Buddhist Recovery Network

Kevin Griffin - Zoom Classes
2025-07-29 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-05 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-12 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-19 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-08-26 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-09-02 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-09-09 10:00 - 11:00, 2025-09-16 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Los_Angeles) and 4 more dates
One hour Zoom classes, Tuesdays at 10am Pacific Time. Fridays at 5pm Pacific are now community classes with rotating leaders (except 2nd Fridays which are hosted by Spirit Rock). These classes are casual, drop-in events. We start with 20 minutes of guided meditation, followed by a short talk on Buddhism and recovery. Offer dana through Paypal or Venmo.

Eight Step Recovery BIPOC meeting
2025-08-02 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-09 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-16 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-23 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-08-30 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-09-06 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-09-13 12:00 - 13:00, 2025-09-20 12:00 - 13:00 and 3 more dates
8 Step Recovery Meeting for Black Indigenous People of Color and Black Asian Minority Ethnic
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6794136360?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 679 413 6360
Passcode: brn

Contact: Email- eightstepsrecovery@gmail.com

Building a RAFT: From Addicted Doctor to Freedom
2025-08-03 10:00 - 11:00 | BRN Academy
BRN Academy with Dr. Cathryn Jacob – August 3, 2025

Cathryn Jacob is a retired medical doctor who has dedicated herself to the study and teachings of Secular Dharma and early Buddhist teachings. Her recovery journey began with the 12-step program, where she became both a sponsor and teacher, but challenges with the concept of a higher power led her to explore alternative paths. This exploration brought her to the transformative teachings of the dharma, eventually focusing on Secular Buddhism through the works of Stephen and Martine Batchelor.

Cathryn has completed advanced studies in Secular Dharma, including a year-long course at Bodhi College and is currently attending the Committed Practitioner Programme. She gained deep insights and practical tools for integrating the dharma into daily life. She is also a meditation instructor and founder of RAFT to Freedom, a secular dharma-inspired addiction recovery group that offers a structured program combining Buddhist teachings and practical skills for overcoming addiction. For more information, please visit raft2freedom.org.

Beyond her dharma work, Cathryn enjoys creative pursuits such as sewing, ceramics, art, and watercolour painting, which bring balance and joy to her life.

Keeping Our Joy Alive in Recovery: Mindfulness for Emotional Balance and Inner Clarity - with Kevin Griffin and Vimalasara
2025-08-15 10:00 - 16:30 | Spirit Rock – Online and In Person, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, 5000 Sir Francis Drake Blvd Box 169, Woodacre, CA, 94973, United States
See Event Details

Insight Recovery Sangha
2025-08-21 21:30 - 22:45, 2025-09-18 21:30 - 22:45, 2025-10-16 21:30 - 22:45
The Insight Recovery Sangha will meet monthly on Zoom and is for anyone (self-identified) who is working with strong cravings or addictions. We will meditate, hear short dharma talks related to Buddhist teachings and recovery, and share candidly with each other in community. The purpose of this group is to foster community and learn how to apply teachings on mindfulness, compassion and wisdom to our recovery program.
The emphasis will be on how craving causes suffering and how cultivating insight into the nature of craving can greatly ease our suffering, and help us lead more peaceful and contented lives. We have no affiliations with any other organizations and this is not a 12-Step group, although various known addiction recovery modalities may be referred to from time to time.
This group is open to everyone. There is no need to qualify for membership when you introduce yourself to the group. However, we do believe this group will work best for those committed to a life free from substance abuse and harmful addictive behaviors.
The teachers, Walt Opie and Dalila Bothwell, will serve as group facilitators, dharma teachers, and sangha (community) members. Over time, there will be guest teachers, as well.
There is no fee to enroll in the Insight Recovery Sangha. If you would like to support this program or your teachers, you may make an offering within the program platform after you enroll.
Enroll at
ims.dharma.org/courses/insight-recovery-sangha-2025

The Buddha's Intoxications
2025-09-07 10:00 - 11:00 | BRN Academy
In this session, Vince explored Gotama’s early life and his own “intoxications” with youth, health, and life itself, drawing parallels to the universal human journey of recognising the patterns that hold us back and embarking on a noble search for freedom. The talk is based on chapter two of the RAFT to Freedom Workbook that is being made available freely online at RAFT2Freedom.org. Feel free to sign-up for the RAFT to Freedom newsletter on the website.

About VinceHaving drunk alcoholically from the age of 14 until 39, Vince Cullen sat in his kitchen and poured a glass of lager. He made a promise to himself that this would be his last drink… ever. That was 25-years ago. Since then, he has been associated with Wat Thamkrabok, the famous detox monastery in Thailand and Buddhist-oriented drug and alcohol recovery.

Vince founded and has facilitated Fifth Precept Sangha meditation-for-awakening Sit-and-Share meetings in England, Scotland, Ireland, India, Nepal, Thailand and the USA as part of his ongoing teaching of Hungry Ghost Retreats. He is a board member of the Buddhist Recovery Network and a keynote speaker at Buddhist Recovery Summits.

Starting Over: Recovery and the Courage to Begin Again
2025-10-05 10:00 - 11:00 | BRN Academy
Recovery is not about perfection. It’s about beginning again—again and again. In this month’s BRN Academy talk Silasiri explores the courage and compassion it takes to let go of the past, return to the present, and choose a new way forward. The Buddha’s teachings remind us that each moment is a fresh start. With beginner’s mind and self-compassion, we can create a healing environment that supports growth, resilience, and recovery.

Silasiri engaged with the Buddhist Recovery Network in early 2018 as it launched its maiden year of Academy talks, and greatly enjoyed co-hosting this monthly program through 2021. By way of meditation, Dharma study and a beautiful and supportive Sangha, she moved into recovery from childhood trauma, substance abuse, and self-loathing, and continues to deepen her understanding of compassionate healing as taught by the Buddha and shared by the recovery community. A long-time peace and environmental activist and animal lover, Silasiri was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Movement in May 2021. She’s an accounting manager for nonprofits, and currently serves as the BRN’s Board President and Interim Treasurer. She supports Dharma study, anti-racism work, and Eco-Sattva training within her Sangha and in the community at large, and embraces the dana economy for all the freely given resources that it circulates among us.
