the 12 Step Buddhist

You’ve Got to Feel the Pain to Heal the Pain

Darren Littlejohn — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 03:06:10 +0000

By the end of the training I felt that yes, it was no accident that I was in that place at that time with those people. I’m a certified Yoga of 12 Step Recovery (Y12SR) space holder/leader now. I’ve done a lot of work over the past 30 years and this weekend was part of the ongoing process of transformation. I’m grateful for the opportunity to let the issues that were trapped in my tissues arise in a safe place, with safe people. I feel pretty raw and I still have this dang cold. But healing ain’t easy. As I’ve said in The Power of Vow, you gotta feel the pain if you want to heal the pain. And, as they say in the rooms, you gotta name it to claim it. We don't have to do it along. Y12SR is a great way to do this work. I'm looking forward to starting two new meeting/classes here in Portland very soon.

Buddhas, Babes and Bands

Darren Littlejohn — Sun, 12 May 2013 06:32:53 +0000

Today I woke up and listened to a webcast teaching from my teacher, Chogyal Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche. We practiced Guru Yoga with thousands of practitioners worldwide. The practice consists of singing the Song of the Vajra, a sacred mantra that takes about 12 minutes to chant.

The Power of VOW Indigogo Campaign

Darren Littlejohn — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:50:45 +0000

This book will help people reduce harm to themselves and others. Here's an excerpt from the book explaining why we might take sacred vows: Why Vow? The Truth of Suffering We might take a vow, such as the vow not to harm, because we understand that we suffer. The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths. I’ve written about this elsewhere, as have many others. The first of these is the Truth of Suffering. Suffering happens on different levels. We suffer when we get a little bump on the head. That’s the suffering of, well, suffering. We also suffer when things change. This is called the suffering of change. We get a good feeling, but it doesn’t last. We find the perfect lover—they find someone else. We’re young and virile at one point in life. Then we get old and flabby. Any time, without warning, we can be healthy, and then get sick. We can be alive, then not alive.

Yoga …it’s not just for hippies any more

Darren Littlejohn — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 19:36:14 +0000

Yoga ...it's not just for hippies any more.

12-Step Buddhist Google Plus Community

Darren Littlejohn — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 20:40:21 +0000

I wondered where all the intelligent discussion went on the Internet. Was there some site I was unaware of where people shared information without spam and anger? Then I got on to a Google Plus discussion for a new book on authorship. I write books and am interested in technology. I was shocked to find out that there was great people, resources and conversations to be had. Others have been saying this for some time, but I was unconvinced. For some reason, like Facebook and Twitter and Instagram and Pinterest, I didn't get Google Plus right away.

12-Step Buddhist 4th Annual Winter Retreat: Feb 1-3, 2013

Darren Littlejohn — Tue, 01 Jan 2013 20:47:56 +0000

The theme for this retreat is: The Power of Vow: Addict Promises vs. Buddhist Precepts based on my new book, The Power of Vow. We'll have an optional vow taking ceremony at the last session of the retreat. Our weekend course will include 12-Step Yogi practice, Tysa Fennern will offer Shamanic Archetype Practices and Tarot, Mike Papas giving Zen instruction and sitting sessions. As always, we'll have silent sitting and daily walking groups, group discussion and the famous Aspects of Self Dialog process. So many people locally and online are participating in the revolution of consciousness in recovery-within 12-Step communities and beyond. We have several groups nationwide. If you'd like to learn how to form groups in your area, this retreat is the time to do it.

Samsara’s Daily Massacre

Darren Littlejohn — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 23:10:41 +0000

But like me and my inability to even read the news, we tune out the suffering. We tune out our awareness of the infinite sufferings of infinite beings. But all of us are connected to all of the sufferings of all of the beings who have ever lived, who have ever suffered, who have ever died and who are alive and suffering and those who will live and suffer and die. This is our interdependence. This is all happening within us. We're currently in one of the safer periods in the history of our planet. We have more medicine, more tools, more travel, better communication, more education than ever. There have been plagues and slavery and abuse and insanity and it's all been going on since the beginning of time. The horror show continues. It's not just the latest shooting that we should be concerned about. I think about this stuff every day. I think sometimes people look at me and see the look on my face and in my eyes and wonder, "What the fuck is going on in this guy's head?" I'll tel you what's going on.

Fifteen Years Clean and Sober Today – 12/4/97

Darren Littlejohn — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 23:19:33 +0000

My sponsor told me that since my disease is progressive, my recovery needs to be progressive. I think we can practice the fundamentals without becoming fundamentalist.

Guest Post: How To Be Your Own Best Friend In One Easy Step

12stepbuddhist — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 22:09:29 +0000

How To Be Your Own Best Friend In One Easy Step

“I love you.”

That’s what I have to say to myself in the mirror on a regular basis. It’s a technique for developing self esteem that my last therapist taught me and I think it is a powerful spiritual practice as well. Like most

Perfect Practice: How Everyone Can Use Buddhist and Recovery Tools for Greater Happiness

Darren Littlejohn — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 00:11:31 +0000

Based on the series of retreats we've done in the past several years, I've written out a nice little system which integrates the best of Buddhist and Recovery tools in a short, but very dense and powerful program. You can work on any section, in any order as much or as little as you want. As always, your Amazon reviews are most appreciated. Please share the link in all of your social media circles. As this is an eBook, the social network and word of mouth is the only way people will hear about it.