Recovery Dharma is a non-profit organization founded in 2019 with the mission of supporting
peer-led groups using Buddhist practices and principles for
recovery from
addiction
Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...
. As of 2020, Recovery Dharma had an estimated 16,000 members and was the most extensive Buddhist recovery peer-support program in the USA.
Book
The basis of the program is th
Recovery Dharma book which was written collectively by a group of anonymous volunteers and published in 2019. The book was released under a
Creative Commons
Creative Commons (CC) is an American non-profit organization and international network devoted to educational access and expanding the range of creative works available for others to build upon legally and to share. The organization has release ...
license and distributed for free in various digital formats on the organization's web site, with a self-published, low-cost print version also available for purchase through Amazon.
The Amazon version of the book has over 1700 ratings with an average of 4.8 stars out of 5.
Program
The program (described in the book as the "Practice") involves seven elements:
# Renunciation, abstaining from the problem substance or behavior;
# Meditation, developing a daily practice;
# Meetings, connecting with others and becoming part of a community;
# The Path, developing an understanding of the
Four Noble Truths
In Buddhism, the Four Noble Truths (; ; "The Four Arya (Buddhism), arya satya") are "the truths of the noble one (the Buddha)," a statement of how things really are (Three marks of existence, the three marks of existence) when they are seen co ...
and
Eightfold Path of Buddhism;
# Inquiry and Investigation, engaging in a structured process of self-reflection with others;
#
Sangha
Sangha or saṃgha () is a term meaning "association", "assembly", "company" or "community". In a political context, it was historically used to denote a governing assembly in a republic or a kingdom, and for a long time, it has been used b ...
, Wise Friends, Mentors, supporting others in the program; and
# Growth, continuing to reflect, study, and attend retreats to deepen one's understanding.
The program is used to address many different types of addiction, with just under half of participants reporting substance use as their primary issue, while others indicate concurrent issues as their primary concern.
Effectiveness
In a 2023 study of 209 Recovery Dharma members, the organization's program was found to be effective in the development of ''recovery capital'', which is defined as "internal and external assets to initiate and sustain recovery from severe alcohol or other drug problems." The study indicated that peer support and frequency of meditative practice—as opposed to length of time spent in meditation—predicted greater recovery capital in program participants.
History
Following
allegations
In law, an allegation is a claim of an unproven fact by a party in a pleading, charge, or defense. Until they can be proved, allegations remain merely assertions.
Types of allegations Marital allegations
There are also marital allegations: m ...
against founder Noah Levine, the board of directors of the
Refuge Recovery
Noah Levine (born 1971) is an American Buddhist teacher and author, son of Stephen Levine. As a counselor known for his philosophical alignment with Buddhism and punk ideology, he identifies his Buddhist beliefs and practices with both the The ...
non-profit organization sought to distance themselves from him. The board ultimately initiated a
lawsuit
A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today ...
for breach of
fiduciary duty
A fiduciary is a person who holds a legal or ethical relationship of trust with one or more other parties (legal person or group of persons). Typically, a fiduciary prudently takes care of money or other assets for another person. One party, fo ...
and infringement of the Refuge Recovery trademark and Levine, concurrently, sued for control of the trademark and copyright of the book ''Refuge Recovery''. Both suits were settled by mutual agreement
resulting in the establishment of two new non-profits: Refuge Recovery World Services, including Levine; and Recovery Dharma including members of the former Refuge Recovery board.
References
External links
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Buddhist organizations
Non-profit organizations based in the United States
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