Monthly Reflections
Please consider adding your own reflections to the EA Trustees' thoughts on the monthly reflection.The order of the Principles and Steps follow the calendar months. In 2019 we will work our way through the Traditions as they relate to the Steps.
The 12 Traditions are the guidelines by which our group and our fellowship function.They have proven over the years to be an effective way of holding the fellowship and individual groups together.
Tradition 4: Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or EA as a whole.
Autonomy means freedom from external control or influence; independence. In this context it means that each group can make its own decisions, provided what they decide doesn’t affect other groups or EA as a whole. Each group plans when and where they’ll meet. They choose their own formats, not necessarily using the EA suggested format. Each group determines which EA literature they’ll use during their meeting or whether they’d opt to have EA speakers come to share their experience, strength, and hope. Your homegroup determines how much money it will send to EA International to help carry the message to the person who still suffers from emotional problems. None of these preferences would affect other groups or EA as a whole.- Derita P. - EA Board of Trustees
Having autonomy brings freedom to choose. Knowing that each EA group can make choices for how things operate in that group allows for differences and diversity. The boundary of Tradition 4 comes into play when one EA’s group’s decisions affect all of EA. An example: if a group wants to pray the Lord’s Prayer or read Bible verses, one might think that Tradition 4 grants autonomy. But does it? Perhaps having too much religious language in such a prayer and sharing Bible verses affects EA as a whole—in terms of violating a basic EA principle: to be spiritual and not religious. Autonomy has limits.- Scott J. - Vice President - EA Board of Trustees
If you would like to submit your reflection for publication consideration, email it to editor@emotionsanonymous.org by the 15th of the month prior to publication. EA needs member involvement! Please keep your submissions to 100 words. Due to space limitations, not all submissions will be published and they may be edited. We will try to include as many as we can!
