Sarpashana, by Anonymous

This post about Sarpashana, also known as The Heart of Recovery, was written by a member of our Tuesday evening group. As common practice in Sarpashana and other recovery groups, the privacy of attendees is protected and the writer has submitted this post as Anonymous. – Michelle Welch, blog editor

I’m still surprised by how many people attend Sarpashana on Tuesday nights.  I think it is an indispensable community resource, but I wish that nobody had a need for it. As one who does have a need for it, though, I am highly grateful that it is available.  Sarpashana is a Buddhist-oriented recovery support group.  It offers a space where people with addiction issues can practice together and discuss their recovery.  When I started attending, it was common to have only six or seven folks per week, but that was several years ago.

Since then, attendance has grown to see upwards of 20 people on a given Tuesday.  Practice consists of 15 minutes of silent sitting, followed by a reading. We alternate between recovery-focused and Dharma-focused books in the group, with titles chosen that will have application to both topics. A recovery book that we previously covered is Kevin Griffin’s One Breath at a Time, while currently we are reading a more Dharma-focused work, Pema Chodron’s When Things Fall Apart.

Following the reading is open discussion, where we can talk about life, recovery, our practice, or anything that came up for us during the reading. These discussions are typically very rich, because of the honest sharing that naturally happens in the space.  Whether I participate in the discussion, or just quietly listen, I usually hear something that I needed to hear to advance in my own recovery.

Possibly the most important practice I have learned at Sarpashana is to never give up. My own process of quitting drinking was very rocky; I would quit for a few weeks at a time but inevitably relapse. This pattern went on for a few years. When I would come out of a relapse, I would discuss it with Frank, the late founder of the Phoenix Sarpashana group.

I always walked away encouraged.  He would tell me to never give up, but more importantly, he never gave up on me. It has been nearly two years since my last drink, and the skills and support I have received at Sarpashana have been a significant factor in that accomplishment.  The group is currently led by Mike, who has done an admirable job caring for the Sarpashana community and helping it grow. The Phoenix Sarpashana group meets at 7 pm on Tuesdays at the Shambhala Center.