The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast

Readings and meditations from sacred Buddhist masters. Discussion of methods, techniques, and ways to integrate the essential principles of Buddhist recovery. In The 12-Step Buddhist (Atria 2019) we clarified the consistencies between being an addict in traditional 12-Step recovery and the practice of Buddhist recovery within that framework. These days we have alternatives such as Refuge Recovery and Dharma Recovery, its spinoff. But these are still somewhat limited systems for many reasons that we explore. When recovery gets stale, addiction gets ready for action. It's time to freshen our perspective of addiction and recovery from the ground up. Buckle up! Take your spirituality in recovery to the next level with Compassionate Recovery: Mindful Healing for Trauma and Addictions (2022 Rainbow Light Media). This new approach is open, universal, and inclusive of LGBTQ+ in recovery, those with mental illness, high ACE scores, inmates, and other marginalized groups. It is the integration of known science and the technology of mind training. This point of view is directly applicable to your recovery, no matter what your recovery program. Learn to practice easy-to-follow instructions, with powerful effects. Enhance and strengthen your emotional stability in recovery. Discover self-compassion, the wisdom of generosity, and the secrets of self-compassion and compassion for others. You're ready.

The Joy of Living: Don't Miss the Bliss 12/31/2023

Humility as Medicine: How to Overcome Arrogance 12/10/2023

Humility as Medicine: How to Overcome Arrogance Suffering as Compassion, Humility as Medicine: How to Overcome Arrogance The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast Episode 111 from Dodrupchen Jigme Tenpe Nyima, "Dropping the Attitude of Being Entirely Unwilling to Suffer Think about all the depression, anxiety and irritation we put ourselves through by always seeing suffering as unfavourable, something to be avoided at all costs. Now, think about two things: how useless this is, and how much trouble it causes. Go on reflecting on this repeatedly, until you are absolutely convinced. Then say to yourself: “From now on, whatever I have to suffer, I will never become anxious or irritated.” Go over this again and again in your mind, and summon all your courage and determination. 2 Cultivating the Attitude of Being Joyful when Suffering Arises Seeing suffering as an ally to help us on the path, we must learn to develop a sense of joy when it arises. Yet whenever suffering strikes, unless we have some kind of spiritual practice to bring to it, one which matches the capacity of our mind, no matter how many times we might say to ourselves: ‘Well, as long as I’ve got roughly the right method, I’ll be able to use suffering and obtain such and such a benefit’, it’s highly unlikely that we’ll succeed. We’ll be as far from our goal, the saying goes, as the earth is from the sky. Therefore, use suffering as the basis for the following practices: c. Using Suffering to Overcome Arrogance As I explained before, [as long as we are in samsara] we are never independent or truly free or in control of our lives. On the contrary, we are always dependent on and at the mercy of suffering. So we must eliminate ‘the enemy that destroys anything that is wholesome and good’, which is arrogance and pride; and we must do away with the evil attitude of belittling others and considering them as inferior. Transforming Suffering Sapiens /episode/index/show/the12stepbuddhist/id/29003083

Appreciating the Now: How to Train Our Minds to Feel Better 12/02/2023

Genghis Khan or Thich Nhat Hanh - How Do We Respond in Recovery? 11/18/2023

Psychedelic Sobriety: Is the Use of Psychedelics a Relapse in Recovery? 11/10/2023

Psychedelic Sobriety: Is the Use of Psychedelics a Relapse in Recovery? What is the nature of our relationship to psychedelics? As people in recovery, we've probably abused them at one time or another. Some people have taken mass overdoses and lost total control. So why would anyone in recovery consider the use, medicinal or otherwise, of something that seems pretty risky? It's OK. You can and it'll be alright. Let's talk about it on today's show, Episode 108. St. Theresa of Avila "The time has come to love more and think less. Sit in a deep quiet in which love is translating you into God." Meditation: what we're powerless to attain is attaining us in our inability to attain it inhale breathing in God, into the unresolved questions. Exhale give yourself in love. from James Finley, "Mystical Sobriety." The number 108 has a variety of significances across different fields: Mathematics: It's an abundant and a semiperfect number. A tetranacci number. The hyperfactorial of 3, as it is of the form 11⋅22⋅3311⋅22⋅33. Divisible by the value of its φ function, which is 36. Divisible by the total number of its divisors (12), making it a refactorable number. The angle in degrees of the interior angles of a regular pentagon in Euclidean space. Palindromic in several bases and a Harshad number in multiple bases. Religion and the Arts: Sacred in Dharmic Religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. In Hindu tradition, there are 108 attendants of Shiva, and in Gaudiya Vaishnavism, Krishna had 108 followers known as gopis. The Sri Vaishnavite Tradition has 108 Divya Desams (temples of Vishnu). The Sudarshana Chakra, a weapon in Hindu mythology, has 108 serrated edges. The total number of Upanishads is 108 as per the Muktikā canon. In Tibetan Buddhism, malas or rosaries are usually 108 beads. Zen priests wear juzu, a ring of prayer beads, consisting of 108 beads. The Lankavatara Sutra has sections where 108 questions are asked and 108 statements of negation are listed. Martial Arts: Many East Asian martial arts, due to their ties to Buddhism, consider 108 an important symbolic number. According to Marma Adi and Ayurveda, there are 108 pressure points in the body. The ultimate Gōjū-ryū kata, Suparinpei, translates to 108. The Yang Taijiquan long form and Wing Chun wooden dummy form taught by Ip Man have 108 moves. Literature: There are 108 outlaws in the Chinese classic "Water Margin/Outlaws of the Marsh." "Astrophil and Stella," the first English sonnet sequence, has 108 love sonnets. Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven" has 108 lines. Science: Hassium, a chemical element, has the atomic number 108. The human body's vital organs begin to fail at an internal temperature of 108 degrees Fahrenheit. The distance of Earth from the Sun is about 108 times the diameter of the Sun. Technology: 108 Mbit/s is a non-standard extension of IEEE 802.11g wireless network using channel bonding. Sports: An official Major League Baseball baseball has 108 stitches. The Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016 for the first time in 108 years. Card Games: There are 108 cards in a deck of UNO cards. Other Fields: In India, 108 is the toll-free emergency telephone number. /episode/index/show/the12stepbuddhist/id/28590528

Surrender to the Now: Get Grounded in Recovery 11/04/2023

Life on Life's Terms: Acceptance in Recovery 10/29/2023

How to Be a Flimsy Reed 10/20/2023

Mindfully Manic; How to Keep Your Head as a Buddhist in Recovery 10/01/2023

What is a Buddhist Higher Power and/or How Do Buddhists in Recovery Pray? 09/22/2023

Stabilizing Our Recovery with Dharma Practice 09/15/2023

Addiction and Trauma: A Basis for the Practice of Recovery 09/03/2023

Addiction and Trauma: A Basis for the Practice of Recovery Addiction and Trauma: A Basis for the Practice of Recovery The Dysregulated Addict: Finding Spiritual Regulation Series Pt. 6 The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast Episode 101 Review of this series so far. **Understanding ACEs:** - **Definition and Types:** Physical abuse, emotional scars, a home where chaos reigns. These are ACEs, wounds that shape us, echoes of the storms we explored in the nervous system. They are the unseen baggage we carry, the ghosts that haunt our minds. - **Prevalence:** You're not alone. Millions bear these scars, these memories that refuse to fade. They linger, affecting our health, our relationships, our very essence, adding to the allostatic load we discussed earlier. **The Neurobiology of ACEs:** - **Brain Structure and Function:** Imagine your brain, a delicate machine, wired for love, trust, joy. Now imagine it altered, scarred by trauma. The prefrontal cortex, the seat of reason, impaired. The hippocampus, the keeper of memories, wounded. It's not just science; it's a tragedy played out in the very fabric of our being. - **Stress Response System:** A child in constant fear, a body always ready to fight or flee. The stress hormones flood, the balance is lost, and the dance becomes a battle. It's the window of tolerance, shattered and fragmented. It's not just biology; it's a daily struggle for peace, for normality. **ACEs and the Path to Addiction:** - **Increased Vulnerability:** The path from ACEs to addiction is not a straight line; it's a twisted road, filled with pitfalls and traps. The brain changes, the balance tips, and the allure of substances becomes a siren's call. It's the allostatic load, heavy and burdensome, leading us astray. - **Compounding Damage:** Addiction is not a choice; it's a compounding of pain, a response to a brain altered by ACEs. It's a cycle, a whirlpool that pulls you in, deeper and deeper, beyond the window of tolerance, into the abyss. **The Science of ACEs and Addiction:** - **Neurotransmitters and Addiction:** Dopamine, serotonin, words that sound distant, but they are the music of our minds. ACEs disrupt this music, turning harmony into discord. It's not just chemistry; it's the melody of our moods, our desires, our very selves. - **Brain Regions Affected:** The amygdala, the nucleus accumbens, names that might seem foreign, but they are the chambers of our fears, our pleasures. ACEs invade these chambers, altering our responses, shaping our addictions. It's not just anatomy; it's the architecture of our emotions, our cravings. **Mindfulness and Neuroplasticity:** ACEs and addiction are not just emotional scars; they leave tangible marks on the brain, altering its very structure and function. The effects are profound, affecting critical regions like the prefrontal cortex and amygdala. - **Specific Mindfulness Techniques for Recovery:** Mindfulness is not a one-size-fits-all approach; it's a diverse and adaptable set of practices, each with unique benefits and applications. For those on the path of recovery from ACEs and addiction, these techniques offer targeted healing, addressing specific aspects of the brain, mind, and body. - **Mindful Breathing:** A foundational practice, mindful breathing focuses on the breath as an anchor to the present moment. It can calm the sympathetic nervous system, reduce anxiety, and enhance focus. For those with ACEs and addiction, it's a way to find stability, grounding, and presence. - **Body Scan Meditation:** This practice involves systematically bringing attention to different parts of the body. It can increase body awareness, reduce stress, and promote relaxation. For those affected by ACEs and addiction, it's a path to reconnecting with the body, healing the disconnection often caused by trauma and addiction. - **Loving-Kindness Meditation:** Focusing on cultivating compassion for oneself and others, loving-kindness meditation can enhance empathy, self-compassion, and emotional well-being. It's a balm for the emotional wounds of ACEs and addiction, a way to nurture the heart and soul. - **Mindful Movement Practices (e.g., Yoga, Tai Chi):** These practices combine movement with mindfulness, promoting physical health, flexibility, and balance. They can be particularly healing for those with ACEs and addiction, addressing the physical toll of addiction and enhancing the mind-body connection. - **Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT):** MBCT integrates mindfulness practices with cognitive therapy, targeting patterns of thinking that can lead to depression and relapse. It's a targeted approach for those with ACEs and addiction, addressing the cognitive challenges and patterns that often accompany these experiences. - **The Personalized Path of Mindfulness:** The journey of mindfulness is a personalized one, guided by individual needs, challenges, and goals. For those on the path of recovery from ACEs and addiction, these techniques offer a tailored approach, a way to heal the specific wounds, restore balance, and reclaim life. It's a promise of transformation, a promise grounded in practice, illuminated by hope. /episode/index/show/the12stepbuddhist/id/27926010

ACES High - Mindful Heart: Mindfulness for Addicts with ACEs 08/13/2023

ACES High - Mindful Heart: Mindfulness for Addicts with ACEs The Dysregulated Addict: Finding Spiritual Regulation Series Pt. 5 The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast Episode 100 Part 5: Mindfulness for Addicts with ACEs The Impact of ACEs on the Brain and the Path to Addiction** **Introduction:** Remember our journey through the nervous system, the dance of the sympathetic and parasympathetic, the weight of allostatic load, the boundaries of the window of tolerance? Now, let's delve into ACEs, the unseen wounds that shape us, the scars that linger in our brains, our hearts, our very souls. **Understanding ACEs:** - **Definition and Types:** Physical abuse, emotional scars, a home where chaos reigns. These are ACEs, wounds that shape us, echoes of the storms we explored in the nervous system. They are the unseen baggage we carry, the ghosts that haunt our minds. - **Prevalence:** You're not alone. Millions bear these scars, these memories that refuse to fade. They linger, affecting our health, our relationships, our very essence, adding to the allostatic load we discussed earlier. **The Neurobiology of ACEs:** - **Brain Structure and Function:** Imagine your brain, a delicate machine, wired for love, trust, joy. Now imagine it altered, scarred by trauma. The prefrontal cortex, the seat of reason, impaired. The hippocampus, the keeper of memories, wounded. It's not just science; it's a tragedy played out in the very fabric of our being. - **Stress Response System:** A child in constant fear, a body always ready to fight or flee. The stress hormones flood, the balance is lost, and the dance becomes a battle. It's the window of tolerance, shattered and fragmented. It's not just biology; it's a daily struggle for peace, for normality. This is the path of bodhisattvas, yogis and Buddhists in recovery. "You can judge me, but please take what's in my hand." Want to opine? Leave a message on The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast hotline. Opine on the hotline (505) 219-1509‬ Available in Kindle, Trade Paperback, Hardcover The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast Theme by Also available wherever you get your podcasts, such as iTunes, , , and /episode/index/show/the12stepbuddhist/id/27736581

Calming the Fires - Allostatic Load, Window of Tolerance 08/04/2023

Balancing Our Nervous System - The CNS and Stress 07/22/2023

The Dance of the Nervous System - Sympathetic and Parasympathetic 07/07/2023

The Dysregulated Addict: Finding Spiritual Regulation in Recovery Series Pt. 1 07/01/2023

The Dysregulated Addict: Finding Spiritual Regulation in Recovery Series Pt. 1 Do you get distressed easily in sobriety? You may have a disregulated nervous system. If so, it's important to not compare your insides with anyone else's outsides. In Compassionate Recovery: Mindful Healing for Trauma and Addictions, we gain an overview of what is happening in our brain and body when it comes to trauma, addiction and recovery. All are welcome. No experience necessary. Join us for meditation and discussion on topics that you can apply to your recovery right away. Transcript Host (Darren Littlejohn): "Hello, and welcome to The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast. I'm Darren Littlejohn, a fellow traveler on the path of recovery. I've been where you are, I've felt the pain, the confusion, the fear. I've been sixteen, lying in a fetal position on the bathroom floor, my face bruised from a beating, hair chopped, identity obliterated—out of my mind with debilitating agony. But I've also found a way out, a way forward, a way to heal. And that's what I want to share with you. Darren: "In this new series, we're going to explore some of the key concepts from my book, 'Compassionate Recovery: Mindful Healing for Trauma and Addictions'. We're going to delve into the nervous system, stress, allostatic overload, the window of tolerance, and how all these elements intertwine with mindful healing for trauma and addictions. Darren: "Today, we start with the nervous system. It's like the body's electrical wiring, a complex network of nerves and cells, known as neurons, that carry messages between the brain and the rest of the body. It's the body's communication superhighway, and it's as crucial to our survival as the air we breathe. Darren: "But why should we, as recovering addicts, care about the nervous system? Because understanding it is key to understanding stress, and stress, my friends, is a major trigger for relapse. We need to understand our enemy to defeat it. And in this case, our enemy is not just the substance or behavior we're addicted to, but also the stress that pushes us towards it. Darren: "The nervous system is split into two main parts: the central nervous system, our body's command center, and the peripheral nervous system, our body's messengers. Within the peripheral nervous system, we find the autonomic nervous system, the silent puppeteer controlling involuntary functions like heartbeat, digestion, and breathing. Darren: "This system is further divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic, our body's alarm system, preparing us for fight or flight. The parasympathetic, our body's peacekeeper, helping us to rest, digest, and heal. Darren: "In the episodes to come, we'll delve deeper into these systems, and see how understanding them can help us navigate the stormy seas of stress, trauma, and addictions. We'll learn how to recognize when our body is preparing for a fight or flight response, and how to use mindfulness and compassion to bring ourselves back to a state of rest and healing. Darren: "Thank you for joining me today. I hope this overview has sparked a flame of curiosity in you, and I look forward to fanning that flame as we explore these topics in more depth. Remember, recovery is a journey, and every journey begins with a single step. See you next time." art from https://twitter.com/gerrydiamond71/status/1531341614999797768 /episode/index/show/the12stepbuddhist/id/27344859

Into the Fire; How to Transform Experience into Dharma 06/23/2023

Curbing the Dharma Ego 06/09/2023

Taking Refuge in Compassion 06/03/2023

Birth of the Birthless; Refuge and Bodhicitta in Daily Life pt. 3 05/27/2023

Compassion Breath; Refuge and Bodhicitta in Daily Life pt. 2 05/20/2023

Recovery Flow State; Refuge and Bodhicitta in Daily Life 05/12/2023

Tantric Refuge in Recovery; Components of a Practice Session pt. 3 04/21/2023

Grace: How to Accept the Blessings in Recovery; Components of a Practice Session pt. 2 04/14/2023

How to Practice Dharma in Recovery: Components of a Practice Session pt. 1 03/31/2023

How to Take Refuge in Recovery: Refuge in the Sangha 03/25/2023

How to Take Refuge in Recovery: Refuge in the Dharma 03/18/2023

How to Take Refuge in Recovery: Refuge in the Buddha cont. 03/11/2023

How to Take Refuge in Recovery: Refuge in the Buddha cont. This week we continue deepening our understanding of precisely what it means to us to take refuge, in the Buddha, in recovery. Last episode, we discussed the Four Kayas of a Buddha. This episode continues the discussion of Objects of Refuge, Refuge in the Buddha, The Five Wisdom aspects. Don't worry, we'll break it down simply, and do some practice to gain direct knowledge of refuge in the Buddha. The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast: Episode 84 From and rigpawiki.org The Buddha is endowed with the Four Kayas and the Five Wisdoms. We continue with the Five Wisdoms. The Five WisdomsThe wisdom of dharmadhātu, which is the inherent purity of absolute space. Wisdom of dharmadhatuWisdom of dharmadhatu (Skt. dharmadhātujñāna; Tib. ཆོས་ཀྱི་དབྱིངས་ཀྱི་ཡེ་ཤེས་, Wyl. chos kyi dbyings kyi ye shes) — one of the five wisdoms. The wisdom of the dharmadhatu is the realization of the absolute truth, the natural state of all things. The mirror-like wisdom, which is wisdom’s unceasing clarity aspect. Mirror-like wisdomMirror-like wisdom (Skt. ādarśajñāna; Tib. མེ་ལོང་ལྟ་བུའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་, melong tabü yeshe, Wyl. me long lta bu'i ye shes) — one of the five wisdoms. Just as the clear surface of a mirror reflects everything before it, the wisdom of the absolute nature ‘reflects’ all the phenomena of samsara and nirvana. This clear reflection is the mirror-like wisdom. The equalizing wisdom, which is the absence of attachment and aversion towards anyone or anything, near or far. Wisdom of equalityWisdom of equality (Skt. samatājñāna; Tib. མཉམ་ཉིད་ཡེ་ཤེས་, Wyl. mnyam nyid ye shes) — one of the five wisdoms. Just as all the reflections in a mirror are the same in being simply reflections, without any concept of good or bad, the wisdom of equality is to regard samsara and nirvana as equal, as having a single mode and one taste. The wisdom of discernment, which knows objects without confusing or conflating them. Wisdom of discernment(Skt. pratyavekṣanājñāna; Tib. སོ་སོར་རྟོག་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་, Wyl. so sor rtog pa'i ye shes) — one of the five wisdoms. It is the knowledge that while from the point of view of the absolute nature all phenomena are the same in being equal, from the point of view of the phenomena themselves all things in samsara and nirvana are distinct and not confounded. All-accomplishing wisdom which effortlessly brings about the welfare of others. All-accomplishing wisdom (Skt. kṛtyānuṣṭhānajñāna; Tib. བྱ་བ་གྲུབ་པའི་ཡེ་ཤེས་, jawa drubpé yeshe, Wyl. bya ba grub pa'i ye shes) — one of the five wisdoms. Like a doctor who diagnoses a disease by taking the patient’s pulse and then does all he can to treat and remedy the disease, the buddhas, with their all-accomplishing wisdom, consider beings and the ways by which they might benefit them, and then appear spontaneously and effortlessly, without change or exertion, to benefit those beings. Join me every Friday for practices integrated with words and sounds on this and all the shows! All are welcome. Send questions to This is the path of bodhisattvas, yogis and Buddhists in recovery. "You can judge me, but please take what's in my hand." Want to opine? Leave a message on The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast hotline. Opine on the hotline (505) 219-1509‬ Available in Kindle, Trade Paperback, Hardcover The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast Theme by Also available wherever you get your podcasts, such as iTunes, , , and /episode/index/show/the12stepbuddhist/id/26195055

How to Take Refuge in Recovery: Refuge in the Buddha 03/03/2023

The 12-Step Buddhist Podcast

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