Dear Sangha,

Thank you for being here with us! Welcome to our monthly newsletter. Keep reading for upcoming events, meetings, and some pieces of wisdom. Please share with any friends that might find this useful!

Feel free to reply to this email with any questions or suggestions.

Sending peace,
Recovery Dharma Denver

Volunteering at the Denver Rescue Mission:

Date: Saturday, November 26th

Shift: Dinner Meal Prep Service, 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Location: Lawrence Street Shelter (1130 Park Ave W, Denver, CO 80205)

• Please email Natalya ([email protected]) to reserve your spot! 

Join us for a 'Friendsgiving' potluck dinner!

When: Saturday, November 26th from 5:00-7:30 PM 

Where: YMCA of Lafayette, 2800 Dagny Way, Lafayette, CO 80026 (Cohagen Room)

If you can, please bring a dish to share. The group will provide meat and vegan main dishes and drinks. The dinner will start at 5:30 and we will have time for gratitude sharing, building community and maybe a few games (after-dinner Twister anyone?).

• Please RSVP via the Facebook link so we can get a headcount: Friendsgiving Facebook Invite

Colorado Artists in Recovery Sober Open Mic

When: Friday, November 18th at 7:00 pm

Where: RedRock Recovery Center at 8805 West 14th Ave, Lakewood
(2nd Floor - entry at North Side of building)

What: Perform or just come and support sober artists leaning into vulnerability! This is a free event. All art forms welcome. All community members welcome. 

More information → 

Meetings are held once per week at the following times and locations: 

• Sundays at 5:30 pm at The Phoenix on Champa
• Tuesday at 6:30 pm at The Phoenix on Champa
• Tuesdays at 5:30 pm via ZenDen (on Zoom - Passcode: 5280)

More locations/times →

The First Noble Truth: There Is Suffering

Recovery Dharma, pp 8-9

Get the book →

The First Noble Truth rests on the understanding that our lives are unsatisfactory due to the fact that experiences are impermanent or impersonal. Our senses (which the Buddha understood to include not just hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and touch, but also thinking) are unreliable and temporary, which means that the way we experience and make sense of the world is constantly changing. We suffer because we keep expecting these temporary experiences to satisfy our craving for pleasure or to avoid pain.

Questions for Inquiry:

• Begin by making a list of the behaviors and actions associated with your addiction(s) that you consider harmful. Without exaggerating or minimizing, think about the things you have done that have caused harm to yourself and others.
• For each behavior listed, write how you have suffered because of that behavior, and write how others have suffered because of that behavior. List any other costs or negative consequences you can think of, such as finances, health, relationships, sexual relations, or missed opportunities.
• Do you notice any patterns? What are they? What are the ways that you might avoid or reduce suffering for yourself and others if you change these patterns?
• How have your addictive behaviors been a response to trauma and pain? What are some ways you can respond to trauma and pain that nurture healing rather than avoiding?

Click below to read the book online, listen to a recorded version, or buy your own hardcopy.

Get the book →

Want to connect with a wise friend on the path?

• Support each other and provide accountability by exploring the Eight Fold Path and Four Noble Truths together.
• Reach out to [email protected] to be connected to another member of the community.
• Or, start your own partnership or small group.
• You can find the "Wise Friends" guidebook here.

Call Me By My True Names by Thich Nhat Hanh

A lovely collection of poems and short stories written by the Zen Buddhist monk. A perfect way to bring your mind back to the present and take a moment in the day to center yourself and practice mindfulness. His writing style is so accessible, playful, and open. It will bring a smile to your face and be a kind friend on the path.

Going in Circles (p 181)

O you who are going in circles,

please stop.

What are you doing it for?

“I cannot be without going,

because I don’t know where to go.

that’s why I go in circles.”

O you who are going in circles,

please stop.

“But if I stop going,

I will stop being.”

O my friend who is going in circles,

you are not one with

this crazy business of going in circles.

You may enjoy going,

but not going in circles.

"Where can I go?”

Go where you can find your beloved,

where you can find yourself.

Recovery Dharma supports a holistic path to recovery. There is no one right way to recover! It's always a good idea to add more tools to your toolbox to facilitate your healing.

Here are some other community resources to check out!

• Advocates for Recovery
• CHOW (Culinary Hospitality Outreach and Wellness)
• CAIR (Colorado Artists in Recovery)
• Rooted303
• The Phoenix - A Sober Active Community

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be at ease.

May all beings be free from suffering.