diversity & accessibility
Our Intention
Recovery Dharma is a peer-led, grassroots, democratically-structured organization. We welcome all those who wish to pursue recovery as part of our community. All Sanghas that decide to commit to Recovery Dharma’s Core Intentions are autonomous in their practices.
Recovery Dharma is founded on, and inspired by, Buddhism that originated in India and later on flourished in other regions of Asia (e.g., South Asia, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia). We deeply appreciate the Buddhist heritage that was protected and freely offered by the ancestors of these cultures. This site is our effort to practice kindness, generosity, and peer-to-peer support. The content of this site reflects the diverse experiences of our members; not the opinions of professionals or Buddhist teachers.
Core Intentions
As sanghas grow and develop, these core intentions have the capacity to offer ground and guidance for a diverse and inclusive sangha.
IDEA Anti-Oppression and Anti-Discrimination Statement
We recognize that we live in a society with impacts of various oppressions, such as racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism, religious oppression, and ableism. We aspire to create a safe and reliable space for recovery and to actively support communities who may have been harmed by these oppressions.
Safety and Inclusion
We understand that we are individuals with different life experiences and backgrounds, and we encourage our members to create a space that allows members of all communities to feel seen, heard, and empowered. We set intentions to create a safer space within each sangha. Several sanghas have begun to develop statements and guides in this area. As they become available, we will post links on our News page.
Our Community – Affinity Groups
Recovery Dharma is a peer-led community. Here are a few sanghas that have gathered and formed a community around their shared identities with the aim to empower. These communities are listed in alphabetical order.
Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC)
Any and all who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color) are welcome at these meetings. We invite you to join our sangha and cultivate relationships that will lead us to deeper understanding and freedom from suffering. Please also join the RD BIPOC Facebook Group!
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Ally
Find a Meeting by pressing the Filter Button and then selecting Affinity / LGBTQIA from the list.
Love, Sex and Lust
These meetings are organized by gender.
Mental Health
Where addiction and mental health intersect.
Women of Recovery Dharma (WORD)
Meetings for people who identify as women and nonbinary.
Refuge in Community
We create spaces that support community development and welcome visitors and new members.
Meetings
Create and maintain safe and supportive meetings for your path of recovery.
Wise Friends and Mentors
Offer peer-to-peer support, given freely in the spirit of generosity.
Some ways to apply diversity and accessibility values to the organization of your meetings
- Create a safety statement and guideline suitable for your sangha.
- Include the active support of Diversity and Accessibility as one of your sangha’s core intentions.
- Schedule regular business meetings in order to offer a space for members to voice any requests, concerns, needs, or issues.
- Invite all aspects of lived experiences that relate to one’s recovery, including members’ racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression, and experiences with disability.
We work to ensure that our Wise Friends and Mentor structures are accessible and inclusive.
- Create Inquiry Circles around our various identities and communities as a topic for the process of healing, recovery, and growth.
- Model engaging in the process of inquiry with Wise Friends and Mentors who provide a safe space to discuss intimate and personal inquiries regarding one’s identity.
- Strive to create strong structures for Wise Friends and Mentors that are visible and easy to access for new members.
- Engage new members in discussions about Wise Friends and Mentors.
- Wise Friends and Mentors
Refuge in Buddhist Concepts and Practices
We freely offer access to Buddhist teachings and practices of recovery in a way that is accessible to all members.
The Path
We strive to understand the Four Noble Truths and Eightfold Path in the context of supporting Diversity and Accessibility.
Growth
We facilitate workshops and other special events that are accessible and support diversity.
We introduce the Path
- We find ways to share content that is accessible to a wide range of participants.
- We read and study the material and address the topics of race, ethnicity, gender identity and expression, social class, and disability status, as relates to our recovery and the Buddhist path.
- We strive to create materials that are accessible to people with different languages, abilities, and world views.
We facilitate space for members
- We participate in listening to members about their unique needs and lived experiences.
- We identify sources for Buddhist thinking and practices that reflect the voices and experiences of people of color, the LGBTQIA+ community, women, and other traditionally underrepresented communities.
- We aspire to host weekend workshops and other special events that carve out space for this practice.
Refuge in our own capacity to recover
We freely offer access to Buddhist teachings and practices of recovery in a way that is accessible to all members.
Renunciation
We share our experiences and affirm that there are diverse paths to letting go of addictive behaviors and substances.
Inquiry and investigations
We help all members use inquiries and practices in a way that addresses their needs.
Meditation
We make Recovery Dharma Meditations accessible to people who are new in recovery.
Renunciation of Harmful Behaviors from Privileged Identities
- We learn to recognize and let go of harmful thoughts and behaviors that do not serve our commitment to offering a safe and accessible space to recover for all of our members.
- We engage in practices to cultivate a deeper understanding of the impacts of our intentions and actions.
- We use the Four Noble Truths and Wise Actions section of the Eightfold Path to review our actions around diversity and accessibility on a regular basis.
- We cultivate kindness, compassion, equanimity, forgiveness and generosity in our practice around renunciation of harmful intentions and practices around diversity and accessibility.
Meditation
- We apply our practices of mindfulness and concentration to deepen our understanding of our experiences regarding our intersectionality, life experiences, and their impact.
- We seek out guided meditations that are led by individuals from the BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, women/non-binary communities, or persons with disability.
Inquiry and Investigation
- We apply Recovery Dharma inquiry questions to explore our experiences around the harm or healing process that originate from our identity development and the larger society.
- We support the development of inquiry and discussion questions developed by BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ and other affinity Recovery Dharma sanghas.
Our Practice
The practices of Recovery Dharma offer an opportunity for us to take tangible and concrete action to support the inclusion of all members.
Beginner’s Guide
The Beginners Guide can be beneficial when new members ask questions about our practice and path.
New Meetings Guide
This section offers resources to support the creation and support of a sangha and new meetings.
Wise Friends and Mentors
Here you’ll find resources that will support creating supportive relationships between you and other members on this path.