the Four Noble truths & THE EIGHTFOLD PATH

As people who have struggled with addiction, we are already intimately familiar with the truth of suffering. Even if we have never heard of the Buddha, at some level we already know the foundation of his teachings, which we call the Dharma: that in this life, there is suffering. 

The Buddha also taught the way to free ourselves from this suffering. The heart of these teachings is the Four Noble Truths and the corresponding commitments, which are the foundation of our program. 

1. There is suffering.
We commit to understanding the truth of suffering. 

2. There is a cause of suffering. 
We commit to understanding that craving leads to suffering. 

3. There is an end to suffering. 
We commit to understanding and experiencing that less craving leads to less suffering. 

4. There is a path that leads to the end of suffering. 
We commit to cultivating the path.

The Buddha taught that by living ethically, practicing meditation, and developing wisdom and compassion, we can end the suffering that is created by resisting, running from, and misunderstanding reality.

We have found that these practices and principles can end the suffering of addiction. The Eightfold Path helps us find our way in recovery and consists of the following:

 

1. Wise Understanding
2. Wise Intention 
3. Wise Speech 
4. Wise Action 
5. Wise Livelihood 
6. Wise Effort 
7. Wise Mindfulness 
8. Wise Concentration