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 Sangha Groups 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.
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.
Core Intentions
As sanghas grow and develop, these core intentions have the capacity to offer ground and guidance for a diverse and inclusive sangha.
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 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!
Find a Meeting by pressing the Filter Button and then selecting Affinity / BIPOC from the list.
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Ally
Meetings for people who identify as LGBTQIA.
Love, Sex and Lust
We seek freedom from Love, Sex, Porn, and Lust-related suffering. Our common goal is striving for relationships of true intimacy.
These meetings are organized by gender.
Mental Health
Where addiction and mental health intersect.
Women & Nonbinary (Trans-inclusive)
Meetings for people who identify as women and nonbinary.
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.
Our practice
The practices of Recovery Dharma offers an opportunity for us to take tangible and concrete action to support the inclusion of all members.