The Zen Way of Recovery: An Illuminated Path Out of the Darkness of Addiction

An  accessible, compassionate guide to Buddhist principles and practices  that can help support recovery from addictions and addictive  behaviors—written by an experienced lay teacher with long-term recovery.

For anyone struggling with addiction, Buddhism offers powerful, grounding wisdom and tools to help support recovery. In The Zen Way of Recovery,  Laura Burges shares her experience as a dedicated Zen practitioner who  came to terms with her own addiction to alcohol and found support for  her recovery. Through the lens of Buddhist teachings, Burges offers  tools and practices which, together with the help of recovery programs,  can offer a road to sobriety.

     Burges is an experienced and  compassionate guide, and her message is resonant for people with any  type of addictive behavior—and for people who aren’t necessarily  familiar with Buddhism. Her teachings are drawn from the Buddha's life  and teachings (specifically the Eight Awarenesses of the Awakened Being   and the Six Paramitas), and the wisdom of Japanese Buddhist priest  Dogen Zenji, the founder of the Soto school of Zen, among others.

      Burges emphasizes the importance of being in an active recovery  program, and the teachings and practices she offers in each  chapter—including reflections, journaling prompts, meditations,  instructions for setting up and altar and zazen—are both a perfect  adjunct and powerful reinforcement.

Examples of reflections and journaling prompts include:

• Do you still hear the critical, contemptuous, sarcastic voice of a parent or partner in your own head?
• Do you sometimes hear yourself mirroring this negative voice with others?
• What were the models of relationship that you grew up with?
• What are ways that you can cultivate more patience?
• Check in with yourself to see if tiredness, hunger, loneliness, or anger is affecting your thinking in the moment.