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The 12 Tradions of OA
Overeaters Anonymous (OA) is a fellowship based on the 12-step program initially designed for Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), but OA caters specifically to those suffering from compulsive eating and food-related issues. At its core, OA operates on two sets of guiding principles: the 12 Steps (focused on personal recovery) and the 12 Traditions (focused on maintaining unity and function within the group).
While the 12 Steps guide individuals on their path to recovery, the 12 Traditions exist to maintain the structure and integrity of OA as a whole. They ensure the group functions smoothly, protect its purpose, and foster an environment where members can work on their recovery without distractions. Each tradition plays a crucial role in maintaining the health and unity of OA groups worldwide.
In this article, we’ll examine each of these 12 Traditions in-depth, exploring how they shape OA’s functioning, protect its mission, and offer a solid foundation for those struggling with compulsive eating to find support and freedom.
1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends upon OA unity.
The first tradition emphasizes the importance of unity within the group. It stresses that individual recovery relies on the collective health of the fellowship. In Overeaters Anonymous, members are encouraged to remember that their well-being is directly tied to the group’s welfare. If the group functions harmoniously and supports each other, everyone involved can recover better.
This tradition is particularly crucial because OA groups consist of people from all walks of life with varying opinions, personalities, and backgrounds. Without a commitment to the common welfare, disagreements and individual desires could splinter the group, making it difficult for anyone to recover. By focusing on the group’s unity, OA ensures that everyone’s path to recovery is supported.
2. there is but one ultimate authority for our group purpose—a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
The second tradition speaks to the leadership structure within OA. Unlike traditional organizations with clear hierarchies, Overeaters Anonymous operates under the principle of group conscience. This means that decisions affecting the group are made collectively, with members trusting in the guidance of a higher power as it manifests in their shared decision-making process.
Leaders within OA are considered “trusted servants,” not authority figures. They facilitate the group’s activities, ensure its mission is upheld, and help steer the direction, but they don’t wield power over others. This non-governing approach helps keep the focus on recovery rather than power struggles.
3. The only requirement for OA membership is a desire to stop eating compulsively.
Inclusion is a cornerstone of Overeaters Anonymous. Tradition Three clarifies that anyone can join, provided they desire to stop compulsive eating behaviors. There are no additional requirements, such as fees, professional diagnoses, or an application process.
This openness fosters a welcoming environment where people from diverse backgrounds feel accepted and supported. The lack of restrictive criteria helps to ensure that anyone struggling with food-related issues can find a place in OA to seek help.
4. Each group should be autonomous, except in matters affecting other groups or OA as a whole.
OA groups are encouraged to operate independently, provided their actions do not impact other groups or conflict with OA’s core principles. This autonomy allows each group to adapt to the specific needs of its members. For example, some groups may hold meetings in different formats (e.g., face-to-face, virtual, or hybrid) or emphasize certain aspects of recovery based on their members’ collective needs.
However, while each group enjoys autonomy, they must still uphold OA’s overarching mission and avoid doing anything that could harm other groups. This balance between independence and accountability ensures that the organization stays strong while individual groups can be flexible.
5. Each group has but one primary purpose—to carry its message to the compulsive overeater who still suffers.
At the heart of OA’s mission is the desire to reach out to struggling people. The fifth tradition reminds members and groups that their main purpose is to carry the message of recovery to compulsive overeaters who haven’t yet found freedom.
This tradition guides groups to focus on their core purpose: helping those who suffer from compulsive eating. Whether through sponsoring others, leading meetings, or sharing personal stories of recovery, members are encouraged to offer hope and guidance to newcomers.
6. An OA group should never endorse, finance, or lend the OA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
Tradition Six is a safeguard, ensuring that OA doesn’t become entangled in outside businesses, facilities, or causes. By avoiding affiliations with outside enterprises, OA maintains its focus on recovery. Financial or promotional ties could potentially distract members from their primary goal or lead to conflicts of interest.
This tradition helps ensure the fellowship remains pure and unburdened by external pressures. It protects the group from being influenced by money, prestige, or outside opinions that could jeopardize its purpose.
7. Every OA group should be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
In line with the previous tradition, Tradition Seven emphasizes that OA groups should not rely on outside funding. Instead, they should be self-sufficient, relying on their members’ voluntary contributions. This financial independence ensures that OA remains free from external influences and obligations.
Members contribute what they can by passing the basket at meetings or making donations online. These contributions are used to cover meeting expenses, literature, and any costs associated with supporting the fellowship’s activities. This practice of self-support fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility within the group, reinforcing the commitment to recovery.
8. Overeaters Anonymous should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
Tradition Eight outlines the non-professional nature of OA. The fellowship is built on peer support, with members helping one another based on shared experience rather than professional expertise. OA is not a therapy group or a medical service—it’s a community of individuals with a common struggle working together for recovery.
However, OA service centers (such as regional offices or websites) may employ workers to perform administrative tasks that require specific skills. These workers are not considered part of the fellowship’s leadership, and their roles are purely functional. They ensure that OA’s essential services run smoothly.
9. OA, as such, ought never to be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible for those they serve.
While Overeaters Anonymous is not a formal organization with strict hierarchical structures, it still requires some level of organization to function effectively. Tradition Nine allows for the creation of service boards and committees that manage the logistics of OA’s operations, but these bodies remain accountable to the fellowship as a whole.
This tradition emphasizes the importance of keeping any necessary organizational structures as simple and service-oriented as possible. OA’s primary focus remains on supporting members’ recovery, not on building a complex bureaucracy.
10. Overeaters Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the OA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
Tradition Ten ensures that OA remains focused on its mission without getting involved in outside issues or controversies. OA does not take stances on political, social, or economic issues that are unrelated to its purpose. This tradition helps to protect the fellowship from being divided by external disputes and ensures that OA meetings remain a safe space for everyone, regardless of their beliefs or backgrounds.
By staying neutral on outside matters, OA preserves its unity and ensures that its focus remains on helping those struggling with compulsive eating.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion. We must always maintain personal anonymity in the press, radio, films, television, and other public communication media.
In Tradition Eleven, OA embraces the principle of attraction rather than promotion. This means that OA allows its reputation to speak for itself instead of actively advertising or aggressively promoting the fellowship. Those who need help will find OA through word of mouth, personal referrals, or by seeing the positive changes in those who have recovered.
Additionally, this tradition reinforces the importance of personal anonymity in public media. OA members do not publicly identify themselves as such in the press, radio, or other public forums, as this could compromise the individual’s privacy or the integrity of the fellowship.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all these Traditions, reminding us to place principles before personalities.
The final tradition underscores the importance of anonymity within OA. Anonymity serves two purposes: protecting the privacy of individual members and fostering an environment where principles matter more than personalities. No one is elevated above others due to their status, and the focus remains on collective recovery rather than individual achievement.
Anonymity also reinforces humility, a key spiritual principle in OA. OA creates a space where members can work harmoniously toward recovery by focusing on shared principles rather than personal egos or reputations.
Conclusion: The Guiding Light of the 12 Traditions
The 12 Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous provides a framework that ensures the fellowship’s unity, stability, and effectiveness. They help safeguard OA’s mission of helping compulsive overeaters while fostering an environment where everyone feels welcomed and supported. These traditions allow OA to maintain its core focus on recovery without being distracted by outside influences, internal politics, or personal agendas.
By adhering to these principles, OA groups worldwide create safe spaces for people struggling with food addiction to find recovery and freedom. Whether you’re new to the fellowship or have been a long-time member, the 12 Traditions offer a road map for ensuring Overeaters Anonymous’ continued success and integrity for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the 12 Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous?
The 12 Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous (OA) is a guiding principle that maintains OA’s unity and purpose. They help ensure that OA groups remain focused on recovery from compulsive eating while fostering a sense of community.
How do the 12 Traditions differ from the 12 Steps of OA?
While the 12 Steps focus on personal recovery, the 12 Traditions provide a framework for how OA groups function. The traditions ensure that OA maintains unity, structure, and effectiveness in helping members recover.
Why is anonymity important in the 12 Traditions of OA?
Tradition 12 emphasizes anonymity, which protects members’ privacy and promotes equality within the group. It prevents personalities from overshadowing the principles of the fellowship, helping maintain focus on recovery.
How does Tradition 7 ensure the independence of OA groups?
Tradition 7 encourages OA groups to self-support through their members’ contributions, ensuring they aren’t influenced by outside funding. This maintains the group’s focus on its mission and prevents distractions from external interests.
Can OA groups have leaders?
OA groups have “trusted servants” rather than traditional leaders. These individuals guide the group’s activities but do not govern, allowing collective decision-making through group conscience, as stated in Tradition 2.
Why does OA avoid endorsing outside enterprises or causes?
According to Tradition 6, OA does not endorse outside enterprises to avoid distractions from its primary purpose. This ensures the group stays focused on recovery without conflicts of interest.
