Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovering from Addiction

The Buddhist Big Book

In one word: Brilliant. I work as a therapist in a treatment center. We treat 400-500 alcoholics and addicts each year. Many people resist the Judeo-Christian themes in 12 step work. For those people, there are few viable alternative recovery roads. Noah has illuminated for all suffering addicts the Buddhist path as a road to sustained recovery from addictions. He does an excellent job highlighting the truth of addiction, solid and deep inventory to explore, the necessity of abstinence in order to recover, the actions and practices (the path) one can take to contented long term sobriety, and the joy of fellowship and mentorship to sustain us as we travel the recovery and dharma road. Refuge Recovery can serve the purpose of helping newcomers get on the road to recovery, as well as benefit those who have been in recovery for some time but who may have gotten a bad case of so-dryety over the years, and now can re-discover contented sobriety through this powerful pathway. Refuge Recovery seems well suited to those who want to do 12 step programs AND Buddhist recovery/Refuge Recovery - as well as those seeking a different path to recovery than currently dominate the recovery world. There are many wonderful books that create a bridge between meditation, Buddhism and the 12 steps. What has lacked to date is the equivalent of a `Big Book' for recovering people open to Buddhist philosophy and teachings. This book is a great 'Big Book' for the 21st century - keeping the best of what is offered in 12 step philosophy - while removing antiquated aspects and language. Refuge Recovery is a complete recovery program, which if followed, can and has brought about complete recovery from addictions of all kinds. This path laid out in this book provides a way of living that will be compatible for those seeking a non-theistic way of walking the spiritual road of recovery. As an addiction treatment professional, I have extreme gratitude for Noah's efforts, as well as for those who sha...