According to Buddhist lore, the Buddha often emphasized that the end of suffering begins when one admits his imperfections and takes the necessary steps to rectify them. However, once that person reaches enlightenment – that is, he truly knows the cause of his suffering and sweeps away all material attachments – he ends his cycle and attains nirvana, which is the state of enlightenment and true happiness. Call it a religion, a philosophy, a way of life, or whatever, but it cannot be denied that its teachings translate very well insofar as knowing the origin of, and treating addiction. With sharing that reflects the boundless range of belief (and non-belief) among A.A.

1. The Big Book would look very different if written today, since the almost universal monotheistic Christian emphasis on a creator god has lessened.
2. I remember when we were talking about what may be the most important statement in the Big Book, that one can have a Higher Power of one’s very personal understanding, and he said, “Good Zen book!
3. Once you totally free your body and mind from addiction forever, then you will definitely have attained your nirvana.
4. You don’t have to pay anything to attend.

Share this article

We may have different techniques, but we have a common goal. 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, https://sober-house.org/cocaine-withdrawal-symptoms-timeline-and-treatment/ 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.

Watch: Airline salaries compared to stock buybacks show why so many people are angry at the bailout

Frank always lived in sober-living houses, in a small room of his own with a door. Then one day someone stole his doorknob! There in front of him was his doorknob-less door. This reminds me of The Gateless Gate, the title of one edition of the Mumonkan book of koans. Just as we have experienced gateless gates opening to us, other doors continued to open for Frank even with his doorknob missing; but elsewhere doorknobs abound! AA is at a disadvantage here—because of its Twelve Traditions, it can’t take out advertising.

Tam Po Shek and Wing Chi Ip: Refreshing the Soul and the Senses by Playing the Flute and Drinking Tea

Members — including Buddhism, Islam, Native American faith traditions, and atheism and agnosticism — this pamphlet shows how Alcoholics Anonymous is a spiritual organization, rather than a religious one. My first teacher, John Tarrant Roshi, would often say that Zen does not require one to believe in anything. I remember when we were talking about what may be the most important statement in the Big Book, that one can have a Higher Power of one’s very personal understanding, and he said, “Good Zen book! ” His statement surprised me, but over the years I have found it to be true. “Employers have the affirmative obligation to modify their policies to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs,” Jeffrey Burstein, the EEOC New York regional attorney, said.

Addiction and Recovery: Buddhists on the Path to Sobriety in AA

If your drinking is out of control, A.A. Sharing his secret to enlightenment with his followers, the Buddha emphasized eight steps a person should follow and practice if he wishes to attain nirvana. Known as the Noble Eightfold Path, this collective set of teachings can help those who want to free themselves from the endless cycle of suffering, death, and rebirth. For people who want to curb their addiction for good, you’re not required to be a Buddhist to practice and benefit from its teachings. Just knowing and following the main principles – especially the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path – can definitely help you in your road towards an addiction-free life.

Many Paths to Spirituality

Members explain how Alcoholics Anonymous works and what to expect in meetings. Learn about sponsorship and home groups, and how the Twelve Steps can help you recover from alcoholism and live without drinking. A.A.’s primary purpose is for members to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety. Has been helping alcoholics recover for more than 80 years. A.A.’s program of recovery is built on the simple foundation of one alcoholic sharing with another.

Anonymity is another tradition and the reason I don’t use my last name. Has helped millions recover from alcoholism – to get sober and stay sober. To resolve the lawsuit, United will pay the pilot $305,000 in back pay and damages and reinstate him into its HIMS program while allowing him to attend a non-12-step peer-recovery program. It will also accept religious accommodations in its program in the future. For a person suffering from an addiction, the steps can serve as helpful tools in his treatment and rehabilitation. We need to take a lesson from Shitou and Ma and realize that we practice in different recovery programs but we aren’t in competition with each other.

A.A.’s primary purpose is to help alcoholics to achieve sobriety. You can just sit and listen and learn more about recovery, or you can share about your situation. Anyone learn the risks of combining ativan and alcohol with a desire to stop drinking is welcome, regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, income, or profession. You don’t have to pay anything to attend.

Around that same time, some 91 per cent of Americans considered themselves Christian. Of course the Big Book would come off with a Christian tone. I’m disappointed, however, to see few magazine articles and opinion pieces by Buddhists who have found https://sober-home.org/meth-withdrawal-symptoms-timeline-detox-treatment/ long-term recovery in AA. It’s in forums such as magazines where one can carry on (anonymously of course) meaningful dialogues about Buddhism and AA. I yearn to learn more about practicing the Buddhist Way and the Twelve-Step Way together.

Several years ago I read an op-ed piece in a North American Buddhist magazine in which the author—never mind that he became sober through Alcoholics Anonymous—decided that AA is no longer a good fit for Buddhists to find sobriety. Sober for 32 years now, this has not been my experience. I fault the editor for printing the op-ed as written. It’s a good thing when they print pieces about Buddhist-based recovery programs; but not by denigrating AA, a program that has helped millions become sober over the past almost 84 years.

Buddhist recovery manuals, a genre that has emerged in the last 30 years, aim to use Buddhist ideas and practices to address the challenges of addiction. These books draw on classical Buddhist thought and Twelve-Step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous. Both of these influences share the framework of a step-wise path of transformation from a state of maladaptive compulsion to a state of freedom. This article analyzes the paths laid out by these Buddhist recovery manuals and compares them to classical Buddhist and Twelve-Step paths.

Members throughout the world live and stay away from that “first drink” one day at a time. He objected, citing the religious aspects of AA’s 12-step program, which has its origins in a Christian group, per the group’s FAQ page. United rejected his suggestion of using the Buddhism-based peer-support group Refuge Recovery as an alternative, the commission said. United Airlines will pay $305,000 to a Buddhist pilot who refused to attend meetings organised by the Christian-focused Alcoholics Anonymous, or AA, program.