How do we set and evaluate our prudent reserve? Have we ever made use of it? What purpose does it serve in this service body? What is the difference between prudence and hoarding? Tradition Eight: What does being “forever nonprofessional” mean for our service efforts? Does that change the way we approach our work? How does that affect the ways we work with other organizations or the public? Tradition Nine: What functions does this service body accomplish on behalf of the groups? How do we get input from groups as we plan? How can we maintain effective communication between groups and their boards or committees?

Small Group Discussion Tradition Ten: What role does this service body have in helping groups face challenges related to outside issues? What can we do to support groups that are facing such challenges? Tradition Eleven: What are some challenges or opportunities social media presents to our PR efforts? How do we ensure that the guidelines of this Tradition is applied to our use of communication tools? How do we protect personal anonymity and NA’s reputation on the internet or in social media? What can we do to restore NA’s reputation once it’s been compromised? Tradition Twelve: What can we do to be more inclusive in our service efforts? How can we attract and retain members in service? How do we balance our need for continuity with the practice of rotation?

Guiding Principles: Putting Our New Traditions Workbook to Work Put on a workshop locally Send your input to wb@na.org Get outlines and PowerPoints for this and other workshops www.na.org/IDT