Recovery Dharma: How to Use Buddhist Practices and Principles to Heal the Suffering of Addiction

In the Buddhist tradition, "Dharma" means "truth," or "the nature of things." This book describes a way to free ourselves from the suffering of addiction using Buddhist practices and principles.

Our Trauma-Informed program is based on the idea that every one of us is our own guide in recovery from addiction, with the help and understanding of our wise friends and sangha (community). We believe that’s what the Dharma teaches us.

The Buddha knew that all human beings struggle with craving—the powerful, sometimes blinding desire to change our thoughts, feelings, and circumstances. Those of us who experience addiction have been more driven to use substances or behaviors to do this, but the underlying craving is the same. And even though the Buddha didn’t talk specifically about addiction, he understood the obsessive nature of the human mind. He understood our attachment to pleasure and aversion to pain. He understood the extreme lengths we can sometimes go to, chasing what we want to feel and running away from the feelings we fear. And he found a solution.

This program leads to recovery from addiction to