Traditions Wisdom in Contributing OA has always impressed me in how well it works, obviously due to Higher Power’s brilliant Twelve Traditions. The Seventh Tradition is the most revolutionary of all. I remember reading that when Bill W. was forming AA, he had connections to the very rich John D. Rockefeller and asked Rockefeller for a huge sum of money to make AA grow. … Read More
Steps Well of Humility Along with other OA literature that I read daily, I have developed a habit of reading the Step for each corresponding month in the AA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. This morning, I started reading the first page of Step Seven, and two phrases stood out. “The attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of A.A.’s Twelve … Read More
Recovery Relationships Simple and Wonderful For me, some of the hardest people to be comfortable with are members of my family of origin. I’m the only one who’s in a Twelve Step program, and sometimes when I’m with them, I feel like I’m in another world—yes, the world I had lived in too, until six years ago when I found my way back to the … Read More
Literature Tools & Concepts Best Place to Buy Q. When I first came to OA, I didn’t know very much about it, and I purchased my OA books on Amazon. Yesterday I was scolded for that purchase. I know now that OA has a bookstore, but what are your feelings about buying books there, as opposed to Amazon? A. I am sorry you were scolded for buying your … Read More
Higher Power Grounded by Grace After I shared my Fourth Step inventory with my sponsor, taking the Fifth Step, I moved on and wrote this poem during the hour I spent with God alone as I took Steps Six and Seven. Broad highway Narrow path, narrow steps. Tight rope strung between mountain peaks formed by stories, wrapped in drama, about a life lived overdone. Suspended, … Read More
Steps Soft Guidance In The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous, Second Edition, it states that low self-esteem is “not at all the same as humility. In fact, a poor self-image keeps us in bondage to self and thus makes it impossible for us to find true humility” (p. 51). The next paragraph goes on to describe how compulsive eating caused … Read More
Recovery Working the Program Contributing Part When I first became aware of the Traditions, I could see how important they were. And without Tradition Seven, we would have no OA, because how can any organization run without funding? When one member of OA is not able to contribute much, all of us can contribute more to ensure that the expenses are met. The whole concept of … Read More
Steps Traditions Generous, Willing, and Responsible Studying and working the Seventh Tradition has been one of the most important gifts of my recovery from the disease of compulsive eating. Learning to do my part has taught me how to behave responsibly in all aspects of my life. Truly, I hadn’t known that doing a service or making a donation could be the pathway for me to … Read More
Steps Traditions Giving for Life Although we are in May, it is always a good time for me to work towards being self-supporting. Though I’ve had some slips along the way, I have a lot of experience applying this Tradition in my personal life. Here are two ways I help support the Fellowship that saved my life. I set up an ARC, an Automatic Recurring … Read More
Steps Traditions Self-Supporting through Service I sometimes use an image to explain the concept of OA groups being self-supporting. I draw a giant circle and label it “Everyone in OA.” Then I draw eleven large circles within the giant circle and label these “Regions” (there are ten land-based and one virtual). I zoom in on my own Region Four circle and draw sixteen little circles … Read More
