"Traditions characterize a spiritually fit group of recovering addicts who find recovery in Narcotics Anonymous. When Traditions are violated, we have learned that fear has in some way gained a foothold. These fears justify wrongdoings. The only other possibility is simple ignorance. Violating traditions hurts the people involved. The fear makes it seem reasonable and proper for those doing the hurting to feel justified despite the evidence of their eyes and ears. This may be the essence of our insanity, not believing our own witness. If other members are hurting or behaving badly, they need extra love. If we are the ones who care, we are the ones who must pray for the extra grace and opportunity to help them in their difficulty.
Newcomers are watchful and they can catch flaws in oldtimers as quick as some of our NA scholars can spot a Tradition violation. "If it ain't practical, it ain't spiritual" is an old NA saying that shows how we deal with a good idea if it doesn't appear to be working. To retain a place in the NA program, everything spoken or written must prove its usefulness in the recovery arena. If love and caring are in evidence on the surface, it may indicate love and caring below the surface. If hatred and anger are on the surface, we may need to pray or meditate. If we can't do this, its a good sign that our spiritual condition is broken and must be regained before we can go on to anything else."
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
"We are careful to avoid using our knowledge of the traditions as rules for others. The usefulness of the Traditions is in learning to guide ourselves and make the right decision for the right reason. We can share our feelings and experiences with others without seeking to dominate or control. Because recovery is an inside job, the principles of the Traditions deal with the outside issues. They help us find ways to be useful as instruments of a loving God and avoid conflicts with others."
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Reading this today from NA Way Of Life was a real eye-opener for me... So easy for me to get carried away with the notion that these traditions are meant to be enforced on others Very easy to forget that these are for me to practice on myself in context with others
Felt like sharing this with all of you... this is literature developed by many members of our fellowship... and yes, don't worry, there's no copyright or ownership issues with these... lol... feel free to post more of such writings here if you come upon something that really affected your recovery, including your own insights, awareness, experiences, strength and hope with working the NA program
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS is a fellowship designed and administered by a bunch of ex-druggies whose only qualifications for membership are that
- They can't use drugs and have decided they don't want to learn how.
- Not that they could anyway, they never could, and it's highly unlikely that they ever would.
- It has no rules, dues or fees, nor anything else that any sensible organization seems to require.
- At meetings, the speaker starts on one subject, winds up talking about something entirely different, and concludes by saying he doesn't know anything about the program except that it works.
- The groups are always broke, yet always seem to have money to carry on. They are always losing members but seem to grow.
- They claim NA is a selfish program but they always seem to be trying to give it away and to do something for others.
- Every group passes laws, rules, edicts and pronouncements that everyone blithely ignores; members who disagree with anything have the privilege to walk out in a huff, quitting forever, only to return as if nothing has happened and be greeted accordingly.
- Nothing is ever planned 24 hours ahead, yet great projects are born and survive magnificently.
- Nothing in NA is according to Hoyle. How can it survive? Perhaps it's because we have learned to live and laugh at ourselves.
- God made man. He made laughter too. Perhaps he is pleased with our disorganized efforts and makes things right no matter who pushes the wrong button. Maybe he is pleased, not with our lack of perfection, but with our sincerity.
- Maybe he is pleased with our trying to be nobody but ourselves. We don't know how it works, but it does, and members keep receiving their dividends from their NA investments. It is smart to be clean, and much easier, my friends, to stay clean than to get clean.
- I not only believe in Miracles......I depend on them!!!!!!
anonymous
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"If we do an honest examination of exactly what we are giving, we are better able to evaluate the results we are getting."Chapter 10 - Emotional Pain - NA Way of Life.
Very easy to forget that these are for me to practice on myself in context with others 
