Tradition Seven: Every group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
At first glance, the Traditions seemed completely outside of my general understanding and lived experience. It took time to learn the Al‑Anon language and make sense of some of the things that were said, like, “There are no rules in Al‑Anon.” What I realized and learned from the shared experiences of others was that the principle of self-support found in Tradition Seven can guide many aspects of my life. They aren’t rules, but the principles that allow our groups to be self-supporting are found in the various sections of the current Al‑Anon/Alateen Service Manual (P-24/27).
As a member of an Al‑Anon group, my primary responsibility is to be prepared to welcome the newcomer. The newcomer finds the meeting, as I did, based on the currently listed meeting information available. This means someone in my group needs to be responsible for sharing those meeting details with the immediate links of service. I can bring this information to the District Representative (DR) and District meeting whether I am the Group Representative (GR) or not! Letting others know about our meeting is a great way to support the group. It is helpful to know who is currently serving as GR and DR. Because service rotation is encouraged, we want to be able to continue receiving and passing on information.
Service rotation is an Al-Anon Principle described in the “World Service Handbook” section of the Service Manual, and the methods and procedures described there have been drawn from many years of practical experience. Despite there being no “rules,” the Service Manual guides me as a member of my group in understanding what I need to do and how to do it. I don’t have to reinvent the wheel; I just need to follow good orderly direction. This helps me become self-supporting and confident in my abilities, which is much different from being self-sufficient!
The principle of self-support in Tradition Seven also means that I have identified an abundant selection of tools that help me support myself spiritually and emotionally as well as financially. I need to make a conscious effort to use the tools of finding and leaning on a Higher Power of my own understanding, applying the slogans, maintaining a relationship with a Sponsor, reading Conference Approved Literature, attending meetings, and of course, being of service in my meetings!
That proverbial stool can’t stand up without all three of its legs: recovery (through practice of the Steps), unity (through application of the Traditions), and service (through understanding and implementation of the Concepts of Service). It is very simple, but I can and do complicate things in a New York second! When I get off track, the principles of this program balance me. Those principles, including the vital principle of self-support, come to me through the shared experience, strength, and hope of my fellow Al‑Anon members and contribute to my recovery.
By Sue P., Associate Director—Group Services
The Forum, July 2025
“Inside Al‑Anon Family Groups” presents news, policy, and commentary from volunteers, staff and readers sharing experience through service. Please feel free to reprint these articles on your service structure website or newsletter, along with this credit line: Reprinted with permission of Al‑Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc., Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA.