Refuge Recovery: A Buddhist Path to Recovering from Addiction

Bestselling author and renowned Buddhist teacher Noah Levine adapts the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths and Eight Fold Path into a proven and systematic approach to recovery from alcohol and drug addiction―an indispensable alternative to the 12-step program.

While many desperately need the help of the 12-step recovery program, the traditional AA model’s focus on an external higher power can alienate people who don’t connect with its religious tenets. Refuge Recovery is a systematic method based on Buddhist principles for healing addiction, which integrates scientific, non-theistic, and psychological insight.

Viewing addiction as cravings in the mind and body, Levine shows how a path of meditative awareness and mindfulness can alleviate those desires and ease suffering. Refuge Recovery includes daily meditation practices, written investigations that explore the causes and conditions of our addictions, and advice and inspiration for finding or creating a community to help you heal and awaken.

Practical yet compassionate, Levine’s successful Refuge Recovery system is designed for anyone interested in a non-theistic approach to sobriety and recovery and requires no previous experience or knowledge of Buddhism or meditation.

How can you find lasting recovery without relying on a higher power?

• A Buddhist Path to Recovery: Adapt the Buddha’s Four Noble Truths and Eight Fold Path into a systematic, step-by-step program for overcoming addictive behavior.
• Alternative to 12-Step: Discover a non-theistic approach that provides an indispensable option for those who don’t connect with the religious tenets of traditional programs.
• Daily Meditation Practices: Learn how to use meditative awareness to alleviate the cravings in the mind and body that fuel addiction, easing suffering and promoting healing.
• A Path for Everyone: This compassionate and practical system requires no previous experience with Buddhism or meditation, making it accessible to anyone seeking freedom.

Noah Levine, M.A., has been using Buddhist practices to recover from addiction since 1988. He is the founding teacher of Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society.