VI. Sangha: Guiding Principle
VI. SANGHA
COMMUNITY OF SUPPORT
“We cultivate relationships within a recovery community, to both support our own recovery and support the recovery of others. After we have completed significant work on our Inquiries, established a meditation practice, and achieved renunciation from our addictive behaviors, we can then become mentors to help others on their path to liberation from addiction. Anyone with any period of time of renunciation and practice can be of service to others in their sangha. When mentors are not available, a group of wise friends can act as partners in self-inquiry and support each other’s practice.” – Recovery Dharma Workbook
GUIDING PRINCIPLE
Finding and cultivating relationships with Wise Friends often lies at the heart of our recovery. Wise Friends refers to people who have our best interests at heart, friends who support us on our path of recovery, and friends who do not endanger, minimize, or threaten our long-term sobriety.
EARLY ADVICE
Finding and cultivating relationships with Wise Friends often lies at the heart of our recovery. Wise Friends refers to people who have our best interests at heart, friends who support us on our path of recovery, and friends who do not endanger, minimize, or threaten our long-term sobriety.
“The Sangha is a place where we can practice together, share our struggles, and become a community of support.” – Pema Chödrön
Wise friends help keep us accountable for our actions. Wise friends help encourage us, listen to us, and—when things go well—they help inspire us to be our best selves. They can help us find our way in recovery by letting us know that we are not alone in recovery. They inspire us to confidently know that recovery is possible, and to know that if they can, we can. In time, through periods of successful renunciation, we are able to help others to do the same.
DHARMA SAYING
‘We can build a home for ourselves, within ourselves, and we can help others to do the same.’ – Recovery Dharma Workbook
PRACTICAL PRATICE TIP
SERVICE WORK – COMMUNITY INVOLEMENT
– Begin to look for opportunities to help support your Sangha wherever you can. Whether it be offering to read the weekly readings, helping with setup and clean up, becoming a greeter, or taking another service role.