How a monk can help drugs or alcohol addicts with 12 steps program?

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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SarathW
Posts: 21227
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

How a monk can help drugs or alcohol addicts with 12 steps program?

Post by SarathW »

How a monk can help drugs or alcohol addicts with 12 steps program?
Step 11. Seek a closer tie to your higher power. As people in recovery develop their spirituality, they typically use prayer and meditation to strengthen this relationship.
https://wellbeing.lifeworks.com/au/blog ... addiction/

If you are a monk or planning to become a monk, do not surprise one day if someone comes to your temple seeking assistance.
How do you think you are going to help him/her?

It appears they are referred to temples or churches by a volunteer organisation.

https://www.aa.org/
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
dharmacorps
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Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 7:33 pm

Re: How a monk can help drugs or alcohol addicts with 12 steps program?

Post by dharmacorps »

Monks provide support in practicing the dhamma, which can be integrated into the 12 steps by the practitioner. Monks need do nothing new or different other than explain the dhamma to the student so it helps them where they are at. Alcoholism, drug abuse is clinging, suffering, and very similar to other addictions described by the Buddha.
SarathW
Posts: 21227
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Re: How a monk can help drugs or alcohol addicts with 12 steps program?

Post by SarathW »

It is good if Venerable Dhammanado shares his experience here for the benefit of others.
:anjali:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
sunnat
Posts: 1431
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:08 am

Post by sunnat »

A particular difficulty an alcoholic seeking sobriety has with AA's 12 steps is God. A suggested workaround is to replace that with good, or with the group of recovering alcoholics, or some other greater thing than oneself that one can put faith in.

If accepting God and seeing the steps from that pov then The Buddha's teachings will often be a no-no.

A monk in dealing with an alcoholic who is depending on the 12 step program is often dealing with a severely damaged person full of delusions, ill-will and craving.

As already mentioned, being a good, patient, kind, practitioner of The Dhamma is the best way for a Monk.
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