A Burning Desire: Dharma, God & the Path of Recovery with Kevin Griffin

Discover the shared message of freedom resonating in both Buddhism and Twelve Step philosophy.

While Buddhism is considered a non-theistic religion, recovery literature says we have to find God in order to get sober. In this workshop, we will explore how someone with a Buddhist orientation can practice the Twelve Steps. Focusing on understanding the dharma and its many aspects as “Higher Powers,” we will look at the Steps that mention God and consider how we might “come to believe,” “turn it over,” “remove our shortcomings,” and “improve our conscious contact” through this lens. The weekend will include meditation instruction, lecture, dialogue, and mindful speech exercises and is open to all, including those new to recovery, meditation, or simply curious.

Kevin Griffin was trained as a Community Dharma Leader at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and is co-founder of the Buddhist Recovery Network, an international organization supporting training and research into the uses of mindfulness and Buddhist teachings in addiction treatment. He is the author of One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps and the forthcoming A Burning Desire: Dharma, God and the Path of Recovery.