I recommitted to a meditation practice as part of my recovery from addictive behaviors. I really wanted to meditate with others, and I shared this desire with a friend. She’s an avid meditator who is also 12 years sober, and she knows firsthand how practicing meditation and mindfulness in recovery can help.
My friend soon invited me to my first in-person Recovery Dharma meeting. The meeting was at a yoga studio on Madison’s east side. While there are a handful of Recovery Dharma meetings around Wisconsin, Recovery Dharma “offers a trauma-informed, empowered approach to recovery based on Buddhist principles,” according to its website. It also offers free access to its Recovery Dharma handbook, guided meditations and other resources.
The meeting participants were kind and welcoming. The format was easy enough to follow. But I realized that a majority of the folks there didn’t look like me. I wondered if other people of color practiced meditation as part of their recovery…