Our Path: The Recovery Dharma Book

First Noble Truth

Links to the chapter of the book on which the rest of this page is based.

First Noble Truth: There is Suffering

• • Start:  Page  7 "First Noble Truth"

  • End:  Page  11: "...rather than avoiding?"

Links 

• • Read from PDF version of the book

  • Listen to the chapter on our Audiobook

Recordings

Scroll down to the Growth section of this page for links to talks and guided meditations led by Buddhist teachers.   Choose one, then listen or watch.

Cope with Difficult Emotions

• Recognize the Three Poisons

  • Craving / Greed / Clinging

  • Resentment / Dissatisfaction

  • Confusion about Impermanence

• Practice with the Three Refuges

  • Buddha: Deep Breaths, Compassion Mantra, list your strengths

  • Dharma:  Read or listen to Dharma

  • Sangha: write out or say out loud a list of supportive people. Phone a Friend. Go to a meeting of people in recovery or other Buddhist people.

• Use Recovery Practices

• Sober Breath

• Compassion Break

• Distress Tolerance

• Urge Surfing

Buddhist Lists

• Recovery Dharma Glossary

• Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

• Ten Pāramitās: Perfections or Wise Practices

• Four Heart Practices: Kindness, Compassion, Equanimity, Appreciative Joy

Concentration

• SOBER Breathing Space

• May all beings be safe from inner and outer dangers. 

Mindful Moment

• DBT Distress Tolerance Skills 

Meditation

• Mindfulness of Mind 

• Loving Kindness 

Adapted from a Practice by Hugh Byrne

1. What am I aware of at this moment?
   Choose one of these examples. Inquire.

   • Thoughts? Emotions? Sensations?

   • Posture? Face Expression? Movement?

   • Sounds? Breath? The tone of voice?

2. How am I meeting this experience?

   • Judgment? Kindness?

   • Craving? Contentment? Joy?

3. What are some ways I might cultivate a wise and kind response? 

   • Kindness and Compassion

   • Remembering Refuge

   • Invite Curiosity

   • Notice what is enjoyable

The Title Page of the Practice Guide offers inspiration on activities to work with this inquiry

SOBER Breathing Space
Originated by Mindfulness-Based Relapse Prevention (MBRP)

S - Stop

This is the first step in stepping out of Automatic Pilot. When you are in a stressful or risky situation, or at random times throughout the day, remember to stop or slow down and check in with what is happening. 

O- Observe

Observe the sensations happening in your body. Observe any emotions, moods, or thoughts you are having.

B- Breathe

Gather your attention and bring it to your breath.

E- Expand

Expand your awareness to include the rest of your body, your experience, and to the situation, seeing if you can hold it in your awareness. 

R- Respond

The last step is to respond mindfully, with awareness of what is really needed in the situation and how you can best take care of yourself. You always have a choice in how you respond. 

Wisdom, Insight

• Contribute your time, energy, skills, and finances to sustain the Sangha. 

  • Contribute Financially

  • Volunteer set up or clean up meeting

  • Volunteer to greet new people

  • Volunteer to read reading or the script during meeting

  • Reach out to new people between meetings to share your experience. ;

Interbeing, Belonging

• Ask friends if they have time for another wise friend or mentor to work the program with - inquiries, extra readings, etc. 

• Wise Friends; Trade time during their phone or zoom call

• Mentors: focus time during the phone or zoom call on the process on just one person in the relationship - the mentee. 

Make decisions through a process in which each member’s voice is respected and considered

Meditations

• Meeting Anger Through Awareness (RAIN) IMCW
  Tara Brach 

• Exploring Dukkha
  Four Truths and Eightfold Path
  Auckland, AU

• Emotion

• Freedom in the realm of Suffering
  Spirit Rock

• Mindfulness of the Body
  Insight Meditation Society

• Compassion Practice
  Spirit Rock

Thai Forrest / Theravada

• Pain Is Not the Enemy - Metta Forest Monastery

• First Noble Truth - Metta Foresty Monastery

• Craving and Clinging - Abhayagiri

• Aversion - Abhayagiri

• Social Anxiety - Metta Forest Monastery

• Anxiety and Agitation - Abhayagiri

• Doubt and Confusion - Abhayagiri

Secular | Academic

• Mindfulness-Based Relapse prevention

• Stress and Anxiety - UC Berkeley -  Quiz

• Craving as an Affective State - Article

• Why We Can't Have Nice Things - SBA Talk

• The 1st Noble Truth is Liberating  Talk

• Dealing with Regret - SBA Talk

• What's wrong with pleasure? - SBA

• Urge Surfing - Mindfulness.org.au Article

• How to Regulate Your Emotions Without Suppressing Them - UC Berkeley Article

• Dealing with Negative Emotions - SBA Talk

• Emotional Trauma, Anger, and Transformation - SBA Talk

• How Getting Outdoors Can Heal - UC Berkeley - Greater Good Article

• Who Are You? the Five Aggregates  Talk

• Chronic Stress: Problems and Solutions - SBA Talk

• Do We Need Attachment to Be Kind? - SBA Talk

• What is Nonattachment? - SBA Talk

• Cultivating Emotional Balance Workshop - Part 1  - UC Berkeley

• The Power of Vulnerability - Brene' Brown- Ted Talk

• Let It Be - Working with the 8 Worldly Winds 

Zen

• Talk: The Four Noble Truths  Thich Nhat Hanh - Plum Village

21:23 - How to Deal with Strong Emotions  - Plum Village

58:34 First Noble Truth  Plumb Village

Tibetan

• Talk: Surrendering to Life - Anam Thubten - IMC Berkeley 

• Talk: Parting from the Four Attachments  -  Sravasti Abbey 

Recordings from people who are members of communities that are currently underrepresented in Western Buddhist sanghas will be pulled from the list above and highlighted here.

• The Expanded DBT Training Manual: 2nd Edition - Designed for both therapists and self-help. Practical worksheets