Tuesday, January 5, 2010

A Burning Desire: Dharma God and the Path of Recovery

A Burning Desire is a gift for those who struggle with the Twelve Step program’s focus on the need to surrender to a Higher Power. Taking a radical departure from traditional views of God, Western or Eastern, author Kevin Griffin neither accepts Christian beliefs in a Supreme Being nor Buddhist non-theism, but rather forges a refreshing, sensible, and accessible Middle Way. Griffin shows how the Dharma, the teachings of the Buddha, can be understood as a Higher Power. Karma, mindfulness, impermanence, and the Eightfold Path itself are revealed as powerful forces that can be accessed through meditation and inquiry.

Drawing from his own experiences with substance abuse, rehabilitation, and recovery, Griffin looks at the various ways that meditation and spiritual practices helped deepen his experience of sobriety. His personal story of addiction is not only raw, honest and engrossing, but guides readers to an inquiry of their own spirituality. In doing so, he poses profound questions, including:

  • How can I understand God from a Buddhist perspective?

  • How can I “turn my will and my life over” as a Buddhist?

  • How can this idea of God “remove my shortcomings”?

  • How do I “improve my conscious contact” with this God?

  • How do I learn this God’s “will”?




About the Author

Kevin Griffin is the author of One Breath at a Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps, the breakthrough book that established him as a leader in the mindful recovery movement. Since its publication, Kevin has toured extensively, giving workshops and lectures at places as diverse as Harlem, the Colorado Rockies, and Hawaii. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he teaches “Dharma and Recovery” at Spirit Rock Meditation Center. In addition, Kevin is co-founder and board member of the Buddhist Recovery Network an international organization that serves people in the recovery community through training, treatment, and research. He continues to offer workshops, lectures, and retreats around the country. For more information about him and his teaching schedule, see his website: www.kevingriffin.net.

8 comments:

  1. I like your writing style thanks for the info -cheers-

    ReplyDelete
  2. Writers In Treatment presents:

    KEVIN GRIFFIN

    "IF BUDDHA WAS AN ALCOHOLIC"

    A Burning Desire: Dharma God and the Path of Recovery

    Friday, February 5, 7:30PM
    Against the Stream Meditation Society
    4300 Melrose Avenue, CA, 90029

    R.S.V.P. for $10.00 admission

    info@writersintreatment.org 818-762-0461

    CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT:

    MFT’s & LCSW’s:
    Pegasus/Villareal & Associates, Inc. are
    approved providers of continuing education by the California Board of
    Behavioral Sciences, provider number PCE 4240. This course meets the
    qualifications for CE credit for MFT’s and LCSW’s.
    CAADE:
    California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators, provider number for
    Academic (1 to 10) CP10 831 A 0411 and provider number for Academic (1
    to 25) CP25 832 C 0411.

    CAADAC:
    California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors,
    provider number 1N-08-512-05



    Kevin Griffin author of:
    "ONE BREATH AT A TIME: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps" and
    "A Burning Desire: Dharma God and the Path of Recovery."

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks for the post.
    I am always looking for different and new ways to connect with other addicts. This looks like another way. Again, thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. First off excellent post. Im not sure if it has been talked about, but when using Explorer I can never get the entire post to load without refreshing several times. Maybe just my modem. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Who do you think is going to win this years superbowl? And what do you think the spread will be?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Who do you think is going to win this years superbowl? And what do you think the spread will be?

    ReplyDelete