Well that's what I found while reviewing a very interesting newly published book which contains some exciting views about addiction (Mason-John and Groves, 2014). These views are drawn from the Buddhist perspective, much of which requires no invocation of a deity and therefore remain highly relevant to the group view and group practice at SCS.*
The book starts by offering us a fundamental understanding of human nature and addictions, then demonstrates how buddhism addresses addictions from that understanding of human nature.
"Human nature has an inbuilt tendency towards addiction. All of us can struggle with this tendency, but for some it can destroy their lives. Fortunately, recovery is widespread too. What can the Buddha’s teachings offer us in our recovery from addiction? They offer an understanding of how the mind works, tools for helping a mind vulnerable to addiction, and ways to overcome addictive and obsessive behaviour, cultivating a calm, clear mind without anger and resentments."
Now if you ask me that is a very inclusive view of the concepts of addictions and it provides a universally accepted path and goal for all individuals regardless of where they sit on the natural continuum of addiction!
As someone who has struggled with my own life challenges surrounding addictions for some 30 years, I can say that I have seen many, many, many individuals (including myself) who were struggling with similar addiction challenges - to a greater or lesser degree - however, for a variety of reasons they did not consider that they were struggling with any unique issues. And from a Buddhist perspective they were quite right!
That is, from the larger Buddhist point, every being who has ever walked this earth has struggled with addictions or to use the traditional term cravings (so too did the Buddha) but most of us are not aware of the fact that we are addicted or suffering from cravings and even less of us are aware of how to effectively deal with these struggles! We are all addicted to wanting reality to be as we wish it, and not as it really is.
Consider, for example, the proverbial "bad day" it is us struggling with our wish or craving that the day was something other than what it was - something other than its reality. We stuff, therefore, from this "addiction" to reality as we wish it, rather than accepting it as it is! For more serious consideration, take the death of your son, daughter, or other close youth in your life. More than our life itself, we rightly wish that we could change reality. It is our addiction to reality or craving which causes us suffering - we wish he or she back with us. We are clearly addicted to reality as we wish it, not as it is! This addiction to reality as we wish it - be it a bad day, drugs, drink or the loss of a loved one - is so intense that it causes us all to suffer and to inflict suffering on others as well. From a Buddhist perspective we truly are all junkies!
The Buddha being aware of this inclusive understanding of craving/addiction developed a very unique and effective but also universally accessible path in dealing with these issues - The Noble Eight Fold Path. Understanding this, the authors of Eight Step Recovery, modify that Noble Path to fit our more common usage of the term addictions.
Step One: Accepting that this human life will bring suffering
Step Two: Seeing how we create extra suffering in our lives
Step Three: Embracing impermanence shows us that our suffering can end
Step Four: Being willing to step onto the path of recovery – and discover freedom
Step Five: Transforming our speech, actions and livelihood
Step Six: Placing positive values at the centre of our lives
Step Seven: Making every effort to stay on the path of recovery
Step Eight: Helping others by sharing the benefits we have gained
As with this Buddhism's inclusive understanding of addictions, this book also provides us with a universal set of steps which are applicable to all individuals in all walks of life - because we are all struggling with life's challenges and life's addictions. No matter what our struggle you can see how these basic universal steps could be used to help us find peace and inner freedom with whatever our addiction!
Consider, for example, the proverbial "bad day" it is us struggling with our wish or craving that the day was something other than what it was - something other than its reality. We stuff, therefore, from this "addiction" to reality as we wish it, rather than accepting it as it is! For more serious consideration, take the death of your son, daughter, or other close youth in your life. More than our life itself, we rightly wish that we could change reality. It is our addiction to reality or craving which causes us suffering - we wish he or she back with us. We are clearly addicted to reality as we wish it, not as it is! This addiction to reality as we wish it - be it a bad day, drugs, drink or the loss of a loved one - is so intense that it causes us all to suffer and to inflict suffering on others as well. From a Buddhist perspective we truly are all junkies!
The Buddha being aware of this inclusive understanding of craving/addiction developed a very unique and effective but also universally accessible path in dealing with these issues - The Noble Eight Fold Path. Understanding this, the authors of Eight Step Recovery, modify that Noble Path to fit our more common usage of the term addictions.
Step One: Accepting that this human life will bring suffering
Step Two: Seeing how we create extra suffering in our lives
Step Three: Embracing impermanence shows us that our suffering can end
Step Four: Being willing to step onto the path of recovery – and discover freedom
Step Five: Transforming our speech, actions and livelihood
Step Six: Placing positive values at the centre of our lives
Step Seven: Making every effort to stay on the path of recovery
Step Eight: Helping others by sharing the benefits we have gained
As with this Buddhism's inclusive understanding of addictions, this book also provides us with a universal set of steps which are applicable to all individuals in all walks of life - because we are all struggling with life's challenges and life's addictions. No matter what our struggle you can see how these basic universal steps could be used to help us find peace and inner freedom with whatever our addiction!
But, alas, we shall reserve a detailed discussion of these eight items for another post on the SCS Blog!
As always, if you or someone you know is struggling with life challenges associated substance use, point them or at least their browser to SCS-KS.com.
Because at Second Chance Services we:
- talk frankly and openly about life,
- meet the client wherever they are in their life,
- always do this without judgment,
- and "do life right now!"
With One Love -
Doc B
*At SCS we are nondenominational, that does not mean, however, that we can't use, discus or draw from aspects of religion or spirituality, we just need to be careful that at the group level they don't require our clients to invoke or hold to particular beliefs about personal deities. To further clarify, in individual sessions all types and kinds of deities and religions which the client wants to invoke are welcome, but in group work we must hold to nondenominational view.
