This material is the result of years of work and preparation. To reach a larger number of NA members, we have checked the spelling, grammar and paragraph order. Some sections will be much the same, others have been greatly improved. There may be a 2^nd Presentation form or even a 3^rd as we write our way to an agreeable Final Form.

The technical editing we have done will save time, so that you can now concentrate on the recovery and spiritual issues. Only members can perceive and share about these. This material is the most complete form so far, but crucial areas are missing - areas that you know more about than we do.

All this has been done to allow a greater number of members to study, review and discuss the material. We need to find out what is missing, poorly stated or inappropriate. We will keep your input in files, and hold conferences to discuss how to include new material.

We remain firm in our commitment to group conscience and group processing. We are hoping you will be moved to action and begin you own local NA Foundation Group meeting. An NA Foundation Group uses existing NA literature, carries the NA message of recovery, but it also reads and studies this book. The purpose is to clarify the subjects covered, include members experience and throughly process the material subject to finalization by some great number of members - we hope for at least ten thousand.

This material is copyrighted and held in trust by those writing it, so that all may own but none may sell it. In its final form, it will be dedicated in gratitude to the NA program and held in trust for the Fellowship-at-large. A ‘joint work’ is a work prepared by two or more author’s with the intention that their contributions will be merged into inseperable or interdependent parts of a unitary whole. This was the basic idea all along. All subsequent contributions were anonymous contributions freely given to help other addicts. May we always keep faith with those who have freely given. All NA members will be free to copy, produce and distribute this writing. No intrusion by outside forces will be allowed. The authors of this work will go to great lengths to protect the integrity and form of the NA Way of Life book as written and approved by the NA Fellowship-at-large in open, participatory conferences.

No permission is extended to any outside enterprise or corporation, including but not limited to the NA Foundation, Inc. Outside forces are defined as those who see the work we are doing as commercially viable rather than a free expression of our experience, strength and hope. We do not charge for our Twelfth Step, nor do we allow others to do so. We trust to a loving God to care for us, provide for us and protect us from those who wish us harm.

Production and distribution methods will be considered at a later stage of the work. As it nears completion, with a great many members from all over the world involved, we will finalize a method that will both make the material available and keep the price down. We don’t want this book sold for profit, and don’t want any royalties or personal gain from the ownership, production or distribution of the work. We do insist it remain as written by addicts, for addicts. To this end we are pledged.

We don’t need money to do this work. We don’t need permission, our Fellowship stresses our complete, creative freedom. We don’t need outside guidance - God gives us plenty. What we need is you, as a willing NA member, to show your concern in positive ways by sending in your input and showing up at our conferences to help process all the input. Only members can do this well.

In Loving Service,

Bo S. for the N.A. Foundation Group
November 21, 1998