Our Group Conscience
The Phoenix Within is guided by the collective voice of our homegroup. These decisions help protect our meeting, support our recovery, and keep our group rooted in the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.
🔥 Who We Are
A place for women to rise, heal, and recover together. All who identify as a woman are warmly welcome.
The Phoenix Within is an AA-based recovery meeting. Our foundation is the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous.
🪽 Protecting Our Circle
Anonymity
Anonymity is a foundational principle of Alcoholics Anonymous. We ask that who you see here and what you hear here remain here. Please respect each woman’s anonymity by not sharing names, personal stories, or identifying information outside of the meeting.
Outside Substances
To keep our meeting focused on recovery from alcoholism, we ask that other substances not be mentioned by name. If they are relevant to your share, please refer to them simply as “outside substances” or “prescription medications.”
Cross Talk
Cross talk should be avoided. If it occurs, we ask that it remain positive and encouraging. Please avoid criticism, judgment, correcting another woman’s experience, or unsolicited advice.
We encourage kindness, respect, and sharing from our own experience, strength, and hope.
Protecting the Meeting
The chair may mute and/or remove a participant when necessary to protect the safety, respect, and healing nature of the meeting. See our full Disruptive Behavior Guidelines .
Love and tolerance is our code.
📚 Meeting Content & Materials
The Phoenix Within is an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, and our foundation remains recovery from alcoholism and the principles of Twelve Step recovery.
We value and regularly use AA literature; however, meeting content is not limited to AA Conference-Approved Literature. Chairs are encouraged to bring creativity and variety to the meeting and may use materials from Hazelden, other Twelve Step fellowships, or other sources and topics that support women’s overall recovery, healing, growth, and sobriety.
To keep our AA foundation clear, each meeting’s content should include at least one reading or reference directly connected to Alcoholics Anonymous.
Our goal is to allow freedom in what we bring to the circle while remaining grounded in who we are: an AA meeting where women come together to recover, grow, and rise.
🔥 Service
Sobriety Requirements for Service
The minimum sobriety requirement for general service is 14 days, and 60 days to chair a meeting.
Business Service Requirements
Business service positions require a minimum of 18 months of continuous sobriety and 9 months of active service with The Phoenix Within.
These requirements are intended to support experience, stability, and accountability within our business service team. Requirements may vary by position or be adjusted based on the needs of the group through the Group Conscience.
For positions involving group funds, confidential information, or significant administrative access, additional requirements may be established to help protect the group and its members.
View our Service Position Requirements for specific requirements and responsibilities for each position.
Giving Back
The only way to keep what we have is to give it away. The Phoenix Within encourages all homegroup members to find a way to be of service.
🪽 Spirit of Rotation
Chairing Commitments
In keeping with AA’s spirit of rotation, chairing commitments are held for three months.
At the end of each three-month commitment, the position will reopen, giving another member the opportunity to serve.
Business Service Terms
Business service positions are held for a one-year commitment, with service terms running on a calendar-year basis.
🔥 Group Conscience Meetings
Our First Group Conscience
The first open homegroup Group Conscience meeting will be held in January 2027. The exact date and time will be announced.
Going Forward
Beginning January 2027, Group Conscience meetings will be held quarterly, unless the Group Conscience decides otherwise.