Tradition Four
Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting another group or Al‑Anon or AA as a whole.
Please share your experience, strength, and hope as it relates to Tradition 4. The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the person who gave them. Take what you liked and leave the rest. Member sharing on the Member Blog may be used in future Al‑Anon publications.
The spiritual gift of Tradition Four initially was freedom. Because my Step Four work opened the door for my good qualities that had run amok, out of balance; and with Tradition Four, I get to be me in balance, and you get to be you, too. Balance is certainly one of the spiritual gifts possible. Recently, I heard it said in my heart, “All HP power is shared power and letting go of autonomous power.” What I experience is wanting that power expressed, and mine wasn’t any more or less important than yours, but together can become the WOW a… Read more »
I like knowing that there can be differences in meetings while they all still adhere to the principles of the program. Not every single meeting is going to be a good fit for everyone, but there will be at least one, if not more, that is a perfect fit for someone.
Variety is the “spice of life”, and the 4th Tradition helps us include a wider variety of “flavors” on our local meeting menu. For example, around here most groups weekly read the Twelve Steps. Some read only the “Tradition of the Month”, while others read all Twelve Traditions each week. Some (but not all) groups read the date’s entry from one of our daily readers. Some share in a pattern around the room to be sure that everyone gets a turn, while others share in a more random “popcorn style.” There are numerous differences. “Live and Let Live.” Our local… Read more »
The Forum April 2022 The Fourth Tradition article I am presenting to my Al-Anon group the 4th Tradition tonight for discussion. I found Sue P. of Group Services article very inciteful and timely for updated look at an Al-Anon tradition. Plan to use the article tonight in my presentation. The last paragraph caught me by surprise with the word “obedient” in the sentence. Maybe it is my upbringing and I reacted negatively to the word. But with an open mind, I searched for a different word to use in my group discussion. The word I chose is “…DUTIFUL to Al… Read more »
I was very familiar with the meaning of the word autonomous prior to coming to Al-Anon, as I always prided myself in being a very autonomous person. The difference is that upon coming to the program and starting to have a look at Tradition Four the part stating “except in matters affecting Alateen and Al-Anon Family Groups or AA as a whole” got my attention. In retrospective, I could see that this facet of being autonomous had eluded me most of my life. I never went straight out in being autonomous with complete disregard of others, but I am sure… Read more »
Tradition Four is quite straight forward and offers us a framework and some security as a group and as a fellowship. It also gives us some independance, while asking us to be responsible, to respect boundaries and to find balance in anything that could affect the fellowship as a whole. This Tradition also applies in my life. I like it in particular, because it keeps me in a narrow path, when I want to go all over the place. Finding and keeping balance was not a given for me. I still have to be careful, because I can still step… Read more »
I am in a phone meeting specifically focusing on Tradition Four. Interestingly enough, I am working my Tradition Four in Al-Anon’s Steps, Traditions and Concepts book called, Paths to Recovery. I believe that having a Sponsor, who has a Sponsor, and working not only the Steps but also the Traditions with my Sponsor is serving a very good purpose. I have been in service since my second meeting. Service has been one of the best tools to keep me grounded in my recovery from the effects of growing up in a family with addictions and marrying someone with multiple addictions,… Read more »
I experienced autonomy from the time I was not under my father’s big thumb.. or so I thought. However, this autonomy included dominance, control and lack of consideration for others. When I came to look at Tradition Four, I knew changes were in order. First, I had to look at the limitations that my autonomy had and recognized that, more often than not, I was overstepping the boundaries of what was mine and ignoring what belong to others. I also recognized that my decisions were affecting others, as I did not consult them and take their views into consideration. Therefore,… Read more »