2026 Recovery Dharma Summit
KINDNESS IN ACTION: Connect, Serve, Grow
July 16–19, 2026 · Charlotte, NC
Thursday, July 16
Opening: Welcome & Intention Setting
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:15 PM | Presenter: Summit Committee, Charlotte Committee, Board Members
Kick off the 2026 Summit with a warm welcome from event organizers and board members. This opening session includes the Heritage Statement, guided intention setting for the weekend ahead, introductions from the Summit, Charlotte, and Events Committees, and an overview of the full schedule.
Recovery Dharma Meeting
Time: 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Presenter: 2027 Summit Host Sangha
A traditional Recovery Dharma meeting open to all Summit participants. Gather in community to share, listen, and practice the principles of the dharma together as we begin the weekend.
Friday, July 17
Mindful Movement
Time: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Presenter: TBA
Begin the day with grounding movement practices. This optional session invites participants to arrive in their bodies, cultivate presence, and prepare for a full day of learning and connection.
Welcome and Morning Meditation
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Presenter: TBA
A guided sitting meditation in the Recovery Dharma tradition. As we begin our first full day together, this session offers time to steady the breath, settle into the body, and arrive in practice with openness and intention. All levels of experience are welcome.
RDG Membership and Regions
Time: 10:30 AM – 11:40 AM | Presenter: Regional Oversight Committee
Hear from Recovery Dharma Global regional representatives as they share updates, reflections, and the work being done across communities. This session highlights the breadth and vitality of the RDG network and invites dialogue about regional growth and collaboration.
Change Your Frequency
Time: 11:50 AM – 1:00 PM | Presenter: Kathy B.
In this dynamic presentation, Kathy B. explores how shifting our internal state — our emotional and mental frequency — can transform our recovery journey. Drawing on personal experience and creative practice, this session offers tools and insights for tuning into a higher vibration of healing.
Healing with Your Hands
Time: 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Presenter: HEART Project
A hands-on creative session inviting participants to engage with arts and crafts as pathways to healing. This experiential offering is part of the ongoing HEART Project, which weaves creativity and community throughout the Summit weekend.
Harm Reduction: Lessons from My Recovery Journey
Time: 2:30 PM – 3:40 PM | Presenter: Thomas and Stephon
Thomas and Stephon share an honest and compassionate look at harm reduction through the lens of personal recovery. This session explores how meeting ourselves and others where we are — without judgment — creates more sustainable paths toward healing and wholeness.
IDEA Panel: Meet Me Where I Am
Time: 3:50 PM – 5:00 PM | Presenter: Ablossi & Panelists
A panel conversation centered on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility within Recovery Dharma communities. Panelists discuss the importance of creating spaces where every person feels seen, welcomed, and supported exactly as they are.
Live Entertainment Session
Time: 7:15 PM – 9:30 PM | Presenter: Live Band
Cap off the day with an evening of live band entertainment. Join us for a relaxed, joyful gathering featuring a variety of music to move, listen, and connect by. A celebratory space to enjoy community in renunciation, share the dance floor, and savor the spirit of the weekend together. Doors open at 7pm.
Saturday, July 18
Uptown Farmers Market
Time: 7:45 AM – 9:45 AM | Optional Off-Site Activity
Located at 300 S. Davidson St., this producer-only market features fresh local produce, artisanal goods, and live music. It’s a vibrant community hub and walking distance from the venue. Meet at the venue at 7:45 AM and go together with Dharma Buddies.
Mindful Movement
Time: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Presenter: TBA
Begin the day with grounding movement practices. This optional session invites participants to arrive in their bodies, cultivate presence, and prepare for a full day of learning and connection.
Welcome and Morning Meditation
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Presenter: TBA
A guided loving-kindness (metta) meditation in the Recovery Dharma tradition. In this morning sit, we turn toward ourselves and our sangha with warmth and care, cultivating the compassionate presence that supports our recovery and our shared practice. All levels of experience are welcome.
KEYNOTE: Conversations on Recovery, Identity, and Learning How to Stay
Time: 10:30 AM – 1:00 PM | Presenter: Don Phelps
In this extended and interactive keynote session, Don Phelps leads a deep and candid exploration of what it means to stay — in recovery, in community, and in relationship with ourselves. Drawing on themes of identity and transformation, Don invites participants into an honest conversation about the inner work that sustains long-term healing. Please note: there are movement breaks and a 20 minute Q&A.
Neurographic Art
Time: 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Presenter: Kathy B.
Neurographic Art is a scientifically grounded creative process that uses drawing to transform stress and reshape neural pathways. Kathy B. guides participants through this accessible and meditative practice, offering a powerful tool for emotional regulation and self-discovery.
Gratitude Panel: Expressed and Experienced
Time: 2:30 PM – 3:40 PM | Presenter: Amy, Laura Rachel, Ablossi & Panelists
A heartfelt panel exploring gratitude as both a practice and a lived experience in recovery. Panelists share personal stories and reflections on how cultivating gratitude has shaped their healing, their relationships, and their sense of meaning.
You, Me, and Codependency
Time: 3:50 PM – 5:00 PM | Presenter: Mark H.
Mark H. offers a thoughtful and compassionate examination of codependency — its roots, its patterns, and its impact on recovery and relationships. This session explores how greater self-awareness and dharma practice can help us move toward healthier, more authentic connections.
Evening Group Activity - To Be Announced
Time: 7:15 PM – 9:00 PM | Presenter: TBA
Gather in community for fun and connection. Activity TBA. Doors open at 7pm.
Sunday, July 19
Mindful Movement
Time: 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM | Presenter: TBA
Begin the final day with grounding movement practices. This optional session invites participants to arrive in their bodies, cultivate presence, and carry the spirit of the weekend forward.
Welcome and Morning Meditation
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM | Presenter: TBA
A guided sitting meditation in the Recovery Dharma tradition. On this final morning together, we settle into stillness, reflect on the teachings and connections of the weekend, and dedicate the merit of our practice to our own recovery and the wellbeing of all beings. All levels of experience are welcome.
Incarceration Populations: Bringing Recovery Dharma Inside
Time: 10:30 AM – 11:40 AM | Presenter: Matthew & Outreach Team
This session examines the work of bringing Recovery Dharma practices into incarcerated communities. Matthew and the outreach team discuss the challenges, the breakthroughs, and the profound potential of dharma-based recovery behind bars — and how Summit participants can support this vital work.
Pragmatic Buddhism
Time: 11:50 AM – 1:00 PM | Presenter: Johnny & Perry
A grounded and accessible exploration of Buddhist principles as practical tools for everyday recovery. Johnny and Perry break down core teachings and practices in ways that are relevant, applicable, and deeply human — no prior dharma knowledge required.
Creative Dana & Alternative Healing
Time: 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Presenter: Joel W.
An invitation to explore generosity and healing through creative expression. This session weaves together the Buddhist concept of dana (giving) with alternative healing modalities, offering participants a gentle and expansive experience of what it means to offer and receive.
Sound Bath
Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Presenter: Janice (Live Performance)
Close the afternoon with an immersive live sound bath experience. Janice guides participants through a restorative sonic journey using healing instruments, supporting deep relaxation, integration, and inner stillness as we prepare for the closing of the Summit.
Closing Ceremony: Kindness in Action
Time: 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM | Presenter: Summit Committee & All Attendees
Bring the 2026 Summit to a meaningful close. This ceremony includes the HEART Project reveal, a collective reading of reflections from the weekend, a knot-tying ritual with integrated meditation, heartfelt thank-yous, and closing statements from the community. Together, we carry the spirit of kindness in action forward into the world.
All sessions are subject to change.