A New Opportunity for Hope Behind the Walls
April 30, 2015
An Open Letter To My Family
May 28, 2015
There are many different spiritual virtue lists that refer to the Twelve Steps which have been printed by other AA’s over the years. Although used by many AA members, they are not Conference Approved and the origin of these lists are unknown.
Bill W. considered each step to be a spiritual principle in and of itself. However, particularly in the 12 & 12, he outlined the spiritual principles behind each step. Some of them seem like common sense, but understand going into the exercise that reading these principles and actually practicing them in your day-to-day lives are two entirely different things (and that the latter requires vigilance and willingness).
- HONESTY – Fairness and straight forwardness of conduct: adherence to the facts.
- HOPE – To expect with desire; something on which hopes are centered.
- FAITH – Complete confidence; belief and trust.
- COURAGE – Firmness of mind and will in the face of extreme difficulty; mental or moral strength to withstand fear.
- INTEGRITY – The quality or state of being complete or undivided; soundness.
- WILLINGNESS – Prompt to act or respond; accepted and done of choice or without reluctance.
- HUMILITY – Not proud or haughty; not arrogant or assertive; a clear and concise understanding of what we are, followed by a sincere desire to become what we can be.
- LOVE – Unselfish concern that freely accepts another in loyalty and seeks his good to hold dear.
- DISCIPLINE – Training that corrects, molds, or perfects the mental faculties or moral character; to bring under control; to train or develop by instruction.
- PATIENCE/PERSEVERANCE – Steadfast despite opposition or adversity; able or willing to bear; to persist in an understanding in spite of counter influences.
- AWARENESS – Alive and alert; vigilance in observing.
- SERVICE – A helpful act; contribution to the welfare of others; useful labor that does not produce a tangible commodity.
By Unknown Author
Staff
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of the AA Cleveland District Office.
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12 Comments
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Carmelita K. says: But, I had to be honest with myself to be able to recognize what I had to accept
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Marie Z. says: Hey Steve,
First, Happy New Year to you and yours. Oh my gosh, I’m excited to respond to this post, and have been for years, frankly. Ever since I came into A.A. 17 years ago. You see, when it comes to reading, I become sort of demonic over the correct use of words. Which brings me to the issue of the oft- used “acceptance” as it applies to the Principle of Honesty in Step One. And, by the way, I am also a fan of your posts and read them often. OK, now, what I’ve gleaned from reading our Basic Text and myriad A. A.- approved literature regarding the principle of Honesty ( v. “acceptance”) in Step One, is this: Bill asks us to “concede,” which is to ‘agree’ (w/ our innermost self) that we are alcoholics. In this way, as a wizend old- timer once said to me, we are also “being ‘honest’ for the first time in our life!” Somehow I believed he spoke truthfully. I share this story with you because of how I came to know you: as an active member of Alcoholics Anonymous. In that sense I believe you also want to uncover, discover and discard, as I do, now, with 17 years of lived gratitude, as a sober, active member of A.A.
(an also an active reader of your posts!) From my heart, Marie
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Howard M. says: Hello all,
The version of the 12 step principles I was given has two principles in step one. Honestly (we admit) then, Acceptance (of that Truth). Many will admit their dependence and powerlessness but will not accept the reality of the truth.-
Jeffrey J. says: They go hand in hand with each other, when you’re completely honest with yourself you’ll have already reached a certain level of acceptance.
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Michael H. says: Over the last several years I’ve popped in here multiple times just to read these. While I no longer attend meetings, I do recall that these principles weren’t being read. For myself, I’ve found that they’re more important than the steps and should also be read aloud at the start of meetings.
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Linda says: Agreed. I conduct Big Book Studies every week and would love to incorporate the Principles (virtues) in my readings, but cannot find an original conference approved piece I can distribute. Have you had any luck with a bonafiede page from Bill or Bob?
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Doreen J. says: I have been searching for the same thing for years
I was once told they came from a Grapevine article but I haven’t been able to find it -
Dave B says: Hi Linda, first I’m glad to hear you facilitate BB meetings every week wherever you are. They are so important given the book, as hopefully you know, is the only place that tells us how to work the steps. For the past 15-20 years it seems that we have gotten away from it and the importance of it. My belief is far more people are relapsing simply because the emphasis of how important the book is is lost to a degree. When I got sober in the 80’s there was less people relapsing and I think it’s because more people had a working knowledge of the BB & how Bill wrote it. And I love the 12×12 (my second favorite book)and the way Wilson enhanced each step but there’s no instructions there as to how to work each step.
In regards to your statement about finding literature so as to incorporate the “principles” or “virtues” into your meeting the answer is very simple: there is none because those 12 principles that we see hanging in rooms, while beautiful things to strive for and live by, do not exist in Alcoholics Anonymous. They were nowhere to be found until around 2005
or 2010. I suggest you call GSO & speak to one of the archivists and they will echo this. There use to be a very, very long time Class A archivist named Noella who worked there. Retired around 2018. Whenever I was in New York I always went to GSO and always talked w her. Anytime I had a question about history I’d call her. I last saw her in person at the Atlanta International. She was with GSO when they moved to Riverside Dr. Occasionally we had conversations re this topic. They were no where to be found. As a bottom line she always directed me back to the foreword of the 12×12 where Bill wrote“AA’s 12 steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their mature”….
For me, I find that when I pay attention to what comes out of the general service office in our literature and in our big book, I stay physically and emotionally sober ODAAT.
Thank you for your very important and critical service, Linda
David B
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T. Walden says: Trying to cram the principles of the program into 12 distinct principles, and to associate each step with one specific principle, is folly, in my opinion. We try too hard. Similar to the approach of taking the “promises” on page 83 and mangling the grammar to twist the into 12 distinct promises.
Even in the list above, “Patience and Perseverance” are listed together as one principle – I see no basis for thinking of them this way. If they are not the same, do you instead have 13? What about Forgiveness? What about Tolerance? Kindliness? Open-mindedness? These are mentioned specifically in the main text, and listed nowhere here.
You cite an unnamed author with no other source material for this. That doesn’t stand up to any sort of critical discussion at all, now does it?
I love AA. I think it is always positive to talk about the literature – it can never lead to a bad outcome if we are trying to understand living a spiritual life. But, THE SPIRITUAL LIFE IS NOT A THEORY. This is not something we can just dissect into dissimilar and distinct parts. The whole is the whole, and it is greater than the sum of the parts.
I rather not think of the quasi-numerological mysticism associated with “12 everything.” We shouldn’t pigeonhole this thing and we should focus more on taking action and less on trying to figure it out.
Steve D. 
Tim N. 
Debbie 
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