The Inventory

Step Four, A Fearless and Moral Inventory.

A valuable tool for addicts who choose to participate in Narcotics Anonymous is the personal inventory. I found out It is also one of the most destructive tools in recovery when used incorrectly. Many addicts attend meetings regularly, find a sponsor and work through the steps. Some members use a process of questions and discussions to complete the steps that have been passed on for decades from sponsor to sponsee. The NAWS Corporation has produced a step working guide that is for sale at many meetings and is popular with new members of the Fellowship. I wanted to share my experiences with a Step Four inventory. I have completed three inventories and two sets of steps since I came to the Fellowship in 2002.

Treatment and Rehab

A lot of members start the steps in treatment centers. Treatment centers are not part of Narcotics Anonymous and have adapted parts of the Twelve Step program to suit their needs. Most use a system called the ‘Minnesota Model’ based on professionals interpreting the twelve step process. I often hear from members that NA is aftercare while in treatment and if they keep attending. I needed an understanding of the spiritual principles learned in the Steps to work with others in a home group focused on the Twelve Traditions. The greatest benefit to me personally is the application of the Twelve Traditions in my group. Some treatment center clients will abandon the Twelve Step process after they have completed Step Five, where they share the personal inventory with another individual. The inventory is not a scalpel where you dissect yourself for improvement. The rooms of Narcotics Anonymous are full of treatment center victims. This endless cycle of abuse continues when they relapse and go back to treatment, then start another set of Steps. Some look at recovery in Narcotics Anonymous as a self-help program. Self-obsession is the core of the disease, and Step Four should treat the disease, not add to it. Members can be court ordered to attend meetings and have no interest in participating fully. Some will take advantage of all the government sponsored programs developed to help them recover. Those who work in the treatment industry, policy makers, the courts and law enforcement experience the worst results of what they see as the Narcotics Anonymous program. The greatest benefit for professionals to fully understand and experience what recovery in Narcotics Anonymous looks like is in our unity, not our personalities.

What I found in the Steps

I never believed the steps were intended to make me a better person but simply to gain understanding of who I am. The simple act of living a drug free lifestyle will improve many addicts’ lives. In Narcotics Anonymous we can find new ways of using that do not involve drugs. The Tenth Step is an inventory of our commitment to Narcotics Anonymous. Some of my most destructive traits took years to unlock and expose to the light.

By the same token we have observed some members who remain abstinent for long periods of time whose dishonesty and self-deceit still prevent them from enjoying complete recovery and acceptance within society.

Narcotics Anonymous, IP No. 6 “Recovery and Relapse”, The White Book, and Any version of the Basic Text

How can my dishonesty and self-deception manifest itself in daily living? This can be difficult to diagnose alone. I have always found it important to have a sponsor and a group I attend regularly. I was taught to find a home group and participate fully in the efforts of the group. I have always sought a few members I felt I could trust. What part does Narcotics Anonymous play in the process?

N.A. is a non-profit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem. We are recovered addicts who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. This is a program of complete abstinence from all drugs.

[Basic Text, Grey Book, Chapter two, “What is N.A.”]

Recovering and Recovered

I believe that we were ‘recovered’ addicts when we help others, and ‘recovering’ when we tell others what we want to do about our problems and how they can help. We forge bonds of unity by working together. I use this simple idea of recovering and recovered. It is how I keep myself from using drugs, defects, and shortcomings to support my addiction. Narcotics Anonymous is a safe place regardless of clean time or intentions beyond a simple desire to stop using. Some members struggle with active addiction for a while or taper off from drug replacement therapies like suboxone or methadone. Members can remain abstinent but struggle with defects or are simply self-seekers who have lost the desire to stop using. I was taught that the program begins as I work the steps completely abstinent. My experiences in completing the steps mimic what the basic text says.

“Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to addicts, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.”

[Narcotics Anonymous, Step 12]

From my observations, practicing these principles in all our affairs is a struggle. In some cases, principles are completely abandoned. Today I feel clear in my mind and surrounded by love. I try to stay connected but maintain healthy boundaries with a vibrant Fellowship.

Those in Service to Narcotics Anonymous

Bob Stone was the first executive director of the World Service Office for Narcotics Anonymous. He was not an addict. The World Service Office would morph into the NAWS corporation. He remarked in his book (“My Years With Narcotics Anonymous”, Originally published and copyrighted in 1997 by Hulon Pendleton Publishing L.L.C.) at how petty members with significant clean time were, but his experience was with a small segment of the Fellowship. Those members were trying to govern a rapidly growing fellowship in the 1980s and early 1990s. Narcotics Anonymous is a spiritual movement and grows organically every day in many parts of the world without the need to be managed. I believe members acted dishonestly or allowed self-deception to influence changes in our fellowship that had a far-reaching impact. Growth halted quickly in North America. The solution for them was to make service structures and events part of NA. Events are a growing part of funding those in power and can provide a soapbox for the worst examples of our disease. The groups had already approved the original literature which referred to anything outside a group as not a part of NA and emphasized the importance of no governance.

A Small World Emerges

With the literature changes, members who have never fully recovered can built entire lives inside the fellowship by filling their time with events and service work. Today members use terms like event-based recovery or service-based recovery in a derogatory fashion to describe these behaviors. At work or in your personal life you might never experience the prestige of being a Convention Speaker, Distinguished Service Member and/or authority on all things pertaining to Narcotics Anonymous.

Rather than inventory themselves or their service efforts, members use the inventory process as a weapon to drive away others. Service bodies should be fully accountable to and supported financially by the groups. Some service structures do function remarkably well. I feel like it is related to the strength of the unity of those groups who participate fully without the need to inventory each other. Look and see for yourself the effectiveness of service structures when they are accountable to the groups. Social media and virtual NA has opened the window to healthy fellowships around the world. I love the strength of my program today and the people who participate daily in my life.

Our strength is Our Diversity

All members should be freely participate in NA as equals regardless of their place in the journey to complete recovery. The personal inventory I took laid the foundation for the rest of the work I did in completing the steps and applying the traditions. The daily practice of applying spiritual principles in all my affairs continues. When I struggle with this practice, I ask for help from other members in the group I’m a member of or people in my circle. New people and a growing fellowship strengthen my recovery and offer me more freedom with each passing day. The diversity of the group gives me the opportunity to apply the traditions in my life and further strengthens my practice of applying spiritual principles. Groups grow and new groups form. The stigma of being an addict is no longer a barrier. I can fully contribute to society and participate in all the world has to offer. The greatest freedom is from self-obsession as I remain vigilant in carrying a message to the still suffering addict. For me, the greatest gift has been informing the public about Narcotics Anonymous by distributing meeting lists and developing websites.

“The 12 Corruptions Of Narcotics Anonymous”

Fellowship Approved

By the time the 1980’s arrived, Narcotics Anonymous was well established as a program of recovery for people who suffered with the disease of addiction. Addicts were getting clean and staying clean by following this simple program of recovery. Even members of AA were starting NA meetings with the hope of addicts finding their own solution since AA was not working well for addicts. In 1976 the first World Service Conference (WSC) was held with the intention of bringing together the groups to provide some cohesion to the growing worldwide Fellowship. The creation of literature was critically important to this Fellowship of recovering addicts because they wanted to share with others what was working for those who were staying clean. The original literature that was created was formed in an open-participatory style, with anyone showing up being able to contribute at literature conferences. The literature created would be distributed by the burgeoning service structures to as many groups as possible, who would approve the literature for use as ‘Fellowship approved.’ The literature distributed was referred to as approval drafts before being ‘Fellowship approved’ by groups. World Service Conferences were being held annually to provide direction to the World Service Office and the board of Trustees.

Conference Approved

By the early 1990’s, Narcotics Anonymous had grown to the point that the Fellowship had started to solidify a service structure. Addicts had created a critical text known as the Basic Text and other literature was widely approved and used by groups around the world. There were many strong personalities and differing opinions on the direction of our service efforts and the relationship between groups and service structures. The ways literature was produced also changed. Early attempts to define our service structure resulted in publications like “The NA Tree – First Service Manual” (1975) and “Temporary Working Guide To The Service Structure” (1984). The World Service Office (WSO) started to implement professional writers and special interest groups were used to create and modify literature, including later versions of the Basic Text. There was a great deal of literature that was available from early literature conferences that were unpublished and in approval drafts. some remain popular like “The Paths of Recovery” (1988, this link is to one of the versions available online) and others like an approval draft of “Living Clean” (1983) but never submitted to groups for approval. The tremendous growth and power struggles resulted in a fragmented Fellowship.

In 1992, at the annual World Service Conference, a motion was passed;

Motion 3: To approve the booklet, “Twelve Concepts for NA Service” (Addendum 2).1

Intent: Adoption of this motion will place the booklet, Twelve Concepts for NA Service, in the WSO inventory as World Service Conference-approved literature.

Concepts Never Approved By Groups

This booklet was approved by the conference, but never submitted to the groups for approval and therefore not Fellowship approved literature under the existing rules (hence the term ‘Conference-approved’). It was meant to direct the efforts of the service structures in place of literature like “The Paths of Recovery”. During the next decade, the WSO (which became the current Narcotics Anonymous World Services Inc, or NAWS Inc in 1998) began to control the production and use of the Narcotics Anonymous name, literature and logos by implementing the Fellowship Intellectual Property Trust (FIPT) which was never group approved. The Guide to World Services(Conference Cycle 2016–2018 Edition published for the World Service Conference of Narcotics Anonymous by Narcotics Anonymous World Services, Inc.) was created and included two sections;

C. WSC Approval

1. The conference shall not vote on any proposals to change existing Fellowship approved NA recovery literature unless such changes have appeared in the Conference Agenda Report.

2. All literature submitted to the conference for approval requires a two-thirds majority vote of regional delegates, and it also takes a two-thirds majority vote to withdraw current NA literature from the category of approved literature.

3. Literature approved under this process is marked as Fellowship-approved.

As well as;

Changes to NA’s Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, Twelve Concepts or NA’s Name, Nature, or Purpose Any WSC proposal or action to change NA’s Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts for NA Service or NA’s name, nature, or purpose should be approved directly by the groups through a group tally process, administered according to the following guidelines:

NAWS Corporation Attempts to Control Literature

Now NAWS Inc. can produce new literature, modifies existing literature, and have the World Service Conference authorize it as ‘Fellowship Approved’ without involvement of the groups, further distancing itself. It’s interesting to note that even NAWS Inc. and WSC recognize it would be dangerous to modify the twelve Steps and Traditions without group approval, but for some strange reason they also burdened the groups with the task of modifying the twelve Concepts that were never approved by groups in the first place. In fact, many of the changes to available literature, particularly the ones to the original Basic Text were never authorized by groups and have placed a burden on the very groups the service structures are meant to support.

NAWS Inc. versus The Fellowship

Some of the literature created up to the 1990’s by the open-participatory method have been modified, professionally edited and released. The books “Living Clean”, and “It Works, How and Why” were done this way. It is an interesting study to look at the differences from the approval drafts to the finished products and see the problems created. Members, particularly those who are new are adopting the new literature and accepting it as “Fellowship Approved” while some prefer older literature, considered illegal by the NAWS Corporation further widening the rift. In North America, Narcotics Anonymous has seen little growth in the last 20 years, which should be a dire warning to those members who are firmly in control of the NAWS corporation. Some Groups are now adopting alternate literature and alternate literature sources, such as the Anonymi Foundation. The European Fellowship Service Conference recently released approval drafts of “Rings of Service” (an alternative to the 12 concepts) and a book titled “Grey Book Reflections” both available on Facebook. As Narcotics Anonymous spreads, many international Fellowships are translating existing or creating their own literature and may not seek the approval of NAWS. The Iranian Region has flourished in the last 25 years using literature that was translated independently of NAWS Inc. They produce and sell all their own literature with minimal markup because of the overwhelming financial support of the groups, and this could become the model for other service structures as well. The NAWS Corporation which relies on literature profits has failed to gain the support of the groups and will continue to struggle and could eventually decline. Internationally, further away from the influence of NAWS Inc, the Fellowship continues to grow.

See our page – https://pyetta.com/links-and-resources/ for additional information

Does your Doctor know?

Adapting to Change

I was committed to trying out the Narcotics Anonymous program and attending meetings after I hit bottom. Treatment was not an option I could afford. Talking with other addicts become comfortable the more I attended. What we talked about was starting to make sense and I did feel a sense of camaraderie with some members. I could talk about some of the challenges I was faced with in a safe place. I found many members could relate to what I was experiencing. Some would share their experiences and I learned from them. I found strength to continue and hope for a new way of living. Narcotics Anonymous was a safe place but I still had to deal with life outside of the meetings. I worked full-time, I was married and I had children. There was a lot of interaction with people outside the program. Many of my immediate circle cared about me and I tried to be honest about what I was doing. I talked with my doctor, but little help was available other than medication and psychiatrists.

Outside of the meetings I was dealing with the consequences of my addiction and trying to maintain a life worth living. Some of my behaviors were becoming uncomfortable. For the first time I started to see how I loved to swim in a sea of resentments. Everyone and every single situation I had experienced in my life was tainted with resentment. At a meeting, someone shared that resentments were like ‘drinking a cup of poison and expecting the other person to die’. This caused me weeks of struggle as I had to examine every aspect of my life and my thinking. I had an enormous sense of entitlement.

There were a lot of new ideas and new ways of living to explore. I was grateful to have other addicts to talk to. I found I was drawn to people who were similar in nature. There was a certain comfort in being part of a clique. The most uncomfortable conversations were with someone outside the Fellowship. Narcotics Anonymous became a big part of my life and I was anxious about people outside the Fellowship.

Honest Conversations

Early recovery involved commitments with a therapist, an addiction counsellor, friends, and family to talk openly about where I was at and what was going on. Being honest was difficult when you do not know the truth, and if you have lived a life of lies and misconceptions. I found myself lying for no other reason than it was more comfortable than telling the truth. I found my favorite conversations are often with professionals, like doctors and therapists. Some seem to have found a good balance between genuine concerns and vague indifferences to my problems. I tried to be honest about life in NA and shared about the many benefits. I started to enjoy talking with professionals in healthcare, and people interested in recovery. My support group in NA grew as well.

Carrying the Message

I worked the steps, and I found a place in my heart where I could talk comfortably with a higher power. Having a conversation with the God of my understanding allowed me to see how self-obsessed I was. My early conversations were about my needs, my frustrations, and my desires. As I continued to work the steps I found I was part of a larger community and everything was not about me. My life had become stable and I recognized daily that my needs were being met. I tried to get involved in the Fellowship and carrying the message to other addicts. It was challenging and exciting to work with other addicts. The work in applying principles started to benefit all aspects of my life. I found myself wanting to have better relationships with anyone I encountered. My conversations with my higher power changed and I sensed a growing desire to put aside self-obsessive thinking.

The Opposite of Using is Gratitude

A big moment happened about 7 years ago. I found a new doctor who was trained in the United Kingdom. My doctor loves Narcotics Anonymous and had very positive things to say about the fellowship. In the UK, Narcotics Anonymous does presentations to universities where doctors are trained. Whenever possible, I try and get him meeting lists to give to his patients. The conversations I had with people outside the fellowship were changing as well. The Narcotics Anonymous literature says about some of our members;

Yet there are others, completely abstinent, whose dishonesties and self-deceits still prevent them from enjoying complete recovery and acceptance within society.

My experiences reflected this. It can be very difficult to work with some Narcotics Anonymous service bodies. Strong personalities often overshadow principles. The Narcotics Anonymous literature warns members about this. Despite the warning, local service often ignore how they can be a detriment to my recovery. I have found a benefit to including other parts of society within my recovery. I am no longer surprised to see how many members continue to use. Over the years I have come to see how I have ‘used’ the NA fellowship and the relationships I formed were often fake. Using addicts attract addicts who are using. The ongoing struggles to fill service positions has as much to do with the attitudes of those involved as those who seek to be of service. Stepping away and forming healthy boundaries have helped me immensely.

Complete recovery and acceptance within society

The quality of my relationships has dramatically improved with honest conversations. Honest conversations are the best weapon against self-deception. I love the idea of complete recovery and acceptance within society. Today, complete recovery means I am free to express my gratitude. I believe that the opposite of using is gratitude. Gratitude is truly an action word as I seek to give back rather than use. Gratitude allows me to see the abundance I have and freely give back to society. Complete recovery means I am no longer using but have become useful. I am no longer isolated and have found acceptance within society. When I am talking with new members of Narcotics Anonymous I ask questions like; ‘Does your doctor know?’ or ‘Does your doctor have meeting lists?’ You might be the only contact someone has with Narcotics Anonymous today so choose your words and actions wisely. The literature says ‘We can only keep what we have by giving it away’. Giving back has been the foundation of my recovery.

Reservations and Relapse

Narcotics Anonymous talks about relapse in the literature. Relapse is not always about drugs. An early draft of the Basic Text of Narcotics Anonymous included this phrase.

In our daily lives, we are subject to emotional, environmental, intellectual, mental and spiritual relapses, causing us to become defenseless against the physical relapse of addiction.

Line numbered Grey Book, Review Copy, Printed February 1981, Memphis, Tenn., Page 125.

An approved version included this phrase;

In our daily lives we are subject to emotional and spiritual lapses, causing us to become defenseless against the physical relapse of drug use.

Basic Text, 2nd Edition, Line Numbered, Published 1982, Chapter 7, “Recovery and Relapse”, page 73

It was the experience of members who created our early literature. This shared experience of other members matched my experiences. Relapses has been a source of conflict for me in my recovery. I have been fortunate to not pick up drugs since I found Narcotics Anonymous, but I appreciate today that relapse can take many forms. I struggled with internal conflict. I flipped back and forth between contempt those who were not able to maintain their abstinence and self-loathing for my own lapses in behaviors. For years I quietly judged those who relapsed. Over time I came to appreciate addicts who kept coming back but I struggled to find acceptance of my own lapses. I hear the gossip and have felt the results of toxic cliques sitting in judgement. I don’t see things that way anymore.

Narcotics Anonymous Literature States That We Do Recover

Narcotics Anonymous literature tells me that relapse is a sign of a reservation. A sponsor of mine told me that reservations are anything that I put between me and my Higher Power’s will. Understanding my Higher Power’s will can be a challenge by itself without even considering the reservations that I am willing to admit to. Self-obsession, which is the core of the disease of addiction fills me with a sense of entitlement. I find myself wanting to take credit for my continued abstinence. I convince myself that I am doing the right things. On the other end of the pendulum, my struggle to accept my lapses in behaviors causes me to spiral downward into a path of self-obsessed behaviors. My ego tries to protect me from humility.

We are recovered addicts who meet regularly to help each other to stay clean.

Little White Book, 1966, Page 1

The original literature referred to recovering and recovered addicts. This was changed by the NAWS Corporation and later printings do not distinguish clearly between the two words. The literature today has gotten away from the differences by using ‘recovering addicts.’ There are other examples of ‘complete recovery’ that have not been edited in later versions.

Yet there are others completely abstinent, whose dishonesties and self-deceits still prevent them from enjoying complete recovery and acceptance within society.

Line numbered Grey Book, Review Copy, 1981, Chapter 7, ‘Recovery and Relapse, page 118.

Basic Text, 5th Edition, 1988, ‘Recovery and Relapse, Page 74

Complete Recovery

Members share that being clean is a miracle, and our literature talks about the ‘Grace of God’. There is something about the disease of addiction that causes me to deny that recovery is a gift. It can be terrifying to accept that the only reason I am clean is because of the benevolence of some higher power. My ego screams for acknowledgment. I try to convince myself that my efforts are somehow the reason I have been clean this long. I cry “I did everything right and I’m clean today because of it!” Secretly, I would deny the existence of a higher power in my life and avoid the responsibility that gift brings. I do not see complete recovery as a path to using drugs again. Complete recovery does not imply I am cured. I believe that complete recovery is simply a state of being where I am no longer using to change how I feel. I love hiking and often go but even hiking can become an obsession. If I surround myself with other addicts, our hiking endeavors could be a little clique where we maintain our lies and self-deception. I see today that it is important to understand the bigger picture.

Our Symbol

The outer circle denotes a universal and total program that has room within for all manifestations of the recovering and wholly recovered person.

Grey Book, 1981, Fellowship approved

The outer circle denotes a universal and total program that has room within it for all manifestations of the recovering person.

Basic Text, 5th Edition, 1988

These two lines, separated by 7 years highlight the division that we can create within our own fellowship. Members with decades of experience will take a stand on the inclusion or exclusion of the word recovered. Dividing points can create disunity. What has become important is that my personal recovery depends on NA unity; Tradition One.

Responsibility For My Recovery

When I can take responsibility for my recovery from the perspective of it being a gift, my perspective on the world changes. The decisions I make also change. I need to accept that I am worthy. That is hard because some days everything tells me that I am not worthy. I also see the reservations I hold differently as well. My reservations are no longer about my entitlement, but an acceptance of my higher power’s will. My world becomes larger when I stop seeing recovery as a personal accomplishment and more from a sense of community. Sacrifices that I make become easier because I am no longer plagued by self-obsession. My efforts in my recovery come from a place of abundance. My reservations fall away to ideas about unity and common welfare of others. I’m less directed by self and more directed by community. I am enough and I have enough.

Humility

Relapses in behaviors can be humbling and humility is the home of the recovered addict. Character defects and the accompanying actions, or shortcomings, are normal. I am not perfect. I might lapse in behaviors but with a desire to stop using, I can recover quickly. The awareness allows me to be a part of a community of other addicts. We meet regularly to help each other stay clean. That becomes part of my responsibility. I also take responsibility for the atmosphere of recovery found in the meetings I attend and the home group I support. It matters less and less with each passing day what circumstances I find in my life. Life brings many challenges but together with the support of a Fellowship, I can endure any hardship or share the abundance of any gift. Like a marathon runner, I can move between recovered and recovering. It has to do with my intentions, or perhaps a better perspective is that it is the intentions of my higher power. Some members get clean and enjoy all that life has to offer. They never completely recover. There are many distractions within the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous that prevent me from “enjoying complete recovery and acceptance within society.” It is easy to hide in our cliques and avoid the acceptance of society. I cannot allow my gratitude for my life to cloud my responsibilities to a greater good. I can choose to be of service by working with others, carrying a message into the community, and carrying a message to the suffering addicts in and out of the rooms.

2023 Cult Agenda Report FIPT

The 2023 Conference Agenda Report (CAR) contains many lies perpetuated by the NAWS Corporation. Within the CAR report is one lie regarding the lawsuit with the Autonomous Region. The truth is that there is no lawsuit. To understand why The Corporation is lying, you must go back thirty years in the history of Narcotics Anonymous and learn about the Fellowship Intellectual Property Trust (FIPT).

Narcotics Anonymous formed a Board of Trustees in the 1960s, and a World Service Office in the 1970s. The first World Service Conference was in 1972 where Groups could meet to deal with the growing Fellowship. Members could quickly rise to leadership roles in the rapidly growing fellowship, particularly if they had been a member for a long time. the World Service Office (WSO), Inc (represented by a Board of Directors) and the Board of Trustees would eventually amalgamate to become the NAWS Corporation in 1998. Some members from that early time positioned themselves in Leadership roles within the service structures for Narcotics Anonymous for the wrong reasons.

Grateful Dave

Dave Moorhead, better known as ‘Grateful Dave’ successfully secured the rights of members and groups to freely print and distribute literature in a court of law. This fact is not well known to many members today. Dave was acting on the Group Conscience of his home group to produce and distribute NA literature. Many members and Groups were part of the free literature movement within the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous. The Corporation sued Dave as an individual. A settlement was reached on the advice of the presiding judge who sought to avoid a division within the Fellowship. Dave was interested in restoring unity and the corporation was interested in avoiding a long, costly legal battle. The Corporation entered into an agreement with Dave in 1990. The agreement was reached between the two parties at the encouragement of the Judge who presided over the court case. Judge Pollak also believed a legal battle would create a rift within the Fellowship. Unfortunately, the corporation failed to fulfill their legal obligations. Dave needed to pursue them in court but died before the corporation could be found in contempt of the court approved agreement. With Dave’s demise, there was no one to hold the corporation accountable. You can review many of the legal documents here at https://nahistorytree.com/wso-vs-moorhead/. There are additional resources at the Narcotics Anonymous Upper Cumberland Area website here http://www.nauca.us/na-historical-documents/history-of-the-basic-text/baby-blue/.

The Seeds of Disunity Grow

The prestige of those involved within the leadership of the corporation, and growing profits were now in jeopardy if the truth came out. Board members and longtime members were much sought after speakers at conventions. The corporate travel budget was growing as rapidly as were the egos of those involved in mapping the Future of the NAWS Corporation. There were regional leaders who support NAWS and supported the addiction to power across the United States. Some of those who believed in Narcotics Anonymous were turned off by the lack of spiritual principles displayed. Many simply returned to the front lines of Narcotics Anonymous to support groups and carry the message to newcomers. Power is a dangerous drug particularly to those with a history of addiction. Support for the World Service Conference was already eroding. Fewer groups participate with each passing year. Support of the corporation earned you respect and privileges from the leadership structures created.

To combat the truth, the Corporation created a document called the Fellowship Intellectual Property Trust. This document was created by the corporation to create the illusion that they were the sole trustees of the Narcotics Anonymous logos, images and literature. Trusts are created to protect the Trustor, by empowering the trustee to act on behalf of the trustor. The first executive director of the corporation needed to be eliminated because of the insider knowledge he held. His name was Bob Stone and he was fired without cause. There are details of corruption in his book ‘My Years with Narcotics Anonymous’ available here http://www.nauca.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/1997-My-Years-With-NA-by-Bob-Stone.pdf. He died under suspicious circumstances as the book was being written and edited. It was published after his death. You can read details of his life here at https://nahistorytree.com/bob-stone/. Clearly defined leadership roles within a spiritual organization can lead to abuse of power. Many cults come from unhealthy power structures within spiritual organizations.

I documented my own experiences in my book, ‘Cult of NAWS’

I feel very grateful to have experienced the cult mentality of some members. The Merriam/Webster Dictionary online offers one definition of cult as;

“a system for the cure of disease based on dogma set forth by its promulgator”

[https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult]

I had to look up promulgator as well.

“(law) one who promulgates laws (announces a law as a way of putting it into execution)”

“law, jurisprudence – the collection of rules imposed by authority; ‘civilization presupposes respect for the law’; ‘the great problem for jurisprudence to allow freedom while enforcing order’”

“lawgiver, lawmaker – a maker of laws; someone who gives a code of laws”

[https://www.thefreedictionary.com/promulgator]

I cringed when I read this because of my own behaviors. Some days I feel terrible about myself because I was caught up in ego and no longer sharing my experience, strength and hope. I often become a promulgator. My humility opened the door to empathy to others who suffered in a similar way.
‘Cult of NAWS’, Available on Amazon

FIPT Failure

The FIPT was an ineffective tool. The Free Literature Movement within the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous grew because the corporation could not enforce the FIPT in court. Overseas, far from the corporation, the Fellowship continued to grow as well. Iran began translating and distributing a significant amount of literature as early as 1998 without the knowledge or consent of the Corporation. Brazil also translated and produced significant amounts of literature. Literature development, translation and distribution increased globally outside the sphere of the corporation. The corporation consolidated its power base by using profits to maintain their image and increase the divide within the Fellowship as the years went by. There were more trips abroad to secure the illusion of control. Like the flying monkeys within the Wizard of OZ movie, corporate supporters will fly into action when the actions of the corporation are questioned. The one thing that corporation cannot combat is the truth.

The South Florida Region requested an audit in 2017 which anyone can review details of here;

http://www.nauca.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/2017-08-29-NAWS-Denial-of-So.-Fla.-Inspection-Reqst..pdf.

This was within the guidelines of the FIPT at the time. After a very long delay, the South Florida Region was granted a limited review which allowed them to document issues but an in-depth analysis was never granted.

The Corporation seeks to revise the FIPT

The FIPT is currently being updated and NAWS Supporters will be encouraged to adopt the recommendations of the Board of Directors at the 2023 Conference. This will close down the ability of a single region to review the actions of the trustee ever again. This will likely pass as the World Service Conference. The corporation and corporate supporters are largely unopposed. Very few participate in the voting process anymore.

We continue to meet regularly to help each other

The Free Literature Movement, and members worldwide will continue to ignore the corporate promoted greed. It was those members who saved the Fellowship during the pandemic by quickly adapting the Fellowship to a virtual platform. Hundreds or perhaps thousands of members gave up significant time and money to save hundreds of thousands of addicts globally. All literature is available online for free now in defiance of the corporation. The production of independent literature grows. There are service structures that act outside the corporate sphere, like www.virtual-na.org and https://bmlt.app/what-is-the-bmlt/.

The Petitioner

In 2020, the Autonomous Region filed a petition to the courts of California where the Trust is held. The petition is to have the courts examine the actions of the Trustee (The NAWS Corporation) in their actions with regards to the trust. When challenged, a trustee must be able to show their actions are in the best interest of the trustor, and not for their own interest. We often see the abuse of trustees exposed on TV and in newspapers. The Autonomous Region was not able to make a presentation in court as their standing within the trust was questioned. The attorneys for the NAWS corporation argued that the Autonomous Region did not represent the interests of the Trustor and could not question the actions of the Trustee. This appeal was upheld by the courts. This does not mean that the corporation is not in violation of the trust. A simple examination would release the corporation of perceived bias, but they are unwilling to see their actions exposed.

Help

Narcotics Anonymous was born in 1953. A small group of people who identified themselves as addicts started to meet regularly. Some came from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and believed that the program could adapted to help other addicts. There was little evidence that AA was helping addicts in a significant way. Those early members discussed what needed to change and what was working. New groups began to form based on the same principles adopted by that first group. Members are encouraged to support a particular group. It becomes your ‘home group’. During the early stages of growth, some members and groups wanted to try and create literature to help other individuals and groups. One of the earliest examples of literature was called the ‘Buff Book’ or ‘Brown Book’. It was published in 1956 and it contained a line;

We of Narcotics Anonymous are exactly like you. We are a group of addicts who meet regularly to help each other obtain and maintain our sobriety and to stay clean.

You can view the final 1956 publication here.

I have come to believe that helping each other is a critical concept of Narcotics Anonymous and reflected a great deal in early literature. I recently started to look at this idea of helping others and the growing trend away from this principle that many see in our Fellowship.

The Little White Book

The next major writing project of the Fellowship was called the Little White Book(LWB). The LWB was highly regarded by many members. The LWB would be used as the foundation for a book length piece of literature called the Basic Text that was published 20 years later in 1983. A 1962 revisions draft of the LWB contained the lines;

If we would live we must be free of all forms of selfishness. Self-love, self-condemnation, false pride, self-pity and self-centeredness are gradually removed, as we become aware of new values in our lives.

And;

We feel that our approach to our problem is completely realistic – for the therapeutic value of one addict helping another to recover, is without parallel. We feel too, that it is practical, for it takes one addict to thoroughly understand another, and it is in helping each other that we find it possible, to maintain a happy way of life.

Some of these phrases made it into the 1962 publication of the LWB and these ideals are repeated today in literature. The idea of helping others inspired early members to grow the Fellowship. Some members and groups also met to further develop literature by freely giving of their ideas, money and time which resulted in the early development of information pamphlets. The LWB was distributed freely to members or at cost. Sometimes Groups or members would cover the printing and distribution costs. There was a culture of helping others present in the Fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous.

Self-love

It is difficult in today’s culture of recovery to see self-love as a form of selfishness. I believe that the experiences shared in NA today are more about “help yourself” despite the literature saying we meet regularly to help each other. For some members, the Narcotics Anonymous Fellowship has become a big distraction from our primary purpose of carrying the message to suffering addicts. Some members refer to Narcotics Anonymous as an aftercare program when they are done with treatment. ‘I need a meeting’ is uttered by members and can sound like an addict looking for their next fix. I have been lulled into complacency by becoming self-absorbed and losing focus on the reason I attend regularly. Being clean and enjoying life can be as attractive as any drug. I try and maintain a balance between my needs and the needs of others. Sometimes my behaviors feel like I’m using when I interact with others. I sometimes spend more on coffee for the meeting than what I contribute at the meeting to the 7^th tradition basket. That bothers me but I also need to find a balance and appreciate all that my higher power has allowed me to have and to be.

Using

Tradition 3 says we must have a desire to stop using if we are to remain a member. Awareness of self must be balanced with awareness of others in my experience. As I recover, I have become more aware of my using. I usually start my day with coffee as a stimulant. I appreciate when others share about other ways to live, free from any mind-altering substances. I made a choice today to use coffee but I gave up the accompanying cigarette almost a decade ago. I also appreciate those who choose another way to live and share that experience. Using coffee may be innocent but there are other forms of using that are less attractive, and sometimes quite destructive. I like telling people ‘How things are done here in NA’ because it feels good to use my clean time like a weapon. I easily develop contempt for others. Unique solutions and different ways of doing things cause me to judge. I have learned that making mistakes has benefits. I no longer see myself as a guardian of what is right in NA. I have contempt, but I do not have to act on it anymore. I try to be entirely ready to have my higher power remove this shortcoming in any situation.

Using can become a new way of life for some addicts. Trading one addiction for another is in our literature. I often hear that experience shared by other members as they continue to use but they may not see what I see. Some members form cliques based on lifestyles, beliefs, and behaviors that look a lot like using. I often hear of members who are excluded from these cliques and have experienced that myself. I so wanted to be a part of the cliques that my behaviors became like using. I visited people and tried to make friends without realizing I was never going to be a part of. Using people attract people who are using. There were disastrous results for me. People have used me to help them move and women have used me to make their partners jealous. Some members will call me to draw support for their service motions which is a form of manipulation and is simply another form of using. People use their knowledge of the traditions to shape other people’s perceptions without regard for Group Conscience. Group Conscience is how we put aside our opinions and work with other addicts. A Group Conscience is my greatest weapon against my using when it comes to my home group.

Taking Responsibility for My Recovery

The only requirement for membership in Narcotics Anonymous is a desire to stop using. Narcotics Anonymous does not require you participate or willingly help others but simply showing up regularly is of benefit. Members may be unable or unwilling to stop using despite long periods of abstinence. I might be frustrated with some behavior, but I have never wished someone would stop attending. This has allowed me to develop healthy boundaries and benefits me in my life outside of recovery. I cannot judge your desire to stop using. Sometimes what I see as using is nothing more than another way of living. Taking responsibility for my own recovery is a powerful tool as I grow spiritually. I am careful with the people I include in my life today but I am willing to communicate with anyone.

The Group

A minority of members support the using of literature profits by the NAWS Corporation to carry a message. Other members oppose this by using free literature for the same purpose. Every controversial choice we make as individuals separates us from other members. The same is true of Groups. Addicts are unlikely to agree on everything as a Fellowship. One group might sign attendance sheets for court ordered addicts, and another group opposes the practice. The autonomy of groups lets me dictate what I want to participate in. When I join a group, Tradition 1 says my personal recovery depends on unity. Putting aside my ideas and surrendering to a Group Conscience has been a great benefit in my recovery. My best intentions are no match for the will of a higher power. I also have the option of choosing a different group. The choices we make as groups and individuals are influenced by not only our desire to stop using but also our decision to continue to use. It is God’s will or my will. I need to choose carefully.

2023 Cult Agenda Report (CAR)

Narcotics Anonymous Service Structures

Narcotics Anonymous World Services Corporation (NAWS) publish a Conference Agenda Report (CAR) to prepare members, groups and service bodies for the World Service Conference (WSC). Groups are the front line of Narcotics Anonymous and they hold regular meetings to carry a message of hope to suffering addicts. New members and returning members are encouraged to support each other by joining a group and attending meetings regularly. Millions of addicts worldwide have found hope and recovery within the Fellowship of NA since its inception in 1953. The WSC began in 1971 and was designed to bring groups together to make decisions about the future of Narcotics Anonymous. The WSC that exists today bears no resemblance to the early conferences and has very little to do with the true nature of the program of Narcotics Anonymous. The 192-page, 2023 CAR report would make an Amway Executive blush at the lies and shameless self-promotion of the NAWS Corporation. The reality is that it is very rare for either a member or group to participate in the WSC that exists today. The NAWS Corporation uses the unity that exists in Narcotics Anonymous to promote itself. The facts presented in those 192 pages perpetuate the fraud.

Groups and Meetings

Groups often come together to form Area service bodies within a certain geographical area. Area Service Bodies come together to form regional service bodies. Many regional service bodies are defined by the political boundaries the groups they represent are in (Hawaii Region or Nebraska Region are two examples in North America). Further abroad, regions are often defined by the country of origin. Regional bodies will send a representative to the WSC to participate in the voting on motions presented. Voting is easy today since the NAWS Corporation also publishes a Conference Approval Track so WSC attendees know how to vote. Independent thought and action are discouraged by the Cult of NAWS. What is never discussed is how little support there is from members and groups. NAWS supporters are a very small segment of the fellowship and only maintain visibility by using the huge profits generated by literature sales to promote themselves. Regular WSC attendees report that there are some Regional Delegates who vote without ever consulting with the Groups they alleged to serve. Blank tally sheets for recording votes can downloaded from the NAWS corporation but completed tally sheets are a closely guarded secret and rarely published. The most important goal of the NAWS Corporation is the protection of the publishing rights and the profits associated with publishing. Today, there is increasing number of independent publishing by groups. There is also access to free literature online. This has forced the NAWS Corporation to manipulate and control every aspect of the Fellowship in order to maintain their financial privileges’.

How many actual Narcotics Anonymous Groups exist is unknown but regional summaries have provided the following estimate.

Groups are encouraged to register with the NAWS Corporation and receive a Group ID Number. Online, virtual, and telephone Groups have existed for more than two decades but been rejected by the WSC and the NAWS Corporation. There are no rules, guidelines or policies that differentiate face to face meetings from other types of meetings but division is an effective tool of cults and has resulted in yet another dividing point created by the NAWS Corporation. Some estimates suggest that there are more than five thousand virtual Narcotics Anonymous Groups currently. The contribution of virtual groups during the last three years has been enourmous. During the global pandemic these groups supported members and carried a message to suffering addicts worldwide. Virtual groups have become a mainstay of the Fellowship. I would estimate that one third of face-to-face meetings have closed and online meetings are becoming standard practice with many addicts.

The end is near…

The Iran Region recently broke ties with the WSC and the NAWS Corporation. They have decided to work independently and produce their own literature. This region was easily the largest region to have ever existed. They represented almost five thousand groups who hosted twenty thousand meetings. Many groups in Iran host daily meetings but in the US a weekly meeting is typical. The average for US Regions is two hundred and fifty groups and three hundred and fifty meetings. It would not be a surprise to see other regions follow suit in the years ahead. The Brazil Region sales of books dropped to less than a third after switching to NAWS Corporate literature pricing model. The South Florida Region found discrepancies in a limited inspection of the NAWS Corporation but that avenue of accountability will be closed after the revised ‘Fellowship Intellectual Property Trust’ is approved at the next WSC.

Tradition two of Narcotics Anonymous ensures that the ultimate authority is the group conscience that home group members freely participate in. While researching and writing my book ‘Cult of NAWS’, I came across a section from the 1980 WSC minutes. Chuck Skinner was a respected and long-time member of NA, who presided as Chair of the Board of Trustees. He was asked what should happen to groups who failed to participate in area service bodies. Chuck’s direction was very clear; remove them from meeting lists, notify them to cease and desist, and contact World Services to take legal action if required. This kind of mindset continues today, and members will cry foul and talk about ‘the conscience of the Fellowship’ when questions arise that go against the Cult of NAWS. There is a growing Fellowship of members who promote kindness, compassion, and generosity in carrying out their goal of supporting members new and old without the governance of corrupt service structures.