The Incredible Tapestry Weekly Study Outline
A Study of AA's Thirty-Six Spiritual Principles (see Archives for a complete history of this format).
The Incredible Tapestry is created when AA's Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions & Twelve Concepts are woven together to guide each AA member to learn to live "in the greatest peace, partnership and brotherhood with all men and women."
The workshop format is available in several options: 1 - 1 1/2 hours; 4 hours; 8 hours; or a weekend long workshop. In addition, there is a basic outline for an ongoing, weekly study.
Weekly Study Group:
The following is a general outline for a weekly study of The Incredible Tapestry. The outline was developed over a eighteen-year period (1989-2007) from the learned experiences of an AA Concepts/Traditions Study Group in Eastern Massachusetts, Living Our Traditions. The original study group meets three of four weeks each month. There was never any rigid timetable to complete a particular section of the study. It's not uncommon for the study of a specific Tradition or Concept to continue for two months. One year, three months were spent on Tradition Five. There is flexibility to adapt to any time frame. If study meetings are held weekly, and sufficient time allowed for all to share, it generally takes a full year to complete the outline.
It is suggested that rather than a show of hands, discussion begin with whoever read last & rotate around the table as many times as needed to complete discussion. This method tends to encourage members to participate who might otherwise "pass." Experience has also taught us that crosstalk & debating or critiquing another's comments be firmly discouraged. More often than not, there is varied experience around the table. Throughout the discussions, there will be repetition of some material. This is intentional.
Among the materials used:
The November 1988, AA Grapevine (classic issue is on Traditions)
Alcoholics Anonymous (the big book)
The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions
The AA Service Manual and Twelve Concepts for World Service
The Twelve Concepts Illustrated
The Twelve Traditions Checklist (AA GV)
AA Tradition, How it Developed
The Twelve Traditions Illustrated
Problems Other Than Alcohol
Questions and Answers on Sponsorship
Understanding Anonymity
The AA Group
AA Comes of Age
Language of the Heart
The Home Group - Heartbeat of AA
The Final Conference Report
Various articles from the AA Grapevine & AAWS pamphlets
(Note: The workshop format differs considerably from this week-to-week study)
Tradition One
Begin by reading & discussing pages 3-9 in the AAWS pamphlet, AA Tradition, How it Developed.
Read & discuss the opening page in the AAWS pamphlet, The Twelve Traditions Illustrated.
Read & discuss Tradition One in the AAWS pamphlet, The Twelve Traditions Illustrated.
Read the "Declaration of Unity." Discussion is optional.
Read & discuss pages 96-98, AA Comes of Age. Begin with, "Implicit throughout AA's Traditions is the confession that..."
Read Tradition Four, Long Form. Discuss the connection between Traditions One & Four
Read & discuss "The Individual" & "Do We Need Each Other" from the November 1988, AA GV.
Traditions Checklist: Tradition One. On the first rotation, have each member select one or two questions & share their experience. Use as many rotations as you wish or time allows. Or, if time allows, each member can share his/her experience on all of the questions for the Tradition.
Read & discuss Tradition One, the 12x12.
Optional:
- Read & discuss the Preface & Forwards to the first three editions of the Big Book.
- Read & discuss "The Doctor's Opinion."
- Read & discuss any other "unity" articles in Language of the Heart &/or The Home Group - Heartbeat of AA.
Tradition Two
Read & discuss Tradition Two in The Twelve Traditions Illustrated.
Read & discuss Concepts I & II in The Twelve Concepts Illustrated.
Read & discuss "My Ego and Tradition Two" from the November 1988 AA GV.
Read & discuss Concept III in The Twelve Concepts Illustrated.
Read & discuss Step Seven in the 12x12.
Traditions Checklist: (Use the same protocol as with Tradition One's questions).
Read & discuss Warranties Three & Four, Concept XII in The AA Service Manual (or The Twelve Concepts for World Service booklet).
Read & discuss Tradition Two in the 12x12.
Optional:
Read & discuss other Tradition Two articles from The Language of the Heart, The Home Group - Heartbeat of AA &/or AA GV's.
Tradition Three
Read & discuss Tradition Three in The Twelve Traditions Illustrated.
Read & discuss "A Desire to Stop Drinking" form the November 1988 AA GV.
Read & discuss the AAWS pamphlet Problems Other Than Alcohol.
Read & discuss "The Doctor's Opinion" in the Big Book.
Read & discuss the AAWS pamphlet Is AA For You? ( reflecting upon your own "arrival" in AA).
Read & discuss pages 10 - 12, "Who Is A Member of Alcoholics Anonymous" in the pamphlet, AA Tradition - How It Developed.
Read & discuss Concept IV in The Twelve Concepts Illustrated.
Read & discuss Step Ten, the 12x12
Read & discuss Tradition Three in the 12x12.
Traditions Checklist: Tradition Three. Follow the same protocol as with Tradition One.
Tradition Four
Read the Long Form of Tradition Four & the “Declaration of Unity” to set the tone.
Read & discuss Tradition Four in The Twelve Traditions Illustrated. Follow this with a reading of Tradition One (same pamphlet) & continue discussions.
Read & discuss "How Autonomous Can You Be?" in the November 1988 AA GV.
Read &discuss at least two other Tradition Four articles from any of the following:
- Language of the Heart
- Home Group - Heartbeat of AA
- Any Grapevine
Read & discuss Concept III, The Twelve Concepts Illustrated. Follow that with a reading & discussion of the connection/balance between Traditions One, Two & Four, Concept III & page 76, Step Seven, 12x12.
Traditions Checklist: Tradition Four. Follow the same protocol as with Tradition One.
Read the "Declaration of Unity" again & then read & discuss Tradition Four in the 12x12.
Read the Long Form of Traditions Four, Six & Ten. Discuss as it relates to previous topics (Unity vs. Autonomy).
Tradition Five
Read the AA Preamble. Follow with the "Singleness of Purpose" statement from AA Comes of Age.
Read & discuss pages 3-9, AA Tradition - How It Developed.
Read & discuss Tradition Five, pages 106/107, AA Comes of Age.
Read & discuss the AAWS pamphlet, Questions & Answers on Sponsorship
Read & discuss the AAWS pamphlet, The AA Group
Traditions Checklist: Tradition Five. Follow the same protocol as with Tradition One
Read & discuss Tradition Five, The Twelve Traditions Illustrated.
Read & discuss the AAWS pamphlet, A Newcomer Asks.
Read & discuss Tradition Five, the 12x12.
Once again, read the AA Preamble & the “Singleness of Purpose” passage from AA Comes of Age.
Optional:
Read & discuss the AAWS pamphlet, A Member's Eye View.
More to follow...