Each teacher is just allowing you a different way into the Buddhist perspective and each person can just use the approach that works best and makes the most sense to them. Secondly, he mentions from his own experience giving up drink that a tremendous power can come from choosing to give up a certain habit, even for a week or so to see what happens. There can be a surge in symptoms of roofied energy as you experience the power of taking control of your life.
Article preview
The cravings can last a long time and be very hard to deal with. Whilst this “cold turkey” elimination approach can work for some people, the problem with this approach is that it can represent avoidance and suppression; we are desperately trying to keep the source of our addiction at arm’s length. And if we don’t understand it, it can be much harder to truly let it go. His Sirimangalo video page has at the time of writing more than 750 videos where he addresses the Buddhist perspective on many different issues and problems. It is the undisputed resource on Buddhist philosophy applied to daily life and problems we all face.
Buddhism and the Twelve Steps
When we act out mindfully, we see the addiction for what it is and all the allure of it just dissolves. In order to be human-readable, please install an RSS reader.
Anonymity is another tradition and the reason I don’t use my last name. Recovery Dharma Sangha Groups are local members who join together to support each other on this path of recovery. Members form wise friendships, and organize gatherings such as weekly meetings, workshops and other events. Recovery Dharma offers mixing muscle relaxers and alcohol a trauma-informed, empowered approach to recovery based on Buddhist principles. We welcome all those who wish to pursue recovery as part of our community. This is an interesting variation from Yuttadhammo, who on one level expresses almost the opposite viewpoint, that we should not push away addictions because by doing so we don’t understand them.
- Anyone been around someone trying to give up smoking “cold turkey”?
- There was a time when I would say I had two practices, but today my practice is Twelve & Zen, a blend of the two; a symbiotic relationship in which I practice the Twelve Steps and Zen Buddhism fully, without obstacles.
- Finally, optimism, hope, and the belief that all things are possible greatly assist Buddhists in recovery.
- The article also argues that Buddhist recovery manuals differ from classical Buddhism by emphasizing meditation at the beginning of the path, rather than placing it after training in giving and ethical discipline.
We can see what leads up to addictive behaviour in step by step detail if we practice mindfulness enough. Whichever way you approach it, mindfulness meditation is an important tool for self awareness, and it is fair to say that addiction can’t come about unless there is some lack of self awareness. Therefore anything that helps to improve self knowledge will in time have a beneficial impact on addictions. Yutthadhammo repeatedly emphasises this in his videos – the Buddhist path is a gradual path and requires constant practice to build up the mindfulness required to let go of addictions and other strong attachments. This is why we believe the Buddhist perspective deserves more attention over some of the more traditional western perspectives on addiction, since is has the specific tools within it which can provide the self awareness needed to tackle addiction. Human suffering, the Buddha says, is caused when we cannot get what we want.
Support
This is a refreshing take on addiction, as conventional wisdom often dictates avoidance and elimination of any cues and triggers as a first step to dealing with addiction. Get rid of all alcohol out the house, delete all pornography on your computer, throw all your cigarettes away and so on. This is also actually an interesting point of difference with the second viewpoint we will detail later.
How does cognitive therapy prevent depressive relapse and why should attentional control (mindfulness) training help?
” His statement surprised me, but over the years I have found it to be true. From what my friends tell me, Refuge Recovery is a sincere and dedicated program. If you found and maintained your recovery there, or in any other Buddhist-based program, I’m happy for your success. In fact, one of my AA sponsees attends both AA and Refuge Recovery meetings. Because of AA’s Tradition 10 (AA has no opinion on outside issues), he doesn’t talk about Refuge Recovery in AA meetings.
The goodbye addiction letter Big Book would look very different if written today, since the almost universal monotheistic Christian emphasis on a creator god has lessened. Seventy-three per cent of adults in Ohio consider themselves Christians; in New York it’s 60 per cent; and there are Buddhists living throughout the US. In 2017, the Buddhist Recovery Summit was held in Washington State.
This is in contrast to Western tradition and philosophy which tends to be based on thinking alone and does not place much emphasis on meditation and inner observation. Let’s firstly examine the role of Buddhist philosophy in helping understand and deal with addiction, compare and contrast the two perspectives in much more detail below. The Noble Eightfold path bears much resemblance to the 12 steps of AA, and many Buddhist scholars and practitioners have noted the similarities.
This applies to both addictions and wider life in general, and is especially useful for people who are quite fixed and rigid in their mindset, getting stuck in repetitive routines and ruts. Brahm particularly emphasises the role of negative thinking in addictive behaviours. This can take many forms such as moaning at every little thing or constantly criticising and fault finding with others. Ajahn Brahm tackles the issue of addiction with more of an emphasis on spontaneity and kindness towards oneself and others, and does so with a humour and lightness of touch that make his videos just as essential a viewing as Yuttadhammo’s videos. We will again summarize the main points he makes but in general Ajahn sees addiction as a kind of mental “dead end” or rut that people can get stuck into, addicted to negative thinking and fault finding and then certain behaviours or substances.
