Buddhist Recovery Meetings

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I have been in recovery for over 3 years. Throughout that time, I have attended and supported many meetings highlighting 12 step principles. Consequently, as my recovery has evolved, I have sought more spiritual models of recovery, building on the AA principle that addiction is a “spiritual malady” (Alcoholics Anonymous, 2001). As a result of this quest, I have studied various religions, including Buddhism, with Buddhism being the religion I most identify with. Therefore, as a result of my spiritual growth and transcendent pursuits in Alcoholics Anonymous, I decided to attend two Buddhist Recovery meetings.
Before attending Dharma & Recovery, I explored the principles, focus and meeting format of Buddhist recovery. While Dharma & Recovery does …show more content…

Several people who shared during the meeting described their personal process of “thinking” their way into drug and alcohol use and/or relapse. They explained that it was their thinking that caused their alcoholism and/or addiction and it was the changing of their thinking through Buddhist meditation that has caused them to achieve sobriety and prevent relapse. This change in thinking is brought about by working with the mind in its present state and reconditioning the mind through …show more content…

Based on my own initial feelings as I entered recovery; my mind racing and having an inability to sit still, I believe this would be an issue for any newcomer to recovery as well. However, I would feel very welcomed by the members of the meeting and, although I would feel a sense of skepticism and hesitancy, the feelings would be contradicted by the overall sense of peace and

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