Members' Section
Welcome to the South African
Al-Anon Family Groups
Members' site
The Suggested Preamble to the Twelve Steps
“The Al-Anon Family Groups are a fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who share their experience, strength and hope in order to solve their common problems. We believe alcoholism is a family illness and changed attitudes can aid recovery.
Al-Anon is not allied to any sect, denomination, political entity, organisation or institution; does not engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any cause. There are no dues for membership. Al-Anon is self-supporting through its own voluntary contributions.
Al-Anon has but one purpose, to help the families of alcoholics. We do this by practising the Twelve Steps, by welcoming and giving comfort to families of alcoholics and by giving understanding and encouragement to the alcoholic.”
How we recover in Al-Anon
In Al-Anon we recover by accepting alcoholism as an illness. We face our attitudes, obsessions and compulsions by developing our awareness of our own behaviour patterns. Often only a desperate crisis motivates us to take an honest look at ourselves. Blaming our misery and poor self-esteem on the alcoholic was our old behaviour. We recover by taking responsibility for our own feelings, thoughts and actions.
Al-Anon gives us that choice and the tools to walk this new way of life. Recovery demands a searching and fearless exposure of our denial. We commit to dismantling our illusions regardless of the painful truths we uncover. We balance our active efforts with the faith of letting go. As our recovery progresses, we put more emphasis on our serenity and less on our complaints. We choose being happy over being right.
By participating in Al-Anon meetings, working our 12 Step programme, engaging with a personal sponsor, reflecting on our literature and applying the slogans to our daily lives, we learn how to recover – one day at a time.
The Legacies
Al-Anon’s three legacies, the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts of Service, are the spiritual foundation of our programme.
The Steps are the foundation for personal recovery in Al-Anon, and the Traditions help Al-Anon groups sustain their unity and fellowship. The Twelve Concepts of Service provide guidance for service in the Al-Anon fellowship.
Read the Twelve Steps, Traditions and Concepts: https://al-anon.org/for-members/the-legacies/
AL-ANON'S DECLARATION
Let it Begin With Me
When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,
let the hand of Al-Anon and Alateen
always be there, and- Let It Begin With Me
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