The 12-Step Buddhist: Enhance Recovery from Any Addiction

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The 12-Step Buddhist: Enhance Recovery from Any Addiction

by Darren Littlejohn (Goodreads Author)

4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 · rating details · 82 ratings · 11 reviews

The face of addiction and alcoholism is a face that many have seen before -- it may be a celebrity, a colleague, or even a family member. And though the 12-step program by itself can often bring initial success, many addicts find themselves relapsing back into old ways and old patterns, or replacing one addiction with another. Author Darren Littlejohn has been there and ba...more

ebook, 320 pages

Published March 10th 2009 by Atria Books/Beyond Words (first published 2009)

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Dec 31, 2011 John Pappas rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: buddhism

I had some trepidation about Darren Littlejohn’s book “The 12 Step Buddhist”. In a market that is dominated by “feel good”, “inspirational” books with wide puppy-dog eyes and flower gardens, this book stands out like flame-thrower at a hayride. Needless to say this book provides a more realistic portrayal of addiction and Buddhist practice.

Most recovery books that touch on Buddhism either water-down the Dharma to a base level (like learning yoga just to touch your toes – useful but dull) or scr...more I had some trepidation about Darren Littlejohn’s book “The 12 Step Buddhist”. In a market that is dominated by “feel good”, “inspirational” books with wide puppy-dog eyes and flower gardens, this book stands out like flame-thrower at a hayride. Needless to say this book provides a more realistic portrayal of addiction and Buddhist practice.

Most recovery books that touch on Buddhism either water-down the Dharma to a base level (like learning yoga just to touch your toes – useful but dull) or scramble it up to such an extent that it is no longer recognizable as Dharma (just some self-help dribble with an Eastern flare).

Darrin did none of these things. On the contrary he represented the Dharma and Buddhist practice as a “spiritual edge” to an otherwise stale 12 Step process. The 12 steps taken by themselves were not enough for complete recovery. Instead integration was stressed above all else. Integration of Buddhist practice, philosophy and religion into the 12 Steps Philosophy; Integration of both meditative and esoteric practices (in this case Zen and Tibetan Buddhism); Integration of the 12 Steps and Buddhist practice beyond the doors of a Zendo or a AA meeting; Integration of a home-practice with a sangha practice; Integration of you with your own addictions and attachments.

While an addict with a Buddhist or contemplative leaning would benefit the most from this book, its presentation leaves plenty to gain from just a superficial understanding of addiction, the 12 Steps or Buddhism and will leave the neophyte with more than cud to chew on – from the first few chapters that explore Darren Littlejohn’s addiction, his practice of Buddhism and several of his successes and failures to the later chapters that outline an actual integrated practice.

Far from a motivational speech, the 12 Step Buddhist shows where each aspect of recovery is lacking and how each piece, when working together, can make a much clearer (but not necessarily easier) road to recovery. Whether your addition is as serious and destructive as some of those described in the book or simply an attachment to those things around us, the meditations detailed throughout are a useful tool in the realization and the releasing of those things tying us down.

A personal favorite passage from the book was this explanation of karma and a higher power…

Karma, to me is a spiritual law. I can’t change it. I can choose to ignore it, but that doesn’t change the outcome. In that sense, karma is a power greater than I am. Karma means “action”. Action is cause. A cause has an effect. The law or principle of karma says there is a cause for everything that exists. If there is no cause, there is no effect. In fact, the logic of karma can be seen to rule our the possibility of a Creator God, which is the cause but has no cause… [from The 12 Step Buddhist: Enhance Recovery from Any Addiction]

Take home message from this book: We have several facets to our practice. Whether we are addicts in the strictest sense of the word or attached to living; we need an integrated practice. A practice that can include the absolute as well as the relative; the esoteric as well as the practical. When we disregard these aspects of practice because they don’t fit into a preconceived framework we let many facets grow dull that otherwise would shine.(less)

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Jul 15, 2009 Rich rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone

"filter and apply with simpliciy and ease"

In my autographed copy, Darren Littlejohn wrote "I hope the book helps you filter and apply with simplicity and ease." That is exactly what this book helps me to do. More than just a memoir and more than just a buddhist treatise, this book is a spiritual guide of recovery and the 12 steps.

My own journey has led me to the 12 steps and like Darren, the god concept worked until it didn't work anymore. Knowing that I needed to continue to grow spiritually...more

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Jun 20, 2011 Steve Woods rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: buddhism, recovery, spirituality

As is often the case on "the journey" this book fell into my hands at just the right time. I have been involved in Buddhist study and practice for about three years. It was Meditation that provided me with the "spiritual awakening" and since then exploration of Buddhism and how to apply the teachings to my life has been the central focus of my being. At the same time I found that I was experiencing some dissatisfaction and frustration with AA, both at meetings and in exchanges with my fellow tra...more

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Jan 30, 2013 Dharmamitra Jeff Stefani rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Recovery and buddhism

Recommended to Dharmamitra Jeff by: Amazon

Shelves: suggested-well-worth-it, recovery, dharma

As a Life-Long Spiritual Seeker and Addict, which took me both into recovery (all sorts, but 12-Steps is what i use today, and 'tis true what they say: It Works If Your Work It!
My buddhist oath began over 16 years ago, and the Real Tipping-Point/Critical Mass was attained in December 2012 with the loss of a separate self and the gain of Insight into the True Nature of Reality, which occurred after being sober for a few years, and as i noted, after ~ 15 years as a "devout" Buddhist Practitioner....more As a Life-Long Spiritual Seeker and Addict, which took me both into recovery (all sorts, but 12-Steps is what i use today, and 'tis true what they say: It Works If Your Work It!
My buddhist oath began over 16 years ago, and the Real Tipping-Point/Critical Mass was attained in December 2012 with the loss of a separate self and the gain of Insight into the True Nature of Reality, which occurred after being sober for a few years, and as i noted, after ~ 15 years as a "devout" Buddhist Practitioner. I follow what is referred to as an Ecumenical Buddhist Path, which is basically saying it's eclectic, yet all forms of Buddhism containing certain unified principles it isn't eclectic, because eclectic means it's derived from various, separate sources, where ecumenical is the essence of all schools of Buddhism, which are fundamentally Not separate sources. As the Buddha out it: "Just as All the oceans have but one taste, the taste of salt, so too does the dharma have but one taste, the taste of freedom."

Having had the experience to incorporate the 12 Steps into my very consciousness, I was/am able to envelope the 12 Steps and, in the positive sense; "make them my own." A statement I would be/am very careful in how I say it, or to whom and how i explain that.
It doesn't mean that I made the 12 Steps customized to fit me, butt hat I was able to process their essence and make them art of me, which this give me my own experience and understanding of the Steps. Which is truly essential, in my opinion, for real, quality, long0term sobriety, as well as the ability to sponsor others, and teach the steps directly as they are outlined, but in my own words, from my own experience. the Steps dissolved me, and in essence the new me evolved with 12-Step cognition, and thus I, in-turn, dissolved the steps into me.

So I have the most profound experiences of my life; The Buddha Dharma and Recovery as the central themes in my life, which has also led to a third experience that I find really round out these two others, and makes the third most profound experience of my life, and the guiding principles, and this third one has been the year spent doing real, true P{psychoanalysis (modern Jungian type, 5 days/week, 52 weeks per year, under the care and direction of an exceptional Human Being, (I am not one that is easily impressed or gives a lot of credibility to schooling, as my Analysts is a Psychiatrist, which means at full-time, full speed, does 4 years university, 4 years Medical School, 5 or 6 years of residency to become a psychiatrists, and only then beginning the Psychoanalyst training which takes an additional 12 years! Not that spending 26 years in school AFTER graduating High School/secondary school, is what does really impress me is that from day 1 of Psychoanalysis school, the doctor is undergoing Psychoanalysis. SO, it's not so much the 26 years of University, as much as the 12 years of Psychoanalysis that is really impressive and really shows. As many long-term addicts, I have been to see countless Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Counselors and Clinical Social Workers. I have met three in all, although one of each, 1 PhD Psychologist, 1 Clinical Social Worker, and 1 Psychiatrist; and that is my Analyst, to be Amazingly helpful and talented, extraordinary, Self-Actualized. SO they do exist, they are out there, but they are the rare minority of Health Professional, and I've seen tons, as well as the best Addictionologists from all over, and other sponsors and substance abuse counselors, etc.

Sorry about that, I got off track, but my experience in Psychoanalysis is so profound that I wish to elaborate on it, and still to point out that the title doesn't necessarily mean anything, although with the Analysts, because I think we all probably know, or know of someone that become a counselor or Psychologist because they were/are a bit cuckoo for coco puffs, thus they figure the schooling will "fix" them, and the only treatments that i've received in my over 40 years of living that actually Cured the underlying Cause has been Craniosacral Therapy and Psychoanalysis. But I wasn't ready for that therapy until my Stream Entry, spiritual awakening to the experience of reality, of No-Self, of Literal Oneness, which was after years of sobriety.

I forgot my point :) Oh yeah, my point is that I am also uniquely qualified to comment of this book, and I have to say that i read it a log time ago, and don't remember it well (i was reading 2 books on Buddhism, and recovery at the same time, back in 2002, and i know from reading his current work that he doesn't have the experience of Stream Entry (once attained, it's radiantly clear, by listening to someone, whether they've experienced Emptiness, or are speaking about it from a learned, place of knowledge, not actual Wisdom. So it is a totally different experience when ot comes to learning from some that is "no-one" and someone that is still someone, and even less satisfying is fro someone that is still someone, but trying to speak from a place of No-Self. I am working on my own book, because my Blog isn't quite cutting it, I want to share my story in a way that it can be most effective. (Which as you can tell, it's complicated to explain the inexplicable, but still feel compelled to try, because of such a strong sense of connectedness to those that seek release of suffering; whether that be the suffering of Samsara, or the Hungry Ghost realm of the addict.
Either way, we are all addicts in our own ways. If we exist, we do so from ignorance and grasping, and in that way we are all addicted to Samsara (Conditioned Existence) so I am doing all i can to truly be the best possible manner of usefulness and genuine compassion and sympathy. Stream Entry is the technical point at which one becomes a Bodhisattva, albeit the lowest levels of Bodhisattvas, and what Bodhisattvas are traditionally known for it their compassion element. Now i don't see much resemblance between myself and Avalokiteśvara, BUT I DO see clearly howe it is Unfathomable to lead a life that was Not directly motivated to help others to find the solution to this "dilemma" of samsara.

THAT SAID: Navigating the 12-Steps as a Buddhist is hard, So is it as a Spiritual Atheist. ANYTHING that is truly beneficial, and This book is definitely beneficial. As is "One Breath At A Time" which is another buddhist recovery book, and one that i strongly recommend.
Thanks, and if you're involved with recovery and buddhism, or just recovery, or just buddhism, or neither but suffering in realms of samsara, please feel free to ask for help My website is http://BuddhistInsight.com
Thanks, Love and Health,
Dharmamitra Jeff Stefani

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Jun 28, 2009 Todd Mayville rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Excellent book on dealing with addiction issues while avoiding the typical Judeo-Christian ideologies that often accompany recovery programs. My full review: http://www.elephantjournal.com/2009/0...

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Dec 11, 2008 Gretchen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: edited-proofread

I edited this title, and it was a really interesting combination of 12-Step philosophy and Buddhism, which I had never seen before, as 12-Step gets a lot of philosophy from Christianity. I really enjoyed working on this one.

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Sep 21, 2012 Lisbeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: always-reading

Would keep this at a five were it not for the use of the "alcoholic" model -- not the addict model of NA. Personal stuff, not to worry. A true staple for us Eastern Thinkers

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Jul 21, 2009 Darren Littlejohn rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author) · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: 12-steps-and-buddhism, buddhism, recovery

I wrote this book to flesh out my own thoughts and experiences as a lifetime addict and Buddhist. What I'm learning as I do workshops and talks about the book is that this process is really just beginning. There is a lot to learn and apply. My hope is that people around the world will take the journey of the 12-Step Buddhist seriously and in turn create new groups and methods. The work is deep and powerful and can be applied by anyone, be they addict, non-addict Buddhist or not.

May it be of ben...more

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Aug 10, 2012 Chavonne rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: recovery, just-could-not-finish, nonfiction

I couldn't get past the second chapter of this book. The author comes off as really arrogant and rubbed me the wrong way.

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Jun 08, 2010 Cher rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: dharma, recovery

I actually learned nothing from this book -the other buddhist-related recovery books are far superior to this one.

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Apr 20, 2010 Kara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The journey I have been on to find my path in this short and and sometimes overwhealming existance has lead me to a new friend and his amazing book. I have not only been reading the book, but I also take a course which is based on Darren's writings. Thank you Darren for giving me the "something new" for which I had searched.

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Shelves: psych

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Shelves: buddhism, psychology, religion-and-spirituality

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About Darren Littlejohn

Darren Littlejohn is a recovering addict and a practitioner of Zen and Tibetan Buddhism, as well as a former mental health specialist. He earned a BA in Psych in 1991 and worked in chemical dependency and acute psychiatric care facilities during college. Darren took 2 years of graduate school and earned All But Thesis of a Masters degree in Research Methods for Psychology. He has been a Buddhist p...more

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