Like Alcoholics Anonymous, Al-Anon has three Legacies: recovery, unity and service. 

The Twelve Steps are a Legacy of shared experiences in recovery. 

The Twelve Traditions describe the Legacy of Unity. Finally, the Legacy of Service is found in the Twelve Principles of Service. 

All three Legacies are for people whose lives are or have been affected by the alcoholism of a family member or friend. These form the basis of our programme. They help us to focus our attention on our sole purpose, which is independent of any other process, therapy or institution. 

Steps, Traditions and Service Principles are closely linked. This book focuses on the first two.

For more information on the Twelve Principles of Service, please consult the Twelve Principles of Service - The innermost secret of Al-Anon? (P-57), in the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual, in the chapter on the Twelve Principles of Al-Anon Service (P-24/27) and in the book Paths of Recovery (B-24).

 Al-Anon's Twelve Steps is the heart of the programme, through which anyone affected by alcoholism can find a new way of life in the Al-Anon Family Groups community. The Twelve Traditions are the backbone of Al-Anon. This is the basis of the community unity on which individual help is built. The Twelve Steps and Tradition, although spiritually oriented, is not based on any religious dogma. The Steps and Traditions encompass not only the philosophies of many different faiths and religions, but also non-religious, ethical and moral reflections.

 The designation "God" does not refer to a being, force or concept, but only to God as the members understand Him. Through the programme, anyone can find peace of mind and fulfilment in life if they can believe in a Power greater than themselves.

 In studying and applying the Steps and Traditions, many of us in the community are discovering that their usefulness goes far beyond simply tackling the problem of alcoholism. If they become part of our lives, they can always help us in every situation. The extent to which they help depends only on how much we can go into them and how we use them.

 This book contains a description of each Step and Tradition, followed in each case by a thought-provoking section and a story. These are only a fraction of the experiences we share, as there are as many stories as there are Al-Anon members.