Facing Our Inner Demons — Meeting Mara on the Path of Recovery
We were deeply grateful to gather online as a community and practice together across many locations and time zones. Even through a virtual format, the Summit created a strong sense of sangha—offering connection, encouragement, and shared courage as we explored the inner struggles that so often accompany addiction and recovery.
The theme, Facing Our Inner Demons, drew on the Buddhist image of Mara—the forces of craving, fear, doubt, distraction, and self-defeating stories that can show up again and again on the path. Together, we explored what it means not to “defeat” Mara, but to meet these patterns with mindfulness, compassion, and clarity—and to choose a different response.
Across two mornings we offered:
- Guided meditation to ground the container in practice
- A keynote address and a keynote conversation to illuminate recovery through lived experience and Buddhist teachings
- Two panel discussions featuring personal stories and practical wisdom
- Recovery meetings in the final hour each day to connect more intimately in topical community spaces
This was a two-day online gathering hosted by the Buddhist Recovery Network, held on October 18–19, 2025, from 8:30 AM–12:00 PM PDT each day. The virtual format allowed people to join from many regions and backgrounds, while still offering structure, practice, and community through shared sessions and small-group recovery meetings.
Summary of Each Day
Day 1 — Saturday, October 18
Day 1 opened with morning meditation led by Mikey Livid, grounding the Summit in practice.
The keynote, “At Hell’s Gate: Meeting Mara on the Path of Recovery,” was offered by Claude AnShin Thomas, sharing a powerful reflection on suffering, healing, and the possibility of transformation through mindfulness and courage.
After a short break, the Summit moved into a panel discussion: “The Fire and the Fuel: What Is Addiction?” with Valerie Mason-John (Vimalasara), Susanna Ahvalo, and Gary Sanders, moderated by Chris Warner. The conversation explored addiction as suffering—spanning substances, trauma, and habitual reactivity—and what it means to meet these patterns with compassion and awareness.
The day concluded with topical recovery meetings, offering participants a chance to connect in smaller groups and be in community.
Day 2 — Sunday, October 19
Day 2 began with morning meditation led by Dalila Bothwell.
The keynote conversation, “The Path of Practice: Buddhist Tools for Real Recovery,” featured Vimalasara (Dr. Valerie Mason-John) in dialogue with Kevin Griffin, exploring practical tools and perspectives for sustained recovery and awakening.
After a short break, participants gathered for the panel: “Roots and Wings: What Is Recovery?” with Kitty Martz, Dalila Bothwell, Joe Clements, and Thomas Tran, moderated by Walt Opie. Panelists shared the lived realities of recovery across different expressions of addiction and suffering, and how Buddhist teachings and twelve-step wisdom supported movement from survival into clarity, service, connection, and joy—pointing to recovery as more than abstinence, but a daily practice of liberation.
The Summit closed with recovery meetings including Recovery Dharma, RAFT, BIPOC 8-Step Recovery, and Heart of Recovery, offering a final space for reflection, connection, and shared support.