Options for Studying the Traditions

In our service and in our lives, the Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous can be invaluable. There are many ways to expand our familiarity and knowledge of the Traditions. The point here is to learn how to apply them to everyday life and in our service. Here are a few Tradition Study resources:

• A Design for Living Intergroup held a monthly Tradition Study Workshop. Here is the link to the podcasts that resulted from that 6-month long study:  www.ad4l.info 
• Take a “Walk through the Traditions” through a series of video podcasts at oa.org. Here’s the link: https://oa.org/podcasts/  The voice-over is soothing, almost meditative.
• Many meetings use a monthly format that includes Step and Tradition Study as a regular part of the meeting. Find that Literature: Step & Tradition Study Meetings on oa.org.
• If you wish, you can search manually for Step & Tradition meetings. Go to oa.org, and click on Find a Meeting - choose additional search options - special topic. Then look for "Literature - Step and Tradition Study". My search generated over 400 meetings with this focus when I tried it. Try your own search and dive in! 

I know there are many more meetings that include Tradition Study. If your meeting is focused on a Tradition study, please write to me at [email protected]. I will make up a list available to anyone who writes to me and asks for it. Together we get better but even more so when we put the Traditions to good use.



Aloha, Pat O'C

OA Virtual Region Vice-Chair

503-319-4942 PT (signal and what's app)

VIRTUAL REGION SERVICE FAIR

COME AND SEE WHAT THERE IS TO DO

15-week 12 Steps Study Group Forming

Overview: All OA members are invited to join this 15-week Step Study using the OA Twelve Step Workshop and Study Guide 2nd Ed.  The meeting time for the study is Wednesdays from 2:00-4:00 pm Eastern time.  There will be an organizational session Wednesday October 19th to answer questions and determine how the group wants to proceed with leadership and technical duties. 

All sessions will be held in English via Zoom. If interested, please go to oavirtualregion.org to sign up. The Zoom access code and password will be emailed in mid-October.

Participants will need the following books:

1) The above Study Guide 2nd ed. (all potential co-leaders need) or the Participant Guide 2nd ed. However, the full Study Guide (green cover) is preferred.

2) The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous 2nd ed.

3) Voices of Recovery

4) For Today

5) Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) which can be accessed for free online

6) AA Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions which can also be accessed online for free.

7) Overeaters Anonymous, Third Edition. The appendix and forwards needed are available at the oa.org document library for free.

After the Oct. 19th introductory meeting no more participants will be allowed to join. Also remember this is a 15-week commitment and you will stay with the same group for the full 15 weeks.

The Virtual Region 12th Step Within committee is committed to carrying the message via offering studies of the 12 Steps Of Overeaters Anonymous. We also recognize the need to provide this tep study on other days and times. With that in mind we will support, with our talents and resources, any service body or meeting that desires to host a step study. Feel free to let us know what you need by emailing [email protected].

Please remember to sign up for the Wednesday step study at oavirtualregion.org website. Other inquiries can be emailed to [email protected].

WELCOME HOME?

As a member of a special focus group (men), I bring certain "beliefs" of my own that may not be known to other members of a meeting. I know I don't communicate this much and I believe others in special focus groups may have "beliefs" specific to their own special focus.

I attend one to two virtual meetings daily and I am the only man in the majority of them. When I am the only man and I don't know the women attending, I ask permission as to whether I can stay at the meeting, especially if it is a Step study group, even if I know the other participants. I do this because when sharing many people will share a feeling and then will share their experience, strength, hope and use of the tools and steps in regards to the feeling. I think I'm being respectful of women to ask them if they wanted a space of only women to do that.

As previously stated I believe others may have not communicated "beliefs" of their own. For suggestions to service bodies and individuals for attracting and retaining men in OA please read this link

https://www.oamen.org/attracting-and-retaining-men/

Together we can, one day at a time

   - Anonymous