A Burning Desire: Dharma God and the Path of Recovery

by Kevin Griffin

Overview

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 learn this God’s “will”?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781401923211
Publisher:	Hay House, Inc.
Publication date:	01/01/2010
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.04(h) x 0.64(d)

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 (www.buddhistrecovery.org), 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.

Table of Contents

Preface xiii

Introduction 1

Part I Dharma God 13

The Higher Power of Karma 19

The Higher Power of Mindfulness 29

The Higher Power of Wisdom 41

The Higher Power of Love 63

The Higher Power of the Eightfold Path 75

The Higher Power of Faith 109

The Higher Power of Presence 117

The Higher Power of Spiritual Awakening 123

The Higher Power of the Group 127

The Mystery 131

Part II The Path of Recovery 135

from Despair to Hope: Step Two 137

Diving in: Step Three 151

Self-Revealing: Step Five 169

Preparing for Freedom: Step Six 175

Letting Go: Step Seven 183

Living the Path: Step Eleven 205

Continuing the Path of Recovery 215

Acknowledgments 217

Resources 219

About the Author 223

Editorial Reviews

“In this wise, compassionate, and courageous ‘Big Book,’ Kevin Griffin has swung wide the doors between the church basement and the meditation hall. His gentle voice speaks, with clarity and love, to new generations of addicts seeking freedom and awakening. A Burning Desire promises to be the seminal text for the recovery community of the 21st century!”
 
— William Alexander, story teller and author of Cool Water: Alcoholism, Mindfulness, and Ordinary Recovery



“A truly helpful bridge between the power of 12-Step work and the power of the Dharma.”
 
— Jack Kornfield, author of The Wise Heart



“A Burning Desire is a much needed addition to the growing field of Buddhism and recovery. Kevin is a master at building bridges between the 12 Steps and Buddhism. I highly recommend this book to anyone in recovery!”
 
— Noah Levine, author of Dharma Punx and Against the Stream



“There are many parallels between 12-Step programs and Buddhist approaches to addiction recovery. Kevin Griffin gives a personal and powerful account of how these concepts have helped him. I highly recommend it as a landmark book in the path of recovery.”
 — G. Alan Marlatt, Ph.D., University of Washington, author of Relapse Prevention and Assessment of Addictive Behaviors



“Kevin Griffin’s original burning desire was for alcohol, but it is now to share his hard won wisdom with the world. This book is a gift to us all.”
 
— Roger Walsh M.D., Ph.D., University of California Medical School, author of Essential Spirituality: The Seven Central Practices



“Kevin Griffin’s new book A Burning Desire: Dharma God & the Path of Recovery is a beautiful interweaving of two vital paths of healing, ancient Buddhist teachings and the modern 12-Step tradition. He unfolds the concepts of God and a Higher Power, so central to the 12-Step tradition, so that they become not just accessible, but deeply meaningful to those who may have found the image of a grandfather God difficult or confusing. It’s a book to be read and re-read, to be owned and loaned, and to be given as a welcome gift to anyone in recovery.”
 
— Jan Chozen Bays, abbott, Great Vow Zen Monastery; author of Mindful Eating and Jizo Bodhisattva

From the Publisher