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Tradition Twelve

"Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities."

"In PI work, as in our Fellowship as a whole, this Tradition tells us that the "I" becomes "we." "The spiritual foundation becomes more important than any one particular group or individual." [Narcotics Anonymous Basic Text, 5th Edition, English, page 72]. That view also refers to our first Tradition, that our common welfare should come first, that we need to be unified.

Humility is very important in public information service. The story of NA is more important than any of our own personal stories. Practicing the principles of this Tradition in PI will enable us to work together for the common good. It will remind us that each member is as important as every other member and that all ideas should be listened to regardless of the source.

When we talk about our Fellowship, when we share with the outside world, we need to practice the principle of anonymity. It is, we are told, the spiritual foundation of all of our Traditions.

We’ve heard it said around this Fellowship that spiritual anonymity is the sacrifice of personal ambition. The integrity of the NA program must not be compromised by self-serving behavior. Personal anonymity ensures that we carry a pure message to the addict who still suffers, and to the professionals and/or non-professionals who work with and help those addicts.

Placing principles before personalities allows us to show the public what the principles are and how they work. When we take our personalities out of the picture, we allow the principle of anonymity to work. This also opens the door for other spiritual principles—such as unity, hope, and unconditional love—to guide us in our public information service work.

"Tradition Twelve is all the traditions rolled up into one", summarizing and reinforcing the message of the previous eleven. [It Works How and Why, English, page 209]. When we practice and live these spiritual principles, we provide proof that the program of NA works.